Session: MF-20-01 Material Quality and Failure Analysis - 1

Paper Number: 106003

106003 - Production Low Toughness Case Histories When Manufacturing Low Alloy Steel Pressure Equipment in the Petrochemical Industry 

Low alloy steels containing chromium and molybdenum (CrMo steels) are widely used in pressure equipment in the petrochemical industry. However, if their manufacturing and production welding are not properly controlled, or if they are operating beyond their design conditions, these steels can exhibit brittle behavior at higher than expected temperatures. There are recommendations and requirements in the industry for controlling key parameters during welding. Before they are performed, production weld procedures must be reviewed against the test results from mock-ups to meet certain requirements such as impact toughness, X-bar, and J-factor. However, there is not much industry guidance for assuring the production welding occurs as per the reviewed parameters.  This paper discusses three case histories of CrMo alloyed pressure equipment. Two of the case histories are for reactors, and the third case history is for an exchanger. Details of manufacturing, production welding, and testing are discussed in the case histories. For some of the case histories, this includes finding lower impact toughness during production test welding than was expected based on the procedure qualification record. Finally, the paper discusses the importance of additional steps that could be added to the inspection test plan to improve the monitoring of production welding.

Presenting Author: Allie Hosack Shell Canada Ltd.

Presenting Author Biography: Allie started with Shell in 2017 as an intern, and came back full time in 2019 following her graduation from university. Allie is part of the pressure equipment integrity team, in the materials and corrosion discipline. She graduated from the University of Alberta in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Materials Engineering Degree.

Authors:

Mitul Dalal Shell Global Solution (US) Inc.
Allie Hosack Shell Canada Ltd.
Jorge Penso Shell Global Solution (US) Inc.