Guidance on the Composite Repair of Pressure

Systems
As assets mature, the need
for the repair of pressure
systems often becomes
more prevalent. Whether due
to internal or external
damage, operators are faced
with the ongoing challenge
of how best to execute
repairs and maintain the
integrity of such systems.
The use of composite
materials is a well
established practice but
requires careful
consideration in order to be
executed successfully. This
article explores some of the
key requirements.

Introduction
Composite repair technology has a long established track record for the restoration
of the integrity of externally damaged or corroded pipe, tanks, structural supports
and vessels. Over the last 20 years, numerous joint industry projects and
collaborations have led to the development of two key industry standards for the
design and application of composite repairs which we reference within this article.

Composite repairs may be applied to various substrates including carbon and

stainless steels, copper nickel alloys, glass fibre reinforced epoxies (GRE) and
plastics (GRP). Materials typically used in a repair include a glass or carbon fibre
reinforcement within a polyester, epoxy or polyurethane polymer matrix. Industry
standards do not specify or limit the fibre and matrix combinations but do require
independently validated qualification tests before they may be applied.

This article maps out the key steps and considerations associated with the
application of a composite repair from the perspective of the operator of the pressure
system in need of repair.

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 Engineering Review and Risk Industry Repair Standards

Assessment
Suitability of a composite repair is best
The starting point for any composite determined by reference to one of the
repair is the identification of an internal two established and comparable
or external defect on a pipeline or piping industry standards on the subject, ISO/
system which requires intervention per TS 24817(2) and Articles 401 and 402
the applicable design code. It is within ASME PCC-2(3).
important to establish the cause and full
extent of the damage prior to The scope of these two standards using
determining the suitability of a composite and non-metallic materials
composite repair. A Fitness for Service includes repairs to pipelines and piping
(FFS) assessment may be required to (including straight runs, elbows, tees,
justify continued operation, (for instance flanges, reducers, valve bodies),
‘Engineering Critical Analyses’ to BS pressure vessels and tanks (including
7910). This may identify a number of nozzles and attachments). Attachment 1
mitigations such as the de-rating of the of this article illustrates a number of
pressure system pending repair or typical repair configurations, including
equally a repair within a stated some of the more complex geometries.
timescale, after which the system would
Both ISO/TS 24817 and ASME PCC-2
need to be taken out of service. The
assume that a decision to repair using a
FFS may often involve formal defect
composite system has already been
analysis and assessment.
made by reference to the appropriate
Having established the need for a design code for a pipeline, piping
repair, a multi-disciplined engineering system or pressure vessel.
review should establish the proposed
course of action including repair options
and their suitability for the intended Supplier Capability and Repair
service duty. In doing so, the following Qualification
hierarchy set by the UK’s Health and
Safety Executive for the weld-less repair Selection of a supplier with the
of safety critical piping systems(1) should capability to apply a composite repair in
be considered and applied: accordance with one of the above two
standards is an important first step. As
(1) Replace with like-for-like (to the fibre and matrix combinations are
original design specification) as the essentially bespoke solutions,
first priority; combinations can have different
characteristics and capabilities.
(2) Temporary repair (using a weld-less
repair solution) until replacement The integrity of such combinations is
can be carried out; established through qualification tests
based on the “Classification” of the
(3) Permanent repair (using a weld-less repair as well as the “Defect Type”.
repair) where replacement is not
practical.

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 As a result, supplier capability as well (C) Defect type including internal and
as the pre-qualification of a composite external defects as well as through
system are two essential elements wall defects;
ahead of any engineering design of a
potential repair. (D) D e s i g n l i f e w h i c h s h o u l d b e
specified by the operator but may
Accordingly, a supplier should confirm equally be limited by the composite.
and evidence that a proposed
composite repair falls within the Each of the four areas are considered in
capability of their composite repair turn:
system before progressing the design.
(A) Service Duty. Normal operating
Beyond the industry standard pressures and temperatures, bending
requirements, the operator of the asset moments, axial and torsional loads,
may also implement further risk based cyclic conditions and shutdown or upset
assurance requirements, such as an conditions should be taken into account
audit of a supplier ’s quality when designing a composite repair. This
management system, or the review of includes non-pressure loads, such as
any engineering design calculations for vibration from rotating machinery or
a specific composite repair. equally the impact of a cathodic
protection system on the composite
material.
Composite Repair Design
It is also important to check the
The four main areas of consideration in compatibility of the composite with the
the design of a composite repair are: process fluids for through-wall or
potential through-wall defects. The
(A) Service duty of the pressure system nature of the process fluids (toxicity,
to be repaired including any static flammability) along with the cause and
and dynamic loads; extent of the damage will also
determine any controls and mitigations
(B) Repair classification based on the whilst undertaking the repair, such as
use of either ISO/TS 24817 or isolation, flushing and purging
ASME PCC-2; requirements.

