Pipeline Material and Grade Selection

Metallic materials began to be used for piping system regularly in 1950s as implementation of Code API 5L about steel material selection for piping system. At the end 1980s there were various kinds of steel material for pipe based on the grade which was set by API such as grade A25, A, B, X42, X46, X52, X56, X60, X64, X70 and X80. In each grade there are differences in mechanical properties depending on chemical content and its containing material. Specifications steel material in the manufacturing process generally refers to chemical composition, material strength, and manufacturing tolerance.
Some criteria should be determined to get right material and suitable for piping system design. The following below are the criteria that can be used in the analysis of pipe material selection:
·         Mechanical properties, include:
o   Material strength to resist static load
o   Material toughness to resist dynamic load
o   Material ductility due to installation piping system process
·         Weld ability
o   Ability of material pipe to be easily welded or not.
·         Corrosion resistance
o   Material pipe ability to resist corrosion.
·         Cost, relating to the price of material pipe to be used.
·         Availability
o   Relating to availability of material pipe on the market in large numbers, this condition should be analyzed to avoid special order that allow high price for the production.
There are two types of pipe material which is frequently used either in oil and gas industry, power plant and other industries:
1.       Carbon Steel
Carbon Steel is one of pipe material and it is the most widespread of use in the oil and gas Industry, power plant and other industries. Almost all of these pipe materials have specifications issued by ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineering.
There are three types of Carbon Steel are the most widely used, namely:
·         ASTM A106, This type has three grades, namely Grade A, B, and C. This grade refers to the amount of Tensile Strength materials. The amount of Tensile Strength of ASTM A106 are:
·               Grade A: 48 ksi
·               Grade B: 60 ksi
·               Grade C: 70 ksi
Among the third grade, pipe material which is usually used is ASTM A106 Grade B.
·         ASTM A 53: This material is also often used by elements of pipe that are coated by zinc (galvanized), or often used as an alternative for the A106 type. Grade A53 has three grades, namely Grade A, B, and C. In addition, A53 also has three types, namely:
·               Type E: Electric Resistance Weld
·               Type F: Furnace Butt Weld
·               Type S: Seamless
A53 Grade A and B have same Tensile Strength with ASTM A106 Grade A and B.
·         ASTM A 333: This material is often used on the fluid having low temperature, ranging from    -50°F.

2.       Stainless Steel
Pipes are often categorized in Stainless Steel pipe is actually having the full name of austenitic stainless steel. But this pipe material is more often known by the name of Stainless Steel.
Stainless Steel has Grade 18, but type 304L is often used. In essence, Type 304 is the type that has low carbon content with the aim of strengthening the ability to withstand corrosion. With the addition of L letters behind his name, the 304L, it shows that this type has lower carbon content, much lower than just 304.
Thus, in application, there are two types of stainless steel that is commonly known and used in oil and gas industry and other industries as follow:
·         ASTM A312: This standard is used for pipe sizes under 8 inches.
·         ASTM A358: This standard is used for pipe sizes above 8 inches.
There are many other types of pipe material is quite often used beside two pipe materials above (carbon steel and stainless steel) such as:
·         Chrome-Moly Pipe: namely Chromium-Molybdenum Alloy Pipe, which consist of 10 grades, and refer to ASTM A335.
·         Nickel and Nickel Alloy Pipe: example that is widely used is Inconel, Incoloy and Monel.
·         Piping Cast iron, Cooper Piping
·         Plastic Pipe, concrete pipe.

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