Petroleum Development Oman L.L.C.

Onshore Pipeline Engineering

(SP-1211)

Document ID SP-1211

Document Type Standard

Security Unrestricted

Discipline Pipeline Engineering

Owner UEL – Pipelines Corporate Functional Discipline Head

Issue Date Nov 2014

Revision 4.0

This document is the property of Petroleum Development Oman, LLC. Neither the whole nor any
part of this document may be disclosed to others or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form by any means (electronic, mechanical, reprographic recording or otherwise)
without prior written consent of the owner.
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i Document Authorisation

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ii Revision History
The following is a brief summary of the 4 most recent revisions to this document. Details of all
revisions prior to these are held on file by the issuing department.

Revision No. Date Author Scope / Remarks

Version 4.0 Nov 2014 UEL  Minimum thickness for GRP lines
revised based on fluid category.
 Revised recommended spares.
 Added section on Stress analysis.
 Section updated on MAIP.
 Standard references updated and
obsolete standards /DEP deleted.

Version 3.0 January 2011 UEL/1 Reviewed, updated and revised.

Major updates includes the followings:
 Update of all applicable standards
throughout the document
 Added AI PSM Requirements
 Modified list of common pipeline
threats in section 3.2
 Added requirement in section
4.1.3 of a complete review when a
new extension is added to a
pipeline system e.g. by adding a
new branch line.
 Additional requirement in section
4.1.7 for pipelines carrying
category C,D or E fluids to be
capable of arresting running
ductile shear failures
 Addition of section 4.9.3 “Balance
Line”
 Table 3: Modified recommended
minimum cover for onshore
pipelines.
 Revised formula of the minimum
distance between pipeline and
normally occupied building for a
design factor not exceeding 0.72

Version 2.0 November 2004 UEL/1 Reviewed, updated

Version 1.0 April 2003 UEL/1 New Standard – Initial Issue.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I DOCUMENT AUTHORISATION 2

II REVISION HISTORY 3

1 INTRODUCTION 6

1.1 Scope ................................................................................................................... 6

1.2 Distribution, Intended Use And Regulatory Considerations .................................. 6
1.3 Definitions ............................................................................................................. 7
1.4 Abbreviations ...................................................................................................... 10
1.5 Cross-References ............................................................................................... 11
2 APPLICATION OF CODES AND GROUP STANDARDS 12

2.1 ASME Codes ...................................................................................................... 12

2.2 Shell Group Standards ....................................................................................... 13
2.3 PDO Standards................................................................................................... 13
3 PIPELINE RISKS AND MANAGEMENT 14

3.1 General ............................................................................................................... 14

3.2 Risk Identification................................................................................................ 15
3.3 Risk Assessment ................................................................................................ 15
3.4 Pipeline Classification ......................................................................................... 16
3.5 Risk Control ........................................................................................................ 17
3.6 Recovery from Failures ....................................................................................... 18
4 DESIGN 18

4.1 General Considerations ...................................................................................... 18

4.2 Pipeline Routing.................................................................................................. 21
4.3 Pipeline Strength Considerations........................................................................ 23
4.4 Crossings ............................................................................................................ 28
4.5 Burial Philosophy / Pipeline Protection ............................................................... 29
4.6 Stability ............................................................................................................... 30
4.7 Corrosion Protection And Monitoring .................................................................. 30
4.8 Internal Flow Coatings ........................................................................................ 32
4.9 Provision For Pigging.......................................................................................... 33
4.10 Line Sectionalising And Emergency Shut Down Valves ..................................... 34
4.11 Overpressure Protection ..................................................................................... 36
4.12 Branch Connections And Fittings........................................................................ 38
4.13 Telecommunications ........................................................................................... 39
4.14 Records .............................................................................................................. 39
5 MATERIAL PROCUREMENT 40

5.1 General ............................................................................................................... 40

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5.2 Re-Use Of Materials ........................................................................................... 40

5.3 Spare Materials................................................................................................... 40
5.4 Linepipe Material ................................................................................................ 41
5.5 Fittings And Special Components ....................................................................... 41
5.6 External Coatings ............................................................................................... 42
5.7 Internal COATINGS ............................................................................................ 42
5.8 Concrete Coating ................................................................................................ 42
5.9 Records .............................................................................................................. 42
6 CONSTRUCTION 43

6.1 General ............................................................................................................... 43

6.2 Pipeline Installation ............................................................................................. 43
6.3 Construction Hydrotesting .................................................................................. 44
6.4 Records .............................................................................................................. 44
6.5 Safety And Environment ..................................................................................... 45
7 PRE-COMMISSIONING 45

8 HAND-OVER DOCUMENTATION 46

9 REFERENCES 47

APPENDIX 1: Criticality Classification Of Pipelines And Flowlines ................................... 51

A1.1 General ............................................................................................................... 51
A1.2 Susceptibility to Failure Classification ................................................................. 52
A1.3 Failure Consequence Classification.................................................................... 55
APPENDIX 2: Building Proximity Distances ...................................................................... 57
APPENDIX 3: Pipeline Stresses ....................................................................................... 58
APPENDIX 4: Flowline Design.......................................................................................... 60
APPENDIX 5: STANDARD TRAFFIC LOAD CLASSES ................................................... 68
Figure 1 Diagrammatic Representation of Pipeline Scope Boundaries ............................. 72
Figure 2: Diagrammatic Representation Of Design Code Break ....................................... 73
Figure 3: PDO Pipeline Standards Hierarchy .................................................................... 74
Figure 4: User Comments Form ........................................................................................ 75

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1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 SCOPE
This Specification (SP) gives minimum technical requirements and recommended practices
for the design, material procurement, construction and pre-commissioning of onshore
pipelines used for the transport of hydrocarbons and other fluids commonly transported in
PDO operations. For some fluids, in particular those of an unstable or toxic nature, additional
requirements not covered in this SP may be appropriate.

Technical requirements and recommended practices for operation and maintenance of the
pipelines are covered under a separate specification SP–1210 “Pipeline Operation and
Maintenance”.

This SP supplements and amends from ASME B31.4 (2012) and B31.8 (2012) when these are
applied within PDO operations.

In this SP, a pipeline is defined as a system of pipes for the transportation of fluids in the
liquid or gaseous phase, or a combination of both phases, between (but excluding) wellhead
facilities, production plants, pressure boosting stations, processing plants or storage facilities.
A pipeline extends from pig trap to pig trap (including the pig traps and associated pipework
and valves), or, if no pig trap is fitted, to the first on plot isolation valve within the onshore
plant as applicable.

Figure 1 provides a diagrammatic representation of pipeline scope boundaries.

This specification shall not be changed without approval from the Custodian, UEL (CFDH
Pipelines), who owns this specification. If you think any part of this specification is not
correct, write your comments on a copy of the User Comments Form. The form is included as
the last page of this specification. Send the copy with your comments and personal details to
UEL (CFDH Pipelines)

1.2 DISTRIBUTION, INTENDED USE AND REGULATORY

CONSIDERATIONS
Unless otherwise authorised by PDO, the distribution of this SP is confined to PDO operations
and to Contractors nominated by them.

The SP is intended for use by all Functions in the Company that are involved in the design,
material procurement and construction of pipelines.

If national and/or local regulations exist in which some of the requirements may be more
stringent than in this SP, the Contractor shall determine by careful scrutiny which of the
requirements are the more stringent and which combination of requirements will be acceptable
as regards safety, environmental, economic and legal aspects. In all cases, the Contractor shall
inform the Company of any deviation from the requirements of this SP which is considered to
be necessary in order to comply with national and/or local regulations. The Company may
then negotiate with the Authorities concerned with the object of obtaining agreement to follow
this SP as closely as possible.

No liability shall be incurred by PDO for any cause arising from the authorised or
unauthorised use of this SP.

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1.3 DEFINITIONS
1.3.1 General Definitions

The Contractor is the party, which carries out all or part of the design, procurement,
construction, commissioning or management of a project or operation of a facility. The
Company may undertake all or part of the duties of the Contractor.

The Manufacturer/Supplier is the party, which manufactures or supplies equipment or

services to perform the duties supplied by the Contractor.

The Company is Petroleum Development Oman LLC. The Company will generally specify
the technical requirements and may nominate an agent or consultant authorised to act for and
on behalf of the Company.

MUST identifies a necessity.

SHALL identifies a requirement.
SHOULD identifies a recommendation.
MAY identifies a possible course of action.
1.3.2 Specific Definitions

Assembly An arrangement of pipes and components such as a pig trap, a

block valve station.
Barred tee Tee-piece provided with bars across the internal bore of the branch
pipe to prevent entry of a pig.
Block valve Valve for interrupting the flow or to shut-in a section of a pipeline.
A block valve is normally either fully opened or fully closed.
Branch pipe Pipe connected to a pipeline of equal or larger diameter, using a
tee-piece.
Cold bend A bend made from linepipe at ambient temperature, normally on
the construction site, using a mechanical bending machine.
Commissioning An activity where the fluid to be transported is initially introduced
into a pipeline.
Consequence The result of an event in terms of human safety, damage to the
environment and economic impact.
Design factor Ratio of the hoop stress created by the design pressure and the
SMYS of the pipeline material.
Design pressure The maximum pressure permitted, as determined by the design
procedures applicable to the materials and locations involved
(including static head). It is used in calculations or analysis for
mechanical design of a pipeline system.
Design temperature The maximum temperature permitted, as determined by the design
procedures applicable to the materials and locations involved. It is
used in calculations or analysis for mechanical design of a pipeline
system.
Emergency shutdown Valve for isolating a pipeline from a source or destination in case
valve of emergency situations.
FEED Engineering and design activities, following the conceptual design,
where a project is given further technical definition and where a

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job specification can be drawn for the preparation of the tender

documents.

Flammable fluid Refers to any substance, solid, liquid, gas or vapour, that is easily
ignited as defined in Energy Institute (formerly Institute of
Petroleum) Model Code of Safe Practice Part 15
Flowline A pipeline transporting fluid hydrocarbons and/or other reservoir
fluids between a wellhead and a gathering or treatment facility or
vice versa.
Fluid A substance, which is transported through a pipeline in liquid or
gaseous phase, or a combination of these.
Header A section of pipe or pipeline collecting or distributing fluids from
several sources or destinations.
Hot bend A bend made under factory conditions by hot working billets,
plates or pipes.
Incidental pressure Pressure occurring in a pipeline with limited frequency and
duration. Pressures due to surges or heating of blocked-in static
fluid are considered incidental pressures, provided they are not
regular operating occurrences.
Injection line A pipeline transporting gas, water or other fluids for injection into
a well or a group of wells.
Inter-field Pipeline A pipeline between two processing facilities, transporting
processed hydrocarbon or other reservoir fluids.
Isolation valve Valve used to interrupt the flow or to isolate one section of a
pipeline from an adjacent section or a facility connected to the
pipeline. An Isolation valve is normally either opened of fully
closed. Isolation valve is also referred to as a block valve.
Line pack In a gas transmission system, the line pack is the volume of gas in a
pipeline above the minimum volume of gas necessary to provide
the pressure to facilitate the flow of gas through a pipeline to
achieve the required delivery rate and pressure. The line pack is
used to continue deliveries for some period following interruption
of supply upstream.
Liquid hold-up Quantity of liquids present in a two-phase pipeline.
Loading line A pipeline between a storage facility and a sales facility, e.g. a
single point mooring or product truck loading.
Maximum allowable The maximum pressure that is allowed to occur in a pipeline with a
incidental pressure limited frequency and duration, determined in accordance with
applicable design standard.
Maximum allowable The maximum pressure at which a pipeline is allowed to be
operating pressure operated under steady state process conditions, in accordance with
ASME B31.4/8.
Maximum operating The maximum temperature to which the pipeline or section of
temperature pipeline is expected to be exposed during normal operational
activities, including start-up and shut down operations, but
excluding abnormal situations, e.g. fires.
Minimum operating The minimum temperature to which the pipeline or section of
temperature pipeline is expected to be exposed during normal operational
activities, including start-up and shut down operations, controlled
blowdown, but excluding abnormal situations, e.g. pipeline

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ruptures.
Off-plot A location outside designated plant boundaries.
Off-take line A pipeline transporting fluid from a larger pipeline.
On-plot A location inside designated plant boundaries.
Operating envelope A defined set of key parameters or parameter ranges which must be
adhered to during operation of the pipeline in order to prevent loss
of technical integrity.
Overpressure Valve intended to protect the pipeline against overpressure by
protection valve preventing pressure from a source building up in the pipeline.
Pig A device which can be propelled through a pipeline by fluid flow
and normally used for cleaning, batching, inspection or other
activities.
Pig trap system An ancillary item of pipeline equipment, with associated pipework
and valves, for introducing a pig into a pipeline or removing a pig
from a pipeline.
Pipeline A system of pipes and other components used for the transportation
of fluids, between (but excluding) plants/facilities. A pipeline
extends from pig trap to pig trap (including the pig traps), or, if no
pig trap is fitted, to the first off take isolation valve within the plant
boundaries or a more inward valve if so nominated.
Pipeline code An industry or national code written for the purpose of designing,
constructing and operating pipelines.
Pipeline leak An uncontrolled fluid release from a pipeline.
Plant An installation, such as well-head, processing facility, pressure
boosting station, storage tank, offshore platform, refinery, etc.,
with defined boundaries and which is not normally accessible to
the public.
Pre-commissioning A series of activities, including cleaning and possibly drying,
executed to prepare the pipeline for commissioning.
Pressure equalisation Small bore bypass pipe with valves to allow equalisation of
line pressure across a larger valve, avoiding damage to the seats of the
larger valve or equipment on the depressurised side.
Pressure relief safety Valve for protecting a pipeline against overpressure by releasing
valve fluid from the pipeline.
Remote vent line A pipeline used for discharging light gaseous fluids to atmosphere
at a safe location.
Risk The product of the probability of an event occurring and the
consequences of the event when it has occurred.
Sour Service Exposure to oilfield environments that contain sufficient H2S to
cause cracking of materials by the mechanisms addressed by
ANSI/NACE MR0175/ISO 15156
Sectionalising block Main valve for sectionalising a pipeline, in order to limit the
valve release of line contents in case of pipeline leak or rupture.
Slug Catcher A device located at the downstream end of a two-phase pipeline,
for the primary separation of the liquid and gas phases, and the
temporary storage of liquids generated by pigging and transient
flow conditions. There are two types of slug catchers: the vessel
type and the finger type.

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Specified minimum The level of stress which produces 0.5 percent total strain (API
yield stress (SMYS) definition). This stress is specified by the Company and guaranteed
by the Manufacturer/Supplier.
Sphere A spherical shape pig, used for batching, wax control, meter
proving and liquid hold-up removal in two-phase pipelines.
Sphere tee A jacketed tee-piece with a perforated inner pipe to prevent entry
of a sphere into the branch pipe.
Spurline A pipeline transporting fluid into a larger pipeline.
Stable fluid With reference to EP-95 0000, a stable fluid has an NFPA
reactivity grade number of zero.
Surface safety valve Valve, part of the well-head assembly, applied as isolation valve
between flowline and wellhead.
Surge pressure Pressure due to mass flow velocity changes, caused by operational
activities, e.g. valve closures, pump shut-down or start-up.
Technical integrity Technical integrity of a facility is achieved when, under specified
operating conditions, there is no foreseeable risk of failure
endangering safety of personnel, environment or asset value.
Test pressure The pressure at which the pipeline will be or has been tested for
strength.
Thermal pressure Pressure due to thermal effects on the fluid in the blocked-in
pipeline or blocked-in pipeline sections.
Toxic fluid With reference to EP-95 0000, toxic fluids include all fluids in the,
toxic and highly toxic categories1.
Trunkline A main transmission pipeline connecting processing facilities
and/or pump stations to which spur lines and off take lines may be
connected.
Two-phase pipeline Pipeline transporting fluids where the liquid phases and the gas
phase are present at pipeline pressure and temperature conditions.
Two speed actuator An actuator that enables to reduce the valve closure speed over the
last 10% to 20% of the valve travel movement.

1.4 ABBREVIATIONS
ALARP As low as reasonably practicable
AVME Approved Vendors of Materials and Equipment
BVS Block Valve Station
CCMS Certification and Completion Management System
CFDH Corporate Functional Discipline Head
CO2 Carbon Dioxide
CP Cathodic protection
CS Carbon steel
DCAF Discipline Controls and Assurance Framework
DN Diameter nominal
EIA Environmental impact assessment
EP Exploration and Production
ERW Electric resistance welding

1
Refer also to PDO’s Environmental Advisor for definition of toxicity of chemical
substances other than H2S, which should be considered toxic in concentrations > 50 ppm
and highly toxic in concentrations > 500 ppm

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ESD Emergency shutdown

FBE Fusion Bonded Epoxy
FEED Front end engineering design
GOR Gas to oil ratio
GRE Glass reinforced epoxy
GRP Glass reinforced plastics
H2S Hydrogen sulphide
HAZID Hazard Identification
HAZOP Hazard and Operability
HDPE High Density Polyethylene
HFW High frequency welded
HIC Hydrogen Induced Cracking
HIPPS High integrity pipeline protection system (against overpressure)
ISO International Organization for Standardization
LCC Life Cycle Cost
LPG Liquefied petroleum gas
MAIP Maximum Allowable Incidental Pressure
MAOP Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure
MESC Materials and Equipment Standards and Code
MFL Magnetic Flux Leakage
MOL Main Oil Line
NFPA National Fire Protection Association
NGL Natural gas liquids
NPS Nominal pipe size
NPV Net Present Value
OD Outside diameter
PE Polyethylene
PLEM Pipeline End manifold
PQR Procedure qualification record
PSE Shell Product Safety and Environmental Conservation Committee
QRA Quantitative risk assessment
RBA Risk based analysis
RBI Risk Based Inspection
RTP Reinforced Thermoplastic
SAP-PM System Application and Product – Plant Maintenance
SAW Submerged arc welding
SMYS Specified minimum yield stress
SCC Stress corrosion cracking
SOGL South Oman Gas line
SOHIC Stress-oriented hydrogen induced cracking
SSC Sulphide Stress Cracking
TA Technical Authority
TGLR Total Gas to Liquids Ratio
UT Ultrasonic Testing
WPS Welding Procedure specification
1.5 CROSS-REFERENCES
Where cross-references to other parts of this SP are made, the referenced section number is
shown in brackets. Other documents referenced by this SP are listed in Section 9 - References.

