Seamless X60QOS and X65QOS line pipes are widely used for offshore and onshore Sour Service applications. Sour Service refers to the risk of hydrogen related cracking as Sulfide Stress Cracking (SSC). The International standard (NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156) provides requirements for assessing the resistance to SSC, specifically on how to qualify for use in region 3 of the environmental severity diagram (Figure 1 in paragraph 7.2.1.2 of part 2). It is requested to expose materials in an acid solution saturated by 1 bar of H2S (NACE TM0177 Solution A) and to apply a tensile stress above 80% AYS by means of different methods: uniaxial tensile, C-ring or Four-Points Bend. However, for very sour fields presenting H2S partial pressures much higher than 1 bar, the preservation of the SSC resistance might be questioned and is presently a major concern for the O&G industry.
The present paper is dedicated to the evaluation of the SSC resistance of seamless quenched and tempered X65 grades, including the girth weld in the standard NACE TM0177 Solution A up to 15 bar of H2S partial pressure. Corrosion tests consisted of four-point bend tests performed in autoclave vessels. Different test configurations were investigated as specimen sampling locations through the wall thickness and surface state preparation.

Saipem recently took a more integrated approach at production data collection and elaboration recently launched an advanced pilot project: the deployment of a vast data collection and analysis system in the production lines of its Flagship CastorONE. Data is collected from multiple sources by means of communication infrastructures and articulated network systems that allow to connect to different machines and equipment. The most meaningful data are identified and pre-filtered. The data are then processed, aggregated and subject to advanced analytics in order to extract useful information on the productivity, the main process parameters, building on its already available tools to manage welding productivity.
This enables Saipem not only to build an integrated, real-time, comprehensive representation of the on-going activities, but also to gain new and valuable insights on the efficiency of its vessels during and after the execution of projects, across different phases, making it easier to compare the productivity estimations with the field performances. The advantages of data-driven continuous improvement are discussed too. This paper will provide a general overview of the system and of the results reached.

Process equipment which employs a corrosion resistant alloy (CRA) layer cladded to steel is common in refineries, petrochemical plants and other plants processing highly corrosive media. There are two regularly employed methods for welding attachments and internals to clad process vessels. One is to remove the CRA cladding for welding the attachment to the steel base metal assuming dissimilar welds and restoring CRA by weld overlay. The other eliminates the step of removing the cladding, simplifying the attachment process by direct welding of the internals onto the clad layer. With the lack of data to prove the integrity of direct welding attachment onto the clad layer, designers frequently demand the cladding be removed or allow only a conservatively low stress limit for what can be attached directly to the clad surface. It is well understood that eliminating the step of removing clad increases the simplicity, improves the lead-time, and reduces the cost of making these attachments for trays or other internals, but there are concerns about clad disbonding risks. With the aim to provide data around the integrity of direct welding attachments for better risk assessments, a technical study was undertaken. In this study, it will be shown that the bond between clad material and the base steel is robust enough to withstand the heaviest attachments and harshest conditions. The theory behind the technical study will be presented along with the results of this study