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 The impact of the repair on any required The design and installation methods for
safety performance standards, such as the higher risk / classes of repair are
the ability to survive the impact of fire more demanding, including the
for a given period of time should also be composite allowable design strain, the
considered. provision of material data for the
composite, qualification tests & surface
(B) Repair Classification: ISO/TS preparation requirements.
24817 defines three classes of repair
whereas ASME PCC-2 defines either (C) Cause and Extent of Damage.
low and high risk applications. In both Both ISO TS/24817 and ASME PCC-2
cases, the classification has a bearing define two generic types of defect, both
on both the design and execution of the of which are relevant to the design of
repair. the repair:

The three ISO/TS 24817 classes are • Defect Type A: These are pipe wall
dependent on temperature, pressure defects which are not through-wall
and the risk associated with the fluids and furthermore are not expected to
being handled: become through-wall during the life
time of the repair. The repair provides
• Class 1 Repairs: This covers design structural reinforcement of the defect.
pressures up to 2MPa (20bar), design Type A defects include but are not
temperatures up to 40°C and are limited to damage caused by
appropriate for the majority of utility mechanical impact (such as dents or
services. This class is intended for gouges). In cases such as external
systems that do not relate directly to corrosion (due to coating breakdown),
personnel safety or safety-critical application of the composite will arrest
systems; eg: sea water cooling. any further deterioration.

• Class 2 Repairs: Covers design • Defect Type B: These are through

pressures up to 2MPa (20bar) and wall defects or defects which are
design temperatures up to 100°C but expected to become through wall
excludes hydrocarbon service duties. during the lifetime of the repair. (More
This class is appropriate for systems specifically, a defect is considered
that have a specific safety-related through-wall if the wall thickness at
functions; eg: firewater/deluge any point within the affected area is
systems. determined to be less that 1mm at the
end of the repair lifetime.) In such
• Class 3 Repairs: Covers all fluid instances, the repair provides
types, pressures and temperatures up structural reinforcement as well as
to the qualified upper pressure and pressure containment of the through
temperature limits of the composite wall defect. Type B defects include but
repair system. This class is are not limited to damage caused by
appropriate for systems transporting internal corrosion or erosion due to
hydrocarbon fluids (including gas), the service conditions. Application of a
produced water, and flammable composite repair in such
liquids. circumstances will not prevent further
deterioration.

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 Cracks and crack-like defects may also Clearly a system or process is required
be repaired using composites. However, to ensure that appropriate composite
such defects require careful repair records are maintained along with
assessment and a demonstration that a notification that the originally agreed
any further crack propagation will design life is due to expire.
remain acceptable during the lifetime of
the composite repair. In general,
composite repairs will not arrest crack Work Execution
propagation other than through the
structural reinforcement of the This includes a number of parameters
substrate. including site access and the ability to
isolate the contents of the pipework
(D) Design Life. A design life requires prior to execution of the work. Any
to be defined as part of the engineering ongoing leak clearly needs to be
design for the composite repair. A arrested before a repair can be
number of factors will impact the design undertaken. Consideration should also
life, such as the time through to the next be given to the consequences of failure
planned shutdown, remaining asset life including any hazards to personnel in
or equally asset life extension the vicinity of the repair and the
requirements. In addition to this, the consequences to plant operation.
likelihood and rate of further
deterioration of internal defects which Before commencement of the work, a
may lead to perforation will also define clear and concise method statement for
the design life and any subsequent the job, supplemented by an approved
inspection and intervention engineering design should be available.
requirements. The method statement should include
any independent inspection hold points
ISO/TS 24817 and ASME PCC-2 at key stages of the repair, such as the
requires a supplier to validate the surface preparation.
performance of a composite repair for a
minimum design life of 2 years and a The qualifications of the individual(s)
maximum design life of 20 years. Once undertaking the repair should also be
the agreed design life has expired, the confirmed ahead of any work.
composite repair should be removed Qualification normally involves a period
and the pipeline or piping system of training followed by formal
returned to the original design assessment. Further to this, ISO TS/
specification or removed from service. It 24817 also requires supervisory
is however possible to justify further life oversight during the execution of Class
extension through careful engineering 2 and 3 repairs as a further quality
assessment. For Class 3 composite management measure.
repairs, ISO/TS 24817 recommends a
cautious approach, extending the life in On completion of the repair, a pressure
modest 5 year increments after which test may be required to confirm the
further assessment is undertaken. integrity of the pressure envelope,
though operationally it may not always
be possible or practical to do so.