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2 APPLICATION OF CODES AND GROUP STANDARDS

2.1 ASME CODES
The fluid transported in the pipeline should be categorised in one of the following six groups,
depending on its hazard potential:

 Category A: Non-flammable, stable and non-toxic fluids which are liquid at

prevailing ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure plus 0.5
bar, i.e. the vapour pressure is lower than 1.5 bar (abs) at ambient
temperature. Example: water, slurries.

 Category B: Flammable, unstable or toxic fluids which are liquid at prevailing

ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure plus 0.5 bar, i.e. the
vapour pressure is lower than 1.5 bar (abs) at ambient temperature.
Example: stabilised crude, gasoil.

 Category C: Flammable unstable and non-toxic liquids with a TGLR<250, OR

Non-flammable, stable and non-toxic fluids which are gases or a
mixture of gas and liquid at prevailing ambient temperature and
atmospheric pressure plus 0.5 bar, i.e. the vapour pressure is higher
than 1.5 bar (abs) at ambient temperature. Example: nitrogen,
carbon dioxide, typical low GOR non-sour oil flowline fluids, with
H2S < 50 ppm.

 Category D: Flammable, unstable or toxic fluids which are gases or a mixture of

gas and liquid with a TGLR>250 but H2S < 500 ppm in the gas
phase at prevailing ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure
plus 0.5 bar, i.e. the vapour pressure is higher than 1.5 bar (abs) at
ambient temperature. Example: natural gas, liquid petroleum gas,
ammonia, typical’ low risk sour facility’ or high GOR oil
condensate and gas flowline fluids.

 Category E: Flammable, unstable or highly toxic fluids which are gases or a

mixture of gas and liquid with TGLR > 250 and/or H 2S = 500-1000
ppm in the gas phase (i.e. ‘high risk sour’ facility) at prevailing
ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure plus 0.5 bar. i.e. the
vapour pressure is higher than 1.5 bar (abs) at ambient temperature.
Example: highly sour wellhead fluids.

 Category F: Flammable, unstable or highly toxic fluids which are gases or a

mixture of gas and liquid with TGLR > 250 and/or H 2S > 1000 ppm
in the gas phase at prevailing ambient temperature and atmospheric
pressure plus 0.5 bar, i.e. the vapour pressure is higher than 1.5 bar
(abs) at ambient temperature. Example: acid gas, extremely sour
wellhead fluids.

Flammability, stability and toxicity are defined in (1.3.2).

Pipelines carrying category A and B fluids shall be designed and constructed in accordance
with ASME B31.4 and the additional requirements of this SP.

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Pipelines carrying category C, D, E and F fluids shall be designed and constructed in

accordance with ASME B31.8 and the additional requirements of this SP.

NOTE: Liquid petroleum gas and anhydrous ammonia, which are covered by ASME B31.4,
fall under category D. Pipelines transporting these products shall therefore be
designed to ASME B31.8.

2.2 SHELL GROUP STANDARDS

The Shell Group standards related to the design, material procurement, construction, and pre-
commissioning of pipeline systems are referenced in Section 9 - References.

2.3 PDO STANDARDS

The PDO standards related to the design, material procurement, construction, and pre-
commissioning of pipeline systems are referenced in Section 9 - References.

The document hierarchy specified in this SP therein in Figure 3 shall be considered during the
concept to detailed design phase of any pipeline or flowline system. In particular, the Project
Engineer shall ensure that any technical, operational and maintenance requirements for the
pipeline specified in SP-1210, ‘Pipeline Operations and Maintenance’ are considered during
the detailed design phase.

A detailed listing of currently applicable and compulsory pipeline engineering standards can
be found on PDO’s ‘Livelink’ or website. For topics, which are not specifically covered in the
PDO and Shell Group standards, the Contractor may utilise the external standards referenced
in ASME B31.4 and B31.8, after consultation with, and approval by, the Company.

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3 PIPELINE RISKS AND MANAGEMENT

3.1 GENERAL
The risks associated with the pipeline, in terms of the safety of people, damage to the
environment, and loss of income, depends on the expected failure frequency and the
associated consequence, which is directly related to the type of fluids transported and the
sensitivity of locations of the pipeline. In this context, pipeline failures are defined as loss of
containment.

Risk is defined in Section 3.2. Failure causes within PDO are mainly internal corrosion,
external corrosion and third party damage. Failure consequences can be categorised in terms
of health and safety of personnel, environment, loss of asset and loss of revenue.

Integrity actions should reduce the failure risks by either reducing the failure frequency or the
failure consequences or both. Therefore a direct comparison of costs versus benefits should be
possible. Integrity management plans (and priority allocation) should ideally be based on a
quantitative risk ranking.

The methodology used in this document for the purposes of design of pipelines is based on a
classification of pipelines and flowlines in terms of pipeline’s susceptibility to failure and
consequences. This approach facilitates integrity assessments and appropriate management
focus throughout the life of the asset, starting with design reviews, HAZOP review, IPF
reviews, design quality audits etc, through construction records, commissioning and the
operations phase where different levels of corrosion management and inspection requirements
achieve the required level of integrity.

The risk based approach to design and construction integrity is extended to manage the
integrity of pipelines in the operation phase as specified in PR-1416 “Pipe-RBA procedures”.
The risk management process described in the following sections shall be applied as specified
throughout the asset life cycle, i.e. to design, construction, operation and abandonment.

The overall risk management process involves the following four steps:

1. Identify systematically the hazards and effects, which may affect and arise from
activities performed on pipelines or by pipeline systems on other facilities or the
environment. Hazards and effects may be identified by formal procedures, such as,
HAZOP or EIA and/or by review and analysis of failure statistics.

2. Assess the probability of occurrence and the severity of the consequences.

3. Control the risk through preventative or protective measures, which will reduce the
frequency and/or the consequences of failure.

4. Recover from residual risks through effective emergency response and pipeline repair
procedures and emergency management systems.

Notwithstanding the requirements of design codes and this SP, the factors, which are critical
to public safety and the protection of the environment should be analysed over the entire life
of the pipeline, including the abandonment phase. The risk shall be reduced to As Low As
Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) through a detail QRA, with the definite objective of
preventing leaks. The level of risk may change with time, and it is likely to increase to some
extent as the pipeline ages.

The methods by which these steps are to be completed are outlined in the following sections
of this specification.

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3.2 RISK IDENTIFICATION

The potential pipeline failures, causes and their consequences, should be inventoried and taken
into account in the design and the operating philosophy. The most common pipeline threats,
which may lead to the loss of technical integrity, are given below.

 Internal corrosion, Sulphide Stress Cracking (SSC) and hydrogen induced cracking
(HIC).
 External corrosion and bi-carbonate stress corrosion cracking.
 Abrasion.
 Construction threat (e.g. pipe girth weld, fabrication weld, wrinkle bend or buckle,
stripped threads/broken pipe/ coupling)
 Third-party damage (e.g. third-party inflicted damage, vandalism).
 Incorrect Operations (e.g. Fatigue, Over-pressurization, Thermal expansion forces)
 Geo-technical forces.
 Manufacturing defects (e.g. pipe seam and growth of material defects such as
inclusions, cracks)
 Equipment threat (e.g. gaskets and o-rings, control/relief, seal/pump packing)

Risks shall be identified and analysed through a systematic application of procedures from
conceptual through design and construction to operational and abandonment phases as
outlined in following sections.

3.3 RISK ASSESSMENT

The risk depends firstly on the expected frequency of failure, due to internal and external
corrosion, external loading (e.g. impacts, settlement differences, free spans), material or
construction defects, and operational mishaps. The frequency of failure is difficult to assess
and could be misleading because of lack of detailed and reliable failure statistics and analysis
for different kinds of pipelines in PDO. Alternatively, susceptibility of a pipeline to failure can
be assessed and related to risks, based on material, service, operating conditions like pressure
and temperature. The method to assess pipeline susceptibility to failure is detailed in
Appendix– 1 of this document.

Secondly, it depends on the consequences of the failure, based on the nature of the fluid in
terms of flammability, stability, toxicity and polluting effect, the location of the pipeline in
terms of ignition sources, population densities and proximity to occupied buildings, and the
prevailing climatic conditions. Failure consequences can be further categorised in terms of
health and safety of personnel, environment and economic value (loss of asset and revenue).
The method to assess consequence of failure is detailed in Appendix – 1 of this document.

The economic risk associated with deferment of income, cost of repair, and other costs such as
liabilities to the public and clean-up costs, including the likely costs from fines imposed by the
authorities may be considered. The economic risk should be evaluated for each phase of the
pipeline operating life, and should be compatible with the overall objectives of the Company.
Past leak statistics of a particular operating area and crude specification may be used to
evaluate the likelihood and cost of failure of a particular flowline/pipeline.

Risk assessment shall be carried out on all new pipelines at the conceptual design stage and
shall form the basis for material selection, inspection and corrosion control strategy. The
expected frequency of failure and the possible consequences may be time-dependent and
should be analysed over the entire life of the pipeline.

Risks related to pipeline integrity in the operational phase shall be regularly assessed through
a variety of pro-active operational methods (e.g. pigging and sampling) and inspection
methods (e.g. Intelligent pigging, corrosion measurement, visual monitoring) detailed in SP-
1210 ‘Pipeline Operations and Maintenance.

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3.4 PIPELINE CLASSIFICATION

Pipeline criticality is related to the risks as detailed above and defined as the combination of
two parameters namely, susceptibility to failure and consequence of failure.

All individual lines (including Pipelines, Headers and groups of Flowlines) SHALL [PS] be
classified into one of three “Pipeline Class” and hereafter referred to as “Class 1”, “Class 2”
and “Class 3”, according to perceived susceptibility and consequence of failure based on the
Risk Assessment Matrix below. Detailed guidance and the methodology to classify pipelines
are given in Appendix - 1.

Pipeline Classification Based on Risk Assessment Matrix

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO PIPELINE CRITICALITY CLASS
FAILURE

H Very susceptible to CLASS 2 CLASS 1 UNACCEPTA UNACCEPT

SUSCEPTIBILTY CLASS

degradation BLE ABLE

M Susceptible to degradation CLASS 2 CLASS 1 CLASS 1 UNACCEPT

under normal conditions ABLE

L Susceptible to degradation CLASS 3 CLASS 2 CLASS 1 CLASS 1

under upset conditions

N Not susceptible under any CLASS 3 CLASS 3 CLASS 2 CLASS 1

foreseen conditions

Economic value (USD) <100K 0.1 – 1 M 1 – 10 M > 10 M

CONSEQUENCE
CATEGORY

Minor Injury Major Injury Permanent Multiple

Disability or Fatality
Health and Safety Single Fatality

Minor Effect Localised Major Effect Massive

Environment Effect Effect

CONSEQUENCE CLASS L M H E

Note: PDO “Pipeline Criticality Class” should not be confused with the location class
defined in ASME B31.8.
The integrity requirements of the pipeline through design, operation, maintenance and
inspection phase shall be determined based on the criticality class of the pipeline. This
document (SP-1211) stipulates the methods and procedures to be followed in design and
engineering phase of the pipeline. Reference shall be made to SP-1210 that covers detailed
operations and maintenance activities required to assure an acceptable state of pipelines and
flowlines integrity during the operation phase of the pipeline.

The technical requirements for design of Class 1 pipelines do not need to be applied
retrospectively, but consideration should be given to the integrity management aspects during
the operations phase as per DEP 31.40.00.11.

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3.5 RISK CONTROL

Risks levels can be reduced by using lower design factors (e.g. higher wall thickness or
stronger steel), right material selection, rerouting, providing additional protection to the
pipeline, application of facilities to minimise any released fluid volumes, and controlled
methods of operation, maintenance and inspection.

Measures to control risk logically follow from the identification and assessment activities
outlined above. Typical risk control measures to be considered are as follows:

Design and Construction Phase:

 Application of detailed design and construction requirements specified in SP-1211,
SP-1208 and related documents.
 Selection of optimum corrosion control strategy through pipe material selection,
coating application, chemical inhibition and cathodic protection.
 Control of design and construction work through DCAF Framework as well as
PDO’s Technical Authority systems as described in SP-2061 and SP-1122.
 Screening, pre-qualification and auditing of material suppliers, pipeline design and
construction contractors.
 Measures to minimise risk during installation and commissioning, e.g. adequate
water treatment, oxygen control and drying to prevent corrosion following hydrotest.
 Selection of pipeline routing to minimise the probability of physical damage,
corrosion attack etc.
 In above ground sections, provision of adequate supports with wear plates, including
prevention of sand inundation and abrasion where appropriate.
 Development of a pipeline-specific corrosion management manual for all Class 1
Pipelines and flowlines.
 Development of a risk-based maintenance and inspection philosophy that matches the
parameters assumed in the basis for design.
 The risk of pipeline over-pressurisation shall be controlled by the pressure safe
guarding system in accordance to EP2007-5644.
Operational Phase:
 Control of operating conditions close to design parameters immediately following
handover.
 The risk for internal corrosion shall be controlled by corrosion mitigation measures
such as inhibition, routine pigging or a change in the operating mode.
 Regular condition monitoring and maintenance of the CP system should control the
risk of external corrosion.
 The risk of corrosion and impact damage should be controlled by application of
available technique such as Pipe-RBA and careful inspection and measurement
against established acceptance criteria (e.g. Inspection of external coatings against
current coating standards and the regular surveillance of pipeline Windrows and
Rights Of Way against SP-1208 requirements), ensuring appropriate actions are
scheduled for repair.
 The safety risk of pigging operations shall be controlled by regular maintenance of
the pigging facilities and use of a procedure for pigging operations PR-1082.
 The economic risk of pipeline blockage by pigs shall be controlled by a proper
selection of pig types. Pig selection shall be based on the type of cleaning or other
function required.
 A regular pigging programme based on evaluation of corrosion measurements and
the likelihood of pipeline blockage by wax or debris is required to clean pipelines,
which are not routinely pigged. This serves also to verify piggability of the pipeline.
 The risk presented by unauthorised third party activities can be controlled by regular
Right of Way (ROW) inspections and visual/camera monitoring of fenced areas.

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3.6 RECOVERY FROM FAILURES

Recovery from pipeline failures shall be assured through the implementation of an emergency
response system, including preparation of an Emergency Response Manual, qualified pipeline
repair procedures and emergency material stocks. Requirements and responsibilities for
establishing and maintaining the Emergency Response System are detailed in SP-1210.

4 DESIGN
4.1 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
4.1.1 Introduction

The metallic pipelines shall be designed in accordance with the relevant sections of ASME
B31.4/8, as appropriate, supplemented by this chapter (4). For GRP Pipelines, SP-2092,DEP
31.40.10.19 and ISO-14692, shall apply in addition to the requirements of this Specification.
The control and safeguarding requirements as specified in EP2007-5644 shall also be met as a
minimum.

The pipeline SHALL [PS] be designed taking into consideration the operating conditions and
requirements over its entire projected life cycle including final abandonment, i.e. the
maximum planned throughput and turn-down, the characteristics of the fluids to be
transported, the pressure and temperature requirements, the mode of operations, the
geographic location, and the environmental conditions.

4.1.2 Specification and Design Code Break

For the purpose of code break, it is assumed that the piping of the facilities to which the
pipeline/pig trap system is connected is designed in accordance with ASME B31.3. A pipeline
extends from pig trap to pig trap and includes the pig traps and associated pipe work and
valves or, if no pig trap is fitted, up to the first isolation valve/flange within the plant
boundary. The delineation between the pipeline and the facility is the specification break
between pipeline design code ASME B 31.4/8 and the station design code ASME B 31.3.
Where this is not the case e.g. at intermediate pig trap stations or where the pig trap ties into a
slug catcher designed to ASME B31.8, the code break/delineation is not applicable.

Two options - Option A and Option B of design code break between ASME B31.8/B31.4 and
ASME B31.3 may be used, as shown in Figure 2. Option B is the recommended option. The
Company shall confirm acceptability of the selected code break location. The entire pig trap
system should be designed, constructed and tested according to the same code as the pipeline.

In the case of GRP pipelines / flowlines, the code break ISO 14692 (GRP) / ASME B31.3
(metallic piping) shall be at the GRP-Metallic interface flange located inside the flange pit.

All mainline valves in the pipelines / flowlines shall be as per SP-1201.

4.1.3 Reviews

For all new Class 1 pipelines, reviews as specified in CP-117 shall be performed and
documented to ensure that technical integrity is guaranteed from a design viewpoint. These
shall cover as a minimum:

 HAZID study during feasibility stage to provide a basis for hazard identification
during conceptual design.

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 Conceptual design review concentrating on the hydraulic design, materials selection,

corrosion control strategy, inspection philosophy and pigging facilities.
 HAZOP study during the front-end design stage, often as part of the facilities
HAZOP.
 Detail design review by senior Discipline and Operations members covering isolating
and safeguarding philosophies as well as overpressure protection requirements.
The future asset holder and the custodian shall be involved in the design review, HAZOP and
policy decisions where deviating from this specification.

When existing pipeline systems are extended, e.g. by adding a new branch line, the whole
pipeline system SHALL [PS] be subject to a design review to ensure that overpressurisation of
the system from the new branch line is not possible.

