TECHNICAL REPORT - OPS 89-1 ELECTRIC RESISTANCE WELD PIPE FAILURES ON HAZARDOUS LIQUID AND GAS TRANSMISSION PIPELINES AUGUST 1989 Office of Pipeline safety Research and special Programs Administration U.8. Department of TransportationTABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION List of Tables... . ee ee List of Figures... ... ... ee ee I. INTRODUCTION. 2. ee ee EU DOR@ B. History of ERW Pipe... ... 2... II, FINDINGS. 2... .. ee ee ee III. ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION... ....... A. Hazardous Liquid Pipelines ...... A.1 Data Base for Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Incidents. ....... Rede) ANaiyaisiot the! Datel! 2 A.2.1 Failures of ERW seams in liquid pipelines... . . A.2.2 Relationship between service failures and hydrostatic testing 2. ee Natural Gas Pipelines. 2... 2... 8.1 Data Base for Natural Gas Pipeline Incidents»... . 1. eee ee B.2 Analysis of the Data. ...... B.2.1 Failures of ERW seams in natural gas transmission pipelines . . B.2.2 Relationship between service failures and hydrostatic Cestings ret Relative failure rate of pre-1970 ERW pipelines carrying hazardous liquids and pre-1970 ERW pipelines carrying natural gas... 1. 1. ql 12 12 14 14 16 17SECTION TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Appendix A - Typical Examples of Metallurgical Fe 2 Appendix Appendix Appendix Appendix B D E ‘xaminations of ERW Pipeline BERIT 3G 5 ooo o weno bo OG Metallurgical Examinations of Hazardous guid Pipeline Failures ...... Metallurgical Examinations of Gas Transmission Pipeline Failures .. . - Photos of ERW Seam Failures in Gas Transmission Pipelines... . - Description of ERW Pipe Failure Mechanisms...) ee ee ee - Alert Notices .. 2... .....0. - References... 1.1... 000.