SAEP-387 Design of Thermoplastic Tight Fit Grooved

Engineering Procedure
SAEP-387 5 December 2012

Design of Thermoplastic Tight Fit Grooved and
Perforated Liners for New and Existing Pipelines
Document Responsibility: Nonmetallic Standards Committee
Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

Table of Contents
1 Scope............................................................ 2
2 Conflicts and Deviations................................ 2
3 References.................................................... 2
4 Abbreviation and Definitions......................... 4
5 Liner Design.................................................. 6
6 Liner Installation.......................................... 14
7 Operation..................................................... 20
8 Documentation............................................ 22
Previous Issue: New Next Planned Update: 5 December 2017

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Primary contact: Mehdi, Mauyed Sahib on 966-3-8809547
Copyright©Saudi Aramco 2012. All rights reserved.

Document Responsibility: Nonmetallic Standards Committee SAEP-387
Issue Date: 5 December 2012 Design of Thermoplastic Tight Fit Grooved and
Next Planned Update: 5 December 2017 Perforated Liners for New and Existing Pipelines
1 Scope
This document refers to the minimum technical requirements for the design, installation
and operation of vented grooved or perforated tight fitting, non-bonded, thermoplastic
liners in carbon steel pipelines. This document covers liners for water injection lines,
pipelines for three phase system and crude oil. These liners shall be designed for
rehabilitating existing carbon steel pipelines and flowlines as well as new pipelines and
flowlines. The design is applicable to aboveground, buried and sub-sea pipelines.
This engineering procedure covers the design of grooved, perforated and smooth liners
to avoid liner collapse due to process depressurization.
2 Conflicts and Deviations
2.1 Any conflicts between this procedure and other applicable Saudi Aramco
Materials System Specifications (SAMSSs), Engineering Standards (SAESs),
Standard Drawings (SASDs), or industry standards, codes, and forms shall be
resolved in writing by the Company or Buyer Representative through the
Manager, Consulting Services Department of Saudi Aramco, Dhahran.
2.2 Direct all requests to deviate from this procedure in writing to the Company or
Buyer Representative, who shall follow internal company procedure SAEP-302
and forward such requests to the Manager, Consulting Services Department of
Saudi Aramco, Dhahran.
3 References
The following references in force on the date of the Purchase Order form a
supplementary part of this procedure, as applicable:
3.1 Saudi Aramco References
Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure

SAEP-302 Instructions for Obtaining a Waiver of a Mandatory
Saudi Aramco Engineering Requirements
3.2 Industry Codes and Standards
American Petroleum Institute

API SPEC 17J Specification for Unbounded Flexible Pipe
API 15 LE Specification for Polyethylene Line Pipe (PE)
API RP 5L1 Recommended Practice for Railroad Transportation
of Line Pipe
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API RP 5LW Recommended Practice for Transportation of Line

Pipe on Barges and Marine Vessels
American Society for Testing and Materials

ASTM D638 Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of
Plastics
ASTM D1599 Standard Test Method for Short-Time, Hydraulic
Failure Pressure of Plastic Pipe, Tubing and
Fittings
ASTM D1693 Standard Test Method for Environmental Stress-
Cracking of Ethylene Plastics
ASTM D2122 Standard Test Method for Determining Dimensions
of Thermoplastic Pipe and Fittings
ASTM D2513 Standard Specification for Thermoplastic Gas
Pressure Pipe, Tubing and Fittings
ASTM D2657 Standard Practice for Heat Fusion Joining of
Polyolefin Pipe and Fittings
ASTM D3222 Standard Specification for Unmodified Poly
(Vinylidene Fluoride) (PVDF) Molding Extrusion
and Coating Materials
ASTM D3350 Standard Specification for Polyethylene Plastic Pipe
and Fitting Materials
ASTM D4066 Standard Classification System for Nylon Injection
and Extrusion Materials (PA)
ASTM D4101 Standard Specification for Propylene Plastic
Injection and Extrusion Materials
ASTM E831 Standard Test Method for Linear Thermal Expansion
of Solid Materials by Thermomechanical Analysis
ASTM F491 Standard Specification for Poly (Vinylidene
Fluoride) (PVDF) Plastic-Lined Ferrous Metal
Pipe and Fittings
ASTM F492 Standard Specification for Propylene and
Polypropylene (PP) Plastic-Lined Ferrous Metal
Pipe and Fittings
ASTM F714 Polyethylene Plastic Pipe Based on Outside
Diameter
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ASTM F1733 Standard Specification for Butt Heat Fusion

Polyamide (PA) Plastic Fitting for Polyamide
(PA) Plastic Pipe and Tubing
American Society of Mechanical Engineers

ASME B16.5 Steel Pipe Flanges, Flanged Valves and Fittings
ASME D2513 Thermoplastic Gas Pressure Pipe
Canadian Standards Association

CSA Z662-03 Oil & Gas Pipeline Systems
International Organization for Standardization

