Piping and Pipeline Engineering

Piping is a system of pipes, fittings and valves by a fabrication and assembly used to transfer a fluid (liquid or gas or small particle of solid or mixture) from one place (e.g., equipment) to another in any process plant.

Piping System is a network and assembly of pipes, pipe fittings, valves, and safety and instrument devices that contains and transfers a gas, vapour or liquid.

Piping Engineering is a branch of engineering disciplines (mechanical) that focuses on the analysing the behaviour of liquids and gases, and develops the fluid mechanics and uses knowledge in the piping system design and engineering. A Piping Engineer is responsible for design and engineering for the piping components and systems including the plant layout (plot plans) development.

Pipeline is a long-distance piping system that is used to transport the commodity substances including natural gas, fuels, hydrogen, water, and petroleum, etc.

Pipeline Engineering is a branch of engineering disciplines (Mechanical or Piping) that is responsible for design and engineering for the long distance piping system (pipeline) effectively. Generally, a Pipeline project is executed as an independent project, and a Pipeline Engineer is covering for a project, process and piping and civil engineering matters.

Flowline is 1) the large-diameter metal pipe lines that connect a single wellhead to a manifold or process equipment that is simply an inclined, gravity-flow; 2) a route followed by a product through successive stages of manufacture or treatment.

Flowline Manifold is the pipe fitting assembly between two or several pipelines that is supporting two or more pipeline connections to following facilities, such as treaters, separators or other devices.

Fluid Service (ASME B31.3) defines four fluid service Categories that is considered the application in process piping system design with the fluid properties, pressure, temperature, and service condition: lower hazard (Category D), more hazardous fluid service (Category M), pressure rating more than 2500# (High Pressure Fluid Service or Category K), and normal fluid services that does not come under above 3 (Normal Fluid Service or Category N). It is the owner's responsibility to select the fluid service category.

Category D Fluid Service for the process piping design is the less hazardous service that is not flammable and not toxic or otherwise harmful to human tissues. The Category D Fluid Service is less stringent design, examination, and testing are permitted for fluid service of lower hazard with which design pressure is below 150 psi (1,035 kPa), and design temperature is between -29°C to 186°C. An example of Category D fluid is utility water in a plant or low pressure steam condensate.

Category M Fluid Service for the process piping design is a fluid where a single exposure of the fluid to human tissue will cause serious irreversible damage and the potential for personnel exposure must be judged to be significant. The Category M Fluid Service could be Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) gas, high concentrations of Hydrochloric Acid or high pressure steam and designed the requirements of Chapter VIII of ASME B31.3.

High Pressure Fluid Service (or Category K Fluid Service) for the process piping design is the owner specified the temperature and pressure rating more than 2500# or to use of Chapter IX of ASME B31.3 (piping design and construction) for piping design. There are no specified pressure limitations for the application of the high pressure piping rules, but High Pressure Fluid Service should also meet the requirements of Chapter IX of B31.3.

Normal Fluid Service (or Category N Fluid Service) for the process piping design is covered by ASME Pipeline and Piping Standard 31.3 Process Piping, a fluid service pertaining to most piping covered by this Code except Category D, Category M or High Pressure Fluid definition rules.

Hydraulic means the involvement of the pressure of water or some other fluids that is operated or moved. Hydraulics is the branch of science and technology concerned with the practical applications, such as the transmission of energy or effects of flow of fluids through pipes and channels, especially with a source of mechanical force or control.

Hydraulic Calculation is the calculation to prove the flow of water or fluid (mainly oil or gas) through piping networks.

Hydrostatic Test Pressure is the holding pressure for a specific amount of time to visually inspect the stationary equipment or piping system for leaks. ASME Code B 31.3 provides the basis for test pressure. The minimum Hydrostatic Test Pressure for metallic piping shall be as per the following equation: Pt=1.5 * Pd * (St/Sd) where, Pt=minimum test gauge pressure, Pd=internal design gauge pressure, St=allowable stress value at test temperature, Sd=allowable stress value at design temperature. The Hydrostatic Testing Pressure is normally 30% higher than the design pressure whereas a pneumatic testing pressure is normally 10% higher than the design pressure.