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 The pressure test may be required to Repair Close-out and Record

re-establish the maximum allowable Keeping
operating pressure (MAOP) or
maximum operating pressure (MOP) of Composite repairs should be recorded
a system which was previously de-rated as part of the asset Management of
on account of the defect. However, any Change (MOC) process. A register of
pressure testing should only be such repairs should be maintained and
undertaken once the composite repair reviewed on a regular basis, especially
has fully cured per the suppliers repair prior to planned shutdowns or as a
procedures. repair approaches its design life.
Suppliers should provide a written
design report for each repair, inclusive
Surface Preparation of any engineering design calculations
and analysis. A further report should
Though surface preparation is arguably also be prepared by the supplier on
part of work execution, it is sufficiently completion of the repair, inclusive of a
important to warrant a separate section completion certificate confirming
within this article. The quality of the satisfactory execution of the work.
bond between the composite and the
underlying substrate is a key factor
leading to the success of any repair. Future Inspection and
Typically, surface preparation will
Maintenance
involve cleaning, degreasing and Composite repairs should be regularly
surface abrasion either by hand, inspected once in service and
mechanical power tool or grit blasting to scheduled through the asset’s
a required standard. Any paint and maintenance management system or
corrosion products need to be fully similar. In particular, regular inspection
removed. Failure to execute this task may be required to ensure that the
correctly will lead to a reduced level of repaired defect remains within the
performance irrespective of other issues dimensions assumed by the design.
such as the quality of the mechanical This is particularly important for internal
design of the composite. Surface corrosion defects where there is the
preparation will normally be measured potential for deterioration and a further
and recorded by the supplier. The limit on the expected design life of the
operator may additionally choose to put repair.
in place an “inspection hold point” and
witness the surface preparation before The parent pipe underneath the
progressing to the application of the composite repair can be inspected by
composite system. r a d i o g r a p h y. E l e c t r o m a g n e t i c
techniques, such as pulsed eddy
Prevailing ambient and pipe surface current can inspect for general metal
conditions when the composite is to be wall loss under the composite material.
applied should be taken into account
and records of such conditions along
with the standard of surface preparation
should be taken.

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 Ultrasonic inspection techniques may chemical industries is ongoing through a

be used for pin-hole type defects, number of suppliers. Further to this,
though effectiveness can be limited composite resins can be susceptible to
where thick composite layers have been UV degradation and suitable coatings
applied with a high layer count. and protection should be maintained
throughout the design life of the repair.
Dependent on the potential for a
through wall defect, consideration
should also be given to the ongoing Summary
monitoring of the repair, such as regular
testing for hydrocarbon seepage by gas Composite repair of pressure systems
detector, soapy water or similar. Here continues to be an active area of
the composite repair is likely to blister research and development with various
as a consequence, followed by the joint industry projects continuing to
migration of process fluids underneath make progress. Applicability across
the composite and through to the edges different piping configurations and
where the fluids may subsequently be components continues to broaden as
detected. well as the service duties to which the
repair may be applied.
Inspection of the composite itself for
potential failure modes, including de- Ultimately it is for the operator to decide
lamination and dis-bondment from the on the extent to which a composite may
parent metal can be challenging. be justified and deployed through
Techniques such as laser shearography careful engineering review and
and computed tomography have been assessment. This may include
successfully used in the aviation and additional measures to provide
automotive industries but the assurance of both the design and
techniques are sensitive to noise and execution of the repair. Attachment 2 of
vibration. Adoption and deployment of this article provides a useful summary of
such technologies into the process and the key points within this article.

