Welding to withstand

ENVIRONMENTS

W
Antonio Segadelli, elding processes and parameters are controlled by a control
unit, which receives and carries out the instructions that
Bonatti, Italy, outlines are received through a dedicated control programme
how automatic welding (active control). Using a network of sensors installed on the
systems can be used to equipment, the control unit can record and check the welding parameters
enhance pipeline welding in real time (passive control). In the event of any inconsistency between
the welding programme parameters and the parameters that are actually
performance, even in recorded, the system suspends the welding process and reports the anomaly.
extreme conditions. This means that technicians can take action more quickly and effectively.

Figure 1. BNT ROB.E 10:01 at work.
Figure 2. Prefabrication area on the Kashagan pipeline
replacement project.
Taking the advantages of welding control systems into
consideration, Bonatti developed an automatic welding
system, BNT ROB.E 10:01. The system has been designed
such that it is possible to achieve high welding quantity
and quality performance levels, even in hostile conditions.
This article outlines and considers the application of
Bonattis solution on the Kashagan pipeline replacement
in Kazakhstan, on the El Oro-Mazatln pipeline in Mexico
and on the ROMPCO loop line 2 pipeline project in
Mozambique.
The BNT ROB.E 10:01 welding system is a mechatronic
system that was conceived to perform head to head
welding on pipes of any thickness and with a diameter
of over 10 in. The highly complex industrial robotics
technology of this welding system allow for its high
performance levels. However, despite its complexity,
the system is easy to use and robust, given the hostile
environments it is used in.
Bonattis welding department develops the
installations, welding programmes and procedures using
the specific requirements of each project as a basis. When
World Pipelines / REPRINTED FROM MARCH 2017
studying parameterisation,
technicians are able to
interpret the dimensional and
metallurgical factors of the
project with respect to the
often extreme environment in
which they are operating.
Kashagan pipeline
replacement project
Kashagan is one of the worlds
biggest offshore oilfields,
located in the southern Caspian
Sea off of Kazakhstan. The
region is known to operators
and contractors for its extreme
temperatures, particularly
in the winter, which sees
temperatures of -30C and
sudden snowstorms sweeping in
from Siberia.
The hydrocarbons that
were produced were initially
desulfurised in offshore installations in the Caspian Sea
(D Island), where the field is located. The semi-processed
products are sent through two parallel 28 in. dia. pipelines
to an onshore processing facility (OPF) for final processing.
The pipeline system linking D Island with the OPF
extends over approximately 96 km. Of these, 62 km cross
the Caspian Sea to reach a 4 km coastal marsh and the
remaining 30 km extend into the Kazakhstani steppes.
The Kashagan pipeline was replaced using 15.6mm
thick X60 carbon steel pipes with 3 mm internal
cladding in Inconel 625 nickel alloy. Bonatti applied its
BNTROB.E10:01 to the onshore, swamp and shallow water
parts of the project that it was involved in. The company
adopted an unsupported full penetration weld without the
aid of internal welding torches.
The type of material and the environmental conditions
present their own natural difficulties, which were added
the extremely rigid welding specifications dictated by the
client. Specially developed in view of the sensitive nature
of the replacement project, the acceptability criterion
envisaged: for porosity, a maximum diameter of 1 mm, with
linear defects (lack of penetration, fusion) not allowed,
irrespective of size.
Bonatti worked on the welding operations for
the project with meticulous preparation, a strong
organisational and logistical effort that was made all
the more challenging by the particularly tight timescale.
The entire welding spread, which consisted of tracked
paywelder vehicles equipped with the BNT ROB.E 10:01
welding system, was sent by air via the largest transport
aircraft, the Antonov 225 Mriya.
Bonattis spread achieved high performance in terms of
both productivity and quality, with extremely low repair
percentages. The works were also completed three months
earlier than scheduled.

Figure 3. BNT ROB.E 10:01 at work on the El Oro-Mazatln project.
El Oro-Mazatln pipeline
The El Oro-Mazatln pipeline, which was built to carry
natural gas through the Sinaloa state of Mexico, is part of
the countrys extensive north-northwest pipeline system.
With a diameter of 24 in. and using X70 pipes, the
pipeline is 430 km long and crosses various types of
terrain. Only 240 km are on flat land, while 120 km of the
pipeline crosses mountainous terrain, with slopes of up to
27 while 70 km of the pipe is routed across marshland.
Given the importance and complexity of this project,
Bonatti again applied its BNT ROB.E 10:01 system for this.
The performance obtained by using this automatic welding
system was again very high, in terms of both productivity
and of quality. It reached peaks of 300 joints a day, with
a repair percentage on completion of the project of just
0.6%. Thus, for a total of 242 000 m of welding seams,
repairs were only needed on 52 m.
Work on the El Oro-Mazatln pipeline began on
29September 2014. On 12 October 2015, the pipelaying
was completed, while the connections were completed on
14October 2015. The technology used by Bonatti was a key
factor that contributed towards transforming a standard
pipeline project into a fully-fledged fast track pipeline.
Completing the works a full six months ahead of schedule
meant that the client was able to make an immediate start
on operations.
ROMPCO loop line 2
Lastly, the ROMPCO loop line 2 project strengthens the gas
transport pipeline system linking the gas fields in Temane
(Mozambique), with the reception terminals in Secunda
(South Africa). At 127 km long and 26 in. dia., the pipeline
crosses wild, bush terrain.
Before this project was assigned to Bonatti, the client
had always had to deal with standard and no longer
cutting edge automatic
welding technology. The
flexibility and simplicity of the
BNT ROB.E 10:01 welding system
meant that the company was
able to train and employ local
staff, which was a crucial result
in the whole works process.
The project was delivered
three months ahead of the
contractually agreed date.
Benefits of automatic
welding
The use of an automatic
welding system has important
advantages in terms of
productivity, quality and
guaranteed performance in
repetitive procedures.
Firstly, operator intervention
on welding parameters is
minimised as the parameters
are directly managed by the control unit. This leads to
more attention being paid to other key factors such as
preheating and interpass temperatures, weld run deposits
and joint cleaning and maintenance.
Secondly, the use of welding programmes is of primary
importance for welding alloy steels or nickel alloys. These
materials have an extremely low electric arc stability range
and weldability, compared with traditional carbon steel
welding.
Thirdly, when using an automatic welding system,
the fact that the welding parameters and the ability to
record them are available in real time means that welding
assistants can keep an important stage of the entire
process under close control. It helps them in their day to
day supervising and problem solving work.
Finally, the arc stability provided by the BNT
ROB.E10:01 welding system has the direct effect of
reducing the number of faults that are typically found in
automatic welding processes, such as lack of penetration.
Conclusion
Bonattis BNT ROB.E 10:01 automatic welding system has
been driven by hard work and a desire to innovate. The
system was conceived with the aim of facilitating the work
of everyone employed on and around automatic welding
projects, including welders, welding assistants, toolmakers
and weld inspectors. The result has been a notable
increase in synergies between all the personnel involved.
The tailor made system provides flexibility. It is
suitable for welding on pipelines and piping in general, so
can be used in installations starting from 10 in. dia. with
pipes of any thickness and in any location. Its features
mean that it can operate in tight timeframes and with
margins of error that conventional technologies would
struggle to achieve, if at all.
REPRINTED FROM MARCH 2017 / World Pipelines
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