4.1.4 Safety Risk Assessment

A formal quantitative risk assessment (QRA) should be carried out on all major critical
pipelines and groups of flowlines. The assessment shall confirm that the selected design
factors, proximity distances to buildings and block valve spacing are adequate.

A methodology for quantitative risk assessments is presented in EP95 0000.

4.1.5 Environmental Impact Assessment

An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a process for identifying the possible impact of
a project on the environment, for determining the significance of those impacts, and for
designing strategies and means to eliminate or minimise adverse impacts.

An EIA should consider the interaction between the pipeline and the environment during each
stage of the pipeline life cycle. The characteristics of the environment may affect pipeline
design, construction method, reinstatement techniques, and operations philosophy.

An EIA shall be carried out for all pipelines or groups of pipelines, which have not received
an environment permit issued under Oman Law RD 114-01. PDO’s Environmental Advisor
shall be consulted to establish whether an area is environmentally sensitive or not.

Environmental Impact Statements shall be prepared for all new and replacement pipelines in
line with GU-195 (Environmental Assessment Guidelines) and CP-117.

4.1.6 Hydraulic Design

In order to determine the possible range of operational parameters of the pipeline, a hydraulic
analysis shall be performed. For a given pipe size; fluid properties and flow rate; the hydraulic
analysis should provide the pressure and temperature profiles along the pipeline for steady
state and transient conditions. Full account shall be taken of possible changes in flowrates and
operational modes, over the complete operational life of the pipeline.

The recommended application program for hydraulic sizing is PIPESIM (modified version
with added Shell routines). TLNET for single-phase liquids or TGNET for single-phase gas
may be used to assess the impact of new pipeline designs and tie-ins to the existing pipeline
systems. TLNET may be used for transient hydraulic analysis of single-phase liquid lines.
‘OLGA’ or CFDH (Process Engineering) approved equivalent shall be used for transient
analysis of multiphase pipelines.

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The hydraulic analysis shall provide data to address: surge pressure during shut-down of a
liquid line, turn-down limitations and inhibition or insulation requirements to prevent wax or
hydrates deposition, effect of flow conditions on the efficiency of corrosion inhibitors, liquid
catching and slug control requirements at the downstream end of two phase lines.

The normal range of flow velocities is 1 to 2 m/s in liquid lines, and 5 to 10 m/s in gas lines.
Continuous operations above 4 m/s for liquids and 20 m/s for gases should be avoided, which
may lead to erosion and vibration difficulties; lower units may apply to fluids containing solid
particles, where maximum velocities will be dictated by the occurrence of erosive conditions.

NOTES:
1. Unlined carbon steel liquid lines containing a separate water phase, even in small
quantity (e.g. 1% water cut), should not be operated at velocities below 1 m/s. This is
to prevent water dropout, which may lead to a corrosive situation. Dry crude lines at
export specification are excluded from this requirement. At water-cuts higher than
20%, flow velocity is no longer an issue as water wetting of the pipe wall will always
occur, and alternative means of corrosion mitigation shall be considered. However, a
minimum velocity of around 1 m/s is preferred for intelligent pigging operations.
2. If the minimum velocity cannot be achieved economically (e.g. high pumping station
costs), then a corrosion management strategy shall be developed based on expected
water drop-out in the line.
Hydraulic gradient diagram shall be prepared for liquid lines. It is sometimes advantageous to
adjust the design pressure along the route, depending on the patterns of the hydrostatic
pressure and the friction pressure loss. Great care should be applied in the definition of the
various sections and associated design pressures to determine whether, under any operations
scenario, overpressurisation of one section is possible by the adjacent sections.

When tying in new spurlines to existing pipeline systems, the whole pipeline system shall be
subject to hydraulic analysis for steady state and transient conditions and a design review to
ensure that overpressurisation of the system from spur lines or vice versa is not possible.

For gas pipelines, sections of decreasing design pressure are not recommended in general,
because the slight cost benefit is unlikely to outweigh the lost advantage of line packing and
thus loss of system availability/flexibility.

Within the above limitations, carbon steel flowlines should be standardised where possible to
the stock sizes detailed in Appendix 4 of this specification.

4.1.7 Pipe Material Selection

The selection of the pipeline material type is a fundamental issue to be decided at the
conceptual design stage of a pipeline project. Material selection and corrosion control for
surface operation shall be done in accordance with SP-2161 and SP-2156 (for non-metallic).

For new developments or major modification projects, the Life Cycle Cost Analysis shall be
conducted using the principle of total development costs of facilities and pipelines combined.
(This is to allow for the alternative of lowering pressure upstream to provide larger diameter
low pressure GRP pipeline at lower life cycle cost than treatment facilities with a high
pressure low diameter carbon steel pipeline.)

Considering the future possibilities of transporting sour fluids, pipeline materials suitable for
sour service, shall be procured in accordance with SP-2041, even though connecting facilities
are of sweet service, unless specifically approved by Material and Pipeline Functions. For
interfiled pipelines, the conceptual study based on recommendation from Company Materials
& Corrosion specialist shall determine the type of materials.

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4.1.8 Operating Philosophy

For the predicted life cycle conditions, the design shall take due account of operations,
inspection, maintenance, and start-up/Shut-down requirements, as well as established
operating philosophy and practices, agreed in advance with the personnel responsible for the
operation and maintenance of the pipeline. These include manning levels for the operation,
integrity monitoring and maintenance of the pipeline system, the requirements for
telecommunications and remote operations, means of access to the right of way, etc.

4.2 PIPELINE ROUTING

4.2.1 Introduction

The selection of the route shall take full account of the associated risks (3.3), particularly
safety and environmental risks, the accessibility for maintenance and inspection, as well as
normal direct cost considerations.

4.2.2 Surveys

Detailed survey data should be available prior to carrying out detailed design. These data
include:

 Population and building densities for the establishment of location classes (4.2.3),
location of inhabited buildings, taking into account any future land development
plans, as advised by government authorities.

 Topographical data, location and class of wadis, location of sand dunes, and roads
including type and density of traffic.

 Records of any existing special features, which will need reinstatement after
construction is completed.

 Soil investigation for foundation design (burial and/or supports design), subsidence
areas (e.g. due to mining activities).

 Soil resistively for cathodic protection design.

 Environmental data (climatic, floods, earthquakes, landslides, currents at wadi

crossings, vegetation, fauna).

 Existing facilities and CP systems, which may influence pipeline design and
construction.

 Buried pipelines and cables

 Over head high voltage power lines

Pipeline route survey shall be carried out as per technical specification document No.
EP.18.TS.12.03.

4.2.3 Establishment of Location Classes for Onshore Pipelines

Based on the survey data, appropriate location classes shall be identified along the pipeline
route for pipelines transporting category C, D, E or F fluids, in accordance with ASME B31.8
Article 840.2. There is no specific requirement for pipelines transporting category A and B
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fluids, apart from access requirements during construction and for maintenance and
emergency services during operations.

ASME B31.8 Article 840.2.2 identifies 4 location classes, ranging from location class 1
(sparsely populated areas) to location class 4 (densely populated areas).

Since location classes are used for the determination the design factor (4.3.1), the route
selection shall take due regard for the cost impact on pipeline sections in location classes of
higher category (e.g. class 3 and class 4).

4.2.4 Proximity to Occupied Buildings

In comparison to pipelines transporting category A and B fluids, pipelines transporting

category C, D, E or F fluids constitute potentially higher hazards to people nearby. There are
no provisions in ASME B31. 8 to cover this, apart from the location classes defined in (4.2.3)
which only addresses population densities. For the purpose of initial routing, Appendix 2
provides guidance for establishing minimum distances of pipelines from occupied buildings
depending on the type of the fluid, the pipeline diameter and its maximum allowable operating
pressure. Final routing should be established following the pipeline safety assessment (4.1.4).

4.2.5 Proximity to Other Facilities

Separation requirements between the pipeline (including pig traps) and other adjacent
facilities within the plant fences should be at least 15 meters. Pig trap systems should
generally be located adjacent to each other at a minimum distance of 10 meters, for ease of
pigging operations.

4.2.6 Special Routing Considerations

Special considerations shall be given when selecting a route for pipeline / flowline. The route
shall ensure it is safe for construction activities like trenching, material handling, ..etc.

All pipelines shall have a permanent right of way with a width ranging from 4 m for DN150
and below, to 10 m for DN600 and above (interpolate for in between sizes). Additionally, all
Class 1 pipelines shall have a permanent right of way with a width of 50 meters. The pipeline
route shall be centred on the right of way.

An access road with a minimum width of 5 meters shall be provided along one side of the full
length of all Class 1 pipelines. In the case of pipeline corridors, common access road that can
adequately support all the pipelines is sufficient.

Stress due to elastic radius of curvature shall be considered when evaluating equivalent
stresses. The equivalent stresses (including stress due to elastic radius) shall not exceed the
values given in Table 2. Hot or field cold bends shall be used when equivalent stresses exceed
the allowable limit.

When several pipelines are installed in the same trench, the clear separation between 2
adjacent pipelines shall be 0.5 m minimum. The minimum clear distance for pipelines
installed in a separate trench alongside an existing buried pipeline should range from 4 m for
DN150 and below, to 7 m for DN900 and above (interpolate for in between sizes).

The crossing of existing pipelines, cables, power lines, roads, railways and waterways should
be as close as practicable to 90 degrees angle but in no case less than 45 degrees.

The minimum horizontal separation distance and other mitigation measures required to
minimise hazards arising from induced voltage effects, when a proposed pipeline route runs
parallel to an overhead power line, shall be evaluated and reference shall be made to SP-1128
and SP-1208. The effects of overhead powerline parallelism shall be considered in detail for
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all metallic pipelines located within 500 m of a power line of 132 kV and above. In such cases
the CP design shall be executed by a specialist CP Engineering Consultant.

In case of GRP pipelines standard angle elbows shall be used for routing as per manufacturer
recommendations. Metallic cable OR detectable tape, for future detection of GRP buried pipe
shall be provided in congested areas and near station approaches for a minimum length from
station fence as decided by design consultant during site visit depending on site conditions.
However in case FOC with detectable marker tape, is installed along the line in the same
trench, then this cable need not be installed.

4.3 PIPELINE STRENGTH CONSIDERATIONS

4.3.1 Design Factors (for hoop stress limitation of metallic pipelines)

The design factor applies to the minimal pipe wall thickness, excluding any corrosion
allowance.

The recommended design factors for the calculation of the minimal wall thickness are given in
Table 1, derived from ASME B31.8 Table 841.1.6-2, but expanded to include ASME B31.4
pipelines.

NOTE: Table 1 provide recommended design factors for designs based on ASME B31.4/8;
they are not intended to replace the requirements included in National codes, which
may impose different design factors and/or hoop stress calculations based on the
minimum wall thickness (instead of nominal). These tables however highlight the
critical areas, and National requirements should be assessed against the values
provided. In any case, the Company should be satisfied that the risk level at any point
along the pipeline route remains within acceptable limits (3.3).
4.3.2 Design Factors for Hoop Stress Limitation of GRP/RTP Pipelines

GRP Pipeline design factors shall be determined as described in SP-2092.

Design factors for RTP shall be as indicated in DEP 31.40.10.20-Gen and do not need to be
adjusted further for location class because of RTP’s high resistance to impact damage.

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TABLE 1 DESIGN FACTORS FOR ONSHORE STEEL PIPELINES

FLUID CATEGORY A and B C, D, E and F

APPLICABLE CODE B31.4 B31.8
(Note 1)
LOCATION CLASSES 1 Div. 2 2 3 4
Pipelines 0.72 0.72 0.60 0.50 0.40
Crossings (Note 2 & 7)
Temporary crossings over existing 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.72
pipeline (used < 2 weeks)

Private roads 0.60 0.60 0.60 0.50 0.40

Unimproved public roads, 0.60 0.60 0.60 0.50 0.40
Roads, highways, streets, wadi, 0.60 0.60 0.60 0.50 0.40
livestock
Rivers, dunes and beaches 0.60 0.60 0.60 0.50 0.40

Parallel encroachments
(Note 3)
Private roads 0.72 0.72 0.60 0.50 0.40
Unimproved public roads 0.72 0.60 0.60 0.50 0.40
Roads, highways, streets 0.72 0.60 0.60 0.50 0.40
Fabricated assemblies 0.60 0.60 0.60 0.50 0.40
(Note 4)
Pipelines on bridges 0.60 0.60 0.60 0.50 0.40
Near concentration of people 0.60 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.40
(Note 5)

Pipelines, within plant fences, block 0.60 0.60 0.60 0.50 0.40
valve stations and pig trap stations and
above ground pipelines (Note 6)

NOTES
1: ASME B31.4 does not use design factors other than 0.72, which is considered
inappropriate at critical locations (e.g. crossings, within plant fences, near concentration of
people), and for fabricated assemblies. In these situations, modified design factors in line
with ASME B31.8 location Class 1 Division 2 shall be used.
2: ASME B31.8 differentiates crossings with casings and without casings. Because of the
poor experience of cased crossings (i.e. annular corrosion), the same design factor is
recommended, whether a casing is used or not. Design factors for crossings of rivers,
dunes and beaches as well as temporary controlled crossings, not included in ASME
B31.8, are provided. Temporary crossings shall be monitored on a daily basis and windrow
shall be reinstated within one week of completion of the activity requiring a crossing.
3: Parallel encroachments are defined as those sections of a pipeline running parallel to
existing roads, at distance less than 50 metres.
4:Fabricated assemblies include pig traps, valve stations, headers, finger type
slugcatchers, etc.
5: Concentrations of people are defined in ASME B31.8 Article 840.3.
6: This category, not specifically covered in ASME B31.8, is added for increased safety.
7: Reference is also made here to PR-1522 for assessment of vehicle loading over
existing lines.

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4.3.3 Steel Quality

The linepipe for pipeline construction shall be of carbon and low alloy steel supplied as per
DEP 31.40.20.37-Gen /ISO 3183. Pipelines are commonly constructed with linepipe in steel
grades L290 to L450 as defined in ISO 3183.

Lower grades such as L245 and higher grades may be appropriate in some cases. Experience
within PDO is presently limited up to and including L485 and problems have been
encountered in the industry for higher grades (hydrogen embrittlement caused by cathodic
protection, weldability, required tensile to yield ratio). Use of grades L555 and above should
at present be avoided. Appropriate derating factors, in accordance with Table 841.1.8-1 of
ASME B31.8, should be used for pipelines operating at high temperatures.

NOTE: Table 841.1.8-1 applies to carbon steel materials (derating required above 121 °C). For
duplex stainless steel, derating is generally required at lower temperatures
(approximately 50 °C).
Attention shall be given to the fracture toughness properties of pipe material for gas pipelines
to prevent the possibility of long running fractures. This is particularly critical when low
temperatures are possible, e.g. downstream of pressure reduction stations and at exposed
above ground locations, such as the throttle bypass valves at Block Valve Stations.

The pipe body materials for pipelines carrying category C, D, E and F fluids SHALL [PS] be
capable of arresting running ductile shear failures. Running ductile shear failure resistance is
assessed by parent material Charpy testing.

4.3.4 Minimum Wall Thickness

The nominal pipe wall thickness shall not be less than 4.8 mm for all Class 2 and Class 3
pipelines and not less than 5.6 mm for all Class 1 carbon steel Pipelines (inspection tool
requirement). For all GRP pipelines minimum thickness (handling and impact resistance
requirement) for category A fluids shall be as per SP-2092 and 5.6 mm for all other category
fluids. Minimum wall thickness of 4.8mm for Class 1 PE lined pipelines and exotic materials
like DSS.

The diameter to wall thickness ratio should not exceed 96 for metallic pipelines, unless it can
be demonstrated that higher values are not detrimental to the handling, field bending and other
aspects relating to construction and in-situ integrity of the pipeline. Collapse due to vacuum
conditions shall be accounted for in the design of all pipelines, also when vacuum conditions
are not expected to occur in service.

Design pipe wall thickness may be custom ordered based on order quantity and quantum of
cost savings.

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4.3.5 Equivalent Stresses (for restrained pipelines)

4.3.5.1 METALLIC PIPELINES

The wall thickness, initially derived from hoop stress considerations based on design factors
(Table 1), should be such that the longitudinal, shear, and equivalent stresses in the pipe wall
under functional and environmental loads do not exceed certain values. This is covered in
ASME B31.4 Article 402and of ASME B31.8 Article 833. Because, the requirements in these
various articles differ from each other, it is recommended to use a single approach for all
pipelines as detailed below.

 The equivalent stress is defined as follows:

Seq = (Sh2 + SL 2- ShSL+ 3Ss2)1/2 (Von Mises equation)
Seq = equivalent stress
Sh = hoop stress (due to pressure)
SL = longitudinal stress (due to pressure, thermal expansion and bending)
Ss = combined shear stress (due to torque and shear force)
Formulae for Sh, SL and Ss can be found in Appendix 3.
 The equivalent stress shall not exceed the values given in Table 2.

The stress calculations for the operational phase shall be carried out with the nominal wall
thickness excluding the corrosion allowance.

Instead of an equivalent stress criterion as detailed above, a strain-based criterion may be

used if considered more appropriate (see 4.3.6).

TABLE 2 ALLOWABLE EQUIVALENT STRESS (PERCENT OF SPECIFIED

MINIMUM YIELD STRESS)

FUNCTIONAL PLUS ENVIRONMENTAL LOADS

Installation (Note 1) 90%
Road crossings 90%
Hydrostatic test (Note 1) 100%
Operation 90%

NOTE 1: For the installation and hydrostatic test conditions, the environmental loads may be
based on one-year return period.
A detailed stress analysis shall be carried using CAESAR II or Company approved equivalent
software to ensure that the induced stresses are within above allowable limits during operation
phases of the pipeline.

