Specification for Unbonded Flexible Pipe

API SPECIFICATION 17J FOURTH EDITION, MAY 2014

EFFECTIVE DATE: NOVEMBER 2014 ERRATA 1, SEPTEMBER 2016

ERRATA 2, MAY 2017

ADDENDUM 1, OCTOBER 2017

REAFFIRMED, MARCH 2021

Date of Issue: October 2017

Affected Publication: API Specification 17J, Specification for Unbonded Flexible Pipe, Fourth Edition, May 2014

Addendum 1

Page 2, Section 2, the following shall be added:

ASTM D1141, Standard Practice of the Preparation of Substitute Ocean Water

Page 53, Section 6.2.4.6, change:

The tensile armors shall be subject to testing to confirm that the potential hydrogen evolution resulting from cathodic charging does not result in hydrogen embrittlement. The testing shall be conducted on degreased wire samples immersed in deaerated seawater (minimum 3 % NaCl) with the maximum negative cathodic potential applied. The wire shall be stressed to at least the maximum utilization level expected in service. The cathodic charging shall be applied for a minimum duration of 150 h. Post-test examination shall be conducted to confirm that no blistering or cracking of the wire sample has occurred.

to:

The tensile armor wires shall be tested to confirm that the potential hydrogen evolution resulting from cathodic charging does not result in hydrogen embrittlement. The testing shall be conducted on degreased wire samples immersed in aerated synthetic seawater that conforms to ASTM D1141, with a maximum negative cathodic potential applied per the manufacturer’s specification.

NOTE The default value of the maximum negative potential is –1100 mV measured against the Ag/AgCl reference electrode.

The wire shall be stressed to its maximum utilization level expected in service. The cathodic charging shall be applied for a minimum duration of 150 h. Post-test examination shall be conducted, and the acceptance criterion shall be that no blistering or cracking of the wire sample has occurred.

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Copyright © 2014 American Petroleum Institute

Foreword

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Suggested revisions are invited and should be submitted to the Standards Department, API, 200 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20001, standards@api.org.

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Contents

Page

1. Scope 1

2. Normative References 1

3. Terms, Definitions, Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Symbols 4

   1. Terms and Definitions 4

   2. Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Symbols 12

4. Functional Requirements 14

   1. General 14

   2. Overall Requirements 14

   3. General Design Parameters 14

   4. Internal Fluid Parameters 15

   5. External Environment 18

   6. System Requirements 19

5. Design Requirements 22

   1. Loads and Load Effects 22

   2. Pipe Design Methodology 29

   3. Pipe Structure Design 30

   4. System Design Requirements 38

6. Materials 42

   1. Material Requirements 42

   2. Testing Requirements 46

   3. Quality Assurance Requirements 54

7. Manufacturing Requirements 57

   1. Quality Assurance Requirements 57

   2. Carcass 58

   3. Polymer Extrusions 58

   4. Pressure and Tensile Armor Layers 60

   5. Antiwear, Insulation, and Antibuckling Tape Layers 61

   6. End Fitting 61

   7. Processes Requiring Validation 63

   8. Manufacturing Tolerances 65

   9. Repairs 65

8. Documentation 66

   1. General 66

   2. Design Premise 66

   3. Design Load Report 67

   4. Design Report 67

   5. Pipe Datasheet 69

   6. Manufacturing Quality Plan 69

   7. Fabrication Specification 69

   8. As-built Documentation 70

   9. Operation Manual 71

9. Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) 72

   1. General 72

   2. Gauge Test 72

      Page

   3. Hydrostatic Pressure Test 73

   4. Electrical Continuity and Electrical Isolation Tests 74

   5. Gas-venting System Test 74

   6. Sealing Test 75

10. Marking and Packaging 76

    1. Marking 76

    2. Packaging 76

Annex A (informative) API Monogram Program—Use of the API Monogram by Licensees 77

Annex B (informative) Purchasing Guidelines 81

Annex C (informative) Flexible Pipe Datasheet 88

Bibliography 89

Tables

1. Internal Fluid Parameters 15

2. Internal Pressure Definitions 17

3. Temperature Definitions 18

4. External Environment Parameters 19

5. Flowline and Riser Parameters 24

6. Load Combinations of Load Classes, Load Conditions 25

7. Typical Load Classes 26

8. Flexible Pipe Layer Design Criteria 27

9. Minimum Bend Radius Design Criteria 31

10. End-fitting Permissible Utilization Factors 36

11. System-related Pipe Design Requirements 39

12. Property Requirements for Polymer Materials 44

13. Property Requirements for Metallic Wire and Strip Materials and Weldments 45

14. Property Requirements for Antibuckling Tapes 47

15. Test Procedures for Extruded Polymer (Including Antiwear Layers and Insulation)

    and Antibuckling Layer Materials 49

16. Test Procedures for Metallic Materials (Carcass Strip, Pressure Armor, and Tensile

    Armor Wires) and Weldments 52

17. Minimum Raw Material Quality Control Test Requirements 55

18. Requirements of Material Specifications 56

19. Documentation Requirements for the Design Premise 67

20. Factory Acceptance Test 72

B.1 Flexible Pipe Purchasing Guidelines 81

C.1 Flexible Pipe Datasheet Minimum Requirements 88

Figures

1 Internal Pressure Definitions 16

Specification for Unbonded Flexible Pipe

1. Scope

   
   

   API 17J defines the technical requirements for safe, dimensionally and functionally interchangeable flexible pipes that are designed and manufactured to uniform standards and criteria. Minimum requirements are specified for the design, material selection, manufacture, testing, marking, and packaging of flexible pipes, with reference to existing codes and standards where applicable. See API 17B for guidelines on the use of flexible pipes.

   
   

   API 17J applies to unbonded flexible pipe assemblies, consisting of segments of flexible pipe body with end fittings attached to both ends. API 17J does not cover flexible pipes of bonded structure. API 17J does not apply to flexible pipe ancillary components. Guidelines on flexible pipe ancillary components are given in API 17L1, API 17L2, and other API documents.

   
   

   API 17J does not apply to flexible pipes that include nonmetallic tensile and pressure armor wires.

   
   

   The applications addressed by API 17J are sweet and sour service production, including export and injection applications. Production products include oil, gas, water, and injection chemicals. API 17J applies to both static and dynamic flexible pipes used as flowlines, risers, and jumpers. API 17J does not apply to flexible pipes for use in choke and kill line applications. Annex H of API 17B provides recommendations for the application of fiber reinforced polymer materials for pressure armor and tensile armor in unbonded flexible pipe.

   
   

   NOTE 1 See API 16C for choke and kill line applications. NOTE 2 API 17K provides guidelines for bonded flexible pipe.

   If product is supplied bearing the API Monogram and manufactured at a facility licensed by API, the requirements of Annex A apply.

   
   

2. Normative References

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

API Specification 6A, Specification for Wellhead and Christmas Tree Equipment

API Specification 17D, Specification for Subsea Wellhead and Christmas Tree Equipment

API Recommended Practice 17L2, Recommended Practice for Flexible Pipe Ancillary Equipment

API Technical Report 17TR1, Evaluation Standard for Internal Pressure Sheath Polymers for High Temperature Flexible Pipes

API Technical Report 17TR2, The Ageing of PA-11 in Flexible Pipes

ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code 1, Section IX: Welding and Brazing Qualifications

ASTM A29 2, Standard Specification for Steel Bars, Carbon and Alloy, Hot-Wrought, General Requirements for

1. ASME International, 2 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10016-5990, www.asme.org.

2. ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania 19428, www.astm.org.

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