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Keywords: Gas leak • Internal bolting • Offshore OIL & GAS

Failed austenitic SS bolts

in valves
In recent years, we have experienced a number of cases with valves
in offshore environments, in which the internal bolting in austenitic
stainless steel failed after some time in the environment. Typically,
it has proven to be valves operating in temperatures of 50–60˚C or
more, and the failure mechanism was chloride-induced stress corrosion
cracking in the austenitic bolts.
Not least for valves in hydrocarbon service, such bolt failures may result
in a major loss of containment with extensive gas leaks possessing a
high risk potential of ignition resulting in fire or explosion.

Figure 2: Norwegian case from 2012.

By Kristian Lund Jepsen and Per Grumsen, Ramboll Oil & Gas, Esbjerg, Denmark
During disassembling the valve onshore,
The phenomenon has been seen in both in September 2012. A two-piece ball it was observed that the upper five stud
the Middle East (Persian Gulf) and in the valve with austenitic stainless steel bolts bolts had fractured already before the
Danish and Norwegian North Sea. failed as the bolts broke. The failed valve pressure test, and that one bolt had partly
In one case, offshore Qatar (reported in was operating at service temperatures cracked too. This bolt fractured totally
2008), a two-piece 2” ball valve on a fuel exceeding 60˚C and had bolts in 316 SS. during the pressure test, which caused
gas skid, in which all four internal bolts In the Norwegian case, further 17 opening of the valve housing – and with
keeping the two parts together failed. similar valves in equivalent services were that the leak – see Figure 4.
The failure resulted in the release of identified in the same plant before any A metallurgical examination of a cross-
almost 500 kg (= 500 m3 at atmospheric incident took place. section through one of the fractured
pressure) of natural gas during a 3 minute The case from the Danish North Sea AISI 316 stud bolts suggested that the
release. Fortunately no ignition of the gas turned up as an 8” super duplex stainless root cause of the fractures was chloride-
took place. The bolts were in 304 SS. steel process valve failure (valve for induced stress corrosion cracking – see
In that case, the owner identified a produced water, temperature approx. Figure 5.
high number of equivalent valves in 70°C), which – fortunately - occurred Based on this result of the examination, a
equivalent service conditions. The valves during a standard leak test. warning was sent out, and an inspection
were prioritised in 3 groups (1, 2 and 3) The valve was equipped with AISI 316 of the pipe system for the presence of
depending on the risk potential. All valves austenitic stainless steel bolts (A4-bolts). possible other valves of the same type
in group 1 (the ones with the highest risk The valve started to leak due to opening was initiated.
rating) were replaced within months after of the top part between body and flange Several other valves of the same type,
the incident. The new valves were with before full test pressure was reached – which had suffered the same type of
bolts in super duplex stainless steel. see Figure 4. bolt cracking/fracture, were detected
A rather similar event was reported from The valve was then sent onshore for during this inspection, and immediate
a platform in the Norwegian North Sea repair. replacement of these valves was carried

opened assembly

Loose AISI 316

stud bolts

Figure 1: Norwegian case from 2012. Bolts were

in 316 SS. Figure 3: The valve in opened condition – immediately after pressure testing.

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OIL & GAS

Five bolts already fractured

One partly cracked bolt fractured during the test

Figure 4: Failed valve with six fractured stud bolts in the upper part – after disassembly.

