NATURE OF DEFECT
The 12″ elbow section of the line had suffered from internal corrosion at the toe of the weld. This resulted in a through-wall defect with an active leak. A temporary clamp had been installed by the client, but the defect was still leaking. The client required a composite repair to seal the leak and to reinstate the structural integrity of the line until a planned FFSD.
SOLUTION
Metalyte Pipeworks produced a repair method using a bespoke injectable composite to seal the leak with a minimum overwrap of 12 layers of Dragon Q-UHT composite system.
REPAIR METHOD
Herculyte epoxies and a high tensile composite were applied over the defects to arrest the leak at the clamp. The surface was prepared (excluding the identified defect areas) using an MBX. The flange was profiled and 12 layers of Engineered Dragon Q-UHT composite was applied and cured until a minimum of 74.5 “Shore D” hardness was achieved.
CONCLUSION
This live leak sealing repair prevented shutdown and mitigated major operational loss.
