Piping Fabrication and Construction PDF

Engineering Encyclopedia Piping, Pipelines & Valves
Piping Fabrication and Construction
Module Component Page
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................3
01-SAMSS-010 .........................................................................................4
SAES-L-050 and SAES-L-051 ..................................................................4
DETERMINING WHETHER PIPING MEETS
FABRICATION REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................5
Material Limitations ...................................................................................5
Pipe ................................................................................................5
Material Limitations, Cont'd .......................................................................6
Pipe Nipples ...................................................................................6
Flanges...........................................................................................7
Pipe Fittings....................................................................................7
Drawings ...................................................................................................8
Fitup Tolerances .......................................................................................8
Mitered Joints ...............................................................................10
Ends for Field Welding .................................................................10
Pipe Bending...........................................................................................10
Cold Bending ................................................................................13
Hot Bending..................................................................................14
Sample Problem 1...................................................................................15
Solution ...................................................................................................17
Welding and Heat Treatment ..................................................................18
Butt-Welds....................................................................................19
Fillet Weld.....................................................................................23
Welding Steps ..............................................................................23
Inspection and Testing of Pipe Spools ....................................................26
Product Marking and Preparation for Shipment ......................................27
Identification .................................................................................27
Cleaning .......................................................................................28
Painting ........................................................................................28
Protection .....................................................................................28
DETERMINING WHETHER METALLIC PLANT PIPING
MEETS INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS ......................................................29
Storage and Handling..............................................................................29
Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards i

Pipe Fitup and Tolerances ......................................................................30

Alignment of Pipe Attached to Load-Sensitive
Equipment ...............................................................................................31
Flange Joint Assembly .................................................................33
Cleaning ..................................................................................................38
Buried Installation....................................................................................38
Sample Problem 2...................................................................................39
Solution ...................................................................................................40
DETERMINING WHETHER ABOVEGROUND AND
BURIED PIPING MEET INSTALLATION
REQUIREMENTS ..............................................................................................41
Vertical Profile .........................................................................................41
Elastic Bends................................................................................42
Preformed Bends..........................................................................43
Preformed Bends for Aboveground
Pipelines.......................................................................................44
Preformed Bends for Buried Pipelines..........................................45
Storage and Handling..............................................................................46
Installation of Aboveground Pipelines .....................................................46
Installation of Buried Pipelines ................................................................48
Tie-in Temperature..................................................................................49
Cleanup and Records..............................................................................51
SUMMARY ........................................................................................................52
WORK AID 1: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING

WHETHER PIPING MEETS FABRICATION
REQUIREMENTS ..............................................................................................53

WHETHER METALLIC PLANT PIPING MEETS
INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS....................................................................58

WHETHER ABOVEGROUND AND BURIED PIPELINES
MEET INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS.........................................................59
GLOSSARY .......................................................................................................60
Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards ii

INTRODUCTION
An engineer will often be asked to participate in the
design of a piping system by evaluating a contractor's
proposal, auditing a contractor's work, performing a
screening study for cost estimating purposes, or actually
designing and managing pieces of the project.
The previous module discussed the layout, support and
flexibility design of a piping system, one step in designing
the overall piping system. This module discusses
another step in putting the pieces of the system together:
the fabrication and construction of the piping system.
Portions of the piping system are prefabricated by
contractors. After these portions are fabricated, they are
assembled wherever the piping system will be located.
This assembly includes aligning, bolting up, and welding
pieces together. The engineer must ensure that the
fabricated portions of the piping system remain
consistent with the system design, and that they meet
Saudi Aramco requirements. If the pieces of the piping
system do not fit well together, the original design
assumptions may not be valid, and the piping system
may not meet expectations and could fail prematurely.
This module assumes Saudi Aramco Standards will be
used to audit a contractor's fabrication drawings, and field
erection standards, specifically: SAES-L-050, SAES-L-
051, and 01-SAMSS-010. This auditing ensures that the
fabrication and construction of the system meets design
requirements. These requirements, or quality control
items, include:
• Material limitations.
• Fitup tolerances.
• Pipe bending limitations.
• Welding and heat treatment requirements.
• Product marking and preparation for shipment
requirements.
• Flange bolt-up requirements.
• Alignment requirements for critical equipment.
This module discusses the quality control items set forth
by the standards and construction requirements for plant
piping systems and cross-country pipelines.
Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 3