ISO 4427 Polyethylene (PE) Pipes for Water Supply
ISO 4437 Buried Polyethylene (PE) Pipes for the Supply of
Gaseous Fuels
ISO 10931 Plastic Piping Systems for Industrial Applications:
Poly (Vinylidene Fluoride) Part 2: Pipes
ISO 11414 Preparation of Polyethylene Pipe/Pipe or
Pipe/Fitting Test Pieces Assemblies by Butt Fusion
ISO 11922 Thermoplastic Pipes for the Transport of Fluids-
Dimensions and Tolerances, Part 1: Field
Welding, Part 2: Shop Welding
ISO 13628 Specification for Unbonded Flexible Pipe
ISO 13953 Polyethylene Pipes and Fittings-Determination of
Tensile Strength of Test Specimens from a Butt
Fused Joint
National Association of Corrosion Engineers

NACE RP0304 Design, Installation and Operation of Thermoplastic
Liners for Oilfield Pipelines
NACE 35101 Plastic Liners for Oilfield Pipelines
4 Abbreviation and Definitions
SDR: Standard Dimension Ratio; Nominal outside diameter of liner/Nominal wall

thickness
CRA: Corrosion Resistant Alloy
ESC: Environmental Stress Cracking
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ID: Nominal internal diameter
OD: Nominal outside diameter
UV: Ultra violet light
Contractor: The party that conduct all or part of the project design, engineering,
procurement, construction, commissioning or management of a project.
Principal: The party, in this case; Saudi Aramco, which initiates the project and pays
for its design and construction. The Principal usually specify the technical requirements
directly to the Contractor or through an agent or consultant working or acting on his
behalf.
Annulus: Space between thermoplastic liner and the host outside carbon steel pipe.
Bell hole: Excavations made at a section joints of a pipeline for the purpose of
insertion of a section of thermoplastic liner.
Butt fusion welding: A method of joining plastic pipe, sheet, or other similar forms of
a thermoplastic resin wherein the two ends to be joined are heated to the molten state
and then bringing the two aligned pipe ends together under pressure and a
predetermined cooling time resulting in a fused joint having a hydrostatic strength equal
to the parent pipe.
End connector: A device used to provide a leak-tight structural connection between

two sections of lined pipe. The lining is terminated inside the end connector.
Flanges Face: ASME B16.5 code requires that the flange face (raised face and flat
face) has a specific roughness to ensure that this surface be compatible with the gasket
and provide a high quality seal.
Hot plate welding Technique: The process of hot plate welding uses a heated platen
to melt the joining surfaces of the two halves of a thermoplastic pipe. The part halves
are brought into contact with a precisely heated platen for a predetermined period.
In-line compression joint: System of terminating lined pipelines by compression of

the liner between an internal ring and a CRA material.
Inspector: Professional assigned by the principal to ensure a project's compliance with

its specifications and statutory requirements.
Modulus Elastic: The ratio of the stress applied on a body to the strain that results in
the body in response to it. The modulus of elasticity of a material is a measure of its
stiffness and for most materials remains constant over a range of stress.
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Ovality: Ovality is the deviation from roundness as a result of extrusion, coiling,

handling, or installation. It is measured by taking the maximum measured diameter
minus the minimum measured diameter (the out-of-roundness value) and dividing that
sum by the average measured diameter and multiplying that result by 100.
Permeation: Diffusion of liquid and gas through a plastic layer under the influence of
pressure and temperature. Permeation is a physicochemical mass transfer phenomenon
involving diffusion of a solute through a porous medium. The driving force for mass
transfer is the presence of an activity (e.g., concentration) gradient with respect to the
solute.
Vent connection or point: Vent hole in through the carbon steel outer pipe to allow the
release of gas accumulated in the annulus between the liner and the host carbon steel pipe.
Venting: The release of gas accumulated in the annulus between the thermoplastic
liner and the host carbon steel pipeline.
5 Liner Design
The installation Contractor shall be responsible for the design of the liner including the
dimension of the grooves or perforations, spacing between vent points and frequency of
venting, in line with the design and operating conditions of the host steel pipelines.
The Contractor shall pay particular attention to the types of the thermoplastic liner to be
installed in hydrocarbon service where the effects of stress relaxation, swelling, loss of
plasticizer, permeation and absorption of gases and liquids have significant effect on the
performance of the selected liner and consequently its service life.
When selecting thermoplastic liners, the following conditions shall be considered to

avoid premature failure.
 Buckling due to excessive swelling and loss of mechanical properties.
 Collapse of liner due to process depressurization.
 Liner excessive shrinkage.
 Environmental stress cracking.
 Material defects and installation defects (gouges, scores).
 End termination failures due to creep.
5.1 Liner Design Procedure
The calculation for the required wall thickness of the liner is determined from
three conditions, (a) handling and storage, (b) installation and (c) collapse.
The highest thickness calculated from requirements (a), (b) and (c) is taken as
the design wall thickness. For requirement (c) it is assumed that the pressure in
the annulus is the same as the bore pressure.
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The following steps determine the liner wall thickness:

