First X-80 HSLA pipeline in the USA

The principals and executives of El Paso/Colorado Interstate Gas determined the viability of using X- 80 HSLA linepipe for a 380 mile, 36 inch, high strength and high pressure natural gas pipeline. The cost of the pipeline was projected at $425 million and was 6 years in the making, from conception to completion. Construction was completed by two contractors employing 3 spreads within approximately 4 months of the construction start date. A number of key elements had to be considered for the successful implementation of such a pipeline, these included the metallurgical design of the X-80 linepipe, bending tolerances, weldability issues, welding procedure qualifications, toughness testing, NDT techniques, welder and welding inspector training programs and hydrotesting. Over 181,000 tons of linepipe was manufactured and delivered to the project. The pipe was manufactured at two different pipe mills – one in Canada (IPSCO, 80% of the entire order) and one in the USA (Napa the remaining, 20%). In addition to the 380 miles of 36 inch diameter mainline pipe, 4 miles of 30 inch X-80 pipe were manufactured and installed in a lateral pipeline near the Greenburg, KS, compressor station. The project originated at the Cheyenne Compressor Station in Wyoming, and was aligned in a South- Easterly direction across Colorado, through Western Kansas and finishing at the Greensburg, Kansas Compressor Station. Over 32,000 additional HP of compression was added to the pipeline to deliver up to 1.7 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas to the marketplace. This paper addresses several of the key materials, welding, NDT and construction issues associated with the use of X-80 HSLA linepipe, that allowed the project to be successfully completed ahead of schedule and under budget. (AU)