Failure Mechanism Analysis of L245M Oil and Gas Pipeline in an Oil Field

Abstract

Corrosion perforation was one of the main reasons for the failure of long-distance oil and gas pipelines in oil and gas fields, which would lead to great hidden dangers in production safety. Based on the design standards and service conditions of the failed pipeline, the reasons of pipeline failure is explored through the analysis of chemical composition, mechanical properties and corrosion property, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the safety control of the oil field chemical equipment. The results showed that the chemical composition, mechanical properties and microstructure of the pipeline all met the design specifications. The corrosion perforation was caused by the condensate water deposition within the low-lying area at the elevation of 52 ∼ 58 km from the station, and the carbon dioxide corrosion and oxygen corrosion under the combined action of CO₂, Cl^-, O₂ and so on.

Keywords:

• L245M steel
• oil and gas pipeline
• failure mechanism
• corrosion properties