1) Determine the liner outside diameter taking into account both the inside
diameter of the carbon steel pipe and the requirements of the installation
technique.
2) Determine the wall thickness from handling and storage requirements.
3) Determine the wall thickness from installation requirements.
4) Select the larger wall thickness from steps 2 and 3.
5) Select the modulus of the thermoplastic material and swelling strain for the
service conditions.
6) Calculate the liner fit dependent on the chosen installation technique.
7) If no gases are present, then go to step 9.
8) Calculate the collapse pressure from as appropriate, depending on liner fit.
Include liner swell if appropriate.
9) Determine the design pressure (including safety factor) and maximum
operating pressure for either the “intrinsically safe” or “allowance for gas
expansion” design procedure.
10) If no liquids are present, then go to step 12.
11) If the liquid service conditions result in liner swell, then calculate the
collapse resistance of the liner.
12) Correct the wall thickness to compensate for any reduction of liner wall
thickness during installation.
13) If the collapse resistance of the liner is not sufficient then repeat steps 5 to
10 with an increased liner wall thickness.
The Contractor shall provide the Principal the liner design document as in
outlined above as part of the tender documentation.
(Table 5.1) summarizes the design procedure for determining the thickness of a
liner as a function of fluid type and tightness of liner fit.
Table 5.1 – Design Procedure as a Function of Fluid Type
Fluid Type Design Procedure

Liner thickness determined from maximum of handling
Water
or storage and installation requirements
Gas, liquid hydrocarbons Liner thickness determined from maximum of handling
and water mixtures and storage or installation requirements or collapse
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5.2 Minimum Liner Thickness
In general, for water service the minimum thickness shall be 8 mm, excluding
the depth of the groove, to avoid difficulties in installation and fusion bonding.
However, for hydrocarbon service a thicker liner shall be used as determined by
the procedure given in (5.1). For grooved liner, depth of the groove shall be
added to the calculated thickness.
5.3 Liner Thickness
5.3.1 Liner Thickness - Handling and Storage
To maintain roundness of the liner and dimensional stability during

storage, manufacturers, it is recommended that the minimum Standard
Dimension Ratio (SDR) shall be ranging between 26 and 17.
For hydrocarbon service, SDR 17 is recommended.
5.3.2 Liner Thickness – Installation
Liners are installed by pulling a pre-fabricated length of thermoplastic

pipe inside the carbon steel inner pipe diameter. The axial stress carried
by the liner shall be limited to 50% of the tensile yield strength of the
selected thermoplastic liner. The pulling load consists of the friction
load of dragging the liner into the carbon steel pipe, the deformation
load, which is a function of the installation technique plus friction loads
due to pipe bends, etc.
5.3.3 Liner Thickness - Collapse
Depressurization of the pipeline during operation or for maintenance

purpose, can cause the liner to collapse if the wall thickness is not
sufficient. If only liquids are present in the pipeline, e.g., in water
injection lines, then collapse due to gas expansion is not an issue.
However, liquids can be absorbed in the liner causing swelling.
Excessive swelling can also cause the liner to collapse.
The definition of liner fit is based on the constant, C, which is defined as:

C
R
Where  (mm) is the difference between the inner radius of the carbon
steel pipe and the outer radius of the thermoplastic liner.
3
 t 2
if C  0.73  then ;liner  tight
R
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t= liner wall thickness (mm)

R= average radius of the liner (mm) defined as
Ro  Ri
R
2
Where Ro and Ri refer to the outer and inner radius of the liner.
The collapse pressure, Pc (bar), in the absence of swell is given by:

2
t 
Pc  2.334 E  
R
If liquids present in the service conditions cause swelling of the liner,

then the collapse pressure, Pc (bar), is given by:
2
t   R
Pc  E    2.334  0.0385 swell 
R  t 
swell = Liner swell (%)
NOTES: 1. Liner swell is defined as the average swell across the liner
thickness.
2. The modulus used in the above Sections should be representative
of the thermoplastic liner material at the design temperature and
include allowance for any possible reductions or increases due to
chemical absorption or de-absorption. The visco-elastic nature of
some thermoplastics may also need to be included.
The tolerance on the liner wall thickness shall be -0%/+5% of the
specified value.
5.3.4 Design Pressure
The design pressure, Pdes, is defined as the maximum operating

pressure, Pmop, multiplied by a safety factor, J.
Pdes  JPmop
A safety factor, J, of 1.33 is recommended.
If the collapse pressure, Pc, is less than the design pressure, Pdes, of the
pipeline, then the liner wall thickness is not sufficient to prevent collapse
and vise versa. If it is greater, then the liner will not collapse.
The following defines safe design pressure procedure:
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If Pdes  Pc then collapse

If Pdes  Pc then no collapse
5.3.4.1 Allowance for Gas Expansion
For a tight fit liner it is assumed that the annulus volume is

proportional to the surface roughness of the outer steel pipe.
The initial volume is given by:
Vinit  2R
 = Surface roughness of the steel pipe (mm).

