ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION GENERAL PROCEDURE (A-SCAN)

Ref. Nº: IT-ET-UT-014 Rev: 2 Date: 13-April-2015

Applied to: API 1104 Page 1 to 10

ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION
PROCEDURE
ACCORDING API 1104 STANDARD
(Welding of Pipeline and Related Facilities- 21th Edition 2013)

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Ref. Nº: IT-ET-UT-014 Rev: 2 Date: 13-April-2015

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1 OBJETIVE

To establish the necessary requirements to assure the maximum accuracy of evaluation

and sizing of the discontinuities and the approaches of acceptance or rejection according
to the API 1104, 2013 edition.

2 RESPONSABLES

2.1. it is the field supervisor's responsibility to provide the resources and necessary
facilities for the execution of the works, besides verifying the execution of this
procedure.
2.2. it is chief security the responsibility to coordinate with the construction area and the
company in charge of making the NDT all the concerning one to the personnel's
security in work, as well as the signaling of the workspaces. Additionally it will verify
that he/she gives the corresponding permits.
2.3. it is responsibility of the chief of quality control to verify the use of approved
procedures, to maintain the registrations of quality of the welding works and to make
pursuit of the NDT in agreement with the technical specifications of the project.
2.4. it is the inspector's of non destructive rehearsal responsibility to execute this
procedure approved for their use in the project.

3 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTATION

3.1. API 1104 Welding of Pipeline and Related Facilities- 21th Edition 2013.
3.2. ASME SECCION V – 2013 Article 4.
3.3. ASTM E 164 – 94A Standard practice to Ultrasonic testing inspection.
3.4. Project´s technical specification.
3.5. Recommended Practice SNT-TC-1A-2011, for Nondestructive Testing Personnel
Qualification and Certification.

4 PERSONAL QUALIFICATION

All the staff members who perform the trial and the evaluation must have a
certification, at least Level II SNT-TC-1A. Levels I will be accepted within the limits of
its competence under supervision of a Level II.

5 EQUIPMENT

5.1 Instrument of ultrasonic testing, pulse-echo type, for frequencies rangs not less than
1 MHz to 5MHz with gain control per calibrated steps in 2 decibels units or less.
5.2. The available instruments are Krautkramer model USN 50 / USN 52 and Panametric
Model EPOCH 4 or similar.
5.3. The angular contact transducers will preferably have a nominal angle of 45º, 60º, 70º
and of rectangular shape. The transducers will be adopted according to the trial needs.
5.4. When the normal coupling hinders the trial curvature, the use of adapter shoes in the
transducer will be required.
5.5. Couplant: A compound based on cellulose, carboximetilcellulose or similar.
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Ref. Nº: IT-ET-UT-014 Rev: 2 Date: 13-April-2015

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6 TYPE OF MATERIAL AND WELDING TO BE REHEARSED.

Material: Carbon Steel (API 5L X42, 52, 56, 60, 65, 70 y 80 or similar.)
Pipings Ø: ≥ 2 1/2”
Thickness (mm): e ≥ 5.0 mm.

Fig 1.

Note: Reference values are shown in the figure, which vary according to the welding method applied

7 SURFACE CONDITIONS.

 Surfaces must be clean, free of paints, rust or irregularities such as splashes or

roughness that may interfere in the free movement of the transducer or hinder the
ultrasonic wave transmission and discontinuities.
 Cleaning will be made by metal brushes.
 At the edge of weldings, these shall make a smooth transition between the surfaces.
 Distance cleaning for the scanning will be (8) times the pipe`s thickness.

8 ESTADO PARA EL CUAL LA EXAMAMINACION SERA EJECUTADA.

The conditions for an ultrasonic examination must have the minimum requirements for
visual inspection, it means weldings must be free of cracks, burn throughs, good
cleaning appereance and undercutting must be within the standards of acceptance API
1104, 2013 Edition.

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 ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION GENERAL PROCEDURE (A-SCAN)

Ref. Nº: IT-ET-UT-014 Rev: 2 Date: 13-April-2015

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9 TESTING TECHNIQUE.

1. Angles: 45°, 60° y 70°.

2. Frequencies: 1.0 MHz – 5.0 MHz.
3. Temperature: Ambient temperature.
4. Type Scanning and speed of inspection: The scanning is perpendicular to the
welding and effected with a minimum overlap of 25% of the width of the transducer.
Speeding shall not exceed a 6 in / s.
5. Reference Data and location markers: For the location of the starting point of the test
and reference location of the defect, the start of the welding was taken clockwise in
direction of flow. Benchmarks for root and face will be made.

