The new document – Guidelines for the management of integrity of bolted pipe joints – covers the full lifecycle of bolted pipe joints, including the critical aspects of system design, construction, maintenance and operation. It also draws attention to best practices in these areas from across the industry. The aim of the guidelines is to provide operators of offshore oil and gas facilities with a framework for managing these essential component parts, and to help companies develop their own processes to meet the guidelines’ principles.
Leaking joints are one of the main causes of hydrocarbon releases on the UK continental shelf (UKCS), presenting unacceptable risks to workforce safety and the environment. A dedicated industry workgroup has been created to work with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) specifically to address the issue, with a target to reduce the number of major and significant hydrocarbon releases by 50% before April, 2004.
The guidelines evolved from the first annual HSE UKOOA seminar on hydrocarbon releases in November, 2000, where it was noted that there was no recognized fully-supported standard for flanged and clamped connector assembly. Individuals from over 20 organizations, representing operators, contractors, and suppliers, as well as the HSE, were subsequently involved in developing the document, which will be presented to the industry at a seminar in Aberdeen on 31st October.
Other workgroup initiatives underway to improve Industry performance on hydrocarbon releases include:
New guidelines on flexible hose management, to be published later this year.
Supplementary guidance on reporting releases, now available electronically from UKOOA.
UKOOA co-funding of the new web-based upgraded HSE OIR/12 database.
3rd annual Hydrocarbon Release Seminar to be held in Aberdeen on 28th November, 2002.
Guidance has already been published on the management of small-bore tubing fittings.