NOTE: Determining the initial volume is imprecise due to the
uncertainties in the actual situation. It is recommended
therefore if using “allowance for gas expansion” then
conservative estimates of Vinit be used.
The volume of annulus at collapse is given by, Vc (mm3/mm):

3/2
 t   t 
Vc  4R 2   1  2.462  
 R  R 
During the collapse process the product of annulus pressure

times annulus volume remains constant.
If the collapse pressure, Pc, times the annulus volume at

collapse, Vc, is less than the design pressure, Pdes, of the
pipeline times the initial annulus volume at collapse, Vinit,
then the liner wall thickness is not sufficient to prevent
collapse. If the product is greater, then the liner will not
collapse. This is summarized below.
Vc
If Pdes  Pc then collapse
Vinit
V
If Pdes  Pc c then no collapse
Vinit
5.3.4.2 Swelling
If the pipeline fluids are liquid then a possible collapse

mechanism can be driven through swelling of the liner.
For example, PE can swell by up to 10% in for example
aromatic hydrocarbon. To prevent the liner from collapsing
due to swelling only, then the following design formula shall
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be used to determine if the liner wall thickness is sufficient to

prevent liner collapse.
t
 swell  23.16 then collapse
R
t
 swell  23.16 then no collapse
R
If there is potential that the liner will swell and gas is present in
the pipeline fluids, then (5.3.3) shall be used to determine the
collapse pressure.
5.4 Vent Point Design
Grooved thermoplastic lined pipelines shall incorporate vent points. The vent
point shall ensure venting of gases trapped in the annulus between the liner and
the host pipe over the service life of the pipeline. The vent point shall include a
valve to allow closure of the vent. The design of the vent point assembly shall
be proposed by the Contractor and agreed with the Principal. The minimum
number of vent points shall be one at each flanged end of a section of lined pipe.
In addition to its main function of venting the permeated fluid, it is also used to
monitor the integrity of the liner. Venting can be operated by installing valve to
be closed or opened during normal operation.
For water injection lines at temperatures below the 50°C venting during
operation is not necessary and therefore vents are normally plugged.
Lines transporting multi-phase hydrocarbons with H2S concentrations lower
than 50 ppm can have continuously open vents (vents shall be operated through
a valve in order to be able to close the annulus in case of liner leakage or
collapse). For gas transport with H2S concentrations of 50 ppm and higher,
vents will have to be opened and closed on a periodic basis after consultation
with Saudi Aramco Environmental Protection Department.
When checking the vents for pressure or bleeding-off the pressure, they shall be
dealt with in the same manner as breaking the integrity of any system:
 2 operators are required;
 1 safety person;
 Self-contained breathing apparatus shall be worn by worker performing task;
 Safety person shall be upwind and a safe distance away;
 Record the vent pressure on the venting log sheet;
 Annular pressure should be kept below 50 bar at all times;
 Vents are to be left in the closed position at all times;
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 During normal operation the pipeline vents will be filled with 100% glycol.
This will reduce the volume of H2S that can accumulate in the vent lines.
5.5 Spacing between Vent Points
Vent point is usually installed at each flanged end particularly for water service,
stabilized crude oil and oil/water mixture.
For critical applications such as multiphase system, hydrocarbon gas and

unstabilized crude oil additional vents shall be needed. The Contractor shall
submit to the Principal the calculation followed in determining spacing between
vent points. The Contractor shall also submit a sensitivity analysis with respect
to the influence of initial annulus gap size on the vent point spacing.
5.6 Pull-In Forces and Insertion Length
The pull-in force, Fpull (N), for a thermoplastic liner is calculated from the sum
of three force components which includes: Ffriction, the friction load from
pulling the liner inside the steel pipe, Fbend, the additional friction loads caused
by bends etc. and Freduce, the load applied to the liner from the installation
technique:
Fpull  Ffriction  Fbend  Freduce
The calculation procedure for determining the maximum loads and stresses
acting on the liner during installation shall be as outlined in this section. If the
Contractor wishes to use an alternative procedure this shall be submitted to the
Principal for approval.
5.6.1 Friction Force, Ffriction
The friction force is derived from two parts. The first one is due to the
weight of the liner and the associated friction factor, while the second
one is associated with the superficial damage to the outside of the
thermoplastic liner, i.e.:
Ffriction  LlinerWf  Fscore

Where;
Lliner = the length of liner (m) to be installed
W = the weight of the liner per unit length (N/m).
f = the friction factor= 0.4 for new pipelines. For pipelines to be
rehabilitated, higher friction factors shall be considered.
Fscore is generally 0.
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5.6.2 Bending Force, Fbend
The bending force is derived from the friction factor and the angle of the
bend;
Fbend  Fpull (exp(f)  1)
Where; f is the friction factor, Fpull (N) is the pull-in load and  is the
bend angle.
5.6.3 Reduction Force, Freduce
The reduction force, Freduce (N) is a function of the installation method.

