Structural integrity

Oil and gas is a technology-driven sector due to the fact that the economically viable exploitation of fields located in very harsh environments and the demanding operating conditions necessitate new technological solutions.

Structural and functional component materials play a very important role in ensuring the long-term integrity of pipelines, marine structures, buildings, bridges, and petrochemical equipment.

RINA supports organisations in the reliability evaluation of oil and gas components and systems, by undertaking a sound structural integrity assessment.

Deliverables

Our structural integrity assessment offer is directed at both the E&P offshore and the transportation sectors of the oil and gas industry. It concerns the following topics

• E&P offshore – well structures and completions:
  • Material selection and evaluation
  • Product development (casing, risers, deep waters, etc.)
  • Premium connection characterisation (flush, semi-flush)
  • Completion fluids’ assessment (brine)
• E&P offshore – gathering lines:
  • Development of tubular components for strain-based design application
  • Metallurgy of welded joints (laser-arc)
  • Structural integrity’s implication in advanced laying methods (J-laying, reeling)
  • Structural integrity of deep-water systems (fatigue in TTR)
• Transportation – in-service lines:
  • Mechanical damage
  • Low-toughness line pipes
  • Crack stopper for low-toughness lines
  • Repair systems
• Transportation – X100/X120 lines:
  • Metallurgical design
  • Product development
  • DFP control
  • Low-T toughness
  • Welds defect tolerance
  • H- embrittlement.

Focus on labs & facilities

Structural integrity assessment activities take advantage of our comprehensive expertise and full laboratory facilities, especially of our Full-scale Testing Laboratory, Mechanical Testing Laboratory, Microstructural Analysis Laboratory, Corrosion Laboratory and our metallurgy, simulation and modelling capabilities.