out in order to reduce the risk of A high tensile stress level in a material if the other parameters necessary are
catastrophic leaks occurring during normal is e.g. present as the result of the present too.
service. manufacturing process (rolling, cold- In the actual cases from Norway and
New valves and repaired valves are forming, welding, tightening of bolts etc.), Denmark, the temperature of the medium
equipped with super duplex stainless steel which results in a high static stress level in inside the valves during normal service
bolts. the stainless steel material. is reported to be sufficiently above the
In the actual cases, primarily the tightening “lower level”, at which this cracking
Chloride-induced stress of the bolts has resulted in a high tensile mechanism may occur.
corrosion cracking (SCC) stress level in the bolt material. The conditions, under which SCC (stress
Chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking A high temperature (in practice approx. corrosion cracking) may take place due to
is a type of environmental cracking caused 50-60°C may be sufficient for standard chlorides, are shown in Figure 6 below.
by the simultaneous action of a corrosive austenitic stainless steel) most often Chlorides may be present in various
agent (aqueous chlorides) and sustained originates from a medium present inside types of mediums transported in process
tensile stress in the material. pipes and vessels etc. – however, plants – however, common to the valve
This actual type of cracking primarily especially at locations, where a warm failures described above is that chlorides
occurs in austenitic stainless steels, if the climate is present (sub-tropical or necessary for the actual failure type have
following criteria are fulfilled: tropical), the temperature of external been added from the surroundings – thus
• High tensile stress level surfaces may reach heights, in which resulting in the chlorides coming into
• High temperature austenitic stainless steel suffers from contact with external surfaces of valves
• High chloride concentration chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking, and piping.

Fractured stud bolt Fracture surface

Figure5: Fractured stud bolt and micro-photo of cross-section through fractured surface. Note the comprehensive cracking of the bolt material up to the fracture
surface. The crack image to the right (trans-granular cracks) suggests the cracking mechanism to be chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking. Red-colouring of
the bolt threads due to corrosion is seen.

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 OIL & GAS

Figure 6: Conditions under which SCC may be experienced. It is seen

for the austenitic stainless steels (304/304L and 316/316L), that the
conditions may be present from about 50˚C service temperatures, if high
chloride concentrations are present (courtesy of Sandvik). Figure 7: Transgranular stress corrosion cracking.

Especially in marine environments, this may been reported. The cracking has been temperatures above 50˚C on their
be a problem, which must be taken into caused by evaporation of water containing installations and replace such valves or at
consideration, when selecting materials. only small – and often insignificant - least the bolts. For stainless steel valves,
Also at indoor installations, chlorides amounts of chlorides on heated surfaces. super duplex stainless steel bolts are often
may be added to stainless steel external Thus evaporation of such water added a good alternative.
surfaces – e.g. during deluge tests carried continuously to warm surfaces may over It is also recommended to change
out using seawater or from dripping water time lead to the accumulation of chlorides - piping and valve specifications to avoid
from leaking pipe systems etc. finally resulting in a chloride level, which purchasing valves with austenitic stainless
Adding water to heated surfaces will result makes stress corrosion cracking possible – steel bolts in the future.
in evaporation of the water - to a certain even despite a “harmless environment”. It may even be required to introduce
extent – resulting in increased risk of high checks of received new valves into stock
chloride concentration on the surfaces in Recommendations to ensure that the specified bolting
question. It is strongly recommended that operators material has been implemented. Some
During the years, several failures in of offshore oil/gas installations investigate, of the cases above are cases, in which
stainless steel items caused by chloride- if they have valves with austenitic stainless austenitic bolting had not been specified
induced stress corrosion cracking have steel bolts in service conditions with in the purchase specifications.

About the author

Kristian Lund Jepsen is Senior Chief Consultant at Ramboll Oil & Gas in Esbjerg, Denmark. Mr. Jepsen holds
an M.Sc. in mechanical engineering from the Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen, from 1981. He
has been with Ramboll Oil & Gas for about 18 years. Mr. Jepsen is a technical expert within the oil and gas
production and processing areas, with special focus on mechanical equipment and systems including valves.
Earlier in his career, he has held positions in large energy companies such as Maersk Oil and Halliburton.

Per Grumsen is Senior Chief Consultant at Ramboll Oil & Gas in Esbjerg, Denmark. Mr. Grumsen was
educated as marine engineer in Esbjerg, Denmark in 1980. He has been with Ramboll Oil & Gas as material
expert since 2012 and had formerly a long career (approx. 30 years) at the material department of FORCE
Technology in Esbjerg. Fields of activities have among other things been: Failure investigation and analysis
(corrosion problems, cracks and fractures, breakdown of engines, turbines, valves etc.), metallurgical
examinations, material selection, NDE-methods, corrosion prevention e.g. including specification and
inspection of surface treatments (coatings, paint systems, hot-dip galvanizing etc.).

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