4.3.5.2 Non Metallic pipelines

The requirements given in the preceding paragraphs of this Section were primarily developed
for the use of metallic pipe. Where non-metallic pipe such as GRP or RTP is selected as the
material of choice, relevant Company or Shell Group standards shall be used. The detailed
design of such pipelines shall include a stress analysis of the complete length of the pipeline
using CAESAR II software and include provisions such as thrust and/or anchor blocks where
necessary to ensure that the pipeline is not overstressed locally. In general it is preferred to
design the pipeline with sufficient wall thickness and large radius bends such that the use of
thrust blocks or anchor blocks is minimised / eliminated. Type of support / stops to be used
shall be based on the outcome of stress analysis which shall be carried out for complete GRP-
metallic piping, by Company approved manufacturers / consultants only.GRP pipelines shall
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be designed in accordance with the requirements of this specification and additional

requirements specified in SP-2092, DEP 31.40.10.19-Gen and ISO 14692-3, and RTP pipeline
shall be designed and installed in accordance with the requirements of DEP 31.40.10.20.

4.3.6 Stress Analysis

Detailed flexibility analysis shall be carried out during detail design for above ground (or
sections of) metallic pipelines, at design pressure and black bulb or design temperature
whichever is higher. For buried (or sections of) metallic pipelines, this analysis shall be
carried out at design pressure and maximum & minimum operating temperature. For non
metallic lines this analysis shall be carried out at design pressure and design temperature.

Metric system shall be used.

Installation temperature may be considered as 21° C. However for exotic materials like DSS,
the installation temperature may be higher in case the actual time of installation is planned in
summer, to optimise the thickness of pipeline.

Metallic lines shall comply with B31.4 / 31.8 codes as applicable. Soil modelling for buried
portion of the pipelines shall be done based on American Lifelines Alliance guidelines on
design of buried pipelines and geotechnical survey data should be used during detailed design.
For buried metallic lines, design consultant shall ensure that the combined stresses in the
stress report are based on Von Mises theory of failure. For above ground / unrestrained
metallic lines the acceptance criteria for allowable stress shall be as per B31.4 / 31.8 codes.
GRP lines shall comply with ISO14692.

Flange (metallic and non-metallic) leakage calculation shall be carried out based on GU-706.

For high temperature buried pipelines (> 85° C) the thickness of the line shall be optimised by
considering larger radius bends (than indicated in 4.3.8) in offplot areas and higher cover
depth as practical.

Pipeline design basis shall indicate details like load case combinations, soil modelling input
data, ..etc, and shall be accepted by Pipeline TA2, prior to stress analysis. Dynamic analysis
in case required (Ref GU-706) shall also be identified in the Pipeline design basis (including
slug loads /surge loads / other dynamic conditions as applicable).

Permanent supports/clamps shall be used to support and restrain the pig traps. These shall be
designed to carry the weight of the pig trap system filled with water (or other fluids if their
density is greater than that of water) together with the weight of intelligent pigs, if applicable.
The supports under the pig trap barrel should normally be of the sliding/clamp type to
compensate for expansion of the unrestrained part of the pipeline. Other supports may be fixed
if design calculations indicate that sufficient flexibility is incorporated in the pipework to
compensate for any possible axial and transverse movements.

Stress analysis reports shall be approved by Company Pipeline TA2 prior to start of
construction.

4.3.7 Strain Based Design

During pipeline construction, it is sometimes more appropriate to apply limitations to the

maximum allowable strain of the pipe wall rather than to a maximum allowable stress.
Examples during installation are field cold bending of onshore pipelines. When the pipeline is
plastically deformed, it shall be demonstrated that, after straining, the pipeline material still
complies with the required specifications; this is particularly relevant to toughness, hardness
and yield to tensile ratio properties. A maximum permanent bending strain of 2 percent
resulting from installation is acceptable in general. For pipelines in operation, the equivalent
stress requirements (4.3.5) may lead in some situations to very high wall thicknesses and a
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strain-based approach may be used instead. This is particularly relevant to pipelines

transporting hot products

4.3.8 Field bends

Pipes may be bent cold in the field to fit pipeline alignment and topographical conditions.
Field bends shall be made on bending machines, which provide sufficient support to the pipe
cross-section to prevent buckling or wrinkling of the pipe wall and to maintain coating
integrity.

In general, the minimum bending radii should not be less than:

- 25 D for pipe NPS of less than 8”

- 30 D for pipe NPS of 8” to 16”

- 40 D for pipe NPS of over 16”

However, cold field bends on the pipeline portion of the pig trap systems (swan neck portion)
should have minimum bending radius of 60D, where D is the pipeline diameter. Refer also to
section 4.9.4 for use hot bends in mainline designed for intelligent pigging.

The strain induced in a pipeline by bending it along a radius R is given by:

D

2R
where:  = Bending strain in outer fibre

D = Pipe outer diameter [m]

R = Bending radius [m]

Bend thinning calculations shall be performed. In exceptions where severe space constraints
exists, cold field bends may be made to a shorter radius than shown above provided that, after
bending, the permanent bending strain is within 2%, the pipe ovality is not greater than
97.5%and the wall thickness is not less than permitted by design. A field test bend shall be
made to demonstrate that the cold field bends with shorter radius than shown above are with
smooth surface and free from buckles, wrinkles, cracks, coating damages and other evidence
of mechanical damage.

Elastic bend radius shall be as per approved calculations or 500 x D whichever is more. This
value of elastic bend radius shall be indicated on the alignment sheets.

4.4 CROSSINGS
The design of crossings depends in general on the installation method.

Casings for the crossing of roads shall not be used for metallic pipelines, because of the
difficulty in providing the pipeline with adequate protection against external corrosion. CS or
HDPE casings shall be used for non-metallic pipelines. Calculations shall be approved prior to
use of CS or HDPE casings. HDPE casings shall not be used at crossing locations, where
heavy loads such as rig movement is expected.

Directional drilling is particularly suitable for long crossings, e.g. rivers and waterways; the
method can achieve large burial depths, and it is insensitive to current, river traffic, etc.

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The recommended minimum covers at crossings are given in Table 3.

A minimum vertical separation of 0.5 m shall be kept between the pipeline and any other
buried structures, e.g. existing pipelines, cables, foundations, etc.

Detailed road crossing analyses shall be performed using API RP 1102 for new crossings,
taking into account all potential traffic loads (refer to Appendix 5 for PDO standard traffic
loads), or where unusually heavy traffic loading is foreseen (PDO Rig#6 movements) at the
road crossings of new pipeline. In above cases, detailed analysis of the crossing shall be
carried out through the local design consultants. The stress levels in pipeline at the crossing
shall be within the allowable equivalent stress for functional plus environmental loading noted
in Table 2 of Para 4.3.5.

HDPE casing calculations shall be done in accordance with “Plastics Pipe Institute Hand
Book” (www.plasticpipe.org)

Allowable loads per road crossing shall be fully documented and shall form part of the
handover documentation.

4.5 BURIAL PHILOSOPHY / PIPELINE PROTECTION

Onshore Class 1 pipelines, which are Class 1 by virtue of Health and Safety considerations as
specified in Appendix 1, shall be buried to protect them from mechanical damage, fires and
tampering. The recommended minimum covers are given in Table 3, based on ASME B31.8
Article 841.1.11, but modified for increased safety margins and vehicle loading at crossings.
Class 2 and Class 3 pipelines may be installed above ground if this can be shown to reduce
NPV life cycle costs.

In determining depth cover in agricultural areas, the depth of ploughing and of drain systems
shall be considered.

The location of buried pipelines shall be clearly identified by markers. In areas where the risk
of interference by mechanical excavators is high, a warning tape should be installed in the
trench above the pipeline to further lower the risk.

Any non-buried Class 1 pipelines or pipeline sections (for lines which are not Class 1 by
virtue of Health and Safety considerations as specified above and in Appendix 1) shall be
justified on an individual basis, through a detailed cost-benefit study, and shall be installed
clear of the ground with proper allowance for thermal expansion.

The NPV life cycle cost benefit of non-burial of these Class 1 pipelines, shall at least be 10%
of the cost estimate for a buried pipeline.

In areas where lines can be covered under blown sand, the supports of above ground pipelines
shall be of the goal post type to avoid external corrosion. Pipe supports SHALL [PS] be
designed in accordance with GU-629 or DEP 31.38.01.29-Gen., however, wear plates or
reinforcement sleeves shall only be attached to the line by means of friction clamps or
circumferential fillet welds. Longitudinal welding directly onto the linepipe shall not be
allowed.

All GRP lines shall be buried.

Buried pipelines operating at high temperatures may be susceptible to upheaval buckling

caused by high compressive loads. Upheaval buckling can be prevented either by expansion
offsets regularly spaced along the pipeline, or a sufficient burial cover. The use of expansion
bellows to accommodate thermal movement is not recommended. Reference is made to DEP
31.40.10.16-Gen and OTC 6335/ K Peter’s technical paper. Upheaval buckling calculations
shall be performed for all buried lines with design temperatures 85 deg C and above.
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TABLE 3 RECOMMENDED MINIMUM COVER FOR ONSHORE PIPELINES

MINIMUM COVER (M) (Note 1)

LOCATION CLASS (as defined in IN NORMAL GROUND IN ROCK, REQUIRING
ASME B 31.8) BLASTING OR ROCK
CUTTING (note 5)

Location Class 1 0.80 0.50

Location Class 2 0.90 0.60
Location Class 3 and 4 1.2 0.90
Public and private roads, Wadi, live 1.50 1.50
stock passage crossings

NOTES
1. The cover refers to the undisturbed ground level. Additional protection by way of
minimum 750mm high Windrow shall be provided over the buried pipeline.
2. For pipelines transporting category A and B fluids, the minimum cover to the pipeline
shall meet the requirements of Location Class 1 above.
3. Shallow burial of Class 1 steel and GRP pipelines and flowlines may be considered
in areas of very hard rock. Shallow burial to a minimum depth of cover of 0.3 meter is
acceptable provided that it can be demonstrated by calculations that no risk of
upheaval buckling exists without any additional load protection, and provided that
gabions or similar load protection devices are installed along the full length of the
pipeline as additional protection from vehicle axle loads. Gabions shall be designed as
per STD-2-4107-001 to cover the width of the trench and slabs shall be designed as
per LNG-03-5911-16 or STD-2-4106-01. Where shallow burial has been accepted,
properly designed vehicle crossings shall be provided at 2 km intervals.
4. Class 1 RTP lines shall be covered with 150 mm of stable soil within a radius of 100
meter from any wellhead or station fencing to protect them from the effects of any fire
in these areas. Class 1 RTP lines may be installed above ground without supports in
other areas if the risk of damage from fire is considered to be low.
5. Hard rock excavation is excavation that requires blasting or rock cutting (breaking).

4.6 STABILITY
All submerged sections of onshore pipelines in floodable areas, high water table areas, wadi
crossings, etc., should be stable under the combined action of hydrostatic and hydrodynamic
forces. The on-bottom stability can be achieved by increasing the pipe wall thickness, by the
application of concrete weight coating, by spaced anchor points, by trenching, or by burial.
Special considerations shall be given to pipelines installed in weak soils (e.g. peat or soft sand,
false fills), at dyke and sand dune crossings, etc. as well as anchor and thrust block locations
where differential settlements may lead to pipeline loss of integrity.

4.7 CORROSION PROTECTION AND MONITORING

4.7.1 External Corrosion

All metallic buried pipelines including duplex material pipelines, shall be coated externally by
a suitable anti-corrosion coating, supplemented by cathodic protection (for duplex steel
pipelines, Company Materials and Corrosion department shall be consulted for specific
recommendations and requirements on CP).

To ensure that adequate cathodic protection can be demonstrated at all times, pipelines shall
be electrically isolated individually from the plants to which they are connected.

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The design of cathodic protection systems for onshore pipelines shall be carried out in
accordance with Specification SP-1128.

For 132kV and above over head power line running parallel to the pipeline, if the separation
distance from the pipeline is less than 500m and the length of parallelism is more than 0.5km,
then mitigation study is required and mitigation measures shall be implemented as per SP-
1128.

For 33kV and below over head power line running parallel to the pipeline, if the separation
distance from the pipeline is less than 15m and the length of parallelism is more than 0.5km,
then mitigation study is required and mitigation measures shall be implemented as per SP-
1128.

A specialist CP Engineering Consultant shall execute the CP design and mitigation measures.
The PDO CFDHs for Electrical Engineering and Corrosion & Material should also be
consulted.

The sections of the pipeline that are externally insulated (either for thermal requirements or
fire protection) should be designed to prevent ingress of water in the annulus between the
pipeline and the insulation, and should be inspectable for external corrosion.

Apart from the field joint areas, factory applied linepipe coatings, as opposed to field applied
coatings, should be used.

Cathodic overprotection in terms of differential potential shall be avoided. Duplex stainless

steel and higher grade carbon steels (above L415) are particularly sensitive to hydrogen
embrittlement caused by excessive cathodic protection voltage.

Electrical isolation of pipelines from plants should be by means of mono block isolating joints
located above ground. The joints, preferably to be installed in a horizontal position, shall be
capable of withstanding any mechanical loads resulting from the adjacent pipework
configuration. The isolating joints shall be supported on both sides on sliding supports in order
to minimise bending moments. When the transported fluid is conductive (e.g. high water cut),
the length of the isolating joint required to achieve sufficient electrical isolation may be too
large, and an internally coated isolating spool is preferred (refer to DEP 30.10.73.31-Gen.). In
PE lined pipelines, the liner shall be pulled into the isolation joint. Isolating joints shall
comply with requirements of SP-1236.

Short buried sections of above ground pipeline (e.g. road crossings, sections likely to be
covered by blown sand), shall be externally protected by using company approved coating
system as per SP-1246.

In the case that the pipeline is to be buried in highly corrosive soil and the installation of the
permanent cathodic protection system cannot be finalized before the pipeline is buried
(pipelines with long construction periods) or if specified by the Company, a temporary
cathodic protection system shall be installed. Such a system shall be designed in the same way
as a permanent cathodic protection system with the exception that material quantities and
quality shall be adequate to cover a lifetime equal to the time of the pipeline construction until
the expected commissioning of the permanent cathodic protection system. Anode connections
shall be constructed such that they can easily be connected / disconnected during and/or after
commissioning of the permanent system.

4.7.2 Internal Corrosion

Corrosion Barriers and design requirements for internal corrosion shall be as per SP-2161.

Polyethylene linings are susceptible to attack by aromatics, and to permeation of any dissolved
gas in the transported fluid. To prevent lining collapse when the pipeline is depressurised, the
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permeated gas should be relieved from the annulus. PE Lining systems shall comply with
requirements of SP-2094. Spools and fittings used in PE lined pipelines shall be rotolined for
internal corrosion protection. Break away flanges shall be provided to facilitate pulling of
liners, as per PE liner vendor recommendations. Break away flanges for buried lines shall be
in flange pits.

Internal coatings shall not be used for the purpose of preventing corrosion, because holidays in
the coating cannot be completely avoided.. When internal coatings are to be used, corrosion
allowance shall be provided (refer SP-2156 / SP-2161) as a second barrier to allow timely
detection and management of any corrosion problem at coating defect locations before a leak
develops. Internal coatings shall only be applied if automatic joint coating and holiday
detection systems can guarantee a holiday-free application. Alternatively, use of internal joint
sleeves (e.g. ‘thrukote sleeves’) may be considered if this does not affect piggability and
inspectability of the line. A corrosion allowance of 1 mm shall be provided for all CS-PE lined
pipelines.

Inhibitor injection and sampling points should be considered for corrosion mitigation and
monitoring. The requirement for inhibition shall be clearly stated and recognized during
material selection. This requirement is applicable for both piggable and non piggable carbon
steel pipelines.

Internal paint markings for individual pipe identification should not be used when corrosive
conditions will be present in service.

4.7.3 Corrosion Monitoring

For buried pipelines, the occurrence of coating damage is normally monitored by cathodic
protection measurements (refer to DEP 30.10.73.31-Gen.).Requirements for corrosion
monitoring for carbon steel pipelines shall be as SP-2161/DEP 30.10.02.14

If the pipeline is made of corrosion resistant material (e.g. duplex, GRP, clad steel), there is
normally no need to monitor for internal corrosion.

For carbon steel pipelines, the control of internal corrosion is normally by applying a tight
control on the process parameters (e.g. water dew point in gas transmission systems, injection
of corrosion inhibitor). For buried lines, pits shall be installed providing facilities for
corrosion coupons and sampling facilities. They shall include sufficient clearance to permit
ultrasonic scanning of a 1metre section of pipe. The location and number of pits shall be
determined in cooperation with the Company corrosion control support function. Corrosion
probes and corrosion coupons cannot be relied upon to provide a definite assessment of the
pipeline condition, nor to demonstrate that internal corrosion is not occurring. Some indication
of internal corrosion in the pipeline may be given by an analysis of debris recovered following
a pigging operation; this technique is qualitative and is not able to provide any estimate of
corrosion rates.

Carbon steel lines laid above ground shall have access for inspection by MFL tools and by
UT. Supports shall have a minimum elevation of 300 mm above grade level. When corrosive
conditions, which may lead to significant corrosion damage, are present, either internally or
externally, a complete inspection of the pipeline should be carried out using intelligent
pigging. Intelligent pigging should also be used when the criticality of the pipeline is such that
proof of continued integrity is required.

4.8 INTERNAL FLOW COATINGS

Internal flow coatings, as per coating system PCS12 specified in SP1246 may be used in the
following situations: to limit corrosion during transit, storage and construction, to facilitate
precommissioning, to reduce hydraulic friction losses, pig wear and the formation of
pyrophoric dust. It is highlighted that flow coating is NOT a corrosion protection mechanism.
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Pyrophoric dust (FeS) may be produced in pipelines, when the fluid contains H 2S (even in
small quantities), under specific conditions. FeS will form when the fluid is in contact with
bare steel pipe over a sufficient period, and the water vapour content of the gas is in excess of
60 percent of the content corresponding to the water dew point. FeS creates operational
problems, particularly at pressure reduction stations; it is a hazard when it comes in contact
with air, e.g. when it is recovered at a pig receiver (self ignition). Finally, the dust can
accumulate at isolating flanges and, since it is conductive, render them ineffective. When
pyrophoric dust is expected, internal flow coating of the pipeline is strongly recommended
(coating at the field welds, however, is not required).

