PRESSURE &

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FITTINGS

Pressure & Fittings – slide 1

 PRESSURE / FITTTINGS

•Pressure General Concepts

• Threads

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• Fittings

• Seals

• Flanges

Pressure & Fittings – slide 2

 GENERAL
CONCEPTS
• For each material used for pressure containing
part, a “Yield Strength” value is defined.

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• An applied stress above the Yield Strength will
cause permanent deformation and eventually
rupture of the material.

Pressure & Fittings – slide 3

 GENERAL
CONCEPTS
• The equipment is designed to perform with a sufficient
margin of safety, embodied in a “Safety Factor” (SF) :

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SF1 Minimum Yield
Strength
Design Working
Stress
Or

SF2 Minimum Tensile

Strength Pressure & Fittings – slide 4
 GENERAL
CONCEPTS
• For example, a Safety Factor (SF1) of 2 means that the
Design Working Stress is only half of the minimum Yield
Strength of the materials used.

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• The value of SF is imposed by design codes, industry rules,
government agencies, or internal manufacturers’
regulations.
Its value will also be a function of the risks presented by an
equipment failure in terms of personnel safety and assets
damage.

Pressure & Fittings – slide 5

 GENERAL
CONCEPTS
WORKING PRESSURE (WP)

• The choice of SF and the material’s Yield Strength (or

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Tensile Strength) define the Working Pressure rating (WP)
of the equipment, usually expressed in psi (pounds per
square inch).

• The WP is the maximum allowable pressure never

to be exceeded during field operations of the
equipment.

Pressure & Fittings – slide 6

 GENERAL
CONCEPTS
TEST PRESSURE (TP)

• To ensure proper operation at WP, pressure-bearing

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equipment is tested at defined time intervals, at a maximum
pressure greater than or equal to WP, defined as Test
Pressure.

• API specifies a TP = 2 x WP or TP = 1.5 x WP for most

of the surface Testing equipment. For downhole tools, Test
Pressure is generally equal to the Working Pressure.

Pressure & Fittings – slide 7

 GENERAL
CONCEPTS

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- Categories of equipment on a
typical Testing wellsite set-up.

Pressure & Fittings – slide 8

 GENERAL
CONCEPTS
Category 1 (1.1 & 1.2 & 1.3)

• This is surface/subsea equipment submitted to the full

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wellhead pressure during normal operations.
• A failure of such equipment can have severe consequence on
people.
•The minimum Safety Factor is usually equal to 1.5

Pressure & Fittings – slide 9

 GENERAL
CONCEPTS
Category 2
• This is surface Pressure Vessels and Piping equipment

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handling pressure and well flow at a pressure lower than the
well pressure.
• Failure of such equipment could also have disastrous results
on personnel.
• Factor of Safety is usually 2.0 but can be as high as 4.0
(e.g. for a separator vessel, containing a large volume of
gas under pressure)

Pressure & Fittings – slide 10

 GENERAL
CONCEPTS
Category 3

• This is drill stem test (DST) and Tubing Conveyed

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Perforating (TCP) equipment located below the ground or sea
floor, subject to formation and wellbore pressure.
• It is recognized that failure of such equipment would not, in
normal circumstances, directly affect personnel safety. This
equipment has also an OD limited.
• Safety Factors are usually 1.1 < SF < 1.25

Pressure & Fittings – slide 11

 GENERAL
CONCEPTS
Category 0

• This is an intermediate class of equipment covering downhole

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Sampling chambers.
• When downhole, this hardware does not represent a risk to
personnel, but falls into category 1 when back to surface.
• Factors of Safety vary from 1.2 to 3.0

Pressure & Fittings – slide 12

 GENERAL / DEFINITIONS
• Maximum Potential Wellhead Pressure (MPWHP) is the maximum, worst
case, surface pressure which could occur during an operation
- MPWHP = (Reservoir Pore Pressure) - (TVD x FFG)

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- TVD = True Vertical Depth of the Reservoir (in units of depth)
- FFG = Formation Fluid Gradient (in units of pressure per unit of
depth)

• Working Pressure (WP) : the maximum pressure for an item of equipment

in a work environment, AT WELLSITE.
• Proof Test Pressure (TP) : performed of the time of manufacture at
commissioning, during Q-check (1 year) and Major (5 years) surveys..

