BorSafe PE100 oil flow lines after original installation in the Sim Sim oil field in Oman

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Corrosion and leakage of steel flow lines

In 1996 Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) decided to install the first PE100 oil flow lines to replace steel pipes that were failing after as little as two years operation.

These pipelines have now been transporting the crude oil at temperatures up to 50°C for 15 years without any need for repair or maintenance. It was decided to take samples from the pipelines to evaluate their condition and estimate their remaining life.

The background

Retesting BorSafe™ PE100 pipes oil flow lines after 15 years operation in Oman

BorSafe PE100 flow lines installed in 1996 – now retested after 15 years operation

Overall 19 km of 6 inch and 12 inch SDR 6 BorSafe PE100 pipes were installed in the Sim Sim oil field. In the first project standard black pipes were supplied and since the black bulb temperature in the Oman desert could reach more than 80ºC, the surface laid pipe was protected with a small shelter. For later projects Amiantit Oman supplied pipes with a 1 mm thick white PE outside layer which eliminated the need for a shelter on top of the surface laid pipes. Initial tests after a year of operation showed the pipe was performing well and was not showing any signs of deterioration.

Now after 15 years of operation samples were again taken from the pipes and a series of tests carried out. Tensile test samples were taken at three places through the wall

The solution

of the pipe and the tensile strength exceeded 25MPa and the strain to failure for each sample was above the 350% required by the specification (actual values were 380 – 427%). In addition the oxygen induction time (OIT) was measured at five points through the wall thickness of the pipe and the lowest level was 43 minutes compared to the specified minimum of 20 minutes.

Reporting on the results Anette Nilsson of Borouge’s Innovation Centre said: “Clearly the pipe has been heavily used and there are indications that oil has penetrated at least partly through the wall, but there was no major degradation of the material due to the water/oil mixture or due to the sun on the outside of the pipe and the results indicate that the pipe could continue to operate for many years yet”.

The challengeTo replace the steel oil flow lines with longer life pipes

In the 1990’s PDO became concerned about the potential environmental impact of a major oil spillage in their oil fields and developed a no leak policy which demanded a radical change in their pipeline materials. After two years of leak recording, it became apparent that within the Nimr Area, two satellite fields, Warad and Sim Sim, accounted for 45% of all leaks. It was therefore decided that all the existing carbon steel pipework in the Sim Sim oil field would be replaced

with non corroding PE flowlines and headers. The PE selected was BorSafe™ HE3490 pre-compounded PE100 material and the pipes were produced by the local manufacturer, Amiantit Oman.

The crucial issue in the design of the Sim Sim pipelines was the operating conditions which were 50ºC and 10 bar pressure whilst transporting the very corrosive water/crude oil (80:20) mixture. The design service life for the pipelines was set at a minimum of 15 years, which was well in excess of the 2 year life expectancy of the existing steel pipes.

Borouge Pte Ltd 1 George Street I #18-01 I Singapore 049145 Tel +65 6275 4100 I Fax +65 6377 1233 www.borouge.com I info@borouge.com

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Summary table

Customer Name Amiantit Oman/PDO/MedcoEnergi

Application/Product Crude Oil Pipelines

Grade(s) Used BorSafe™ HE3490-LS

Functional Requirements • Eliminate leaks in flow lines handling corrosive oil/water mixture • Operate for long lifetime in above ground, aggressive conditions

Benefits • Eliminated oil leakage in difficult conditions • Reduced pollution risk to environment • Continuous operation over the 15 year design life compared to just 2 years for steel pipe • Tests indicate they will continue to operate for some years to come

BorSafe and Shaping the Future with Plastics are trademarks of Borealis group.

Borouge is a leading provider of innovative, value creating plastics solutions. A joint venture between the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), one of the world’s major oil and gas companies, and Austria based Borealis, a leading provider of chemical and innovative plastics solutions, Borouge is a groundbreaking international partnership at the forefront of the next generation of plastics innovation. Borouge has its headquarters in the United Arab Emirates and Singapore, employs approximately 1,600 people representing more than 40 nationalities and serves customers in more than 50 countries across the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Indian sub-continent and Africa. Building on Borealis’ unique Borstar® technology and experience in polyolefins for more than 50 years, Borouge provides innovative, value creating plastics solutions for the infrastructure (pipe systems, and power and communication cables), automotive and advanced packaging markets. In 2010 Borouge tripled its annual production capacity in Abu Dhabi to 2 million tonnes and an additional 2.5 million tonnes per year will be introduced by mid-2014 to create the world’s largest integrated polyolefins plant. Borouge is also investing in plants and logistics hubs in Asia and an Innovation Centre in Abu Dhabi. Today Borouge and Borealis have a manufacturing capacity of over 5.4 million tonnes of polyethylene and polypropylene annually. Focused on Value Creation through Innovation they ensure that their customers throughout the value chain, around the world, can always rely on superior products and security of supply. Borouge is committed to the principles of Responsible Care® and together with Borealis proactively contributes towards addressing the world’s water and sanitation challenges through their Water for the World™ initiative. Visit www.borouge.com and see how we are Shaping the Future with Plastics.

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Some of the BorSafe PE100 pipelines (white paint chipping off) after 15 years operation in the Sim Sim oil field in Oman

These pipelines have now been in trouble-free operation since 1996 reaching the initial minimum design life of the system and show no major degradation despite the severe operating conditions. The Sim Sim oil field is now operated by MedcoEnergi who were amazed that stand alone BorSafe PE100 oil flow lines are still operating in the desert under the severe conditions in Oman.

In conclusion, these PE100 oil flow lines produced from BorSafe HE3490 PE100 material have successfully provided a leak free solution for PDO over the 15 year design life. The tests clearly demonstrate that the pipes will safely operate for some years to come, saving a considerable cost compared to steel pipes.

It is well documented that PE allows permeation of small amounts of certain substances over a period of time. This has to be taken into account when designing stand alone PE100 pipe systems for transportation of crude

The benefits

oil mixture or other chemicals, eg near drinking water sources/reservoirs. More details can be obtained from relevant standards or from the Borouge technical contact.