For each installation technique a reduction pressure, Preduce (MPa), is
given and the reduction force is derived by multiplying this pressure by
the cross-sectional area of the liner:
Freduce  Preduce t(D  t)
Where; t (mm) is the liner wall thickness and D (mm) is the internal
diameter of the steel pipe.
For the different installation techniques, Table 5.6.3 lists the reduction
pressure.
Table 5.6.3 – Shows the Reduction Pressure

as a Function of Installation Technique
Installation Method Reduction Pressure (MPa)

Roll-down 0
Swagelining 5
Tite-lining 5
5.6.4 Total Pull-In Force and Maximum Installation Length
The total pull-in force, Fpull (N), is given by:
L liner Wf  Fscore  Preduce t(D  t)

Fpull 
2  exp(f)
The maximum allowable tensile load on the liner is limited to 50% of the
tensile yield strength, yield (MPa). Therefore, the maximum allowable
pull-in force, Fpull-max, is given by:
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Fpullmax  0.5 yield t(D  t)
The maximum allowable liner insertion length (m) is therefore given by:
L liner 
 
 0.5 yield (2  expf)  Preduce t(D  t)  Fscore
Wf
5.7 Design of End Connectors
5.7.1 General
The Contractor shall select the end connection and shall submit this for
approval to the Principal. The Contractor shall demonstrate by means of
a qualification test that the end connection meets the same operational
requirements as the thermoplastic liner. The design shall account for
shrinkage, creep, aging of the thermoplastic material and operational
pressure fluctuations.
In general, only flanged connections shall be considered for termination

at the ends of pipeline sections.
5.7.2 Flange Type Connections
The thermoplastic flange shall be made from the same material as the
liner and have the same internal diameter as the liner. The minimum
length of the flange shall be 150 mm.
The steel retainer rings shall be such that they fit between the
thermoplastic flange and inside the bolt circle of the steel flanges.
6 Liner Installation
6.1 Installation Techniques
Installation of tight fit liner techniques regardless of the type of liner venting,
i.e., grooved or perforated liners are considered in this procedure.
6.1.1 Swagelining Technique
The process starts with a liner, (pipe) having an outside diameter larger
in size than the inside of the host pipe (the pipe that is being lined) and
reduce it temporarily to enable it to be towed through the host pipe.
Whilst the towing load keeps the liner pipe under tension, it remains in
its reduced size. The thermoplastic pipe (liner) remains fully elastic
throughout the reduction and installation process. As the liner pipe is not
permanently deformed by this method, the release of the towing load
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after insertion is the catalyst for the liner to start reverting back towards
its original size. As its original size is larger than that of the host pipe,
the liner expands until it is halted by the inside diameter of the host pipe.
The thermoplastic liner has been prevented from continuous expansion
back to its original state. This produces a residual strain that is locked in
the liner and keeps it pressed tight against the inside of the host pipe,
even with no internal pressure from the product conveyed.
The annulus is continuously vented with the end result being a very tight
interference fit between the liner and the host pipe. This technique
provides the tightest possible liner fit but is the most demanding in terms
of engineering tolerances.
6.1.2 Roller Reduction technique
This technique begins with a thermoplastic liner that has a larger outside
diameter than the inside diameter of the steel pipe it protects. The steel
pipeline is cut into sections that allow for the insertion of the pipe lining
system.
A wire line cable is sent through a section of pipeline and is then attached
to the liner. The wire line pulls the internal pipe lining system through the
roller reduction box which is positioned at the insertion end of the pipeline
section. The liner pipe is compressed radially as it passes through the
roller reduction box. This temporary reduction provides sufficient
clearance between the steel pipe and the liner pipe to allow insertion.
Until the pulling is complete, the liner is under tension, causing it to

remain at a reduced diameter. When the tension is released, the liner pipe
expands and creates a tight fit against the internal wall of the steel pipe.
6.2 Preparation before Installation
An accurate assessment of the condition of the host pipeline is critical to ensure

a successful lining operation.
For rehabilitation of existing corroded pipelines, preparation issues to consider

include:
 corrosion damage;
 presence of leaks;
 internal deposits;
 diameter variations and mismatches;
 weld protrusions and misalignment;
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 general lay-out with bends, road, pig traps, manifolds etc.
The following measures shall be performed:

 Before installation of the selected liner, the condition of the steel pipe shall be
assessed to ensure that the steel pipelines have sufficient mechanical strength
to meet the design pressure rating for the proposed service, based on hydrotest
and/or inspection survey data. This test should be carried out at a minimum
test pressure of 1.25 times the design pressure.
 The internal condition and dimensions of all pipelines shall be evaluated to
ensure that the liner can be pulled through each segment without damage due
to excessive local weld penetration. These should be checked by pulling a test
sample of liner through every flanged pipe section.
 Locations for cutting and flanging of the line and any requirement for
separate spooled sections should be determined. The longest continuous
length of liner which can be installed in straight pipe depends on diameter
and wall thickness, but is generally reduced in practice by local curvature of
the line. Breaks are also required at road crossings, changes in ID and any
bends of radius less than 20D, (recommended minimum where possible is
40D).
 Flanges welded to the steel pipeline should be of matching bore and with a
minimum radius at the inside edge of about 6 mm. Vents shall be welded to
the line in accordance with this procedure.
For both a new or existing pipeline, the pipe inner surface shall be thoroughly
cleaned before liner installation.
Particularly for offshore liner installation, special attention shall be paid to