Further Reading and References

There is extensive literature on the subject of composite repairs. The following
documents are referenced within this article:

(1) Health and Safety Executive: Weldless Repair of Safety Critical Piping Systems,
July 2005.

(2) ISO/TS 24817: Composite Repairs for Piping.

(3) ASME PCC-2-2018: Repair of Pressure Equipment and Piping.

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 Article peer reviewed by Stuart McIntyre. A pipeline engineer with over thirty years
experience in both the oil & gas and process industries. Expertise in both onshore &
offshore pipelines, from concept select through to decommissioning; rigorous technical
evaluations undertaken; development of innovative & novel solutions.

Article peer reviewed by Dilip Patel. A Project and Engineering Manager with 38 years
experience in the gas and LNG industry, with special focus on LNG tanks, pipework, static
and rotating equipment, process safety and procurement. Dilip is a Chartered Engineer and
Member of the Energy Institute with expertise in energy storage and security.

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 Attachment 1: Composite Repair Examples
(All images courtesy of Metalyte Pipeworks)

Straight section of pipeline / piping Pressure vessel / storage tank patch

Vessel nozzles / piping joints / bends Piping bends

Piping bends / tees Piping bends / supports / compact anges

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fl

 Attachment 2: Composite Repair Lifecyle

Activity Who Questions and Key Considerations

Has a defect been identified which requires remediation and / or intervention?

Allowable defects per pipeline / piping / vessel industry standards.
Potential requirement for defect analysis and assessment.
Asset Engineering
Engineering Review
Team Has the cause and extent of the damage been fully established?
Internal corrosion or erosion; external dents or gouges; crack or crack-like defects.
Through-wall defects or potential for defect to deteriorate and become through-wall.

Has a case been made for the use of a composite repair?

Asset Engineering Hierarchy of repair options; like-for-like, temporary repair until replacement is carried out,
Risk Assessment
Team permanently repair where replacement is not practical.
Suitability of a composite repair for the intended defect and service duty.

Has supplier been identified with the capability to implement a composite repair?
Asset Supply Supplier selection and capability; quality management system and standards.
Supplier Selection Chain or Compliance with ISO TS 24817 or ASME PCC-2.
and Capability Procurement Repair qualification for the proposed service duty.
Function Track record and experience of similar repairs.
Supplier audit for higher risk applications.

Will the design of the repair comply with ISO TS 24817 or ASME PCC-2?
Service duty including any static and dynamic loads.
Repair classification; Class 1,2 or 3 for ISO TS 24817; low or high risk for ASME PCC-2.
Repair Design and Composite Repair Defect classification; Type A for non-through wall defects and Type B for through wall defects.
Qualification Supplier
What is the agreed design life for the proposed repair and what are the limiting factors?
Design life between 2 and 20 years; limited by defect growth such as internal corrosion.

Will the repair be executed in accordance with ISO TS 24817 or ASME PCC-2?
Training and capability of individuals undertaking the repair.
Surface preparation standard / hand abrasion / grit blasting.
Suitability of prevailing environmental conditions prior to the repair.
Work Execution Curing time before returning the pressure system into service.
Asset Operations
including Surface Team
Preparation What additional measures are required for the repair to take place?
Plant isolation and preparation for the repair, including any Control of Work requirements.
Habitat requirement when using composites that need to adhere to a dry surface.
Inspection hold points for key stages of the work execution.
Requirement for pressure test on completion of the composite repair.

Has the repair been properly documented and the work closed-out?
Documentation of the repair, including both the design dossier and work execution records.
Technical case for design life extension of a composite repair by reference back to the original
Project Close-out Asset Engineering design documentation.
and Repair Register Team
Is a system in place to track the agreed design life of the composite repair?
Asset register of temporary repairs.
Remove from service once design life exceeded or justify life extension.

Is a suitable scheme in place to monitor the composite repair once in service?

Inspection of the composite repair for evidence of deterioration; blistering, dis-bondment and de-
lamination.
Inspection and Asset Operations Inspection of substrate for evidence of further deterioration; radiography, eddy-current.
Maintenance Team Potential through wall defect over the lifetime of the composite repair; gas monitoring, soapy bubble
test at periphery of the repair for gas service duty.
Future inspection techniques and technologies to monitor the composite repair; laser shearography.

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