Interconnection Diagram is a detailed diagram of the connection points of pipings, structures, and cables at the battery limit. The Interconnection Diagram is a deliverable document of the Detailed Design and Engineering developed by disciplines. (e.g., Piping, CSI (Control Systems and Instrumentation), etc.)

Isometric (ISO) Drawing is the each pipe line details by at least one isometric that includes all pipe lengths and all necessary datum identifying the pipe location in the region where it is to be installed. An ISO Drawing does not show scales but should show all material, size, weld, and fitting information to represent a 2-Dimensional view of a 3-Dimensional piping system. An ISO Drawing is the pipe manufacturing and construction drawing that includes a part list identifying all component parts of a piping system (Piping Bill of Material). Isometric Drawings for 2" and above piping work for above and below ground is a deliverable document of the Detailed Design and Engineering developed by Piping discipline that can be generated from 3D Model. 

Key Plan in the drawing shows the geographical location of Piping General Arrangements that is a deliverable document of the Detailed Design and Engineering developed by a Piping discipline.

Kill Line is a high-pressure pipe that is connected the high-pressure rig pump and well through which drilling fluid can be pumped into the well to control a threatened.

Material Selection Diagram (MSD) is an engineering drawing which shows the material selection information and specification of the piping and equipment in the process and utility facility that is a step in the process of designing any physical object of the material. The main goal of Material Selection is to minimise cost while meeting product performance requirements, and the systematic selection of the best material for a given application begins with properties and costs of candidate materials. A MSD is normally developed from simplified Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs) by the Process Engineer, Material Engineer and Metallurgist of a project. The Material Engineer uses the Material Selection Diagram to assign a line class and specification to each line on the Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID) (or Process Engineering Flow Scheme (PEFS)).

Material Take-Off (MTO) is an action of counting of the bulk material pieces and parts by engineering disciplines for procurement that identifies commodities with quantities and types from drawings or 3D Model and records the material required for the fabrication or construction. A MTO Measurement: Count (count everything required for individual items); Length (Pipes, Cables, etc.); Area (Paint, etc.); Volume (Concrete, Asphalt, etc.) (Refer to the MTO (Material Take-Off) Allowance; BM (Bill of Material))

Pipe Schedule defines the pipe wall thickness by the ANSI/ ASME B36.10M standard for Stainless Steel Pipe dimensions, and API 5L standard that depends on the nominal pipe size, internal pipe working pressure, and the material used for the pipe wall. Two pipes the same diameter may have different schedules, which means they have a different wall thickness. The list of pipe schedules used today are as follows; Pipe Schedule 5, 5S, 10, 10S, 20, 30, 40, 40S, 60, 80, 80S, 100, 120, 140, 160, STD, XS AND XXS.

Pipe Support is a designed element that transfer the load from the Pipe to the supporting structures.

Pipe Support Selection depends on factors such as the type of pipe, its size, the material being transported, temperature variations, and the layout of the piping system that is essential to avoid vibration, sagging, nozzle damage, excessive stress, etc., in the piping and pipeline system. There are several types of pipe supports, each serving specific purposes: Shoe; Slide Plate; Saddle; Hanger and Clamp; U-bolt; Cardel and Wear Pad; Trunnion and Dummy; Spring Hanger; Riser and Guide; Limit Stop and Line Stop; Anchor; Special Pipe Supports, etc.

Pipe Wall Thickness is expressed in Pipe Schedule (SCH) which is for a given size and thickness of the pipe that is fixed and defined in the applicable ASME standard. Other than the pipe schedule, pipe thickness can also be specified in mm or inch to the value corresponding to that specified in the ASME standard. In the oil and gas and related downstream industries the most common standards are: ASME/ANSI B 36.10 Welded and Seamless Wrought Steel Pipe, and ASME/ANSI B36.19 Stainless Steel Pipe.

Pipeline Capacity is the volume quantity of oil and gas required to maintain a full pipeline that can be transported through a pipeline over a given period of time.