The hydraulic studies conducted during the conceptual and FEED stages of a project shall
include an assessment of the economic benefits of use of flow coat. The resulting reduction in
friction pressure loss may suffice to reduce the line size and or allow considerable savings in
required compression power.

4.9 PROVISION FOR PIGGING

4.9.1 General

All pipelines, except short length spur lines shall be suitable to pass pigs, even if pig traps are
not permanently installed. Pigging should be used for the pre-commissioning, commissioning
and decommissioning of pipelines, cleaning and corrosion control (removal of wax, debris and
stagnant liquids, batch inhibition), the control of liquid hold-up in gas lines, inspection with
intelligent pigs, and pipeline repairs if required.

All Class 1 pipelines shall be designed to allow intelligent pigging, maintenance pigging,
except if they are constructed from non-metallic or corrosion resistant metallic materials or PE
lined pipelines. Guidelines and requirements for intelligent pigging are given in SP-1210.

Class 1 pipelines made of corrosion resistant materials, non metallic and PE lined shall have
provision for maintenance pigging. This is required to allow pigging, to take place efficiently,
without having to drain large volumes of hydrocarbons. The provision for pigging may consist
of a pig trap or pig valves, or a barred tee and a full-bore valve with a blind flange to which a
pig trap can be connected. These lines may be provided with removable spools, in lieu of these
provisions, only in cases where it is feasible to install temporary pigging facilities on removal
of these spools, when required to facilitate commissioning / decommissioning pigging. Any
maintenance pigging activity in non-metallic pipelines shall require approval from Material
and Corrosion function. Special attention shall be paid to the requirement to maintain a
minimum internal diameter and bending radius for the whole length of the pipeline. Permanent
pigging facilities should be justified based on an analysis of pigging frequency and operational
constraints. The maximum acceptable distance between pigging stations should be decided on
the basis of anticipated pig wear and amount of collected solids, but should normally not
exceed 150 km.

The use of spheres should be limited to batch inhibition and to liquids removal in two-phase
lines. Spheres may be considered when automatic launching is envisaged, or for pigging of
branch lines, when the use of conventional pigs is not possible.

Permanent pig signallers (intrusive OR non-intrusive strap-on) should only be fitted when
frequent pigging operations are anticipated. (i.e. more frequent than once per Quarter).
Otherwise, temporary strap-on non-intrusive pig signallers or pig location devices should be
used.

Ancillary equipment should be flush mounted and barred tees should be used on main line
sections of the pipeline. In the case of spheres, sphere tees should be used with drainage
provision to prevent collection of debris and liquids, which could cause corrosive conditions
in the sphere tee annulus.

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Temporary and permanent Pig trap systems for pipelines shall be designed in accordance with
DEP 31.40.10.13. Operational pigging requirements detailed in SP-1210 shall be considered
during the design of pig trap systems. When designing the temporary pigging facilities due
cognisance shall be given for the requirements of SP-1125 for isolations. The end closure shall
be in vertical plane, even when slope is provided on the barrel.

4.9.2 Double Block and Bleed

The isolation of the main stream and of the ancillary equipment on pig traps requires careful
choice of valve type and configuration to allow safe operation, maintenance and repair without
depressurising or decommissioning the pipeline. A double block and bleed system, consisting
of two separate isolation valves in series with a bleed point in between to allow diversion to a
safe location of any fluid leaking through either valve, should be used as prescribed in SP-
1125 “Isolation of Process equipment”.

4.9.3 Balance line

Balance line shall be provided to enable filling and pressurising of the barrel on both sides of
the pig at the same time. This is to prevent a pig that is ready to be launched from moving
either forwards (and thereby hitting and possibly damaging the pig trap valve) or backwards
(and losing the seal in the reducer). To ensure this, the balance line, branching off from the
kicker line, shall be connected to the minor barrel as close as possible to the pig trap valve. A
balance line shall also be provided on receivers to prevent any possible pressure differential
across a received pig.

4.9.4 Intelligent Pigs

The following should be considered in the design of pipelines, based on the requirements for
intelligent pigging:

 The internal diameter variations of main line sections should be limited. This may
require the heavy wall sections of the pipeline (e.g. road or railway crossings) to be
specified based on the internal diameter, instead of the outside diameter normally
used.
 Where sections of different internal diameter are connected together, the chamfer
angle at the transition should not exceed 14 degrees, measured from the axis of the
pipe (i.e. a taper of 1:4).
 The main line valves shall be full bore, i.e. same minimum internal diameter as the
pipeline, and comply with the requirements of SP-1201 ‘Procurement Specification
for Pipeline Ball Valves’.
 All main line bends should have a sufficient radius to allow passage of intelligent
pigs. Induction heated hot bends in the pipeline should be of the following minimum
radii.
o Pipeline below DN150: 7D to 10D
o Pipeline DN150 to DN 250: 5D
o Pipeline DN 300 and above: 3D

4.10 LINE SECTIONALISING AND EMERGENCY SHUT DOWN VALVES

4.10.1 General

This section applies only to pipelines transporting category B, C, D, E and F fluids. For fluid
category ‘F’ acid gases, a risk analysis shall be made to determine the most effective means of
limiting emissions to the environment if a leak were to develop. In some cases sweet gas
purging may be more effective and the presence of a Block Valve Station could increase the
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risk and quantity of H2S released. However, such proposed changes are subject to variance
control by the CFDH Pipelines, UEL.

Pipeline block valves should be used to limit the release of line contents in the following
situations:

 Leaks or pipeline ruptures outside plant boundaries. These valves are called
"sectionalising block valves".
 Incidents within plant boundaries. The pipeline inventory needs to be isolated from
the plant, in order to prevent escalation of the incident. These valves are called
"emergency shutdown valves", and form part of the pipeline.
It may not always be possible to achieve complete leak tight isolation, but flow should in any
case be severely limited so that the main objective is achieved, i.e. the fluid within the isolated
sections is contained. Valves, which are necessary for the routine operation of the pipeline,
such as pig trap valves, are not considered as block valves. The use of fittings, such as flanges
and instrument taps between block valves should be minimised.

In some situations, e.g. at the downstream side of plants or major river crossings, a check
valve may be used instead of a block valve, since it is simple, reliable and self-actuating. The
valve will normally need to be piggable, either by using a piggable flapper or by allowing the
flapper to be temporarily secured in the open position. Check valves shall not be used to
provide isolation for maintenance of equipment, which is further detailed in SP 1125.

Requirements for the design of Block Valve Stations and associated piping including valve
selection requirements are given in Specification SP-1032.

4.10.2 Sectionalising Block Valves

The spacing of sectionalising block valves should consider limiting the pipeline contents
between adjacent valves.

Criteria for spacing and location of block valve stations shall be as per SP-1032 section 2.1
requirements.

Future tie-ins from other fields or tie-in of (partial) looplines should be considered in the
design, and selection of the location of block valve stations. BVS’s should preferably be
located on a local high spot with good access from public roads, and never in a Wadi or low
point.

4.10.3 Emergency Shutdown Valves

ESD valves should be located at each end of the pipeline, and on the incoming and outgoing
sections of any plant en route, such as compressor or pumping stations and intermediate pig
trap stations. The valves should be located close to the plant fences, and they should
preferably be welded into the main pipeline to minimise the number of potential leak paths.
(refer to DEP 31.40.10.13 and SP-1125 Isolation of Process Equipment).

ESD valves shall not incorporate bypass arrangements. Pressure balancing, if required prior to
valve opening, should be done using the operational valves located immediately upstream or
downstream of the ESD valve.

4.10.4 Valve Actuation

Three methods of operating block valves may be considered: locally, remotely (preferred) and
automatically (not preferred). The appropriate method shall be determined from a study of the
likely effects of a leak and acceptable release volumes, based on the total time in which a leak
can be detected, located and isolated. The closure time of the valves shall not create surge

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pressures in excess of the pressure allowed by this specification, as applicable. The option of
installing a two-speed actuator may be considered to reduce valve closure speed over the last
10% to 20% of the valve travel movement. However, the failure rate of these two speed
actuators shall be assessed and reliability confirmed before its use.

Automatic valves can be activated by detection of low pressure, increased flow, rate of loss of
pressure or a combination of these, or a signal from a leak detection system. Low pressure
detection shall not be used if the control system is designed to maintain the pipeline pressure.
Automatic valves shall be fail-safe to close.

Valve actuators & gearboxes should be adequately sized to operate valves without over
gearbox damage and shear pins should be fitted to valve stems to prevent gearbox / actuator
damage in event of high torques due to valve damage / debris in valve seats / ball.

For pipelines transporting toxic category B fluids, and category C, D, E and F fluids, the
installation of remotely operated sectionalising block valves is recommended to further reduce
the extent of a leak.

The process safeguarding system when an emergency shutdown condition occurs at the plant
or facility shall actuate the emergency shutdown valves.

4.10.5 Leak Detection

The requirements for and type of leak detection systems should be derived from an evaluation
of the criticality of the pipeline with regards to the consequence of a leak, depending on the
transported product, the potential amount released, the sensitivity of the environment, the level
of preparedness of emergency response system in place and the location class, as defined in
ASME B31.8. The requirements of DEP 31.40.60.11-Gen. shall apply.

4.10.6 Blowdown

Facilities for operational and emergency pipeline depressurisation SHALL [PS] be available at
one end of the pipeline and, for pipelines transporting category C and D (but not E and F)
fluids, which are gaseous at ambient temperature and pressure, and at each sectionalising
valve location. The capacity of the blowdown system should be such that the pressure in the
pipeline can be reduced as rapidly as practicable without requiring that the material of the
pipeline be exposed to temperatures below the design temperature. The facilities for blow
down shall be examined during the FEED design review.

Cold vents shall be of sufficient height that the flammable envelope has disappeared prior to
reaching ground level. The fenced sterile area surrounding the vent shall be sized such that the
radiation levels from an ignited (accidentally) vent complies with the requirements of DEP
80.45.10.10 “Pressure Relief, Emergency Depressurising, Flare and Vent Systems”.

For category C and D fluids, the material specified for the blowdown system should be
compatible with the low temperatures encountered during blowdown.

4.11 OVERPRESSURE PROTECTION

The risk of pipeline over pressurisation shall be controlled by pressure safe guarding system in
accordance to EP2007-5644 “EP Guideline on Process Safeguarding T&OE Process
Engineering Discipline” .

4.11.1 Maximum Allowable Pipeline Pressures

There are two governing levels of pressure in the safeguarding of pipelines against
overpressurisation: the Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure (MAOP), which shall not be
exceeded at any point along the pipeline during normal continuous operations, and the
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Maximum Allowable Incidental Pressure (MAIP), which shall not be exceeded at any point
along the pipeline during upset conditions, i.e. conditions of limited frequency and duration.

MAIP for metallic pipelines:

The maximum allowable incidental pressure (MAIP) shall be 1.1 times MAOP for Category A
and B fluids.

The maximum allowable incidental pressure (MAIP) shall be 1.04 times MAOP for Category
C to Category F fluids.

MAIP in GRP lines:

The maximum allowable incidental pressure (MAIP) for GRP lines shall not exceed the
design pressure of the pipeline.

4.11.2 Overpressurisation by the Upstream Facility

When the pressure immediately upstream of the pipeline is in excess of the evacuation
requirements, the pipeline may be designed to operate at lower pressures, in which case a
pressure control system shall be installed to limit the pipeline inlet pressure. However, any
type of pressure control system shall not be considered as an overpressure protection system.

When, following failure of the pressure control system, the maximum pressure which may be
generated by the upstream facility is such that it results in pipeline pressures in excess of
MAIP, an overpressure protection system shall be fitted between the upstream facility and the
pipeline. Two methods can be considered:

 A system with pressure relief, consisting of mechanical safety/relief valves.

 An instrumented system with a high reliability for the isolation of the pressure source
from the pipeline in case of overpressure (HIPPS).
 Reference shall also be made to DEP 32.80.10.10, DEP 80.36.00.30 and DEP
80.45.10.10. In case of conflicting or ambiguous requirements, CFDH pipelines
(UEL) and CFDH control & automation (UES) shall be consulted to clarify and agree
requirements.
4.11.3 Surge Pressures

Pressure surges in pipelines are created by a change in momentum of the moving stream (e.g.
resulting from valve closure). The occurrence of pressure surges should be determined by
transient pressure analysis, using a specialised simulation computer program such as TLNet or
similar. OLGA or similar shall be used to analyse transient hydraulic behaviour of multiphase
pipelines.

Surge pressures are particularly critical for pipelines transporting liquid fluids, because of the
high density and lower compressibility compared to gaseous fluids. Although damping of the
pressure wave initiated at the point of blockage occurs as it travels upstream, surge may in
some cases result in the highest pipeline pressure at a location well upstream of the point of
origin. This may occur in particular for liquid pipelines in hilly terrain.

The pipeline system shall be designed such that surge pressures cannot exceed MAIP at any
point along the pipeline, and will not trigger the system for overpressure protection from the
upstream facility if fitted.

Methods of preventing the generation of unacceptably high surge pressures include valve
closure speed reduction, use of two speed actuators or special fast-response pressure relief
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systems installed to close to the point of surge initiation. Surge pressures from closure of
mainline valves at block valve stations can be avoided by installing in-line relief valves or
surge relief valve on the bypass line (refer to SP-1032).

4.11.4 Thermal Effects

If a pipeline, or part of it, can be blocked-in while containing a medium with a low
compressibility (e.g. liquids), the effect of possible thermal expansion of the blocked-in fluid
volume on the internal pressure of the pipe section (e.g. due to solar heating) should be
investigated.

The pipeline system shall be designed such that pressures generated by thermal effects cannot
exceed MAIP at any point along the pipeline, and will not trigger the system for overpressure
protection from the upstream facility if fitted. When those pressures are part of the routine
operation of the pipeline, i.e. they occur a significant portion of the time they shall not exceed
MAOP.

Applying relief valves may affect the protection against overpressure due to thermal effects.
Except on assemblies which can be isolated such as pig trap systems and slug catchers, an
isolation valve may be installed between the pipeline and the relief valve for maintenance
purposes, provided that procedural controls are in place to ensure that the isolation valve
remains normally in the open position, and that the pipeline is not required to be shut in while
the relief valve is out of service.

Thermal relief valves located on above ground pipework between valves (e.g. Block valve
station pipework) may be routed back into the main pipeline (but not across ESD valves).

4.12 BRANCH CONNECTIONS AND FITTINGS

Threaded connections (pipe to pipe, fittings), Positive Seal Coupling (PSC), slip-on flanges
and mitred connections shall not be used in any part of the pipeline system. The minimum
length of pup pieces shall be the larger of D or 500 mm. . An exception to this is the
fabrication of GRP components where the fabrication of mitered bends is allowed, provided
that the bends are qualified as per SP-2092 and DEP 31.40.10.19-Gen and fabricated under
factory controlled conditions as a single fitting connected to straight pipe.

All branch connections (except for pressure relief systems, see 4.11, but including pig
signallers) should be provided with a valve to permit isolation of the branch from the pipeline.

For mechanical strength reasons, there shall be no branch or instrument connection smaller
than DN50 on pipelines except in case of PE liner vents (with ½” valves) which shall be as
below:

Upto and including 6” pipe - ½” size

From 8” to 12” pipe - 1” size
14” pipe and above - 2” size

For pipelines smaller than DN50, the branch connections shall have the same diameter as the
pipeline. Weldolets larger than DN 100 shall not be used. Sockolets shall not be used.

All branch connections greater than DN50 on steel pipelines with a mainline pipe SMYS
greater than 290 N/mm2 (i.e. L290 pipe) shall be analysed for compliance with ASME
B31.4/B31.8 area replacement requirements.

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For flanges with a lower yield strength than the mainline pipe to which they are welded, the
pipe to flange transition design shall be confirmed to comply with the transition requirements
specified in ASME B31.4/B31.8.

Piping materials shall conform to DEP 31.38.01.15-Gen. for EP applications, and to

DEP 31.38.01.12-Gen. for MF applications.

Gaskets for flanged connections should conform to the following:

 Raised face spiral wound gaskets for flanges class 1500 and below

 Ring type joints for all flanges above class 1500.

The number of flanged connections in pipeline systems should be minimised, i.e. tie-in welds
and welded mainline BVS and ESD valves are preferred. Flanged joint should preferably be
not provided in buried pipelines carrying fluids other than category A. Special precautions
shall be taken while tightening flanged joints. Methods include use of conventional
wrenches/spanners, hydraulic torquing and hydraulic jack bolt tensioning. Selection of a
particular method for flange tightening shall depend on bolt size, system pressure rating,
service and material of construction. UEOC group shall be consulted for use of appropriate
method and procedures.

Branch connections to operating pipeline shall be made by hot tap technique as detailed in
DEP 31.38.60.10.

4.13 TELECOMMUNICATIONS
For any pipeline system, telecommunications should be provided to assist in the operational
and maintenance activities (pipeline inspection, end to end communications for pigging
operations, emergency situations, etc.). Pipeline monitoring from a central location and remote
operations involving the use of reliable telecommunications such as fibre optic cables should
be considered for all pipelines transporting toxic fluids (i.e. fluid category D, E and F).

4.14 RECORDS
A comprehensive set of design documents shall be produced and retained for the life of the
pipeline. These documents should include all the design calculations and assessments, which
led to the technical choices during conception and design of the pipeline. They shall form part
of the hand-over documentation (Section 8).