Pressure & Fittings – slide 13

 GENERAL / DEFINITIONS
OPERATING SERVICE CATEGORIES:
•Low Temperature Service = <-20F or -29C

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•High Temperature Service = > 250F (category 1)

•Standard Service = When neither low temperature, nor high

temperature nor H2S conditions prevail
•H2S Service = look to the next chart

Pressure & Fittings – slide 14

GENERAL / DEFINITIONS

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Pressure & Fittings – slide 15
 GENERAL
PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR HP EQUIPMENT
(>1000 psi) AND ALL PRESSURE VESSELS
•Purchased items must be serialized and bear a supplier
identification marking.

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• Manufacturer, material, and welding certifications must be
traceable.

• Item must be accompanied with by a written statement, or a

permanent marking or tag detailing :WP, Test Pressure, QA Test
Pressure, and operating service category.

• Copy manufacturing is forbidden.

Pressure & Fittings – slide 16
 GENERAL
PRESSURE TESTING & TEST BAYS

• Periodic pressure testing must be done in a safe environment.

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• A pressure test bay may be required to isolate persons from
pressure risk.

• Guidelines for pressure test bay construction are available in

the Testing Pressure Standard OFS-QHSE-S014 (POM)

Pressure & Fittings – slide 17

 GENERAL
REFERENCE MATERIAL

• API (American Petroleum Institute) http : //www.api.org

- 6A Specification for Valves and Wellhead Equipment.

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- 12J Specification for Oil and Gas Separators.

- 12K Specification for indirect Type Oil Fired Heaters.

- 14A Specification for Subsurface Safety Valve Equipment.

- RP 14C,14D,14E Recommended Practice for

Analysis, Design, Installation, and Testing Subsurface, Surface
equipment for Offshore service . – slide 18
Pressure & Fittings
 GENERAL
REFERENCE MATERIAL

•NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers) :

- MR 01-75 Sulfide Stress Cracking Resistant Materials

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for Oilfield Equipment (H2S proof)

• ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) :

- Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII Division I &
II

• ANSI (American National Standards Institute) :

- B 31-3 Chemical Plant and Petroleum
Refinery Piping
Pressure & Fittings – slide 19
 Schlumberger Private
THREADS

Pressure & Fittings – slide 20

 THREADS
Main Functions:
•SEALING
•MECHANICAL LINKING

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The diameter is the outside diameter (OD) of the female
thread (which is the diameter of the screw)
Characteristics:
•SHAPE = Conical,Tapered or Cylindrical
•PROFILE = Triangular, Square, Round, Trapezoidal

•PITCH = Standard, Fine, High

Pressure & Fittings – slide 21

 THREADS
Profile: Triangular Profile: Triangular Shape: Cylindrical

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Profile: Square Profile: Trapezoidal

Profile: Round Shape: Tapered or conical

Pressure & Fittings – slide 22

 THREADS
ACME-THREAD :
•cylindrical shape, square profile
•sealing: with 0-ring, low-torque : 4000-7500 ft.lbs
ie: Weco-union, FH, Sen-Tree, EZ-Valve,…

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Under-torque leaks
Over-torque damage to seals & threads

DRILL-PIPE (Pin x Box) :

•all types of threads, profile & pitch but shape
is normally conical/tapered
•sealing: metal/metal (shoulder) but not
perfect for gas.
ie: FH (Full Hole), Regular, H90, IF
(Internal Flush),
Pressure & Fittings – slide 23
 THREADS
TUBING & COLLAR
•usually conical shape & square profile.
•Sealing: metal/metal (smooth surface, no groove to avoid

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any turbulence, in case of high pressure or gas flow).

ie: VAM (pin x pin), EUE, UB, Atlas-

Bradford,
Hydrill (two levels of sealing).

EUE Thread

Pressure & Fittings – slide 24

Threaded and Coupled Connection

 The tubing joint end is externally threaded on both ends of the pipe.

 The joints are joined by an internally threaded coupling to form the

connection

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Pressure & Fittings – slide 25
 VAM Tubing
D

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Base of Base of
triangle triangle
stamp stamp

3°
10°

cone

pipe axis 90° ball

Pressure & Fittings – slide 26

Example of an Integral Connection

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D

Pressure & Fittings – slide 27

 Hydril CS Tubing
D

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30
°

14
°
pipe axis 90°

Pressure & Fittings – slide 28

FITTINGS

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Pressure & Fittings – slide 29
 FITTINGS
3 X-over 1/4” NPT M x 1/2” NPT M
12 Bushing 1/2” NPT M x 1/4” NPT F
13 Plug 1/2” NPT M

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1 Nipple 1/4” NPT M
5 Elbow 90 1/4” NPTM x 1/4” NPT F
7 Tee piece 1/4” NPT FFF
9 Swagelock
15 Welded weco union
18 Blind Flange

Pressure & Fittings – slide 30

Other Common Fittings

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Pressure & Fittings – slide 31
 FITTINGS
NPT (National Pipe Thread)

•tapered shape, triangular profile (60º).

