Corrosion-Fatigue Crack Growth Performance of Titanium Grade 29 Welds in Tapered Stress Joints

Design of a steel catenary riser requires the use of connection hardware to decouple the large bending moments induced by the host floater at the hang-off location. Reliability of this connection hardware is essential, particularly in applications involving high pressure and high temperature fluids. One option for this connection hardware is the metallic tapered stress joint. Titanium (Ti) Grade 29 has been identified as an attractive material candidate for demanding stress joint applications due to its “high strength, low weight, superior fatigue performance and innate corrosion resistance”.2 Titanium stress joints for deepwater applications are typically not fabricated as a single piece due to titanium ingot volume limitations, thus making an intermediate girth weld necessary to satisfy length requirements. As with steel, the potential effect of hydrogen embrittlement induced by cathodic and galvanic potentials must be assessed to ensure long-term weld integrity. This paper describes testing from a joint industry project (JIP) conducted to qualify titanium stress joint (TSJ) welds for ultra-deepwater applications under harsh service and environmental conditions. Corrosion-fatigue crack growth rate (CFCGR) results for Ti Grade 29 flat welding-groove weld (1G/PA) gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) specimens in seawater under cathodic potential and sour brine under galvanic potential are presented and compared to vendor recommended design curves.