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5 MATERIAL PROCUREMENT
5.1 GENERAL
All materials shall be procured from Manufacturers/Suppliers approved by the Company, as
specified in the latest AVME (Approved Vendors of Materials and Equipment). The Company
shall specify if, and to what extent, he intends to perform surveillance inspection.

In specifying the level of Company's inspection, the Company should take into account:

 criticality of pipeline
 type of material
 past performance of Manufacturer/Supplier
 quality system of Manufacturer/Supplier
5.2 RE-USE OF MATERIALS
Materials from an abandoned pipeline may be used for a new project, provided that they can
be certified as fully complying with the specifications required for the new application.
Materials shall be inspected and tested to the level presently specified for new materials, i.e.
by visual, destructive and non-destructive means. Considering deterioration in service and
lower past standards, re-use of materials is not encouraged.

5.3 SPARE MATERIALS

Sufficient spare material should be ordered to cover for route deviations and possible pipeline
damage during construction, and the set-up of a material contingency stock for pipeline
emergencies during the operational phase. The quantity of spare materials depends on the
pipeline length, route deviations, test bends, location and the likelihood of damage during
transport, construction and operation. The following quantities are provided for guidance only.

Route length Spare linepipe

Less than 100 m 12 m

100 m to 1 km 12m (min) < 5% < 50 m (max)

1 km to 10 km 50 m (min) < 3% < 250 m (max)

10 km to 200 km 250 m (min) < 1.5% < 1000 m (max)

above 200 km 0.5 percent of route length

For each pipe size, spare linepipe material for welding procedure/welder qualification tests
shall be ordered in consultation with welding engineers in addition to spares mentioned above.
The contingency stock of linepipe material should consist, for each pipe size, of 60 m for
onshore pipelines.

Pipe information such as heat number and manufacturer shall be permanently marked on the
spare pipes for future references and tracking.
Sparing philosophy for GRP lines shall be as per manufacturer recommendations.

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5.4 LINEPIPE MATERIAL

Carbon steel linepipe shall be in accordance with the following Shell specifications, which are
amendments / supplements to ISO 3183-specifications:

 DEP 31.40.20.37-Gen for critical services

ERW and SAW linepipes can be used for both critical and non critical services, however
Helical linepipes can be used only for non critical and water services only. Refer to SP-2041
for restrictions on use of HFW pipes.

The table below gives comparison of grades as defined in ISO 3183 and similar grades in API
5L based on Specified Minimum Yield Strength (SMYS). However, grades as shown as
comparable may differ in other aspects.

STEEL GRADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ISO 3183 / API 5L

L245 B

L290 X42

L360 X52

L415 X60

L450 X65

L485 X70

L555 X80

GRP linepipe and fittings shall be procured in accordance with SP-2092, SP-2156 and
DEP 31.40.10.19-Gen and the purchase requisition shall be prepared by approved design
consultant and approved by Company Pipeline TA2, in consultation with Material TA2.

RTP linepipe and fittings shall be procured in accordance with DEP 31.40.10.20-Gen. The use
of RTP for short life (refer SP-2156, Table 1) pipelines is recommended because of its ease of
re-use and low life cycle cost in corrosive service.

5.5 FITTINGS AND SPECIAL COMPONENTS

Fittings and special components installed in the pipeline shall be procured in accordance with
applicable company standards as indicated below.

COMPONENTS APPLICABLE STANDARD

Pipeline Fittings DEP 31.40.21.30
Pipeline Flanges DEP 31.40.21.34
Pipeline Split Tees SP – 1199
Induction bends DEP 31.40.20.33
Pipeline Isolating Joints SP – 1236
Pig Signallers: Intrusive type DEP 31.40.21.33
Pig trap systems DEP 31.40.10.13
Pipeline Check Valves SP – 1200
Pipeline Ball Valves SP – 1201

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COMPONENTS APPLICABLE STANDARD

Piping – General requirements DEP 31.38.01.11

Components and fittings shall be compatible with the linepipe material in terms of weldability
and also conform to the bevel geometry constraints detailed in the pipeline codes.

Specification and approved vendor list for valves shall be reviewed and approved by UEOC
group before placement of an order.

For short sections replacement / integrity / flowlines projects, with design temperature range
of 5 to 82° C, pipes, fittings, flanges for sizes 2” and below, are acceptable as per MESC /
applicable equivalent piping class.

5.6 EXTERNAL COATINGS

The following specifications shall apply for external corrosion protection coating of linepipe:

 DEP 31.40.30.31-Gen. for polyethylene/polypropylene coating; For temperature

limitations, refer to ISO 21809-1, Table 1.

 DEP 31.40.30.32-Gen. for fusion bonded epoxy coating.

 DEP 31.40.30.37-Gen, external field joint and rehabilitation of coating systems for
line pipe

 SP-1246 Part 1 to 5 – Specification for Painting and Coating of Oil and Gas
Production Facilities

The selection of particular external anticorrosion coating shall be guided by the minimum /
maximum operating fluid temperature, the terrain and soil conditions and subsequent coatings
(concrete weight coatings) and type of cathodic protection systems planned. Refer also to DEP
39.01.10.11-Gen.

5.7 INTERNAL COATINGS

The following specifications apply:

 SP-2094 and DEP 31.40.30.34 for PE liners in carbon steel pipelines and flowlines

 SP-2034 for Internal FBE coating of line pipe.

5.8 CONCRETE COATING

The application of concrete coating for pipelines shall be carried out in accordance with SP-
1208 / DEP 31.40.30.30-Gen. Concrete thickness less than 25 mm are not recommended.

5.9 RECORDS
The material test certificates and equipment vendors' data (including operating/maintenance
instructions), shall be digitalised and to be included in the hand-over documentation and shall
be kept for the life of the pipeline.

Each individual pipe should be allocated an identification number at the pipe mill, and the
same number should be used for coating and construction records. For large pipeline projects,

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a computer-based system for recording and tracking each individual pipe joint from the pipe
mill to the construction location should be considered.

6 CONSTRUCTION
6.1 GENERAL
Pipeline construction shall be performed in accordance with specification SP-1208, as
applicable and other relevant sections of the ASME Codes, supplemented by this chapter,
and shall comply with any additional criteria resulting from the design.

Construction activities close to existing facilities should be planned in coordination with the
operations function, as shut-down of these facilities may be required.

The construction contractor shall provide all necessary calculations and procedures to ensure
that the pipeline is installed in a safe and timely manner and with minimum impact on the
environment. The procedures should include as a minimum:

 Safety and Environment

 Quality assurance
 Right of way and trenching
 Rock blasting
 Stringing and cold bending
 Welding / Jointing and non-destructive testing
 Field joint coating (Metallic lines)
 Lowering-in, backfilling and site reinstatement
 Tie-ins
 Roads and wadi crossings
 Concrete coatings for wadi crossings
 Permanent markers and barriers
 Fabricated assemblies
 Cathodic protection (Steel lines)
 Filling, cleaning and hydrostatic testing
 Pre-commissioning
 Preparation of as-built records
The key equipment used by the construction contractor should be fully tested on mobilisation
to prove that the requirements of the work can be met. Care shall be taken during construction
that debris, muddy water etc., do not enter the pipeline.

6.2 PIPELINE INSTALLATION

Onshore pipelines should normally be laid to ground contour, using one or several
construction spreads travelling along a pre-established working strip. The working strip
should be of adequate width for ease of construction; the recommended width ranges from
15m to 30m, depending on the type of terrain and the pipe diameter. The length of the

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construction spreads should be kept to a minimum. Where applicable, and prior to grading, the
top soil and any existing special features should be removed from the working strip and stored
for reinstatement on completion of the pipeline installation.

Care shall be taken that the external coating is not damaged during all phases of construction,
particularly during lowering and trench backfilling. Backfill material should consist of fine
grain materials. During construction and site reinstatement, the natural drainage of the
surrounding landscape shall not be impeded.

The field welding of carbon steel pipelines shall be in accordance with Specification SP-1177
for all Class 1 pipelines and as per SP-1174 for Class 2 & 3 pipelines.

Non-destructive examination of welds SHALL [PS] be by radiography or equivalent means.

The extent of non-destructive examination and inspection, testing of completed welds shall be
as per applicable welding specifications.

Welding / jointing qualifications, for both the procedure and the welders, should be carried out
under actual field conditions. Jointing of GRP pipelines shall be as per manufacturer’s
recommendation.

6.3 CONSTRUCTION HYDROTESTING

All new pipelines shall be tested after construction and burial (if applicable) to prove the
strength and leak tightness, by means of a hydrostatic pressure test. Only water from approved
sources should be used. Corrosion inhibitors, when required, should be selected on the basis of
lowest environmental sensitivity.

Prior to testing, the pipeline shall be cleaned and gauged, either by a gauge plate pig or an
instrumented calliper pig, to ensure that no dents or buckles are left in the line.

The hydrostatic pressure testing of metallic pipelines shall be as per SP-1212. Hydrostatic
pressure testing of non-metallic pipelines is covered in SP-1208.

Tie-in welds, i.e. welds, which are not subject to the hydrostatic pressure test, shall be
subjected to additional non-destructive testing (e.g. ultrasonic inspection).

6.4 RECORDS
A comprehensive set of as-built documents, to be included in the hand-over documentation,
shall be produced during construction and retained for the life of the pipeline. These should
include, as a minimum:

 Changes to original design, with reasons

 Pipe tally giving the size, grade, wall thickness, identification number, coating
details, and location of each pipe joint used during construction
 Specifications used for field jointing (welding and coating)
 Material test certificates, welding procedure specification (WPS) and PQR’s
 Non-conformance reports and remedial actions taken
 Radiographs of the welds (radiographs need be retained for a period of five years
only)
 Detailed survey of the as-laid position of the pipeline, including burial depth, GPS
co-ordinates of each joint location as applicable
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 Pigging records
 Hydrotest certificates
 Project Certification and Completion Management System (CCMS) documentation
The design drawings shall be updated based on the as-built condition, before hand-over of the
pipeline to the operations function.

6.5 SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

During all stages of the pipeline construction, the Contractor shall work to the highest
achievable safety and environmental standards. The safety performance of all staff involved in
the work shall be monitored and recorded. Regular safety inspection of the construction sites
shall be carried out, to ensure compliance with the relevant procedures, as well as maintaining
awareness of all staff regarding potential hazards.

The aspects related to the management of safety during the construction phase are covered in
EP 95 0000 and SP-1208

7 PRE-COMMISSIONING
Before hydrotest, all pipelines shall be thoroughly cleaned to remove any remaining
construction debris and loose scale. The collected material should be properly disposed of in
an environmentally acceptable manner. Cleaning should be performed by successively
pushing several cleaning pigs through the pipeline with water or air. The number of pig runs
required will depend on the size and length of the pipeline, and the initial cleanliness of the
pipeline. Clean linepipe and proper care during construction will minimise the cleaning effort
required.

After hydrotest, the pipeline shall be dewatered and, if necessary, be dried in a way
compatible with the required service. Drying should be considered when the design of the
pipeline is based on transporting dehydrated fluids, or when the dewatering operations are
carried out long before commissioning. The appropriate drying technique should be derived
from an analysis of product specification requirements (in terms of water content) and the
risks of corrosion and hydrate formation following commissioning of the pipeline. Drying
techniques include methanol or glycol swabbing, air or nitrogen drying and vacuum drying, or
a combination of these techniques. Vacuum drying is normally used when high levels of
dryness are required. For dryness level, reference shall be made to DEP 31.40.50.30-Gen.
Consideration should be given to voids in valves and fittings when planning a drying
operation.

Whenever possible, in-line pipeline ball valves should be installed after cleaning and
hydrostatic testing operations. This is to prevent the ingress of debris and dust in the valve
bodies, which may lead to damage of the valve seats and seals.

The pre-commissioning records, to be included in the hand-over documentation, should

include the following:

 Number of runs, with type of pigs

 Quantity and type of debris recovered during each run.
 Record of any damage or excessive wear of the cleaning pigs
 Drying records, including certificate of dryness.

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Detailed requirements for pre-commissioning of pipelines are described in DEP31.40.50.30-

Gen as well as SP-1208.

Base line data for all major critical pipelines (e.g. MOL and SOGL) shall be acquired by
carrying out intelligent pigging, closed interval potential survey (CIPS) and direct current
voltage gradient survey (DCVG) within 6 months of commissioning of the pipeline to
establish as built condition of the pipeline and to form a basis for future integrity management
of the pipeline and to satisfy DEP 31.40.00.11 requirements.

8 HAND-OVER DOCUMENTATION
The pipeline documentation should be structured in a manner such that all parties involved
with the operation, maintenance and inspection of the pipeline system have ready access to all
data required to control pipeline integrity.

Hand-over documentation shall comply with the requirements of SP-1131

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9 REFERENCES
In this SP, reference is made to the following publications, the hierarchy of which is shown in
Figures 3:

Note: Unless specifically designated by date, the latest edition of each publication shall be
used, together with any amendments/supplements/revisions thereto.

Title Number
Code of Practice
Maintain Surface Product Flow Assets CP-114
Project Engineering CP-117
Health Safety and Environment Management System CP-122
Risk Management CP-131
Specification
Specification for the Design of Pipeline Block Valve SP-1032
Stations
Specification for design Quality Assurance Plans SP-1122
Isolation of Process Equipment specification SP-1125
Specification for Cathodic Protection Design SP-1128
Specification for Handover and As-built documentation SP-1131
Specification for Welding of Class 2 Pipelines (Flowlines) SP-1174
Specification for Welding of Class 1 Pipelines SP-1177

Design for sour service specification SP-1190

Procurement Specification for Pipeline Split Tees SP-1199
Procurement Specification for Pipeline Check Valves SP-1200
Procurement Specification for Pipeline Ball Valves SP-1201
Pipeline Construction Specification SP-1208
Pipeline Operations and Maintenance SP-1210
Hydrostatic Pressure Testing of New Pipelines SP-1212
Pipeline Repairs SP-1235
Pipeline Isolating Joints SP-1236
Specification for painting and coating of oil and gas SP-1246
production facilities (Part 1 – 5)
Specification for Internal FBE Coating of Line Pipe SP-2034
(Amendment / Supplement to API RP 57L
Selection of cracking-resistant materials for H2S-
Containing Environment SP-2041
Technical Authority System SP-2061
Specification for Polyethylene Liners in Carbon Steel
flowlines and pipelines SP-2094
GRP specification - Part 1 SP-2092
Specification for use of non-metallic material SP-2156
Materials Selection & Corrosion Control for Surface SP-2161
Operating Process Facilities

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Title Number

Procedure
Pipeline Pigging Procedure PR-1082
Commissioning and start up PR-1159
Functionality Criticality Assessment Procedure PR-1248
Procedures for the use of Pipe-RBI methodology PR-1416
Procedure for Analysis of Pipeline Road Crossings PR-1522
Block valve station maintenance procedure PR-2120
Guideline
Environmental Assessment Guideline GU-195
Guidelines for The Protection Of Buried Sections Of GU-368
Surface Laid Pipelines/Flowlines
Guideline on SIL Assessments and Implementation GU-437
Guideline
Corporate Flowline Materials Selection Guideline GU-475
Guidelines for Project Certification and Completion GU-623
Management System (CCMS) Users
Application & Selection of Standard Pipe Supports GU-629

Piping Stress Analysis Design Basis GU-706

SHELL STANDARDS
Index to DEP publications DEP 00.00.05.05-Gen.
Design of cathodic protection systems for onshore buried DEP 30.10.73.31-Gen.
pipelines
Piping – General requirements DEP 31.38.01.11-Gen.
Piping Classes – refining and chemicals DEP 31.38.01.12-Gen.
Piping classes - exploration and production DEP 31.38.01.15-Gen.
Pipe Supports DEP 31.38.01.29-Gen.
Hot tapping on pipelines, piping and equipment DEP 31.38.60.10-Gen.
Pipeline Engineering DEP 31.40.00.10-Gen.
Pipeline & Subsea Integrity – design and construction DEP 31.40.00.11-Gen.
Design of pipeline pig trap systems DEP 31.40.10.13-Gen.

Upheaval buckling of pipelines DEP 31.40.10.16-Gen.

GRP Pipelines and piping systems (amendments / DEP 31.40.10.19-Gen.
supplements to ISO 14692)
Line pipe induction bends (amendments / supplements to DEP 31.40.20.33-Gen.
ISO 15590 – 1)

Linepipe for critical service DEP 31.40.20.37-Gen.

(Amendments/supplements to ISO 3183)
Pipeline Fittings (amendments / supplements to ISO DEP 31.40.21.30-Gen.
15590-2)
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Title Number
Pig signallers: Intrusive type DEP 31.40.21.33-Gen.
Carbon and low alloy steel pipeline flanges for use in oil DEP 31.40.21.34-Gen.
and gas operations (amendments / supplements to ISO
15590-3)
Concrete coating of linepipe DEP 31.40.30.30-Gen.
External polyethylene and polypropylene coating for line DEP 31.40.30.31-Gen.
pipe
External fusion-bonded epoxy powder coating for line pipe DEP 31.40.30.32-Gen.
Thermoplastic lined pipelines DEP 31.40.30.34-Gen.
Pre-commissioning of pipelines DEP 31.40.50.30-Gen.
Pipeline leak detection DEP 31.40.60.11-Gen.

