ExxonMobil requires experimental verification of fatigue performance of fracture-critical risers designed for sour environments. Interaction between the sour environment and cracks in welded risers affects the crack-growth rate and, thus, the fatigue performance of the risers. Therefore, when conducting tests on riser welds in a sour environment, the frequency at which cyclicloads are applied during testing is critical to properly capturing the physio-chemical reactions and diffusion processes at the crack tip. Unfortunately, the load frequencies required to properly capture these effects are much lower than those currently used in cost-effective, resonant fatigue testing in air. Depending on the material, sour environment composition, and loading regime, testing at too high a frequency can eliminate the potential deleterious effects of the environment acting on the riser. Yet, testing at too low a frequency may not be practical. In order to determine the most efficient but technically valid load frequency to be used in a fatigue qualification testing program, a novel experimental screening methodology has been devised and implemented. In this paper, the proposed methodology is discussed and the results of a pilot test program conducted with C-Mn steel in a mildly sour environment are presented. For the particular sour brine, C-Mn steel and loading regime, it was found that the loading frequency could be increased up to about 1Hz, thereby making the fatigue verification tests more practical and cost-effective than the 1/3Hz currently used.
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ASME 2004 23rd International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering
June 20–25, 2004
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Conference Sponsors:
- Ocean, Offshore, and Arctic Engineering Division
ISBN:
0-7918-3744-0
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Effect of Loading Frequency on Fatigue Performance of Risers in Sour Environment
Jaime Buitrago,
Jaime Buitrago
ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, Houston, TX
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Michael S. Weir,
Michael S. Weir
ExxonMobil Development Company, Houston, TX
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Wan C. Kan,
Wan C. Kan
ExxonMobil Development Company, Houston, TX
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Stephen J. Hudak, Jr.,
Stephen J. Hudak, Jr.
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX
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Fraser McMaster
Fraser McMaster
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX
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Jaime Buitrago
ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, Houston, TX
Michael S. Weir
ExxonMobil Development Company, Houston, TX
Wan C. Kan
ExxonMobil Development Company, Houston, TX
Stephen J. Hudak, Jr.
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX
Fraser McMaster
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX
Paper No:
OMAE2004-51641, pp. 1059-1068; 10 pages
Published Online:
December 22, 2008
Citation
Buitrago, J, Weir, MS, Kan, WC, Hudak, SJ, Jr., & McMaster, F. "Effect of Loading Frequency on Fatigue Performance of Risers in Sour Environment." Proceedings of the ASME 2004 23rd International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering. 23rd International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, Volume 2. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. June 20–25, 2004. pp. 1059-1068. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/OMAE2004-51641
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