Course Details

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Flowlines-Piping B31.3-4-8
Course Description
The piping system is one of the major assets of any process facility. Maintaining the integrity of the piping system is very critical for the safety and efficiency of the facility. Piping inspection is the first line of defence for maintaining the facility integrity and minimizing the maintenance cost. This course is designed to provide participants with a detailed and up-to-date overview of pipeline and piping design, installation, inspection, testing and commissioning invoking the rules of the ASME B31 Codes 31.3, 31.4 and 31.8 and then operation, vibration, maintenance, repair, FFS, pigging, integrity and rehabilitation, as per other related ASME and API codes and standards. It covers the practical aspects of piping and pipeline design, installation, integrity, operation, maintenance and repair. Participants will be introduced to the technical basis of the ASME and API design and integrity rules, and their application to case studies and exercises. Further, participants will be able to recognize causes of degradation in-service, whether mechanically induced (pressure, vibration, fatigue, pressure transients, external damage) or due to corrosion (wall thinning, pitting, cracking), and apply integrity analysis techniques to make run-or-repair decisions (API 579/ASME FFS). A wide variety of causes of vibration are covered in order to enable the course participant to properly evaluate the variety of piping vibration problems that can occur in piping systems. The causes of vibration, where possible, are discussed with respect to very basic energy and momentum principles that enable the participant to understand what is happening within and to the piping system. Screening and simple vibration limits are provided. The participants will become knowledgeable in the review the inspection techniques, from the most common (PT, MT, UT, RT, MFL pigs) to most recent (AE, PED, UT pigs and multi pigs), and the implementation of integrity management programs, periodic inspections and evaluation of results as well as the various repair techniques, their advantages and shortcomings, and the logic to be followed in making repair decisions and selecting the applicable repair and/or rehabilitation techniques.

This course provides a basic overview of all significant aspects and considerations of piping systems for those who are involved in the design, analysis, fabrication, installation, maintenance or ownership of piping systems:

Engineers, senior draftsmen, maintenance, quality assurance, and manufacturing personnel who work in the chemical, petroleum, utility, plastic processing, pulp and paper, and manufacturing, fields; maintenance engineers, supervisors and other technical staff who are working in oil and gas industry, industrial processing systems and power plants.

Delivery Methodology: (below is just a sample, it depends on the trainer’s methodology)

This interactive training course is delivered as part theory and part practical. It includes the following training methodologies as a percentage of the total tuition hours:

 

  • 40% Lectures – Presentations by the course leader, including case examples
  • 15% Workshops & Work Presentations
  • 15% Case Studies & Practical Exercises – Group work on case studies - analysis, interaction and discussion
  • 30% Videos, Software & Simulators

It is possible that the course instructor may modify the above training methodology before or during the course for technical reasons. Notwithstanding the course objectives will always be met.

DAY 1

  • Introduction to Piping and Pipeline Systems

History of Pipeline Technology – Brief Historical Outline – Types & Classification of Pipelines – Purpose of Pipelines – Routes Across the Environments;

  • Pipeline & Piping Codes

ASME B31 Piping & Pipeline Codes – ASME B31.3 Process Piping – ASME B31.4 Pipeline Transportation of Liquid Hydrocarbons & Other Liquids – ASME B31.8 Gas Transmission & Distribution Piping Systems ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Codes – API Codes & Standards 500 Series – API Codes & Standards 600 Series – API Codes & Standards 5 Series – API Codes & Standards 1100 & 2200 Series – ASME B16 Fitting Standards – NACE Recommended Standards, MSS-SP, PFI Standards – Fundamentals of Design, Fabrication, Operation, Maintenance & Integrity;

  • Design of Pipeline & Piping Systems

Operating & Design Pressure – ASME B31.3 Pressure Design of Components – Pipe & Pipeline Sizing Formula with Applications – Straight Pipe, Bends & Branch Connections – ASME B31.4 Design Considerations – Loads, Soil Loads, Surface Loads – Calculations of Stresses – Criteria for Pipelines, Criteria for Components – ASME B31.8 Design Considerations – Steel Piping Systems Design Requirements – Piping Systems Design Requirements for Other than Steel Materials – Control & Limiting of Gas Pressure – Valves, Pressure Relief Valves – Valve Selection – Code Requirements – Selection by Valve Type – Vaults – Gas Service Lines;

  • Piping & Pipeline Materials & Equipment

Overview of Ferrous Pipe & Pipeline Materials – Carbon & Alloy Steels – Practical Aspects of Metallurgical Properties – Chemistry & Material Test Reports – Mechanical Properties: Strength & Toughness – Ductile & Brittle Fracture – API 5L & ASTM Material Specifications – Markings on Pipe & Fittings.

DAY 2

Vibration in Service & Flexibility Analysis – Transient Analysis

Vibration Fundamentals & Definition – How to Classify the Cause & Sources of Vibration In-Service –  Mechanical Vibration Concepts  –  Mechanical & Hydraulic Induced Vibration in Piping – Flow Induced Vibration & Slug Flow (water hammer)  –   Surge  (Pressure Wave Water Hammer)  –  Piping Vibration Involving Control Valves – Other Sources of Vibration – Practical Methods for Evaluating Piping Vibration  –   How to Measure Vibration; 

Piping Vibration Measurement, Analysis & Corrective Action

How to Analyze Vibration & Decide if it is Acceptable  –  Options for Resolving Vibration –  Acceptance Criteria (ASME B31 Series) – Methods of Piping Vibration Damping –  Simple Piping Vibration Problems –  Case Studies’

Flexibility Analysis

Introduction to Flexibility Analysis: What is the Objective? Sustained Loads – Displacement Load –  Reaction Design Criteria –  Flexibility Analysis Example;