Instrumented protective functions (IPF) DEP 32.80.10.10-Gen

Selection of materials for life cycle performance DEP 39.01.10.11-Gen.
Area classification (amendments / supplements to IP15) DEP 80.00.10.10-Gen.
Pressure relief, emergency depressuring, flare and vent DEP 80.45.10.10-Gen.
systems
EP HSE Manual EP 95 0000
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
Petroleum and natural gas industries — Steel pipe for ISO 3183
pipeline transportation systems
Petroleum and natural gas industries – Glass reinforced ISO 14692
Plastic Piping (1-4 Parts)
Issued by:
International Organisation for Standardisation
1, Rue de Varembé
CH-1211 Geneva 20
Switzerland
AMERICAN STANDARDS
Pipeline transportation systems for liquid and slurries, ASME B31.4
2012 Edition
Gas transmission and distribution piping systems, 2012 ASME B31.8
Edition

Managing System Integrity of Gas Pipelines B31.8S-2012

Issued by:
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
345 East 47th Street
New York, NY 10017
USA.
Recommended practice for liquid petroleum pipelines API RP 1102
crossing railroads and highways
Specification for Linepipe API Spec 5L
Issued by:
American Petroleum Institute
1220 L Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20005
USA.
Materials for use in H2S-containing environments in oil NACE MR0175

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Title Number
and gas production
Issued by:
National Association of Corrosion Engineers
P.O. Box 218340
Houston, TX 77218
USA

BRITISH STANDARDS
Energy Institute (Formerly Institute of Petroleum) Model IP 15
Code of Safe Practice Part 15, Area Classification Code
for installations handling flammable fluids
Issued by:
Energy Institute
61 New Cavendish Street
London W1G 7AR
United Kingdom.

SOFTWARE
CAESAR II
Pipesim
HYSYS
OLGA
NATASHA
NATASHA PLUS
FRED
PIPE STUDIO
TGNET
TLNET
Pipe-RBI
Pipe-RBA

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APPENDIX 1: CRITICALITY CLASSIFICATION OF PIPELINES

AND FLOWLINES
A1.1 General
To maximise availability of pipeline, to reduce potential risk to safety, environment and to
achieve operational and maintenance excellence, it is necessary to assess criticality of each
pipeline to ensure technical integrity during development, design, construction, operation and
maintenance phase of the pipeline.

Criticality of a pipeline shall be assessed based on the risk matrix developed for safety
management within PDO and detailed in policy documents CP-122: HSE Management
System Manual, CP-131: Risk Management Code of Practice, PR-1248: Criticality
Assessment Procedure.

The Risk Assessment Matrix developed to derive “Pipeline Criticality Classes” is based on the
consideration of susceptibility to failure (mainly related to the perceived corrosion rate) and
the consequences of failure. All individual lines (including Pipelines, Headers and Flowlines)
shall be categorised into one of the three “Pipeline Criticality Classes”; herein after referred to
as “Class 1”, “Class 2” and “Class 3” respectively.

The susceptibility to failure is classified as follows:-

 N Not susceptible

 L Low susceptibility e.g. only under upset conditions

 M Susceptible under normal conditions

 H Very susceptible e.g. corrosion rate > 0.5 mm/yr

Consequence of failure is similarly classified as follows:-

 L Low consequence

 M Medium consequence

 H High consequence

 E Extreme consequence

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Table A1.1 outlines the Pipeline Criticality Classes resulting from the combination of
material’s susceptibility to failure and the consequences.

Table A1.1 – Pipeline Classification based on Risk Assessment Matrix

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO PIPELINE CRITICALITY CLASS
FAILURE

H Very susceptible to CLASS 2 CLASS 1 UNACCEPTA UNACCEPT

degradation BLE ABLE
SUSCEPTIBILTY CLASS

M Susceptible to CLASS 2 CLASS 1 CLASS 1 UNACCEPT

degradation under normal ABLE
conditions

L Susceptible to CLASS 3 CLASS 2 CLASS 1 CLASS 1

degradation under upset
conditions

N Not susceptible under any CLASS 3 CLASS 3 CLASS 2 CLASS 1

foreseen conditions

Economic value (USD) <100K 0.1 – 1 M 1 – 10 M > 10 M

CONSEQUENCE
CATEGORY

Minor Injury Major Injury Permanent Multiple

Disability or Fatality
Health and Safety Single Fatality

Minor Effect Localised Major Effect Massive

Environment Effect Effect

CONSEQUENCE CLASS L M H E

Notes:
1. Above Pipeline Criticality Classes should not be confused with the Location Class
defined in ASME B31.8.
2. Guidelines on selection of appropriate Susceptibility Class for different materials used
in pipeline construction and types of service are provided in section A1.2 of this
Appendix – 1. The highest severity level among applicable failure modes shall be
selected as Susceptibility Class.
3. Guidelines on selection oft appropriate Consequence Class on the grounds of Health
& Safety, Environmental and Economic Value are provided in section A1.3 of this
Appendix -1. Consequence Class shall be determined by the most severe risk among
Consequence Categories.
A1.2 Susceptibility to Failure Classification
The following predominant failure modes that are relevant to PDO operations are considered:

 Internal corrosion
 External corrosion
 Corrosion Cracking (SSC, SCC, HIC, SOHIC)
 Third party damage
 Mechanical/construction damage
Susceptibility to these failure modes depends mainly on the pipeline material and the service
conditions namely, fluid type, pressure and temperature in the pipeline. A list of indicative
Susceptibility Classes for various materials and associated failure modes is given in Tables
A1.2 and A1.3.

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Table A1.2 - Susceptibility to failure Classification for Various Materials

MATERIAL INTERNAL EXTERNAL CORROSION THIRD PARTY MECHANICAL &
CORROSION CORROSION CRACKING DAMAGE CONSTRUCTION
DAMAGE
C-steel, buried See Table A1.3 Class L for Class N for Class L or N Class L or N
pipelines with normal service.
new coatings and Class L for sour
operating at < service if
60°C. designed
Class N if accordingly
corrosion
allowance
provided.
Class M for
others
C-steel, above See Table A1.3 Class N if put on Class N for Class L or N Class L or N
ground sleepers and kept normal service
sand free.
Normally Class L
Class M in areas
prone to sand
inundation
C-steel with PE Class N See C-steel above See C-steel above Class L or N Class L if proper
liner QA&QC on site
and T<65°C and for
water injection
Service.
Class M for others
GRP Class N Class N Class N Class L Class L if proper
QA&QC on site
and T < 90°C and
water injection
service T< 20°C.
Class M for others
LLRTP or Class N Class N Class L Class L Class L for T<60°C
LLGRE Need to ensure
the fittings are
protected.
Duplex SS Class N Class L Class L Class L or N Class L if proper
QA&QC on site

Note: The above failure classifications are to be further discussed and confirmed with UEOC team.

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Table A1.3 - Susceptibility Classification for internal Corrosion for C-Steel in Various Service
Conditions

SERVICE TYPE SUSCEPTIBILITY CLASS (1)

Dry gas MOP > 20 bar Class L. Upset condition will be wet operation. Corrosion
mechanism is CO2 corrosion.
Class M or H under sour or acid conditions. Special corrosion
assessment shall be required.
MOP < 20 bar Class N. Corrosivity in upset conditions is low because of a low
CO2 partial pressure. Sour conditions require a special corrosion
assessment.
Dry & Stabilised Flow > 1.5 m/s Class N.
Condensate ( 1% water)
Flow < 1.5 m/s Class L. Corrosion prediction by HYDROCOR may reduce class to
N.
Wet separated gas MOP > 20 bar Class M. Corrosion mechanism is CO2 corrosion. Corrosion
prediction by HYDROCOR may reduce class to L. Continuous
inhibition may be required.
Class H under sour conditions. Special corrosion assessment shall
be required.
MOP < 20 bar Class L. Corrosion prediction by HYDROCOR may reduce class to
N. Sour conditions require a special corrosion assessment.
Wet condensate Class M. Corrosion mechanism is CO2 corrosion. Corrosion
prediction by HYDROCOR may reduce class to L. Continuous
inhibition may be required.
Multi-phase Flowlines & headers Class M. Corrosion prediction by HYDROCOR may reduce class
gas/condensate to L. Inhibition may be required.
Wet separated oil Flow < 1 m/s Class M depending on the corrosion control strategy. Corrosion
mechanisms are CO2, O2 and microbial. Chemical treatment may
reduce to class L. In some cases, class H if corrosion is not
controlled.
Flow > 1 m/s Class L if BS&W low. Otherwise class M. Chemical treatment may
impact on classification.
Multi-phase oil Flowlines & headers Class M. Corrosion mechanisms same as for wet separated oil.
May be reduced to class L for high liquid flow rates (> 1 m/s) and
low BS&W.
Water Class M or H depending on the corrosivity of the water. Consider
alternative material

NOTE (1) Corrosion susceptibility class may be lowered in case of a large corrosion allowance justified
by a corrosion assessment.

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A1.3 Failure Consequence Classification

HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSEQUENCE
Health and Safety consequence of a failure is categorised based on the risks associated with
toxicity of the fluid and the pressure at which it is transported through the pipeline. Table
A1.4 provides guidelines to select consequence class on the basis of health and safety
consequences.

Table A1.4 - Health and Safety Consequence Classification

1500# CLASS E
System design Pressure Rating (ANSI

900# CLASS M CLASS H

(Increasing Pressure Hazard)

600#
CLASS L
300#
CLASS)

150# CLASS N

FLUID FLUID FLUID

FLUID FLUID FLUID
Category Category Category
Category D Category E Category F
A B C

Flowline
Gas
Fluids H2S 500- H2S
Water Oil H2S 50 to
H2S < 50 1000ppm >1000ppm
< 500 ppm
ppm
System Fluid as defined in Section 2.1
(Increasing Fluid Hazard)

Table A1.5 - Health and Safety Consequence Classification Definition

CLASS POTENTIAL DESCRIPTION
IMPACT
N No/Slight injury No safety effect or slight injury or health effects (including first aid case and
medical treatment case) - Not affecting work performance or causing disability.
L Minor injury Minor injury or health effects (Lost Time Injury) – Affecting work performance,
such as restriction to activities (Restricted Work Case) or a need to take a few
days to fully recover (Lost Workday Case). Limited health effects, which are
reversible, e.g. skin irritation, food poisoning.

M Major injury Major injury or health effects (including Permanent Partial Disability) –
Affecting work performance in the longer term, such as a prolonged absence
from work. Irreversible health damages without loss of life, e.g. noise induced
hearing loss, chronic back injuries.
H Single fatality Single fatality – From an accident or occupational illness (poisoning, cancer).
E Multiple fatality Multiple fatalities - From an accident or occupational illness (poisoning, cancer).

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ENVIRONMENT CONSEQUENCE
Environmental consequence of a failure is categorised based on the risks associated with
possible level of damage that a failure can cause to the environment and associated
consequences. Table A1.6 provides guidelines to select consequence class on the basis of
environmental consequences. Advice of PDO’s head of corporate environmental affairs
MSE/2 shall be sought to establish the environmental sensitivity in which the pipeline is
installed.

Table A1.6: Environmental Consequence Classification

CLASS POTENTIAL DESCRIPTION
IMPACT
N No/Slight effect Local environmental damage, within the fence and within systems.
Negligible financial consequences.
L Minor effect Contamination. Sufficiently large to damage the environment. No
permanent effect on the environment.
M Localised effect Limited discharges of known toxicity affecting neighbourhood and
damaging the environment.
H Major effect Severe environmental damage. The company is required to take extensive
measures to restore the contaminated environment to its original state.
E Massive effect Persistent severe environmental damage or severe nuisance extending over a
large area. Loss of commercial, recreational use or nature conservancy
resulting in major financial consequences for the company.

ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCE
Economic consequences of a failure shall be loss of revenue (deferment cost), repair cost and
with or without loss of asset value (replacement cost). For simplicity the repair cost may be
neglected. Deferment cost may be calculated on the basis of loss of production and duration of
a deferment. Table A1.7 provides guidelines to select consequence class on the basis of
economic consequences. Relevant PDO policy documents may be referred to arrive loss of
economic value in case of a failure.

Table A1.7: Economic Consequence Classification

CLASS POTENTIAL DESCRIPTION

IMPACT
N No/Slight effect No disruption to operation, no operational upset or no damage to assets.
(total loss value less than US$ 1,000)
L Minor effect Brief disruption, minor operational upset or minor damage to assets. (total
loss value between US$ 1000 and US$ 100,000)
M Localised effect Partial shutdown, moderate operational upset or moderate damage to assets
(total loss value between US$100,000 and US$ 1M)
H Major effect Partial operation loss, major operational upset or major damage to assets
(total loss value between US$ 1M and US$ 10M)
E Massive effect Substantial or total loss of operations, damage causing major loss of
containment or damage to essential assets (total loss value in excess of US$
10M)

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APPENDIX 2: BUILDING PROXIMITY DISTANCES

For the purpose of initial pipeline routing, the following formulae provide the minimum
distances between the pipeline and normally occupied buildings:

Pipelines having a design factor not exceeding 0.72:

Pipelines having a design factor not exceeding 0.4:

d : distance in metres

D : pipeline diameter in mm; if the pipeline diameter is less than 150 mm, D should be
taken equal to 150 mm.

t : pipeline wall thickness in mm; if the wall thickness is less than 9.5 mm, t may be
taken equal to 9.5 mm. If the wall thickness is larger than 13.5 mm, t shall be taken
equal to 13.5 mm.

P : pipeline MAOP in bar (ga); for pipelines operating at less than 20 bar (ga), P should
be taken equal to 20 bar (ga).

Q : fluid factor, as provided in the table below

FLUID CATEGORY FLUID FACTOR

A and B Q = 0, i.e. there is no minimum distance
requirement except for access during construction and operations
C Q = 0.3 for all fluids
D, E and F Q = 0.5 for methane (Natural Gas)
Q = 0.8 for ethylene
Q = 1.0 for LPG
Q = 1.25 for NGL
Q = 0.45 for hydrogen
Q = 2.5 for ammonia

Fluids not specifically mentioned above should be given the fluid factor most closely similar
in hazard potential to those quoted.

It is stressed that the above methodology is for planning/guidance purposes only and that it
does not replace a quantitative risk analysis.

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APPENDIX 3: PIPELINE STRESSES

(METALLIC PIPELINES)
There are three types of stresses to be considered in the calculation of the equivalent stress: the
hoop stress, the longitudinal stress and the combined shear stress.

Hoop stress:

Longitudinal stress:

Fully restrained pipeline:

SL =  (Sh) - E (T2 - T1)

Fully unrestrained pipeline:

Combined shear stress:

P = pipeline internal pressure,

D = pipeline diameter,

t = wall thickness,

 = Poisson's ratio,

E = modulus of elasticity,

 = linear coefficient of thermal expansion,

T1 = pipeline installation temperature,

T2 = pipeline design / operating temperature, (refer to section 4.3.6)

Mb = bending moment applied to the pipeline,

Z = pipe section modulus,

T = torque applied to the pipeline,

Fs = shear force applied to the pipeline,

A = pipe wall cross section area,

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Note – Longitudinal stresses shall be computed considering both tensile and compressive values of
bending stresses. Refer to section 4.3.5 and 4.3.6 for combined stress calculations and
allowable stresses criteria.

(NON-METALLIC PIPELINES)
For GRP pipelines, stress analysis shall be carried out in accordance with DEP 31.40.10.19 / ISO
14692.

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APPENDIX 4: FLOWLINE DESIGN

A4.1 INTRODUCTION
This Appendix supplements the requirements in the main text of this SP. This Appendix
outlines additional design and material requirements and recommendations relevant to
flowlines, interfiled lines and pipelines carrying untreated hydrocarbons/reservoir fluids, water
and gas injection lines. Provisions of section A4.9 may be considered for general application
to all surface laid pipelines.

A4.2 OPERATING ENVELOPE

For carbon steel flowlines, the limiting operating conditions covered by this Appendix are:

 Temperature: 5C to 82C

 Design Pressure: 100 kPag to 23,800 kPag
 Location Class: 1 (as defined in ASME Code B31.8)
The quoted design pressure for carbon steel flowlines is based on 82C max temperature.

For other materials, the limiting operating conditions are indicated in GU – 475: Corporate
Flowline Materials Selection Guideline.

A4.3 CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

The following typical climatic conditions in Oman should be assumed for design of flowlines
except where more specific data is available for the flowline location:

Air Temperature (shade) Summer Max 50C

Summer Avg 30C
Winter Min 5C
Winter Avg 15C
Maximum Black Bulb Temperature 82C
Max. Humidity 98%

Prevailing Wind Direction Mar/April NW

May/June SW
Rest of Year SE

Wind Speed: Max. hourly 80 km/h

3 sec gusts 168 km/h
Rainfall: Design in 1 hr 80 mm
Avg. Annual Negligible

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A4.4 MECHANICAL STRENGTH

Company standard carbon steel flowlines are listed in Table A4.1. For these flowline sizes,
wall thickness values have been determined using the Barlow formula (ref. ANSI B31.8
Codes) with a design factor of 0.60 to which corrosion allowance of 3 mm has been added.

The Barlow formula assumes a metallic pipe, fully restrained and continuously supported.
Carbon steel flowlines in PDO are typically installed above ground and this imposes
additional bending and thermal (expansion) stresses not taken account of by the Barlow
formula. To ensure that code allowable stresses are not exceeded due to these additional
stresses on flowlines, the following requirements shall apply to lines of 8 in. diameter and
smaller, unless otherwise specified by the Company:

 maximum distance between supports shall be 7 metres

 expansion loops shall be installed at maximum interval of 500 metres
Requirements for lines with a diameter in excess of 8” and all Class 1 flowlines shall be
individually assessed.

Road crossings of flowlines shall be analysed in accordance with Section 4.4 of the main text
of this SP.

Other strength requirements shall be as specified in Section 4.3 of the main text of this SP.

A4.5 ROUTING
In line with Company philosophy to minimise land take, designated flowline corridors or
streets should be followed as much as possible when a new flowline is to be laid. In this
context, flowline town maps showing clearly designated flowline routes should be developed
for each field, and flowlines should be planned to follow these routes only. Opportunities for
inspectable bulklines and headers should always be explored.