Figure 2. Position and orientation of "0" reference.

10 REFERENCE BLOCKS.

The reference standard will be done by each pipe diameter and thickness. In the
following graph shows the distance amplitude correction (DAC) derived from an N10
notch introduced into a notch of the tube to be inspected.

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REFERENCE BLOCK FOR MANUAL ULTRASONIC TESTING

Fig 3.

11 CALIBRATION REQUIREMENTS.

Calibration blocks to be used are:

 International Institute of welding block (also known as IIW)

 DSC Block (Distance - Sensitivity Calibration)
 V2 Block
 Sensitivity Blocks to develop the DAC curve, according with API 1104, 2013
Edition for each diameter and thickness.

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SETTING DISTANCE REFRACTED ANGLE AND VELOCITY

Figure 4.

NOTE: If you found different chemical specification pipes, wall thickness, determine velocity and angle
of refraction. For this transfer procedure (see Annex 1) shall apply. If you notice a difference in velocity,
nominal angle or distance of the sound, you should have another reference standard pipe material
different.

12 EXPLORATION LEVEL.

It must be performed with a sensitivity of DAC's reference scan at least 6 dB. All
indications exceeding 50% of the screen height of the DAC will be evaluated.

13 EVALUATION LEVEL.

The sensitivity of the assessment to the test manual ultrasonic welding will be the DAC
reference sensitivity plus 6 dB, with a level of assessment for all indications at 50% of
the height of the DAC curve screen.

14 DATA RECORDING.

The type of registration will be drawing - printer parameters and peaks or defects.

15 EVALUATION STANDARDS.

15.1 Indications shall be considered defects should any of the following conditions
exist:
a) Indications determined to be cracks,
b) Individual indications with a vertical height (through-wall) dimension
determined to be greater than one quarter of the wall thickness,
c) Multiple indications at the same circumferential location with a summed
vertical height (through-wall) dimension exceeding one quarter the wall
thickness

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15.2. Linear surface indications (LS) indications (other than cracks) interpreted to be
open to the ID or OD surface shall be considered defects should any of the following
conditions exist:
a) The aggregate length of LS indications in any continuous 12 in. (300 mm)
length of weld exceeds 1 in. (25 mm),
b) The aggregate length of LS Indications exceeds 8 % of the weld length.

15.3 LB indications (other than cracks) interpreted to be subsurface within the weld
and not ID or OD surface connected shall be considered defects should any of the
following conditions exist:

a) The aggregate length of LB indications in any continuous 12 in. (300 mm)

length of weld exceeds 2 in. (50 mm),
b) The aggregate length of LB indications exceeds 8 % of the weld length.

15.4 T indications (other than cracks) shall be considered volumetric and evaluated
using the criteria for volumetric indications. The letter T shall be used to designate all
reported transverse indications.

15.5 VC indications shall be considered defects when the maximum dimension of VC

indications exceeds 1/2 in. (13 mm).

15.6 VI indications shall be considered defects when the maximum dimension of VI

indications exceeds 1/8 in. (3 mm).

15.7 VR indications interpreted to be open to the ID surface shall be considered defects

should any of the following conditions exist:
a) The maximum dimension of VR indications exceeds 1/4 in. (6 mm) or the
specified wall thickness, whichever is less;
b) The total length of VR indications exceeds 1/2 in. (13 mm) in any continuous 12
in. (300 mm) length.

15.8 Any accumulation of relevant indications (AR) shall be considered a defect when
any of the following conditions exist:
a) The aggregate length of indications above evaluation level exceeds 2 in. (50 mm)
in any 12 in. (300 mm) length of weld,
b) The aggregate length of indications above evaluation level exceeds 8 % of the
weld length.

16 IMPERFECCIONES DE TUBERIA O ACCESO

Imperfections in the base material detected by ultrasonic testing shall be reported to the
company. The disposition of these imperfections shall be as directed by the company.

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17 INFORMATION DATA

a) Form to Report the Ultrasound Inspection: Every descriptive data of the inspected
elements, their probable defects, features as well as their evaluation to be accepted
or rejected, will be registered in this form. (See annex 2).

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Annex 1

TRANSFER PROCEDURE

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Annex 2

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