Fatigue Assessment

Summary
Methodology for fatigue life assessment is discussed. Fatigue life dependants for the gas lift lines
are described. Actual parameters for the calculations are identified. Currently missing input data
and its replacement data are highlighted.

References:
/1/ PD 5500: 2003 Specification for Unfired fusion welded pressure vessels,
Annex C Assessment of vessels subject to fatigue
/2/ EN 13445-3: 2002 Unfired pressure vessels Part 3: Design
Chapter 18 Detailed assessment of fatigue life
/3/ DNV-RP-D101: 2008 Recommended Practice Structural Analysis of Piping Systems
Chapter 3.12 Fatigue calculations; App. J Fatigue Calculation Ex.
/4/ PROMECH Extended fatigue assessment as done on Greater Ekofisk assets
/5/ A.ALMAR-NSS Fatigue Handbook Offshore Steel Structures,
Tapir, Trondheim, 1985

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Introduction
Fatigue is a failure mode that will occur under severe cyclic conditions, e.g. a pipeline subjected to
waves. If a large enough number of load fluctuations are allowed then fracture will eventually
occur. The load itself may not be large enough to cause immediate failure, but it is the number of
load fluctuations that causes failure.

Fatigue failure will occur at the weakest part of a piping system were the stress level is highest.
Welds are normally weaker than smooth pipe since there will always be small imperfections or
fractures in any weld. The size of these imperfections relates to the weld quality. If the cyclic stress
range goes above the lower threshold for fatigue these small imperfections or cracks will start to
propagate/grow and may reach a critical size ending in fatigue failure.

Damage may appear for every load cycle, and the damage accumulates. When the accumulated
damage has reached a critical level (critical crack size) failure will occur.

The most important component under fluctuating stress and strain is called the stress range (or
amplitude). A stress range is the algebraic sum between a peak stress and its subsequent valley.

One method to calculate fatigue life is based on the SN Miner-Palmgren approach. Here the cyclic
stress range, S, is related to the number of cycles to failure, N. SN-curves have been made on the
basis of laboratory tests. In welded piping systems, the weld constitutes the weak link considering
fatigue strength. Fatigue design of piping is therefore based on SN data obtained from realistic
welded specimens. The SN-curve for metals has the form:

S rm N a
where Sr is the cyclic stress range, N is the number of cycles to failure, whereas m and a are
constants.

The m and a constants represent the different fatigue curves and the values depend on which weld
detail is under consideration.

For further background information please see below sections Extended fatigue assessment/4/ and
Fatigue analysis of wellhead flowlines/3/.

There are 30 gas lift lines to be installed on Valhall Flank North and South, 15 on each platform.
All gas lift lines are made of 2 seamless 6Mo pipe.

In order to estimate the fatigue life of these lines one has to address the fatigue life dependants.
The following dependents are identified based on the reference documentation listed below.

A. Fatigue Curve
B. Imposed Displacements
C. Number of Cycles
D. Piping Restraints
E. Pipe Material

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A. Fatigue Curve
The m and a constants depict which fatigue curve to be used. They are dependant on which weld
detail is under consideration as well as how the weld is tested. There are two welds details that are
applicable for the Valhall Flank gas lift lines.
- According to EN 13445-3 table 18-4 they are detail no. 7.1: Full penetration butt welded
neck flange and detail no. 1.5: Full penetration butt welds. The fatigue class is decided
based on what kind of testing is performed. If testing group 1 or 2 is applicable then fatigue
class 63 may be used as long as full penetration is assured, if testing group 3 is applicable
then fatigue class 40 is to be used. The lower fatigue class number used results in the
shorter calculated fatigue life.
- According to PD 5500 fatigue class E is applicable for the two weld details as long as full
penetration can be assured as well as the weld is proved free from significant defects by
NDT testing.

In order to use the correct fatigue curve one needs to know the weld detail, welding method and
how it is tested.

According to EN 13445-3
For the Valhall Flank gas lift lines fatigue curve 40 is conservatively chosen and the
stipulated m and a constants are:
m = 3 a = 1,28 x 1011 for stress range cycles 102<N<5x106
14
m = 5 a = 1,11 x 10 for stress range cycles 5x106<N<108

According to PD 5500
For the Valhall Flank gas lift lines fatigue curve E is chosen and the stipulated m and a
constants are:
m = 3 a = 1,04 x 1012 for stress range cycles N<107
m = 5 a = 2,29 x 1015 for stress range cycles N>107

B. Imposed Displacements
All loads with a cyclic nature are to be considered for the gas lift lines. The piping will be subject
to pressure cycles, thermal cycles and forced displacement cycles which stem from ocean waves.
The waves deflect the riser conductor giving horizontal movements of the wellhead (x-mas tree).
The major contributor for the fatigue life for gas lift lines are the wellhead horizontal
displacements. The effect of the waves on the riser pipe in relation to horizontal wellhead
movements depend on the supporting of the conductor. Conductor centralizers are normally
installed in order to limit the shacking of the wellheads. These should be tight in order to limit the
horizontal movements as much as possible. Any reduction of wellhead horizontal displacement
will reduce the cyclic stress range and subsequently affect the fatigue life significantly.
Conductor analysis is normally performed where the horizontal displacements of the wellhead may
be found.

For the Valhall Flanks the only source for the horizontal deflections are found on the existing stress
isometrics done by Heerema Tnsberg. Here 10mm horizontal deflections are stipulated.

Hence, 10 mm is used for 8 approach directions of the waves N, S, W, E, SW, NE, SE, NW.

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