In planning flowline route, access shall be provided for inspection / maintenance, and flowline
crossovers. Number of road crossings shall be minimised. Space should also be provided for
future flowlines. A minimum clearance of 250 mm is required between adjacent flowlines to
allow inspection by an external MFL tool.

For GRP lines, a detailed route survey is required before detailed design. For RTP lines,
routing will be influenced by the RTP pipe bend radius restrictions, or otherwise an RTP line
may be fitted to stay within defined flowline corridors.

A4.6 OVERPRESSURE PROTECTION

Safeguarding systems shall be specified to ensure that the flowline is protected against the
maximum internal pressure to which it can be exposed. The Company requires that flowlines
shall be fully rated, i.e. their design pressure shall exceed the maximum pressure that can be
produced on shut-in. Deviation from this requirement may only be permitted in special cases
as outlined in EP 2007-5644 (EP guideline on Process Safeguarding). Reference shall be made
to GU-437, DEP 32.80.10.10-Gen and DEP 80.45.10.11.

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A4.7 MATERIAL SELECTION

The strategy for selecting flowline material shall take into account information such as design
life, possible replacement option during design life, corrosivity of the fluid, services
conditions like temperature and pressure ratings, hydraulics, construction cost, operating
envelope of the material and life cycle cost (LCC) based options. Flowline material with the
minimum life cycle cost (LCC) shall be selected.

Final material selection shall be approved by materials and corrosion department(UEOC/1).

Material selection strategies and detailed cost estimates shall include the likely costs of
flowline leak clean up activities as well as any fines which may be imposed by the authorities.

Carbon steel generally provides competitive option to transport fluids with low corrosivity for
a design life of less than 10 years. However, the cost advantage of carbon steel tends to
decrease with increasing fluid corrosivity and higher design life, as it may then require high
operating / maintenance costs and / or result in a reduced service life.

The first step in materials selection shall therefore be to determine the design life for the
flowline and estimate the expected corrosion rate for bare carbon steel. This should be carried
out by the Materials and Corrosion Group (UEOC/1) with input data provided by the concept
engineer / production technologist and the production chemist.

Where the predicted corrosion rate is lower than 0.30 mm/yr and design life is less than 10
years, carbon steel with corrosion allowance up to a maximum of 3 mm is recommended. This
assumes a flowline design life of 10 years.

Where the predicted carbon steel corrosion rate exceeds 0.3 mm/yr and the design life of more
than 10 years, the following alternate options shall be considered based on detailed LCC
analysis and limiting operating conditions of alternate materials:

 Use of chemicals e.g. corrosion inhibitors, oxygen scavenger (water lines), etc.
 Use of PE lined carbon steel pipes
 Use of non-metallic materials (e.g. GRP, RTP or Reelable GRP)
 Use of Reelable RTP (LLRTP) for temporary flowline applications
 Use of corrosion resistant alloys (e.g. duplex steel,) for high pressure and high
temperature gas flowline applications.
Note: For a single flowline, chemical treatment is both impractical and expensive, but it should
be considered for bulklines and headers.
Reference shall be made to GU - 475 Corporate Flowline Materials Selection Guideline.

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A4.8 MATERIAL PROCUREMENT

The Company stock flowline sizes and SAP references are listed in Table A4.1. Standard
stock flowline and hook-up materials should be used where possible. Users are encouraged to
challenge the wall thickness requirements.

Table A4.1 Standard Carbon Steel Flowlines

Size & Service Design ISO API ISO Wall Corrosion SAP Remarks
Pressure Pressure 3183 5L thickness Allowance Reference
Rating Grade Grade (mm) included in
WT (mm)
3" – 600# Sour 9500 L290 X42 5.6 3
kPag
3'' - 900# Sour 13800 L360 X52 5.6 3
kPag
4'' - 600# Sour 9500 L360 X52 5.6 3 Also suitable for
kPag 900# with zero
corrosion
allowance
4" - 900# Sour 13800 L360 X52 7.1 3 Also suitable for
kPag 1500# with zero
corrosion
allowance
6" - 300# Sour 4750 L290 X42 5.6 3 Also suitable for
kPag 600# with zero
corrosion
allowance
6" - 600# Sour 9500 L360 X52 7.1 3
kPag
6'' - 900# Sour 13800 L360 X52 8.8 3
kPag
6'' - Sour 23800 L360 X52 10.0 0 To be PE Lined.
1500# kPag Also suitable for
600# with 6mm
corrosion
allowance
8'' - 300# Sour 4750 L360 X52 5.6 3
kPag

Linepipes should be procured in bulk to meet forecasted requirements for new wells and for
replacement of existing flowlines (or sections thereof) to maintain technical integrity. For
flowlines within design temperature range of 5 to 82° C, pipes, fittings, flanges for sizes 2”
and below, are acceptable as per MESC / applicable equivalent piping class.

The minimum radius for cold bends shall be as prescribed in the main text of this SP. All
bends with a bend radius less than as prescribed shall be factory made and procured in
accordance with DEP 31.40.20.33-Gen. as an induction heated or forged bends. Minimum
bend radius for factory made bends for different diameters of piggable pipelines/flowlines
shall be as prescribed in the main text of this SP.

Bends for carbon steel flowlines should be manufactured in a material grade and wall
thickness the same as the linepipe. Refer to section 4.3.8 for acceptable bend radii.

Materials other than carbon steels shall be procured in accordance with the relevant Company
and International standards.

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A4.9 INSTALLATION
A4.9.1 General
This section expands some of the installation related requirements of the main text of this SP
where special provisions are necessary for flowlines and other surface laid pipelines.

A4.9.2 Crossing of Pipelines, Roads and Service Lines

Flowlines and other above ground pipelines shall remain on supports while crossing existing
buried pipelines. The pipeline windrow should be removed at the crossing point. For flowlines
longer than 2 km, provisions shall be made for camel and seismic vehicle crossings at 2 km
intervals.

Buried sections of pipelines crossing existing pipelines and other services shall be arranged
with a ramp or standard road crossing so that access is retained at those services. Where a
flowline passes by an electricity pylon, access shall be maintained by the use of a ramp or
standard road crossing.

To absorb expansion stresses at road crossings, it is recommended that carbon steel lines
follow the configuration that allows thermal (expansion) stresses to be channelled into the
loops on either side of the crossing rather than into the pipe crossing. By providing an avenue
for stress relief, thermal stresses, which can be a cause of leaks at crossings, are properly
absorbed by the loops.

As an alternative to the loop arrangement described above, carbon steel flowlines may be
sagged into crossings. Sagging flowlines into crossings does not relieve thermal stresses,
hence pipe movement may still occur and nevertheless it allows damaged sections at crossings
to be more easily clamped.

Use of low radius bends at crossings (except when used in a loop configuration) is not advised
as the gooseneck formed interferes with inspection and repair.

Due to difficulties with ensuring adequate cathodic protection, steel-cased crossings shall not
be used for carbon steel flowlines.

Minimum soil cover at road crossings shall be 1500 mm. Buried pipeline sections shall be
externally coated with company approved coating as per SP-1246.

In developed / built-up areas (i.e. ASME B31.8 location Class 2 or above) where there is
increased risk to the flowline and to population, burial of flowlines is required as for other
Class 1 pipelines.

Where proper field layouts have been developed with designated flowline corridors, open
culverts serving as conduit for flowline street(s) should be considered at road crossings. This
will ensure that stresses from traffic loads are not transmitted to the flowlines, soil cover
acting as anchor does not restrain expansion, and access is provided for inspection and
maintenance at the crossings. Culverts shall be designed taking into account future service
requirements (e.g. heavier traffic and additional flowlines).

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A4.9.3 Supports
Above ground carbon steel flowlines shall be installed on supports, clear of the ground, to
protect the flowline from burial by wind-blown sand.

Maximum span between supports for carbon steel flowlines 8inch diameter and below shall be
7 metres. This is to ensure that the combined pipe bending, thermal expansion and hoop
stresses do not exceed ASME B31.4 / B31.8 allowable limits.

Standard pipe supports for different sizes and combinations of standard Company flowlines
are contained in GU-629. Modifications to these standard drawings are permitted to suit local
conditions but such modifications should be reviewed and approved by CFDH civil
engineering (custodian of the specification). It should be ensured that supports do not interfere
with the free expansion of the flowline. Wear plates or reinforcement sleeves shall only be
attached to the flowline by means of friction clamps or circumferential fillet welds.
Longitudinal welding directly onto the linepipe shall not be allowed.

Depth of burial below grade for support foundations should as a minimum be as indicated in
the standard support drawings to prevent washout by rain, and ensure adequate resistance to
overturning moments from thermal (expansion) and pressure (end cap) stresses.

Standard sleeper-type supports to a minimum of 300 mm elevation above grade should be

used where there is a low risk of wind-blown sand, and at well pads. Standard goal post type
supports to 550 mm or 750 mm elevation above grade should be used where the risk of wind-
blown sand is high. Local requirements and experience should guide the selection of support
type.

GRP flowlines shall always be buried. Special attention shall be paid to supporting and
anchoring where GRP is installed on supports on on-plot locations. GRP is intolerant of
vibrations and stresses induced (by thermal expansion, pressure surges, etc.) at connections to
fixed steel headers. Properly engineered anchors and supports shall be designed and installed
taking into account all possible operational stresses.

A4.9.4 Expansion Loops and Anchors

Expansion or contraction will occur when the temperature of the flowline material is different
from that at time of installation, or due to pressure and end-cap effects at changes in direction.

Temperature changes may be due to the transported fluid or to changes in ambient

temperature. Due to wide variations in field ambient temperature, considerable thermal
expansion can occur in above ground carbon steel flowlines requiring special considerations
for their anchoring and flexibility.

To absorb pipe movements due to thermal and /or pressure stresses, expansion loops shall be
installed at maximum spacing of 500 metres for 8 inch and smaller diameter carbon steel
flowlines. An expansion loop is not required on the side of a road crossing where a mainline
expansion loop is located within 200 metres of the crossing. For pipelines / flowlines of size
larger than 8 inch / all high pressure (PN150 and above) lines, a detailed stress analysis by
using CAESAR II software shall be carried out to confirm that the expansion loops and
anchors provided are adequate to absorb the stresses in the pipeline.

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To prevent preferential expansion in one direction, anchors shall be provided to ensure that
each expansion loop absorbs only the thrust (caused by thermal expansion or contraction) for
which it has been designed. Anchors shall be installed midway between successive expansion
loops, and in such other locations as may be required to prevent pipe movement. Standard
anchor drawings are contained in GU-629. It is important to locate the anchors in the correct
place as tremendous stresses could be set up in a flowline when its free expansion is
completely restrained in the wrong location. A minimum of one in four supports shall be
equipped with pipe guides to prevent large lateral movement of the pipe and to channel
expansion into expansion loops.

A4.9.5 Hook-Up
Hook-up refers to the piping required to tie-in flowline to wellhead and to production
facilities. Hook-up piping is designed to ANSI B31.3 and the material specifications are in
accordance with DEP 31.38.01.15 (EP Piping Classes)

Buried Carbon steel flowlines shall be electrically isolated from the wellhead and station
manifold piping by internally coated insulating spools. Internal coating of the spools shall be
of amine-cured epoxy in accordance with DEP 30.10.73.31 - Gen.

A4.9.6 Hydrostatic Testing

New flowlines shall be subjected to strength and leak tightness test after construction. The test
procedure shall be in accordance with SP-1212 and SP-1208 (for GRP flowlines).

A hydrostatic pressure test procedure outlining safety precautions, test equipment, sources of
water, test connection and vent points, filling and pressurising, depressurising and emptying
and other pertinent information (e.g. hydrotest date and timing and nominated supervisory
staff); shall be submitted for Company approval ahead of hydrotest operations.

A4.10 Internal PE-Lining

Internal PE-lining of carbon steel flowlines may be undertaken:

 To take advantage of carbon steel to contain pressure and PE liner to prevent internal
corrosion in new water injection or production lines with no additional corrosion
allowance

 to arrest further internal corrosion in existing in-service carbon steel lines

 to rehabilitate an abandoned line for new service, where the parent pipe still has
adequate strength (wall thickness) to contain the new service MAOP

 to take advantage of the conduit provided by an abandoned line to install a low

pressure, stand-alone HDPE line.

Advice of the Materials and Corrosion Group should be sought on suitability of PE-lining for
given fluid and service conditions.

The design, procurement and installation of PE-liners shall be in accordance with specification
SP-2094.

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A4.11 Commissioning and Handover

Commissioning commences when the flowline has been successfully hydro-tested, hooked-up
at both ends, and is ready for operational duty. Displacement of hydrotest water by the well
fluid particularly for liquid lines is the most common method of flowline commissioning. For
gas lines, it is usually necessary to develop specific commissioning procedures taking account
of the gas properties, and the producing and / or receiving facilities.

If a metallic flowline is not planned to be put into service within one month after hydrotest, it
shall be mothballed using water with appropriate dosage of corrosion inhibitor and chemical
treatment (biocide, oxygen scavenger) as specified in SP-1212. The longer the period before a
line becomes operational the greater the need for chemical treatment. Where dewatering of a
line is necessary in advance of the line being operational, an appropriate drying method that
ensures that no residual water is left in the line should be implemented.

Pre-commissioning activities shall include handover of flowline drawings and pertinent

technical data to Operations. Handover documents shall as a minimum include all required
input data into CiRRAS - Corrosion Management System and SAP.

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APPENDIX 5: STANDARD TRAFFIC LOAD CLASSES

STANDARD PDO TRAFFIC CLASSES:

 PDO traffic class 05

 PDO traffic class 20
 PDO traffic class 50
(Note – Contact area over wheel load applied shall be
minimum 0.0929 m2 or actual data)

SPECIAL TRAFFIC LOAD SYSTEMS:

(not included in the standard PDO traffic classes)

 Standard heavy transporter 60 tons

 PDO RIG#6
(Note – Contact area over wheel load applied shall be
minimum 0.1858 m2 or actual data)

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Fig A5.1: PDO traffic class 05

Fig A5.2: PDO traffic class 20

Fig A5.3: PDO traffic class 50

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Fig A5.4: Standard heavy transporter 60 tons

special transport, not covered by standard PDO traffic classes

Fig A5.5: PDO RIG#6

special transport, not covered by standard PDO traffic classes

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FIGURES:

Figure 1 Diagrammatic Representation of Pipeline Scope Boundaries

Figure 2 Diagrammatic Representations of Design Code Breaks

Figure 3 PDO Pipeline Standards Hierarchy

Figure 4 User Comments Form

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FIGURE 1 DIAGRAMMATIC REPRESENTATION OF PIPELINE

SCOPE BOUNDARIES

Water/Gas Treatment
and Pump/Compressor Station
Water/Gas
Injection Lines
Oil/Gas/Water
Wells
Flowlines
Flowline Header
Pig Trap Facilities
Gathering Station
(Initial Treatment)
Gathering Line

Treatment/Process Main Transmission Pipeline /

Facilities Trunkline

Remote Vent Line

Spurline
Pressure Reduction
Station

Off take Line

Pump/Compressor
Station (w/bypass)

Liquid/gas Storage
Facilities (w/bypass)

Block Valve Station

KEY

Facility Plot

Facility not included

in Pipeline Scope
Main Transmission
Pipeline/Trunkline
Metering Facilities
Spur/Offtake
Pipeline

Gathering Line /
Slug Catcher
Flowline / Injection
(Only for 2 Phase
Line
Pipelines)

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FIGURE 2: DIAGRAMMATIC REPRESENTATION OF DESIGN

CODE BREAK

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FIGURE 3: PDO PIPELINE STANDARDS HIERARCHY

HSE Protection Product Flow Asset Integrity Business Control Abandonment

CP-122 CP-117 CP-114 CP-115 CP-131

Onshore Pipeline Engineering Pipeline Operations & Maintenance P/L & F/L Abandonment
SP-1211 SP-1210

PL Design Procurement P/L Construction P/L Maintenance P/L Operations P/L F/L
Abandonment
SP-1032 SP-1199 SP-1097 SP-1195 PR-1074
SP-1122 SP-1200 SP-1131 SP-1235 PR-1082 SP-1012
SP-1125 SP-1201 SP-1174 PR-1146
SP-1128 SP-1236 SP-1177 PR-1522 PR-1071
SP-2041 SP-2034 SP-1208 PR-1010 PR-1164
SP-2092 SP-1212 PR-1011
SP-2094 SP-1246 (1-5) PR-1180
SP-2156 PR-1416
SP-2161 PR-1159 PR-1506
PR-1817
PR-1248 GU-368 PR-1994
DEP31.40.10.19 GU-623 PR-2120
GU-195 DEP31.40.20.32 GU-629
GU-437 DEP31.40.20.33 GU-379
GU-447 DEP31.40.20.34 DEP31.40.50.30 GU-432
GU-475 DEP31.40.20.37
GU-706 DEP31.40.21.30
DEP31.40.21.33 DEP31.38.60.10
DEP30.10.73.31 DEP31.40.21.34 DEP 31.40.00.11
DEP31.38.01.11 DEP31.40.30.30
DEP31.38.01.12 DEP31.40.30.31
DEP31.38.01.15 DEP31.40.30.32
DEP31.38.01.29 DEP31.40.30.35
DEP31.38.60.10
DEP31.40.00.10
DEP31.40.10.13

DEP31.40.10.16
DEP31.40.20.34
DEP31.40.60.11
DEP32.80.10.10
DEP39.01.10.11
DEP80.00.10.10
DEP80.45.10.11

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FIGURE 4: USER COMMENTS FORM

SP-1211 – Onshore Pipeline Engineering User Feedback Page

Any user who identifies an inaccuracy, error or ambiguity is requested to notify the
custodian so that appropriate action can be taken. The user is requested to return this
page fully completed, indicating precisely the amendment(s) recommended.

Name:

Ref ID Date:

Page Ref: Brief Description of Change Required and Reasons

To: UIPT2(UEL)

Custodian of Document Date:

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