Pipelines need to be checked and maintained; for this, valves and special pipe fittings must be installed as the pipeline is built. It is essential the pipeline is strong, but easy to maintain, and so shut-off valves and flanges are used to isolate areas for maintenance and gain easy access.
Even the best laid pipelines corrode and leak – often around flanges and fittings. So the industry is constantly coming up with new alloys and welding techniques to lengthen the life of the structure. Often, when pipe fittings are replaced, it isn’t because they have reached the end of their life but because a better quality product came along. The cost of this must be weighed against the cost of man hours spent checking less reliable pipe fittings, and the environmental and company cost of a pressure leak.
Pipelines are not laid on top of earth. A trench is dug and the pipe covered over, unless it is to run underwater. This causes major headaches in design, because the pipeline is effectively hidden from view – so how can you tell when the flanges need attention? Various geophysical, automated mechanical and electronic systems have been developed to give early warning of problems but, again, the use of high quality alloys such as Duplex is the surest way to ensure pipe fittings give long and reliable service. Reliability in this industry is obviously of paramount importance.
We at Chemipetro manufacture a wide range of pipe fittings for all sorts of industrial systems including refineries, chemical plants and undersea pipelines.