Full scale validation of the fracture control of a pipeline designed to transport rich natural gas

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Full scale validation of the fracture control of a pipeline designed to transport rich natural gas

Johnson, D.M. / Horner, N. / Carlson, L. / Eiber, R.

Full-scale fracture propagation tests have validated the design for a major new pipeline to transport gas 1800 miles from British Columbia in Canada to Chicago in the USA. The pipeline, being built by Alliance Pipeline Ltd, will transport rich natural gas, with a higher than normal proportion of heavier hydrocarbons, at a maximum operating pressure of 12,000kPa. This gas mixture and pressure combination imposes a more severe requirement on the pipe steel toughness than that of traditional North American pipelines. The Battelle two curve model, for predicting the ductile propagation arrest toughness, was used by Alliance in setting pipe toughness specifications. However, the proposed gas composition and pressure were in a range beyond that proven by full scale fracture propagation tests. This paper describes the reasons why the two full-scale experiments were required. Details of the construction of the 367m long experimental facility at the BG Technology Spadeadam test site are given along with the key experimental data, which validated Alliance's fracture control design.