Structural Performance of Oil and Gas Pipe with Dent Defect

Abstract

Energy-transmission buried pipelines are often susceptible to externally applied concentrated loads that may cause dent defects. A dent or dent defect can be best described as a local defect in the pipe’s wall causing concentration of strains surrounding and within the dent. Additionally, a dent causes the pipe’s diameter to decrease, as well as the reduction in the line’s pressure capacity. Concentration of strains that occur as a consequence of the dent’s formation may lead to a failure such as a leak or a rupture within the pipe’s wall, and this may cause environmental and safety hazards and a loss of revenue for the pipeline operators. Therefore, dent defects are a significant concern for the oil and gas pipeline operators. This paper presents an investigation of the effect of dent length, depth of dent, and operating pressure on the structural performance, distribution of strains, and strain concentrations in oil and gas (energy) transmission pipelines.