•½” NPT up to 10 kpsi WP / 15 kpsi TP. (to see next attached table

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WP/TP)
•NPT threads above 2” they are call Line Pipe (L.P)
•sealing: metal/metal (threads), with the help of Teflon tape for
lubricant (1 to 2 layers only) or with paste (hydraulic circuit).

ie: gauge manometer, needle valve, reducer, elbows, tee,

nipple, coupling…
Pressure & Fittings – slide 32
.
 FITTINGS
API threaded connections pressure ratings
Type of API Nominal Size Rated Working Test Pressure
Thread (in.) Pressure (psi) (psi)

½ 10.000 15.000

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Line pipe (NPT)
¾ -2 5.000 10.000

2½ - 6 3.000 6.000

Note : -the rating above are the maximum pressure ratings

imposed by the thread type.
-the overall pressure rating of a pipe or connection
element may be limited by its wall thickness and grade or by the
thread.
Pressure & Fittings – slide 33
 FITTINGS
SWAGELOCK

•connection with Stainless-Steel liner, different O.D. (from

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1/16” to ½”),

•¼” up to 10Kpsi WP & ½” up to 6Kpsi WP.

•sealing: metal/metal.

ie: Foxboro, Barton, DWT, Texteam, Sampling.

Pressure & Fittings – slide 34

FITTIN Liner

GS
Sealing area
Swagelock Nut

metal/metal
Back ferrule

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Front ferrule

Swagelock Thread

NPT thread

Pressure & Fittings – slide 35

 FITTINGS
RUSKA
•connection with 1/8” Stainless-Steel liner.
•sealing: metal/metal.

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•10 kpsi WP
ie: Schlumberger transfer bench,…

AUTOCLAVE
•connection with 1/8” Stainless-Steel liner.
•sealing: metal/metal.
•up to 20Kpsi WP.
ie: PSR-F bottle, Transfer bench, CM, FR, DWT…

Pressure & Fittings – slide 36

 FITTINGS
GENERAL RULES

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•NPT connections shall be used up to 10 kpsi WP.
•Autoclave Engineering or similar fittings must be used above 10
kpsi WP.
•Only forged steel fittings shall be used.
•Cast iron fittings are forbidden.

Pressure & Fittings – slide 37

FLANGES

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Pressure & Fittings – slide 38
 FLANGES
flange
•WELDED
- Size according to nominal diameter of piping
( Nominal Diameter = (OD + ID)/2 ).

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• LOW PRESSURE pipe
- Seal: paper gasket.
- Serial: ASA 150 (American Standard Association).
- WP= 285 psi (ASA 150 x 1.9)
- TP= WP x 1.5 = 450 psi (rounded off + 25 psi)
ie: gauge & surge tanks (butterfly valves).

Pressure & Fittings – slide 39

 FLANGES

•MEDIUM PRESSURE

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- seal: metaflex gasket.
- serial: ASA 300, ASA 600, ASA 900.
- WP: 720 psi, 1440 psi, 2160 psi (ASA x 2.4)
ie: separators, oil/gas manifolds, burners,…
ASA 900: from rupture disk of separator 1440 psi WP
Remember: The working pressure is changing with
Temperature
Pressure & Fittings – slide 40
 FLANGES
•HIGH PRESSURE

R RX BX

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- Seal: metal Stainless-Steal ring gasket.
- Serial: API (American Petroleum Institute).
- WP: API 3000/6000 means: 3000 WP/6000 TP .
API 5000/10000 means: 5000 WP/10000 TP
….
ie: FH. Heaters, Steam-Exchangers, CM,….
Note: Check that you have the correct ring gasket for the flange

Pressure & Fittings – slide 41

FLANGES
Pressure (psi) Pressure (psi)
ASA TP WP API TP WP
150 450 285
300 1080 720
400 1440 960

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600 2160 1440 2000/4000 4000 2000
900 3240 2160 3000/6000 6000 3000
1500 5400 3600 5000/10000 10000 5000
2500 9000 6000 10000/15000 15000 10000

- ASA x 1.9 = WP (psi) for ASA 150 only

- ASA x 2.4 = WP (psi) for ASA 300, 600 & 900
- WP x 1.5 = TP - ASA x 0.17 = WP
(kg/cm²)
•Generally, the materials utilized for surface equipment are defined by ASA
STANDARDS and for well heads are defined by API STANDARDS.
Pressure & Fittings – slide 42
PRESSURE &
FITTINGS

The END

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Pressure & Fittings – slide 43