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Alert 01 002

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TECHNICAL

ALERT
CONSULTING SERVICES DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: Deficiency of Dummy Leg Supports ALERT NO:
DATE:
For Elbows
002/01
2/28/01
SUMMARY:
Dummy leg supports are widely used in refineries and chemical plants without major problems
provided they are properly designed and constructed. However, dummy leg pipe support has the
deficiency of prohibiting the inspection of piping areas inside the dummy leg. Two pipe leak
incidents have occurred at dummy leg supports on October 1, and December 25, 2000 in Abqaiq
Plants. A crack at 3 elbow of a liquid pump discharge line was initiated internally due to
erosion/corrosion pit. Sour liquids leaked from the crack of into the dummy leg support, which has
no weep hole. Therefore, the dummy leg support became a dead leg resulting in severe external
corrosion of the elbow and internal corrosion of the dummy leg itself. This leakage was not
detected until the dummy leg support was corroded through. Another pipe leak incident has
occurred at the welded attachment area between a 24 elbow and the dummy leg.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
?

Identify and repair all dummy legs in hydrocarbon service without continuous welds at the
weld attachment between the dummy leg and the elbows for external corrosion per SAESW-012 paragraph 10.19 at the next T & I.

Inspect any leakage from existing weep holes of dummy leg supports in hydrocarbon
service. Once leakage is identified, immediate action to repair shall be taken.

Identify and install a 6 mm diameter weep hole at all dummy leg per SAES-L-011
paragraph 5.6. This weep hole is intended for signal of leakage before the leakage causes
severe pipe failure.

Application of radiograph profile or installation of a small opening on the dummy leg is


recommended to inspect the internal and the external corrosion of the piping area inside the
dummy leg for high-risk piping system. This small opening shall be closed with flange after
inspection.

Cont. of Technical Alert No. 2


The piping system is considered as high risk when all the following conditions are met:
1. The line is in wet and sour hydrocarbon service or hazardous corrosive service,
including but not limited to chlorine, sulfuric acid and rich DGA.
2. During service, the line is subjected to erosion such as discharge piping of rotating
equipments and upstream and downstream of control valves.
3. Operating pressure is greater than 50 psig.
The following table lists recommended sizes of inspection opening versus dummy leg support sizes:
Dummy Leg Support Size
(inch)

Inspection Opening
(inch)

2
3
4
6
8
10
12 - 18
20 24

1 with stiffening gussets


1
1
2
3
3
4
6

If you have any questions regarding this technical alert, please contact James Chen at 873-8404.

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