Blue Stream Collapse Test Program

Abstract

The Blue Stream pipeline is a gas transmission line delivering natural gas from the Russian grid. across the Black Sea, to Turkey. The submarine portion of this pipeline consists of a pair of 24-inch diameter, 31.8 mm wall thickness, API grade X65 pipelines running almost 400 km along the floor of the Black Sea. Over one half of the submarine pipeline lies at a water depth of more than 2000 metres, with the deepest portion of the line reaching a depth of 2150 metres. First gas was supplied through the lines in February of 2003. There were numerous engineering obstacles facing this technically challenging pipeline undertaking. including a lack of heavy-wall, large diameter pipe experimental data to support the pipeline design. Recognizing this need, PeterGaz commissioned a collapse test program during the preliminary engineering phase of the project to generate these data and to gain a better understanding of pipe behavior under combined loading conditions. Numerous full-scale tests were performed on prototype pipe samples, including external pressure testing, combined external pressure and bend testing, and bend testing. Hundreds of material coupon tests were also performed to characterize material stress strain behavior around the circumference of the pipe, through the wall thickness of the pipe, and before and after UOE manufacturing. Tests were also performed to quantify the strength recovery of thermally treated pipe material resulting from the pipe coating process. This paper presents the results of this experimental work and provides some comparisons to collapse predictions.