Procedure For Pipeline Stringing

1. Scope

Pipeline Stringing

This scope covers to provide a detailed description of Line pipe stringing activity on Right-Of-Way (ROW) of proposed Steel pipeline construction for transportation & distribution of Natural Gas.

2. Applicable Codes and Specification in stringing:-

Followings standard and codes of the latest edition have been referred to in these specifications.

2.1 Governing Standards for the pipeline in stringing

👉 ASME B 31.8 - Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems.

👉 American petroleum institute API1104 - Standard for welding of pipelines & related facilities.

👉 Company Tender Documents.

👉 The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) 2020.

2.2 Reference Standards:-

👉 Authorized Company OSHA Risk Register.

👉 The proposed route alignment sheet.

👉 OISD Standard 141- Design and Construction Requirements for Cross-country Hydrocarbon Pipelines.

👉 Standard IGE/TD/3 – Steel & Poly Ethylene (PE) Pipeline.

3. Procedural Step

3.1 Health, Safety and Environments

👉 Safety permit for lifting, loading, and unloading process shall be obtained as per Company standard matrix.

👉 “Fit for Use” certifications of all the tools - tackles and the equipment by govt. an approved chartered engineer with records shall be ensured.

👉 Tags and serial number Number of each tool & tackles for its identifications shall be ensured.

👉 All the persons involved in the activities shall have a valid Safety Passport.

👉 All the drivers and operators shall have defensive driving training with a driving license.

👉 Only a permitted number of persons shall be allowed in the Material transport vehicle as per the Regional transport office or regional transport authority (RTO) rules.

👉 Crane the operator shall be facilitated by the navigator during the movement.

👉 Wooden sleepers with concave shape/radius as per the pipe dia shall be provided. These wooden sleepers shall have Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) / Rubber sheet for pipe coating protection.

👉 Site-specific Risk Assessment (SSRA) and risk mitigation action shall be conducted before the execution of all activities on a daily routine basis.

👉 Tool Box talk with each member of the working crew shall be done. Also, a rigging plan shall be prepared & discussed before lifting activity.

👉 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shall be used as per the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE’s) Matrix approved by the Authorised Company.

👉 No, any person shall be allowed under the load and in the Vicinity or Radius of the Crane.

3.2 Execution

3.2.1 Transportation:

👉 Handling & loading in the Pipe Yard shall be carried out by competent riggers and crane operators in presence of a competent site Supervisor. The number of coated pipes shall be loaded on each trailer as per trailer capacity & as per Company Standard operating procedure (SOP), Pipe Storage & Handling Procedure.

👉 Transportation from Pipe storage Yard to Site along with the arrangement of line pipe on trailers shall be carried out in accordance with the work procedure of Pipe Storage & Handling.

👉 All the existing access roads, crossing the pipeline Right of way shall be used after obtaining the necessary approval and work permit.

👉 The contractor shall build a temporary approach road & bridges from existing roads to the Right of the way as required for working. (If req.)

👉 If The contractor recognizes that the condition of existing approach roads is not suitable for the movement of the trailer, the contractor shall upgrade the road to make it suitable for requirements.

👉 Line pipe of 12mtrs in length shall be supported at 1.5mtrs from both ends and at the center.

3.2.2 Pipe tracking system:

👉 Record of Consignment Note / Issue Challan of transportation shall be maintained in the register at the pipe yard. The stringing supervisor shall also maintain. register at the site for the record of line pipes unloaded in the ROW chainage-wise.

👉 Receipt of the line pipe is validated by signature on the consignment note, approximate location on the ROW noted on the consignment note for updating the records. Each evening copies of the transportation consignment notes shall be sent from the Pipe Yard to the site office. This data will be checked and validated before updating Pipe book status at the site.

3.2.3 Stringing:

👉 Unloading of pipes shall be performed using Side-boom fitted with extended boom or crane depending on-site condition.

👉 Line pipes shall be unloaded from the pipe trailers and evenly strung along the ROW and positioned by means of side boom/crane.

👉 The stringing Foreman shall be responsible for stringing the line pipes / the pipes shall be supported with Concave shaped padded wooden skid, hush bags /sandbags /soft soil bags free from stone.

👉 Stringing of pipes shall only be carried out in daylight after cleaning & grading.

👉 Stringing shall be done in such a manner, that the strung pipes are not subjected to standing in any ground surface water.

👉 Rolling, dropping, dragging the pipes shall not be allowed along the ground; however, some rolling on the sandbags / soft soil bags will be allowed in order to position the seam.

👉 The pipes shall be strung along the pipeline route as per specified alignment Sheet/drawings for proper placement of pipe by spec., thickness, grade & class other specifications. Pipes shall be placed in such a way to minimize interference with the normal use of R.O.W., track, service roads, etc.

👉 The stringing Engineer/foreman assisted by a crew consisting of riggers and side boom/crane operators shall co-ordinate and control stringing operations.

👉 After stringing along Right of Way (R.O.W.), the pipe shall be checked for bevel and coating damage. Records shall be maintained in an appropriate format which contains pipe nos., heat nos., specifications, wall thickness, and lengths, etc, and transfers to on pipe Center by a permanent marker at the approximate location by the stringing Engineer/foreman.

👉 Any pipes found without a number shall be kept at the side during stringing until positive pipe identification can be established or otherwise, it shall not be used.

👉 Necessary gaps in the string line pipe shall be left for the passage of personnel & access for bevel cleaning.

👉 Line pipe shall be strung 1.5 to 2.0 meters from the edge of the proposed trench centerline to allow for safe working on both sides of strung pipes.

👉 Line pipe shall be strung directly from the trailers to the installation location with the exception of where it is unsafe to unload.

👉 On special sections i.e. Road crossings the line pipe sections/assembly shall be stored in a nearby holding/stringing area where all preparatory works are completed prior to stringing/welding.

👉 Before Welding Pipes shall be gauged with 95% of Pipe ID to ensure ovality.

3.2.3 Stringing of materials other than line pipe

👉 The contractor performs visual inspection and defects noted, if any, shall be recorded separately.

👉 The contractor shall perform the necessary loading, unloading, hauling from points designated by the client for storage.

👉 The contractor shall store materials excluding line pipes in sheltered storage. Such materials shall not be strung on the ROW but shall be transported in covered conveyances for use only at the time of installations.

👉 The contractor shall ensure that all valves and whenever applicable other materials are fitted with suitable end covers of the type approved by the client.

👉 The contractor shall record stamped in numbers, batch numbers of T-pieces, bends, valves, etc.

4.0 Documentation required

👉 Inspection format.

👉 Inspection Test Plan.