Piping & Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID) is a schematic representation of the equipment, instrument, piping, and any miscellaneous items with corresponding the design data of processing units, utility systems, and offsite systems serving a processing unit that is used for the design basis and provided the key process information to all involved disciplines. A P&ID allows the design to progress from the Process Flow Diagram (PFD) with the standard numbering systems that facilitates the design processes, manufactures, and constructions, and communicates information to the Client. A P&ID includes a unique plant item number for each item of equipment, valve, instrument, and line, and ideally a line number includes a size, material, and fluid content identifier to enable the anyone reading the drawing to obtain these information without having to refer to other documents. Approved P&ID is the basis of HAZOP and SIL review. A P&ID is a deliverable document of the FEED and Detailed Design and Engineering generated by the multidisciplinary efforts. (Refer to the Intelligent P&ID)

Piping Arrangement Drawing is the detail of pipe runs and to show the interfaces with equipment and various other services, and to identify the access allowances that includes all process equipment, piping, instrument, and connections, with the tag numbers and major primary beams and secondary beams. The Piping Arrangement Drawing is generally completed using 3D CAD systems (3D Model). They are either isometric drawings, orthographic (plans and elevations) or a combination of the two. The Piping Arrangement Drawing is a deliverable document of the Detailed Design and Engineering developed by a Piping Engineering discipline. (Also, called as the Piping General Arrangement Drawing or Piping Layout Drawing)

Piping Pre-fabrication is a practice of assembling pipe spools that is fabricated from a number of raw pipes and pipe fittings in a dedicated prefabrication workshop or factory instead at the construction site, and then transported and installed at the construction site. The Piping Pre-fabrication process involves cutting, welding, and assembling various types of pipes and fittings according to engineering drawings and specifications that results in higher productivity and efficiency - reducing costs and lead time at the construction site, and better quality. (Refer to the Pre-Fabrication)

Piping Specification defines the requirements of design, fabrication, use of materials, tests and inspection of pipes and piping systems. The Piping Standard Specification defines application design and construction rules and requirements for piping components as flanges, elbows, tees, valves etc.

Piping Stress Analysis is to determine the stresses and strains in the materials and structures subjected to forces or loads. The Piping Stress Analysis is highly interrelated with piping layout and support design. The layout of the piping system should be performed with the requirements of piping stresses and pipe supports. After the piping layout is finalised, the piping support system must be determined. The Piping Stress Analysis ensures that all stress requirements are satisfied and other piping allowable (e.g., nozzle loads, valve accelerations, and piping movements) are met.

Plant Layout is a physical arrangement, either existing or in plans of plant facilities.

Plot Plan is a layout plan drawing that presents the intended use of a land and planned for the physical definition of a project or part of the project. The Plot Plan is a multi disciplinary engineering output drawing which graphically shows the key areas, units, equipment, and general features of the plants including buildings, utility runs, and equipment layouts the position of roads, and other constructions of an existing or proposed project site that is a scale drawing and gives an overview (top view) of the entire plant. It also listed the true north and plant north, prevailing winds, reference point(s), horizontal references etc. 

Overall Plot Plan (or Site Plan or Site Master Plan) is an overall plant layout shown as a top-down orientation that does not include the individual equipment and dimensions. The Overall Plot Plan is developed during a project initiation phase and a deliverable of the FEED Engineering developed by a Piping discipline, and further developed during the Detailed Design and Engineering phase.

Detailed Plot Plan shows the equipment and supporting facilities (pipe racks, structures, buildings, roads, etc.) that are drawn with actual shapes and dimensions, and a benchmark will be located on the plan which shows elevation and plant coordinates. The Detailed Plot Plan is also to estimate the detailed cost of the plant, and is also used by the client for safety, operator, and maintenance reviews, and to develop an As Built record of the plant arrangement. The Detailed Plot Plan can be generated from a plant 3D Model that is a deliverable document of the Detailed Design and Engineering developed by a Piping discipline. 

Standard Pipe Size is a pipe nominal diameter and pipe wall thickness in which a standard pipe size is defined below two ways: 1) American NPS (Nominal Pipe Size) or NB (Nominal Bore) system: A Pipe Size is specified in ANSI, ASME and API standards, and using an imperial unit, 2) European DN (Nominal Diameter) system using a metric unit (millimetres). A standard tube size is referred to an outside diameter (OD).

