Temperature, pressure critical in PE line pipe use
Polyethylene (PE) line pipe is used for low-pressure gas (gathering, supply gas, etc.) and water lines and, in some cases for flow lines. API Spec 15LE specifies minimum requirements for qualification of product and quality control by manufacturers of polyethylene pipe. Spec 15LE also provides guidelines for design of polyethylene. Thermoplastic pipe (PE and PVC) is manufactured by melting resin pellets or powder and extruding the melt through dies. Thermoplastic pipe pressure classes are designated by ''standard dimension ratios'' (SDR). The SDR is the average OD divided by the wall thickness (w.t.). Thus 2 3/8-in. OD pipe (nominal 2 in.) with 0.216-in. w.t. is SDR 11. Nominal 3-in. pipe (3 1/2-in. OD) must have a minimum 0.318-in. w.t. to be SDR 11. Table 5.1 in Spec 15LE lists the most commonly used SDRs. Quality control during manufacture required by Spec 15LE for PE pipe includes short-term hydrostatic tests and dimensional checks. Frequency of tests depend on whether the pipe is coiled or cut into lengths. PE pipe sizes of 3 in. and smaller sizes usually are coiled. In addition, annual tests for verification of long-term pressure rating are required by Spec 15LE.
- Research Organization:
- Corrosion Engineering Cities Service Oil and Gas Corp., Tulsa, OK (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 7052506
- Journal Information:
- Pet. Eng. Int.; (United States), Vol. 60:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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NATURAL GAS
TRANSPORT
PIPELINES
DESIGN
SPECIFICATIONS
FABRICATION
HYDROSTATICS
NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
POLYETHYLENES
PRESSURE EFFECTS
PVC
RECOMMENDATIONS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
TESTING
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
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GAS FUELS
GASES
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
POLYMERS
POLYOLEFINS
POLYVINYLS
032000* - Natural Gas- Transport
Handling
& Storage