ensuring that there are sufficient spaces, weight and anchoring provisions for all
the equipment required for the installation and testing of the liner.
6.3 Fabrication of the Liner
6.3.1 General
The thermoplastic liner pipe shall be joined using butt fusion welding
process, as defined in ASTM D2657, Technique II. Any proposal by the
Contractor to use a different technique, e.g., hand welding, shall be
subject to agreement by the Principal.
Personnel from the Contractor performing the butt fusion welding shall
be certified by the liner Manufacturer in the liner joining procedure.
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Joining of liners with a wall thickness difference of more than 2 mm

shall not be permitted. Procedures requiring the introduction of
additional filler may also be used where appropriate. Measures to avoid
oxidation and thermal degradation of the liner shall be taken.
After completion of the fusion weld, the internal and external bead of the
weld shall be trimmed. After trimming, the surface of the joint shall be
visually examined for evidence of good fusion. Nicks, gouges or
undercuts caused by bead trimming are not acceptable and shall be
removed or cut-out.
6.3.2 Butt Fusion Welding Procedure
The Contractor shall prepare a detailed procedure for each type and size
of joint and fitting to be welded. Separate procedures shall be prepared
for shop and site welding.
Each butt fusion welding procedure shall detail the following information:
 welding equipment type and model;
 material grade and Manufacturer;
 pipe/fitting dimensions at the joint;
 welding sequence.
Essential parameters to be controlled as detailed by the welding equipment

operating manual for both the pre-heat and fusion stages include:
 temperatures, times, pressures, hot plate condition in terms of
roughness and cleanliness;
 weld dimensions and tolerances.
For each pipe butt fusion welding procedure to be used a test spool shall
be prepared and welded. This shall consist of three pipe sections butt
fusion welded together with a flange welded at each end, i.e., 4
circumferential welds in total. The assembly shall be tested as follows:
 weld dimensions - within tolerances of approved welding procedure;
 visual inspection - no visible defects;
 ultrasonic and/or radiographic examination when specified by the
Principal - acceptance criteria to be agreed;
 pressure test using water at the maximum design temperature and at a
pressure agreed with the Principal or 1.5 times the equivalent “rated”
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pressure for the stand-alone thermoplastic pipe - no leakage after

2 hours.
For each material grade and weld type, four additional test samples shall
be prepared from the largest diameter represented. The test samples
shall be tested to short-term burst pressure according to ASTM D1599.
The acceptance criterion is that the pipe shall not fail at the weld.
All butt fusion welding operators who successfully complete the above
welding procedure qualification shall be considered qualified for butt
fusion welds of the same type, material grade and diameter range as
represented by the procedure.
All qualified welders shall wear an ID card including a pass photo and
stating name, validity (end date of project) diameter range, wall
thickness and material grade for which they are qualified. The ID card
shall be signed by the Principal.
6.3.3 Testing
The Contractor shall conduct an air test on the fused liner section prior to
installation of the liner. A maximum pressure of 0.3 bars shall be
applied for duration of not more than 3 hours unless otherwise specified
by the Principal. The pipe should be anchored at 5 to 7 meter intervals
with back-fill material before pressuring. A vacuum should not be
pulled. All fusion joints shall be soap-tested in the presence of an
Inspector, approved by the Principal.
Alternatively a water test may be performed. The pressure of the water

test shall be 1.5 times the equivalent pressure rated (stand-alone)
thermoplastic pipe. This test pressure shall be agreed between the
Principal and the Contractor.
6.4 Pipe Cleaning
Before installation, the Contractor shall clean the pipeline and demonstrate that
the bore of the carbon steel pipeline is free from obstructions (e.g., excessive
weld penetration, dents, etc.) that could interfere with or damage the liner during
installation. A gauging plate shall be used to assess the internal diameter
variations within the carbon steel pipeline.
6.5 Wireline and Pig Train
The wireline unit should be suitably instrumented with footage and weight
indicators, an overload control set to a maximum of 100% of the calculated
Page 18 of 23
maximum allowable pulling force and fitted with a speed controllable reel with
cable spooling and braking facility.
The Contractor should provide suitable pigs and launching equipment to propel
the wireline and pig train through the pipeline.
A typical pig train should include:

