09579 Failure of Austenitic Stainless Steel Drain Piping of OCR Reactor in Atmospheric Desulphurization Unit (ARDS) of Mina Abdulla Refinery, Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC)

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Product Number: 51300-09579-SG

ISBN: 09579 2009 CP

Author: Mutlaq M. AL-Enezi, Faisal H. AL-Refai, Sunil V. Vipat and Anil K. Ray

Publication Date: 2009

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On-Stream Catalyst Replacement Reactors in the Atmospheric Residuum Desulfurization Unit (ARDS) are provided with 4? dia. X sch. 160 TP321 stainless steel (SS) piping for draining the reactor inventory during shutdowns. A total of three on-stream failures of these drain lines caused unit shutdowns and Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) hazards . Failures were in the form of extensive multi branched cracks in the parent metal/weld/heat affected zone (HAZ). Failure was the result of exposure to high concentrations of aqueous chlorides, and stress concentrations due to poor weld quality and mismatch of thickness between 90o elbows and pipe. High pressures (stress) in the system, high chloride concentration in the stagnant section of pipe, and low temperatures in the stagnant section of the pipe aggravated the situation, which resulted in typical Chloride Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) failures.

Keywords: Stress Corrosion Cracking, Austenitic Stainless Steel, Transgranular Cracking, ARDS, OCR, Weld Joint Mismatch, High Pressure, High Temperature