Libya Leaking Underground 200mm Fuel Oil Line 44 Bar Pressure Pipe Repair
A 200mm underground fuel line in Brega operating at temperatures up to 70°C and with pressure fluctuations up to 44 bar undergoes repair after heavy corrosion caused a small crack to appear in the pipe, through which oil was leaking.
Case Study Overview
Site Underground oil line
Location Brega, Libya
Pipe Type 200mm fuel line
Pressure 44 bar
Repair Type Leak repair
Products Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape, SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Pipe Defect
Brega serves as a major export hub for Libyan oil. It is the home of one of the largest oil terminals operating in Eastern Libya and the starting point of the 670km Brega-Khoms Intisar pipeline.
Heavy corrosion had caused a small crack to appear in a 200mm underground oil line at a facility in the town. Excavation of the line revealed it to be in terrible condition, badly pitted and cover in escaped oil.
The line often experienced pressure fluctuations up to 44 bar and operated at a maximum service temperature of 70°C. Any repair method needed to be capable of withstanding these extremities.
SylWrap Solution
Prior to the repair, the pipe was cleaned as best it could be. Oil and dirt were removed and the surface of the pipe smoothed off to enable a good connection between the line and Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape, which would be used to seal the crack.
Wrap & Seal is a self-amalgamating repair tape which stretches by 300 percent, fusing to form a solid rubber band over holes in pipework.
When multiple tapes are applied over each other, these also fuse together. The more Wrap & Seal used, the stronger the rubber mass, the higher pressure reistance of the repair.
Six 50mm x 4m Wrap & Seals were used to build a repair with the required pressure resistance up to 44 bar. The damage area was then reinforced using SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage.
SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water activated resin. It sets rock hard in minutes, providing an impact resistant outer shell to pipes and structures which increases life span and hoop strength.
Four SylWrap HD Bandages were used to cover the Wrap & Seal and an extended area of the pipe, reinforcing the fuel line by thickening the outer wall. The pipe was then reburied and put back into operation.
Outcome
Wrap & Seal has a maximum service temperature of 200°C and SylWrap HD withstands up to 250°C, leaving the repair capable of withstanding both the temperature and pressure extremes of the pipeline.
It took under two hours to complete the application, notwithstanding the time needed to excavate, inspect and prepare the pipe.
The repair was a cost-effective and less time-consuming alternative to replacing the damaged section, which could have left the line out of operation for a prolonged period.
Follow Up
Having been so impressed with the ease and speed of repair made possible by the SylWrap range, the team who carried out the application in Brega have since used more Sylmasta products for sealing other damaged oil lines in Libya.
Products Used
Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-fusing repair tape which forms a solid rubber band to create a high pressure seal
SylWrap HD Bandage
Water-activated wrap sets rock hard to increase pipe wall thickness, strengthening lines
Pipe Repair Contractor Case
Easy-to-store Case containing mulitple Wrap & Seal and SylWrap HD
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