AS/NZS 2885.5:2002

1 - AS/NZS 2885.5:2002 PIPELINES-GAS AND LIQUID PETROLEUM - FIELD PRESSURE TESTING
4 - PREFACE
5 - CONTENTS
7 - SECTION 1 SCOPE AND GENERAL
7 - 1.1 BASIS OF SECTION
7 - 1.2 APPLICATION
7 - 1.3 PURPOSE OF TESTS
7 - 1.3.1 Strength test
7 - 1.3.2 Leak test
8 - 1.4 DESIGNATION OF TEST METHODS
8 - 1.4.1 Strength tests
8 - 1.4.2 Leak-tightness
8 - 1.5 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
8 - 1.6 DEFINITIONS
8 - 1.6.1 Allowable test uncertainty
8 - 1.6.2 End-point
8 - 1.6.3 End-point, half-slope
9 - 1.6.4 End-point, offset volume
9 - 1.6.5 Hold period (hold time)
9 - 1.6.6 Industrial gauge
9 - 1.6.7 Leak
9 - 1.6.8 Leak test
9 - 1.6.9 Leak-tightness
9 - 1.6.10 Pressure
9 - 1.6.11 Pressure change, allowable unaccountable
9 - 1.6.12 Pressure, mill test
9 - 1.6.13 Pressure strength (of a test section)
9 - 1.6.14 Pressure/added volume (p/V) plot
9 - 1.6.15 Residual air (air content)
9 - 1.6.16 Strength test
10 - 1.6.17 Test gauge
10 - 1.6.18 Test program
10 - 1.6.19 Test section
10 - 1.6.20 Transducer
10 - 1.7 TESTING PERSONNEL
10 - 1.8 NOTATION
10 - 1.9 CONVERSION TO SI UNITS
10 - 1.10 ROUNDING OF NUMBERS
11 - SECTION 2 EQUIPMENT AND TEST LIQUID
11 - 2.1 BASIS OF SECTION
11 - 2.2 ACCURACY, SENSITIVITY, AND REPEATABILITY OF EQUIPMENT
11 - 2.2.1 General
11 - 2.2.2 Pressure-measuring equipment
12 - 2.2.3 Verification of pressure-measuring equipment
12 - 2.2.4 Volume-measuring equipment
12 - 2.2.5 Verification of volume-measuring equipment
12 - 2.2.6 Temperature- measuring equipment
13 - 2.2.7 Verification of temperature-measuring equipment
13 - 2.3 COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT
13 - 2.4 INSTALLATION AND LOCATION OF TEST EQUIPMENT
13 - 2.4.1 General
13 - 2.4.2 Pressure gauges
13 - 2.4.3 Temperature measurement
14 - 2.5 TEST LIQUID
14 - 2.5.1 Type of test liquid
14 - 2.5.2 Selection of test liquid
14 - 2.6 PROCEDURES AND PRECAUTIONS WHERE TEST FLUID IS PETROLEUM LIQUID
15 - SECTION 3 PREPARATION FOR TESTS
15 - 3.1 BASIS OF SECTION
15 - 3.2 SELECTION AND DESIGN OF TEST SECTIONS
15 - 3.3 TEST PROGRAM
16 - 3.4 TEST SECTION
17 - 3.5 SITE WORK
18 - SECTION 4 PRESSURE TESTING
18 - 4.1 BASIS OF SECTION
18 - 4.2 FILLING
18 - 4.3 PRESSURIZATION
18 - 4.3.1 General
19 - 4.3.2 Pretesting
19 - 4.3.3 Mechanical interference joints
19 - 4.4 PRESSURE-CONTROLLED TEST
20 - 4.5 VOLUME/STRAIN-CONTROLLED TEST
21 - 4.6 TEST PRESSURES
21 - 4.6.1 Strength test
21 - 4.6.2 Leak test
22 - 4.6.3 Combined strength and leak test
22 - 4.7 HOLD PERIOD
22 - 4.7.1 Strength test
22 - 4.7.2 Leak test
23 - 4.7.3 Thermal stability for a leak test
23 - 4.7.4 Observed leaks during pressurizing for a strength test
23 - 4.7.5 Observed leaks during the strength test hold period
24 - 4.7.6 Observed leaks during leak test
24 - 4.7.7 Interrupted hold period
25 - SECTION 5 ASSESSMENT OF STRENGTH AND LEAK TESTS
25 - 5.1 BASIS OF SECTION
25 - 5.2 STRENGTH TEST
25 - 5.3 LEAK TEST
25 - 5.3.1 Criteria of acceptance
26 - 5.3.2 Gas leaks and repair
28 - SECTION 6 REINSTATEMENT OF THE TEST SECTION
28 - 6.1 BASIS OF SECTION
28 - 6.2 REINSTATEMENT
29 - SECTION 7 REPORTS AND RECORDS
29 - 7.1 BASIS OF SECTION
29 - 7.2 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
29 - 7.3 REPORTS
30 - 7.4 RECORDS
31 - APPENDIX A - BASIS OF THE STANDARD
31 - A1 INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY
31 - A2 BASIS OF THE STANDARD
32 - A3 STRENGTH TESTING
34 - A4 LEAK TESTING
34 - A4.1 General
35 - A4.2 Test pressure
36 - A4.3 Test equipment
37 - A4.4 Temperature
38 - A4.5 Thermal stability assessment
38 - A4.6 Air in the test section
39 - A4.7 Dissolution of air
40 - A5 TECHNIQUES
40 - A5.1 Test program
40 - A5.2 Test equipment
40 - A5.3 Measurement of pressure in strength tests
41 - A5.4 Measurement for volume/strain-controlled tests