01-SAMSS-010
Saudi Aramco Materials System Specification 01-

SAMSS-010, Fabricated Carbon Steel Piping, is the basis
for piping fabrication requirements. This specification
covers the minimum requirements for the fabrication of
regular carbon steel pipe spools, including welding, heat
treatment, bending, and threading. It may also be used
for special steels or alloys, in which case, exceptions and
additions to this specification will be stated in the
purchase order. 01-SAMSS-010 serves as the primary
document in all purchase orders for piping fabrication.
SAES-L-050 and SAES-L-051
Saudi Aramco Engineering Standard SAES-L-050,

Construction Requirements for Metallic Plant Piping, and
SAES-L-051, Construction Requirements for Cross-
Country Pipelines, supplement fabrication requirements
that are established in the applicable ASME/ANSI B31
Codes.

DETERMINING WHETHER PIPING MEETS FABRICATION REQUIREMENTS

If a system is not fabricated with reasonable quality, the
design assumptions will not be met, and problems can
occur during construction and subsequent operation. For
example, forcing pieces of the system together imposes
loads that were not accounted for in the original design.
These loads could lead to system reliability and
maintenance problems, and eventual failure in extreme
cases. Saudi Aramco standards SAES-L-050, SAES-L-
051, and 01-SAMSS-010 provide the requirements that
ensure a piping system is fabricated properly. For
example, the standards give welding requirements for
fabrication that specify criteria, such as matching
diameter, angularity, and material. The Saudi Aramco
engineer must examine the contractor's work to confirm
that tolerances and other fabrication requirements meet
the standards. Work Aid 1 summarizes these fabrication
requirements.
Material Limitations
Compatible materials are essential for piping fabrication.
All materials that are used for piping elements or
structural attachments must conform to a listed
specification in accordance with ASME/ANSI B31 Codes,
and shall be traceable to mill certificates. This ensures
that basic material quality conforms to recognized
specifications, and that confirming documentation is
supplied for the materials that are actually used. 01-
SAMSS-010 provides specific additional material
requirements for fabrication. These are summarized as
follows.
Pipe
• Pipe for plant applications shall be seamless or
single-longitudinal seam submerged arc-welded
(MEX 101.02) and conform to one of the following:
- API Spec 5L, Grade B through X60.
- ASTM A53, Seamless Grade B, black (not
galvanized).
- ASTM A106, Grade B.
These specifications are all readily available and
result in pipe of comparable strength.

Material Limitations, Cont'd
• Pipe for cross-country pipelines shall conform to one

of the following:
- Electric Resistance Welded (ERW) pipe in

accordance with 01-SAMSS-033, API 5L
Electric Welded Line Pipe.
- Spiral-welded pipe in accordance with 01-

SAMSS-035, API Line Pipe.
- If 01-SAMSS-035 pipe is not available, API 5L

or ASTM A106 pipe may be used provided it
meets the chemical composition and hardness
test requirements that are specified in 01-
SAMSS-035.
For wet, sour service, the pipe must be seamless, or

conform to 01-SAMSS-016, Sour, Wet Service Line
Pipe, for welded pipe.
Pipe Nipples
• Nipples shall conform to one of the pipe

specifications previously listed, and shall be
Schedule 80 minimum thickness. This minimum
thickness is required regardless of the design
conditions and is specified to ensure that these
small diameter nipples have adequate strength to
resist mechanical damage that could occur in the
shop or field. If threading is required, it must be a
taper pipe thread in accordance with ANSI B1.20.1,
Pipe Threads, General Purpose (inch).