 Sizing pig
 Cleaning pig
 Cup pig
 Segment of liner pipe (for loose liner)
Once the wireline has been passed through the pipeline section, the pig train is
pulled through, the pulling force being continuously monitored to determine the
location of any constrictions.
The disc plate should be of sufficient diameter to verify that internal weld beads
do not protrude excessively taking into account the dimensional tolerances of
the steel pipe.
The outer diameter of the liner pipe segment should be such that any excess
weld penetration which could result in liner puncture during normal operation is
detected.
The liner test segment attached to the pig train should emerge without serious
damage. Scuffing of the liner surface is permissible but sharp longitudinal scars or
other penetration damage exceeding 0.5 mm or 5% of the wall thickness, whichever
is larger, is unacceptable and would require rectification by further pigging using a
breaker pig or by other means prior to continuing with liner installation.
After rectification another liner test segment should be pulled through.
6.7 Insertion
Liner insertion techniques are dependent on the selected method of installation.
The actual pull-in load shall be continuously monitored during pull-in. It shall
not be allowed to exceed the maximum allowable pull-in load.
6.8 End Flanges and In-Line Flanged Joints
Connections between thermoplastic lined pipes and metallic piping shall be

flanged. The design of the thermoplastic lined flanges shall be proposed by the
Contractor and agreed with the Principal. The design of the lined flanges should
be raised face with spacer/backing rings.
Page 19 of 23
When the liner has been pulled in, flange adapters should be fusion welded to
each end.
Flange bolts shall be tightened with a torque wrench, using greased bolts and
nuts, in sequence and to the torque values as specified by the Manufacturer.
Too great a bolt loading may damage the plastic facing on the flanges.
Appropriate spring washers should be used between the nut and the flange.
Bolts should be re-torqued after an initial service period of 24 hours.
6.9 Testing
The complete lined pipeline system shall be hydro-tested with water at ambient
temperature at 1.5 times the maximum operating pressure or the pressure of the
pipeline strength test for a period of 24 hours. For the duration of the test all
vent points shall remain open.
The pressure may fluctuate due to variations in ambient temperature, and care
shall be taken that the test pressure does not exceed the lowest rated element in
the system. During hydrotesting, temperature and pressure shall be recorded
continuously unless otherwise agreed with the Principal.
During the hydrotest the pressure shall be increased first to 3 times the liner pipe
free-standing pressure rating with all vents open to allow annular fluids to
escape. If all fluids have escaped or after one hour, which ever takes longer, the
pressure shall be increased to the required hydrotest pressure.
All end terminations and vents shall be visually inspected.
Acceptance criterion shall be that no weeping at flanges or through vent holes, if

present, is witnessed during the test.
At the end of the hydrotest the vents shall all be closed whilst the line is still
under pressure. Two to four weeks after commissioning it is recommended that
all vents should be opened and closed again to allow fluids which may have
permeated through the annulus to the vents to escape as well as to check whether
any liner defects have developed.
7 Operation
7.1 Start-Up
Immediately prior to starting-up lined pipeline systems in gas service, any

accumulated pressure shall be bled-off at all the vents. As soon as the pipeline
is up to operating pressure, the pressure at each vent point shall be checked and
recorded. This should be repeated after 48 hours operation.
Page 20 of 23
7.2 De-Pressurizing
Before de-pressurizing the pipeline the vent points should be opened for at least
one hour. The rate at which the vent point can relieve the gas trapped in the
annulus should be estimated to ensure that the venting rate, during
de-pressurization, is sufficient to prevent a positive pressure difference between
the annulus and the pipeline, i.e., at no time during de-pressurization should the
annulus pressure be greater than the line pressure.
7.3 Pigging
Pipelines with liners do not usually require pigging. However, if the line
requires pigging to remove fluids, then only foam pigs shall be used.
7.4 Venting
Venting procedures are required to prevent liner collapse during process upset
conditions (large pressure fluctuations) or shutdowns. Venting is required when
gases are present in the pipeline fluids. Venting may not be required for liquid
lines operating at the liner design maximum service temperature.
Vents shall be opened for the following conditions:

 Before changes in the operating conditions.
 Before shutdown.
 At least monthly to evacuate the permeated gas accumulated in the annulus.
Venting operations shall be recorded in a log and include: date, length of time
vent remained open, vent pressure, volume of gas vented and other general
observations. The requirement for monthly venting may be revised on
experience using the log entries to justify revising the venting frequency.
Alternatively, it may be decided to operate the pipelines with the vents open
(assuming approval from Saudi Aramco Environmetal Department is obtained),
i.e., continuously venting the annulus. Open vents shall be inspected at least
monthly to check integrity of the thermoplastic liner and blockage of the vent
points.
7.5 Maintenance
Vent points shall be kept free from paint or other deposits. Blocked vent points,
pipes and fittings should be cleaned with low-pressure water only. The use of
rods, steam jets or sharp tools for cleaning shall not be permitted.
The vent holes and flange bolt torques shall be checked regularly.
Page 21 of 23
If toxic gases are present the Environmetal Department shall be consulted before
venting operations.
7.6 Repair
Lined pipes and fittings shall not be repaired by welding, since heat could cause
damage to the liner. If damage occurs to a component of an installed lined
piping system, the damaged component shall be replaced.
Consideration may be given to returning damaged pipes to the Contractor for

relining. Leakage at flanged connections shall be remedied by the following
measures:
 Re-torquing of flange bolts to the specified values. Care shall be taken that
these values are not exceeded.
 Replacement of the pipe spool having the suspect flange face.
7.7 Operational Procedure for a Lined Pipeline
An operational procedure shall be developed for all lined pipelines and

flowlines. This procedure shall as a minimum address the following aspects:
 System description.
 Operating envelope.
 Venting.
 Pigging.
 Start-up procedure.
 Routine operations.
 De-pressurizing.
8 Documentation
 Information to be submitted by the Principal
The following information should be supplied by the Principal:

 Internal/external diameter of carbon steel pipeline.
 Length of pipeline.
 ROW access.
 Location (onshore/offshore, buried/above ground).
 Elevation profile of pipeline.
Page 22 of 23
 Location, radius and angle of all bends.

 Location of any valves and fittings (e.g., tees) installed in the pipeline.
 Condition of internal surface of the carbon steel pipeline (new/used, roughness,
penetration of welds, etc.)
 Fluid composition (incl. inhibitors, chemicals etc.).
 Expected minimum/maximum ambient temperatures during installation.
 Minimum/maximum operating temperature of the system.
 Minimum/maximum operating pressure of the system.
 Maximum rate of de-pressurization of the system.
 Indication of likelihood of large pressure fluctuations.
 Preferred type of liner material and thickness (if known).
 Possibility and frequency of local venting. If nothing is specified it can be
assumed that the venting frequency is once per one to three months.
 Requirements for valves at gas venting points, requirements for gas monitoring,
limitations on gas venting rates and any restrictions on venting locations.
 Design life.
 Information to be submitted by the Contractor
The following information should be supplied by the Contractor:

 Liner type and thickness
 Liner material data sheet
 Liner material qualification
 Long term and short term volumetric swelling
 Liner installation procedure
 Expected insertion forces to liner strength
 Allowable weld penetration
 Vent installation and spacing details
Revision Summary
5 December 2012 New Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure.
Page 23 of 23

SAEP-387 Design of Thermoplastic Tight Fit Grooved

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SAEP-387 Design of Thermoplastic Tight Fit Grooved

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Engineering Procedure

SAEP-387 5 December 2012

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

Previous Issue: New Next Planned Update: 5 December 2017

Copyright©Saudi Aramco 2012. All rights reserved.

2 Conflicts and Deviations

3.1 Saudi Aramco References

Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure

3.2 Industry Codes and Standards

American Petroleum Institute

API RP 5LW Recommended Practice for Transportation of Line

American Society for Testing and Materials

ASTM F1733 Standard Specification for Butt Heat Fusion

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Canadian Standards Association

International Organization for Standardization

National Association of Corrosion Engineers

4 Abbreviation and Definitions

SDR: Standard Dimension Ratio; Nominal outside diameter of liner/Nominal wall

CRA: Corrosion Resistant Alloy

ESC: Environmental Stress Cracking

ID: Nominal internal diameter

OD: Nominal outside diameter

UV: Ultra violet light

End connector: A device used to provide a leak-tight structural connection between

In-line compression joint: System of terminating lined pipelines by compression of

Inspector: Professional assigned by the principal to ensure a project's compliance with

Ovality: Ovality is the deviation from roundness as a result of extrusion, coiling,

When selecting thermoplastic liners, the following conditions shall be considered to

5.1 Liner Design Procedure

The following steps determine the liner wall thickness:

Table 5.1 – Design Procedure as a Function of Fluid Type

Fluid Type Design Procedure

5.2 Minimum Liner Thickness

5.3 Liner Thickness

5.3.1 Liner Thickness - Handling and Storage

To maintain roundness of the liner and dimensional stability during

5.3.2 Liner Thickness – Installation

Liners are installed by pulling a pre-fabricated length of thermoplastic

5.3.3 Liner Thickness - Collapse

Depressurization of the pipeline during operation or for maintenance

t= liner wall thickness (mm)

The collapse pressure, Pc (bar), in the absence of swell is given by:

If liquids present in the service conditions cause swelling of the liner,

swell = Liner swell (%)

5.3.4 Design Pressure

The design pressure, Pdes, is defined as the maximum operating

A safety factor, J, of 1.33 is recommended.

If Pdes  Pc then collapse

5.3.4.1 Allowance for Gas Expansion

For a tight fit liner it is assumed that the annulus volume is

 = Surface roughness of the steel pipe (mm).

The volume of annulus at collapse is given by, Vc (mm3/mm):

During the collapse process the product of annulus pressure

If the collapse pressure, Pc, times the annulus volume at

If the pipeline fluids are liquid then a possible collapse

be used to determine if the liner wall thickness is sufficient to

5.4 Vent Point Design

5.5 Spacing between Vent Points

For critical applications such as multiphase system, hydrocarbon gas and

5.6 Pull-In Forces and Insertion Length

Fpull  Ffriction  Fbend  Freduce

5.6.1 Friction Force, Ffriction

Ffriction  LlinerWf  Fscore