Golden Joints

[hmzM]

Refer to the pipeline design ASME B31.4 and welding in accordance with API 1104.
1. There is any clause mentioned the limitation of the golden joints (final tie-ins without hydrotest)i.e. quantity of the golden joints are permitted?
2. It's possible to put a extra pipe (e.g. 2m pup-piece) without hydrotest the pup-pieces into the pipeline? The reason is the pipe has been hydrotested in the factory. It's permitted by the Code & Standards?

I was checked in the both codes but can't find any.

 

[GregLamberson]

hmzM

The questions you are asking are company specific. The codes are guidelines, at the end of the day it is left up to the company's discretion.

As far as I know, there are no code limitations for "golden welds" or what we always used to call "final tie-ins".

Most companies want to reduce the number of golden welds as much as possible and while that is probably a good idea in theory, when you have multiple test sections on a pipeline, minimizing is about all you can do.

Obviously, for golden welds, they should all be 100% NDT'd.

Some comapny's have restrictions on adding in pipe to a system that is not hydrotested (not counting that done at the mill). If that's the case, what I would recommend is addiing several extra joints of pipe to your test sections and then just mark them as "tested pipe" and stock pile them in your yard. That way you will have some extra tested pipe in case you need to add a pup joint somewhere.



Greg Lamberson
Consultant - Upstream Energy
Website:

http://www.oil-gas-consulting.com

 

[dcasto]

We had a guest speaker who was the head of the TRRC pipeline safety answer that question one time. He stated you could build a pipeline from El Paso to Texarkana with tested pipe and 100% xray and it would meet the code (DOT 192-195 API 1104) but they would call BS and make you test it. However, they have allowed 1/2 mile sections put in this way becuse the risk of not getting the pipeline complted out weigted the risk of untested final product.