Flanges
Weld-neck flanges and blind flanges that conform to one

of the following must be used unless otherwise specified
in the purchase order.
• ASME/ANSI B16.5 using ASTM A350, Grade LF2
normalized material.
• 02-SAMSS-011.
• Saudi Aramco Standard Drawing attached to the
purchase order.
• MSS-SP-44 when not specified by either B16.5 or
Saudi Aramco Standard Drawings.
Here again, basic material strength and quality levels are
being established for standardization purposes. The
strongest flange type, i.e., a weld-neck, is being specified
to avoid any additional design consideration necessary
for slip-on or lap-joint-type flanges. However, remember
that general flange type and material selection
requirements are governed by SAES-L-009 and 02-
SAMSS-011 (as discussed in MEX 101.04), and may
differ from what is stated here for specific cases.
Pipe Fittings
• Butt-welded fittings shall be used for nominal pipe
sizes 50 mm (2 in.) and larger, and conform to 02-
SAMSS-005. Material grade and nominal wall
thickness shall be the same or equal to the
adjoining pipe.
• Forged steel threaded or socket-welded fittings shall
conform to ANSI B16.11, pressure class 3000,
ASTM A105, and unions shall conform to MSS-SP-
83. While class 2000 fittings are available, this
requirement specifies a stronger fitting as the base
case. Threaded or socket-welded fittings can only
be used for pipe sizes smaller than 50 mm (2 in.).
However, the size may include 50 mm (2 in.) NPS
for minor field repairs or maintenance.
• Forged steel welding bosses shall conform to either
Aramco Standard Drawing
AE-036175 or AE-036643 or equivalent forged steel
welding outlets, ASTM A105, pressure class 3000
minimum. These must abut the pipe wall and be
attached with a full-penetration weld. They may
only be used for NPS 50 mm (2 in.) or smaller.

Drawings
Fabrication drawings are provided to the contractor for fabrication work. These
drawings specify piping component materials, dimensions, and specific
tolerances for piping fabrication. The Saudi Aramco engineer needs to check
that the drawings conform to all fabrication requirements, and that these are also
being followed in the field.
• The vendor shall prepare the detailed shop

fabrication drawings.
• Any details not shown on the buyer's drawings shall

be designed by the vendor in accordance with the
applicable ASME/ANSI B31 Code.
• Welded branch connections and other joints shall be

full-strength reinforced such that the MAOP of a
pipe spool shall be as limited by either the specified
pipe or the flange rating. In this way, branch
reinforcement will not be the limiting factor in setting
the piping system MAOP, and would not need to be
considered in any potential future projects to
increase system design pressure.
• Standard piping symbols that are used on Piping

Detail Sheets and Isometrics are identified on
Standard Drawing AB-036227.
Fitup Tolerances
Fitup tolerances specify the allowable limits that are

placed on mismatch between sections of piping. These
tolerances are established to limit any extra load that is
placed on the piping system or connected equipment,
and to provide greater assurance of obtaining acceptable
weld quality. Fitup tolerances apply to all pipe
fabrication.
Established tolerances control the fabrication of the pipe

spool in the shop, and ultimately the assembly of
multiple spool pieces in the field to make up a complete
piping system. Normal practice is to maximize the

amount of shop fabrication to bring the largest possible

spool pieces to the field for final assembly. This
minimizes the amount of work to be done in the field.
The Saudi Aramco engineer must ensure that the
specified fitup tolerances are applied to a contractor's
work. 01-SAMSS-010 provides these tolerances for
fabricated pipe sections, as summarized in Work Aid 1.
The fitup tolerances required for the installation of plant
piping are in SAES-L-050 and will be discussed later in
this module.