Steam Trace Heating is used to protect piping systems from freezing to maintain a constant flow temperature or solidifying substance at ambient temperatures, or to maintain process temperatures for piping system. The Steam Trace Heating system is applied where the steam is available, if not the Electric Heat Tracing system is applied. (Refer to the Heat Tracing)

Three Dimensional Model (3D Model) is the graphics and images that is created a 3D object using 3D modelling programs: CAD modelling is visually represented as a two-dimensional image using 3D rendering or visualisation techniques. A 3D Model represents any three-dimensional surface of an object, connected a set of points with various geometric data such as lines and curved surfaces with the goal of creating a wide frame model. A 3D Model is used for engineering and manufacturing to digital animation, and popular in entertainment ventures, medicine and engineering, and can be created automatically or manually.

Engineering 3D Model is the modelling and analysis of modern engineering plants that helps design engineers to create complex plants, plant designs, piping layout, structural systems, etc., and key benefits are: Easily manage work sharing between multifil design teams around the globally; Optimise performance of any size or complexity; Easily modify and reuse in multiple projects; Save time and minimise errors with automated data handling; Rely on operational safety, efficiency, accuracy and intelligent design, etc.

The right 3D Model software is important for integrated modelling, analysis and simulation. Popular 3D Plant Layout Software Tools are: Smart® 3D (Intergraph); PDMS (Plant Design & Management, Aveva); PDS (Plant Design Software, Intergraph); AutoPLANT (Bentley); CADWorx (Intergraph); AutoCAD plant-3D (Autodesk). A 3D Model is a deliverable document of the FEED and Detailed Design and Engineering generated by the multidisciplinary efforts. (Refer to the Three Dimensional Modelling (3D Modelling)

Three Dimensional Model (3D Model) to Engineering Drawing can be directly generated from 3D models to 2D drawings through 3D CAD software that is established a complete set of practical ways and methods to integrate 3D modelling technology and traditional drawing contents, and the plant models mainly include 3D models and 2D engineering drawings. The advantage of 2D drawings is to accurately express the technical requirements such as size, shape tolerance, surface treatment and surface roughness, however designing and drawing with 3D drawing software, there are no unified standards and regulations on how to mark the dimensions and technical requirements of the drawing.

Transmission Pipeline is a network of pipelines moving natural gas from a gathering line or storage facility to a distribution centre, storage facility via pumping, compressing and boosting facilities.

Trunk Line is a natural gas or oil main line using pipeline transport.

Well Flowline Layout is a deliverable document of the Detailed Design and Engineering developed by a Pipeline discipline.

Piping Material is the raw materials of manufacturing of pipes that is a variety of materials: concrete and ceramic; plastic; metals; special piping materials such as glass or lined pipe. The Piping Material is determined the exact chemical compositions through percentages of the permitted quantities of carbon, magnesium, nickel, etc. (e.g., ASTM standard: a carbon steel pipe can be identified with Grade A or B, a stainless-steel pipe with Grade TP304 or Grade TP321, etc.)

Pipe is a tubular sectional device made by a metal or plastic, and used to transfer a fluid (mainly, liquid or gas). A small size (diameter) of pipe is called a tube.

Electric Fusion Welded (EFW) Pipe is a welded pipe formed by rolling plate and welding the seam. EFW is a process in which metal is heated by electrodes (filling metal) and the electric arc is used to make the welding. The EFW pipe is the most popular process for large diameter pipe uses a longitudinal seam weld. Melt Gas Shielded Welding (GMAW) is a type of EFW that is similar to submerged arc welding, but its protection comes from inert gases and works better.

Electric Resistance Welded (ERW) Pipe is formed by rolling plate and welding the seam by butt weld using the resistance heating and high pressure to make the longitudinal weld by an electrical resistance.

Fibreglass Reinforced Plastics (FRP) is a plastic material used for a storage equipment and piping materials for a special purpose such as acid, seawater. (Also, called as the GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) or GRE (Glass Reinforced Epoxy))

Thread Pipe is a pipe with screw-threaded ends for assembly.

Light Pipe is an optical fibber or a solid transparent plastic rod for transmitting light lengthwise that is a hollow cone with highly reflecting walls which collects light at one end and channels it through successive reflections to the other end.

Glass Reinforced Epoxy (GRE)

Bolt is a metal rod fastening objects together that is a screw thread at the end and is secured by a nut.

Bridle is a special piping arrangement to hold the Level Instruments for a vessel or tank that is a vertical pipe connected to the side of a storage tank or process vessel typically with side/side or side/bottom connections.

