Corrosion Resistant Alloy Weldments In Carbon Steel Structures and Pipelines To Accommodate High Axial Plastic Strains

• US 20100089463A1
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Danny L. Beeson, James B. Lebleu Jr
• Original Assignee: Danny L. Beeson, James B. Lebleu Jr
• Inventors: LeBleu, James B. JR., Beeson, Danny L
• Granted Patent: US 9,040,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/236.100
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/04 Steel or steel alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/05 Stainless steel
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/18 Dissimilar materials
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 31/12 relating to investigating the properties, e.g. the weldability, of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/23 taking account of the properties of the materials to be welded
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 8/10 during manufacturing of tubular bodies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/402 Distribution systems involving geographic features

Abstract

A method and apparatus for joining materials having primarily ferritic properties is described. The method includes joining the ferritic materials using a welding process and a weld material having a primarily austenitic microstructure. The resulting weldment enhances the properties of yield ratio, uniform elongation, toughness and tearing resistance thereby producing superior strain capacity. High strain capacity produces a structure that accommodates high axial loading. The weldment can also accommodate larger than conventional weld flaws while maintaining sufficient strength, tearing resistance, and fracture toughness under high axial loading.

Claims

1. A method of constructing a pipeline for transporting hydrocarbons, comprising:

developing a strain-based design for the pipeline based on predicted loads on the pipeline;

predicting global plastic strains on the pipeline based on the strain-based design;

providing two sections of tubing made of a material having primarily ferritic properties;

joining the two sections of tubing with a material having primarily austenitic properties to form a weld joint designed to sustain the predicted global plastic strains; and

using the weld joint and the two sections of tubing to transport hydrocarbons.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the weld joint is configured to sustain global plastic strains in excess of 0.5%.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the weld joint is configured to sustain global plastic strains with weld defects present that have flaw areas in excess of 150 mm².

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transporting hydrocarbons or other fluids through a flow path formed by the two sections of tubing and the weld joint.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the joining comprises a welding process.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the welding process is selected from the group consisting of:

shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, gas-tungsten arc welding, flux-cored arc welding, submerged arc welding, double submerged arc welding, pulsed-gas metal arc welding, pulsed-gas tungsten arc welding, laser welding, electron beam welding, or any combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the primarily austenitic material comprises a corrosion resistant alloy (CRA).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the primarily austenitic material comprises a weld material created by using a consumable selected from the group consisting of:

ENiCrMo-4, ENiCrMo-6, ENiCrMo-14, ENiMo-3, E310, E308, E316, E2209, E2553, or any combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the two sections of tubing comprise a material selected from the group consisting of:

API 5L grades X52 X56, X60, X65, X70, X80, X100, X120 and any combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising preparing at least one end of one of the two sections of tubing prior to joining to enhance weld quality by buttering a layer of CRA weld material on the prepared face of the one of the two sections prior to final joining.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising pre-joining the two sections of tubing with a material having primarily ferritic properties prior to joining the two sections of tubing with a material having primarily austenitic properties.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the two sections of tubing comprise tubular members formed from a cladded material.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the two sections of tubing comprise tubular members formed from a single layer ferritic material.

14. A method of forming a weld joint between tubular sections, each of the tubular sections having primarily ferritic properties, comprising:

joining ends of the tubular sections with a welding process using a primarily austenitic weld material having a yield strength to tensile strength ratio that is less than 0.75.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the yield strength of the primarily austenitic weld material is at least 10% less than the yield strength of the tubular sections.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the primarily austenitic material comprises a corrosion resistant alloy.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the welding process comprises an arc welding process.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the primarily austenitic weld material comprises a weld material created by using a consumable selected from the group consisting of:

ENiCrMo-4, ENiCrMo-6, ENiCrMo-14, ENiMo-3, E310, E308, E316, E2209, E2553 or any combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the primarily austenitic weld material used for the weld joint is selected based on a strain-based design.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the tubular sections comprise tubular sections formed from a cladded material.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the tubular sections comprise tubular sections formed from a single layer ferritic material.

22. A pipe section suitable for deployment in a pipeline used for transporting hydrocarbons or other fluids, comprising:

two tubular members comprising of a material having primarily ferritic properties; and

a welded joint joining the two tubular members formed using a weld material having primarily austenitic properties, wherein the welded joint is designed to sustain global plastic strains.

23. The pipe section of claim 22, wherein the weld material used for the weld joint is selected based on a strain-based design.

24. The pipe section of claim 22, wherein the tubular members comprise tubular sections formed from a cladded material.

25. The pipe section of claim 22, wherein the tubular members comprise tubular sections formed from a single layer ferritic material.

26. The pipe section of claim 22, wherein the weld material has a yield strength to tensile strength ratio of less than 0.75.

27. The pipe section of claim 22, wherein the weld material comprises a corrosion resistant alloy.

28. The pipe section of claim 22, wherein the weld material comprises a consumable selected from the group consisting of:

ENiCrMo-4, ENiCrMo-6, ENiCrMo-14, ENiMo-3, E310, E308, E316, E2209, E2553 and any combinations thereof.

29. The pipe section of claim 22, wherein the two tubular members comprise a material selected from the group consisting of:

API 5L X52, API 5L X56, API 5L X60, API 5L X65, API 5L X70, X80, X100, X120 and any combinations thereof.

30. The pipe section of claim 22, wherein the weld joint is configured to sustain global plastic strains in excess of 0.5%.

31. The pipe section of claim 22, wherein the weld joint is configured to sustain global plastic strains with weld defects present that have flaw areas in excess of 150 mm².

32. A pipeline for transporting hydrocarbons, comprising:

a plurality of tubular sections comprising of a material having primarily ferritic properties; and

welded joints joining at least some of the plurality of tubular sections formed using a primarily austenitic weld material, wherein the welded joints are configured to sustain global plastic strains based on a strain based design.

33. The pipeline of claim 32, wherein the weld joint is configured to sustain global plastic strains in excess of 0.5%.

34. The pipeline of claim 32, wherein the weld joint is configured to sustain global plastic strains with weld defects present that have flaw areas in excess of 150 mm².

35. The pipeline of claim 32, wherein the primarily austenitic weld material comprises a corrosion resistant alloy.

36. The pipeline of claim 32, wherein the weld material comprises a consumable weld material selected from the group consisting of:

ENiCrMo-4, ENiCrMo-6, ENiCrMo-14, ENiMo-3, E310, E308, E316, E2209, E2553, and any combinations thereof.

37. The pipeline of claim 32, wherein the primarily austenitic weld material has a yield strength to tensile strength ratio below 0.75.

38. The pipeline of claim 32, wherein at least some of the plurality of tubular sections comprise a material selected from the group consisting of:

API 5L X52, API 5L X56, API 5L X60, API 5L X65, API 5L X70, X80, X100, X120 and any combinations thereof.

39. The pipeline of claim 32, wherein the tubular sections comprise tubular sections formed from a cladded material.

40. The pipeline of claim 32, wherein the tubular sections comprise tubular sections formed from a single layer ferritic material.