Flexibility: General Considerations; Friction – Stress Intensification – Elbow Flexibility –   Thermal Expansion;

Flexibility Analysis: Perform a Detailed Analysis – Computer Program Attributes – Considerations – Solving Problems – Typical Errors – Sample Computer Flexibility Analysis;

Pipeline Transient Phenomena

The Four Classes of Pressure Transients  –  Recognizing & Solving Liquid Hammer –  Pump Station Transients  –  Study of Pipeline Failures Due to Transients –  Two-Phase Liquid-Vapor Transients  –  Two-Phase Liquid-Gas Transients  –  Gas Discharge Transients;

DAY 3

Fabrication, Installation and Erection

Pipeline Layout & Support

Rules of Good Practice in Layout  –  Pump & Compressor Piping  –  Thermal Expansion & Flexibility  –   Design for Longitudinal Stress  –   How to Support a Piping System  – Supports & Anchorage for Exposed Piping  –  Anchorage for Buried Piping  –   Review of Support Types & their Application  – Lessons Learned from Poor Support Practices – Overview of Piping System Components – Valves & Pressure Reducing Devices  –  Reinforcement of Welded Branch Connections;

Welding, Fabrication & Installation: Overview of Pipe and Pipeline Welding Practice –  API 1104 and ASME IX Requirements – Weld Properties – Weld Sizes and Weld Failures – Heat Treatment – Welding In-Service;

Flange Joints & Pipe Bending

Overview of Different Types of Flanges & Application  –  Gasket & Bolt Selection  –  Causes of Flange Leaks & How to Resolve  –  Case Study of Flange Failure – Assembly of Flange Joints & Leak Tightness – Mechanical Joints –Tube Fittings  –  Bolted Fittings  –  Unlisted Components  –  Swage Fittings;

 

Bending

Cold Bending of Pipe and Pipelines – Limitations on Cold Bending – Wall Thinning During Bending – Ripples and Buckles in Bends – Ovality and Dents;

Instrument Piping & Pressure Relieving Systems: What Must be Protected – How Systems can be Designed;

DAY 4

Installation & Construction – Examination & Testing

Construction

Right-of-way – Survey – Staking, Marking – Handling, Storage, Hauling and Stringing  – Ditching (Trenching) – Installation of Pipeline in the Ditch (Trench) –  Tie-ins  –  Backfilling – Crossings (water, highways, railroads) – Purging of Pipelines and Mains – Scraper Traps;

Examination & Inspection

Weld Inspection Techniques – Non Destructive Testing (NDT) – Liquid Penetrant Testing: Advantages and Limitations – Magnetic Particle Testing: Advantages and Limitations –  Radiographic Testing: Advantages and Limitations – Ultrasonic Testing: Advantages and Limitations – Eddy Current, Acoustic Emission, Thermography – Pulsed Eddy Current Inspections Through Insulation – Pigging Technology: Overview of Utility and Intelligent Pigs – Overview of 49CFR Regulations for In-Line Inspections – What to Inspect and How;  Workmanship Standards (ASME B31)  – Integrity Standards (B31G, API 1104, API 579) –  Application of Inspections and Analysis of Results;

Pressure & Leak Testing

The Difference Between Leak Testing and Pressure Testing – Review of Different Testing Techniques – The Purpose of Hydrotest – How to Conduct a Hydrotest – Pipeline and Piping Systems Testing –  Pneumatic Testing.

DAY 5

Degradation Mechanisms, Monitoring of Piping System Operation & Maintenance

Degradation Mechanisms

Introduction to Practical Corrosion – Classification of Corrosion Mechanisms – General Wall Thinning – Local Corrosion – Galvanic Effects –  Crevice Corrosion  – Pitting Corrosion –  Environmental Effects  – Hydrogen and H2S Effects–  Microbiological Corrosion –   Corrosion Protection – Pipeline Fatigue, Cracks, Defects & Ruptures;

Cathodic Protection – Protection by Coating & Other Technologies;

Piping System Protection: Inspection of Inline Metal Loss

Operation & Maintenance Strategies & Procedures

Fundamentals of Maintenance Practice – Corrective & Predictive Maintenance  –  Reliability Engineering: Maintenance Analysis & Trending;

Fitness-for-Service & Remaining Life Overview

Making Run-or-Repair Decisions  –  Analysis of Inspection Results: Integrity Management  –  How to Evaluate Wall Thinning  –  Application of ASME B31G to Determine Remaining Life  –  Application of API 579 to General & Local Corrosion – Application of API 579 to Analyze Pitting  –  Analysis of Dents & Gouges in Pipelines  –  Introduction to Fracture Mechanics  –  How to Evaluate Cracks in Piping & Pipelines

 

Repair Techniques

The New ASME Repair Standards  –   Welding on Line (In-Service) –  Pipe & Component Replacement  –   Grinding & Welding  –   Welded Sleeve: Type A & Type B –  Welded Repairs  –  Mechanical Clamps with and without Sealant Injection –   Insertion Liners  –   Painted & Brushed Liners  –  Pipe Coating

API 570 – Inspection, Repair, Alteration & Rerating of In-Service Piping: Responsibilities; General Considerations; Frequency and Extent of Inspections; Remaining Life; MAWP;  Repairs and Alterations; Rerating.

BTS attendance certificate will be issued to all attendees completing minimum of 80% of the total course duration.

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Course Rounds

5 Days
Code Date Venue Fees Action
ME187-01
2026-04-05
Cairo
USD 5450
Register
ME187-02
2026-07-13
Kuala-Lumpur
USD 5950
Register
ME187-03
2026-09-27
Riyadh
USD 5450
Register
ME187-04
2026-12-06
Dubai
USD 5450
Register

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