Car Seal is a device used to lock or seal a valve to prevent unauthorised operation of the valve that used to fix a valve in the open position (car seal open) or closed position (car seal closed).

Flush Joint is 1) a type of tubing connection in which the internal or external surfaces are the same diameter throughout the tubing joint; 2) a joint in masonry in which the mortar is finished flush at the surface.

Lip Seal is a circular seal ring of U-shaped cross section encompassing an elastomeric O-ring used to seal rotary elements. (Also, called as a Radial Shaft Seal)

Pipe Ram is a type of sealing element in high-pressure split seal blowout preventers that closes the annular space between the pipe and the blowout preventer or wellhead.

Rupture Disk is a device designed to function by the bursting of a pressure-retaining disk that is a high precision component to rupture with the application of a predetermined hydraulic pressure. The Rupture Disk is used to protect a pressure vessel, equipment or system from overpressurisation or potentially damaging vacuum conditions.

Shoe

Blast Joint is a section of heavy walled tubing that is used in multiple-zone wells in which the tubing extends past a producing zone.

Block and Bleed is the capability of obtaining a seal across the upstream and downstream seat rings of a valve that combines one or more block/isolate valves.

Companion is 1) each of a pair of things intended to complement or match each other. (e.g., Companion Flange); 2) a person spending a lot of time together.

Compressor Station (or Gas Booster Station) is a transportation facility that ensures the gases remains pressurised to travel through a long pipeline. It must be compressed periodically along the pipeline, typically located every 60 km to 100 km, where gas is compressed either by gas turbines or diesel engines.

Concentric means being one inside another and having the same centre that is a uniform annular dimension.

Dead Leg is a length of pipe leading to an outlet where normally no flow and filled with stagnant process fluid.

Equivalent Diameter is the hydraulic radius that is calculated as the transversal section to the wet perimeter of the section. The Equivalent Diameter is a diameter of a circular duct or pipe that for equal flow gives the same pressure loss or resistance as an equivalent rectangular duct or pipe. A round shape results in lower pressure drops and less horsepower to move the fluid, consequently smaller equipment required. (Refer to the Hydraulic Diameter)

Heat Pipe

• Detailed Plot Plan *
• Fabrication and Installation of Pipe-work Specification
• Final Stress Report
• Heat Tracing/Jacketing Specification and Schedule
• Hydrostatic Test Diagram
• Isometric (ISO) Drawing *
• Key Plan *
• Overall Plot Plan (or Site Plan or Site Master Plan) *
• Pipe Supports Design Detail
• Pipe Support Spring Register and Calculation
• Piping Arrangement Drawing *
• Piping General Arrangement Drawing
• Piping Material Specification
• Piping Material Take-offs (MTOs)
• Plot Plan *
• Process Area Plot Plan
• Special Pipe Support Register
• Special Piping (SP) Item Schedule and Datasheet
• Standard Piping Detail
• Stress Analysis Specification
• Stress Critical Line List
• Stress Sketch

ASME Pipeline and Piping Standard Codes: B31 Series
ASME B31.1 Power piping
ASME B31.3 Process piping
ASME B31.4 Pipeline Transportation Systems for Liquid Hydrocarbons and Other Liquids
ASME B31.5 Refrigeration piping and heat transfer components
ASME B31.8 Gas transmission and distribution piping systems
ASME B31.9 Building services piping
ASME B31.12 Hydrogen Piping and Pipelines

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) operates in a dynamic and challenging environment. The scope and complexity of our safety mission will continue to grow, requiring that we fundamentally rethink how we will use data, information, and technology to achieve our safety goals. (Source: www.phmsa.dot.gov/)

Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit corporation comprised primarily of energy pipeline companies. PRCI was established in 1952 as the Pipeline Research Committee of the American Gas Association, and became an independent not-for-profit corporation in 2000. PRCI’s initial charter was to confront the problem of long-running brittle fracture in natural gas transmission pipelines. PRCI’s solution of that problem within two years demonstrated the impact and benefits of industry collaboration and the leveraging effect of voluntary funding. Although initially an organization focused solely on pipelines in North America, PRCI began to broaden its membership and technical perspectives beginning in 1980 with the membership of the Dutch pipeline operator, Gasunie. Today, PRCI is truly an international organization with many members from outside of North America. (Source: www.prci.org/)