41 - A5.5 Measurement for leak tests
41 - A6 CONDUCT OF THE TEST
41 - A6.1 Pressure-controlled strength test
42 - A6.2 Volume/strain-controlled test
43 - APPENDIX B - PRESSURE/VOLUME/TEMPERATURE RELATIONSHIPS IN PIPELINE TEST SECTIONS
43 - B1 GENERAL
43 - B1.1 Notation
43 - B1.2 Steel properties
44 - B1.3 General relationships
45 - B2 WATER AS A TESTING MEDIUM
45 - B3 HYDROCARBON LIQUIDS AS TESTING MEDIA
45 - B3.1 General
45 - B3.2 Bulk compressibility factor (equivalent to factor A for water)
46 - B3.3 Coefficient of thermal expansion
47 - B3.4 Computations for hydrocarbon liquids
47 - B4 EFFECT OF AMBIENT TEMPERATURE CHANGES
47 - B5 RESTRAINED AND UNRESTRAINED PIPE
50 - APPENDIX C - HYPOTHETICAL TEST SECTION
50 - C1 INTRODUCTION
50 - C2 TEST SECTION NO.1
50 - C2.1 Pipe properties and mill tests
50 - C2.2 Test conditions
51 - C2.3 Calculated values
52 - C3 TEST SECTION NO. 2
52 - C3.1 Pipe properties and mill tests
52 - C3.2 Test conditions
52 - C3.3 Calculated values
53 - C4 TEST SECTION NO. 3
53 - C4.1 Test conditions
53 - C4.2 Calculated values
55 - APPENDIX D - SELECTION OF END-POINTS
55 - D1 INTRODUCTION
55 - D2 STRESS/STRAIN DIAGRAMS
55 - D2.1 General
56 - D2.2 Non-expanded pipe
56 - D2.3 Expanded pipe
56 - D2.4 Small diameter pipe
57 - D3 END-POINT SELECTION
61 - APPENDIX E - INVESTIGATION OF A PREMATURE END-POINT
61 - E1 INTRODUCTION
61 - E2 NOTATION
61 - E3 POTENTIAL CAUSES OF A PREMATURE END-POINT
62 - E4 POTENTIAL CAUSES OF YIELDING IN A TEST SECTION
62 - E4.1 General
62 - E4.2 Half-slope test
62 - E4.3 Offset volume test
63 - E5 PRESSURE TESTING OF PIPE
63 - E6 STRAINING RATE EFFECTS
63 - E7 USE OF FACTORS
64 - E8 LABORATORY MECHANICAL TESTS
64 - E9 END-POINT REVIEW
65 - E10 NUMERICAL ASSESSMENT
66 - APPENDIX F - MEASUREMENT OF RESIDUAL AIR
66 - F1 INTRODUCTION
66 - F2 RISING PRESSURE METHOD
67 - F3 FALLING PRESSURE METHOD
67 - F3.1 Procedure
67 - F3.2 Results
68 - F4 ASSESSMENT
68 - F5 DERIVATION
71 - APPENDIX G - ESTIMATION OF POTENTIAL GAS LEAKAGE RATE
71 - G1 INTRODUCTION
71 - G2 PRESSURE CHANGES
72 - G3 TEMPERATURE CHANGES
72 - G4 DERIVATION OF FIGURES G1, G2, G3, G4 AND G5
72 - G4.1 General
72 - G4.2 Determination of the diameter of the equivalent hole
73 - G4.3 Liquid petroleum pipelines
73 - G4.4 Gas pipelines
75 - G5 EXAMPLE
81 - APPENDIX H - TYPICAL REPORT FORM
82 - APPENDIX I - SELECTION AND DESIGN OF TEST SECTIONS
82 - I1 PRELIMINARY SECTIONING
82 - I2 PERMISSIBLE ELEVATION DIFFERENCES
82 - I2.1 Minimum strength test pressure
82 - I2.2 Maximum strength test pressure
82 - I2.3 Permissible elevation range
82 - I3 LENGTH OF TEST SECTION
83 - I4 UNCERTAINTY OF MEASUREMENT IN LEAK TESTS
84 - APPENDIX J - ADIABATIC TEMPERATURE CHANGES IN TEST SECTIONS
84 - J1 INTRODUCTION
84 - J2 MAGNITUDE OF THE TEMPERATURE CHANGES
85 - J3 RECOMMENDATIONS

Specifies methods for the pressure testing of petroleum pipelines in accordance with AS 2885.1 and AS 2885.3. It may also be used for testing other pipelines including those designed to AS 1697.

This Standard sets out methods for the hydrostatic testing of petroleum pipelines, which are a mandatory requirement of AS 2885.1 and AS 2885.3. It may also be used for testing other pipelines including pipelines designed to, or operated to, AS 1697.Hydrostatic testing of a pipeline is usually carried out by testing a number of isolated test sections.Hydrostatic testing is used to establish—(a) the strength and leak tightness of a test section; and(b) the pressure strength of a pipeline for the purposes of determining or confirming the maximum allowable operating pressure of the pipeline.NOTE: For information on the history and basis of the Standard, see Appendix A.

First published as AS 1978-1977.
Second edition 1987.
Jointly revised and redesignated as AS/NZS 2885.5:2002.