Mitered Joints
• Mitered joints are changes in direction that are
obtained by welding short pipe sections together.
Mitered joints with angular offset larger than 3° are
not permitted unless specified on the buyer's
drawing.
• A welding technique shall be used which provides a

smooth, regular, and fully penetrated internal
surface. This, plus the detailed design specified for
the miter, ensures that it will be as strong as the
straight runs of connected pipe.
Ends for Field Welding

• All welding ends shall be beveled with an angle of
35°, plus or minus 5°, and a root face of 1.5 mm
(1/16 in.). The bevels shall be machine-cut bevels
or smooth, clean, slag-free flame cut. The end
plane shall be normal to the pipe axis as defined on
the piping drawing, within 0.25°. In this way, spool-
piece weld ends are already prepared for welding in
the field, when required.
Pipe Bending
A bend is a change in direction that is made by physically
bending a straight section of pipe, rather than by using a
wrought or forged elbow. Pipe bends are prefabricated,
or done by the contractor, and need to be checked by the
Saudi Aramco engineer. Bending is normally done when
a long, gradual change in direction is required, either
because of fluid flow considerations, the local terrain for
pipeline applications, or to permit pipe scraping.
• Bends shall be completely free from buckles, dents,

cracks, wrinkles, other mechanical damage or
indentations such as could be caused by the grips of
the bending machine. These could act as localized
stress-concentration points or obstructions to pipe
scrapers.
• Flat spots shall have no dimension exceeding the
value given by the following formula:
d = 2tD

where: d = Largest dimension of the flat spot

t = Nominal wall thickness
D = Nominal pipe diameter
Larger flat spots could cause higher local stresses
or obstruct pipe scrapers.
Pipe Bending, Cont’d
• The difference between the largest and smallest

diameter (flattening) of the cross-section shall not
exceed 5% of the nominal pipe diameter at any
point in the bend, nor 3% of the nominal pipe
diameter at the ends. A larger difference could
cause excessive local stress, make the bend more
prone to buckling, or obstruct passage of a scraper.
• The minimum wall thickness shall not be less than

the minimum allowed wall thickness of the pipe.
Some pipe thinning will occur during the bending
process. This requirement ensures that the bend
will not limit the MAOP of the system.
• Unless otherwise specified, the centerline radius of

pipe bends shall be at least five times the nominal
pipe diameter (5D). This will minimize local stresses
in the bend.
• When bends are supplied with welding ends for field

welding, a minimum straight tangent length of the
smaller of 1 1/2 times the nominal pipe diameter or
600 mm (2 ft.) shall be provided at each end. This
will provide easier access for welding at the bend.
• Bend tolerances shall be as follows (unless

otherwise specified):
- ± 0.5° on bend angle.
- ± 1% on bend radius.
These points are illustrated in Figure 1.

TOLERANCES AT PIPE BENDS
Notes
• (E-C) Š 0.05D at any point, 0.03D at ends
• A 5D
• B 1.5D or 600 mm (2 ft.), based on smaller value
• Bend Minimum Thickness Not Less Than Straight Pipe Minimum Allowable
Thickness
• Bend Tolerances: ±5° on angle, ±1% on radius
FIGURE 1

Cold Bending
Cold bending is normally done on tubing and on pipe with

relatively small diameters and wall thicknesses. Proper
equipment and dies are essential to avoid wrinkling,
excessive thinning, and excessive ovality. Saudi Aramco
requires that:
• Cold bends shall be made below 649°C (1,200°F),

and seamless, Grade B pipe shall be used. The
temperature shall be below 316°C (600°F) if pipe
material that has been strengthened by cold work is
used (such as the "X" grades of the API 5L
specification). Using a higher bending temperature
with a cold-worked material will reduce the material
strength.
• For pipe that is 150 mm (6 in.) and larger in outside

diameter, cold bends shall not be used unless they
were specified in the Purchase Order, and have at
least a 10D bend radius.
• For cold bends with a radius of less the 30D, the

nominal outside diameter divided by the nominal
wall thickness shall not exceed 35.
• For wet, sour service, cold bends to a radius of 5D

or less shall be heat treated at 593-649°C (1,100-
1,200°F) for one hour per 25 mm (1 in.) nominal wall
thickness, but not less than one hour.
• For wet, sour service, a hardness measurement

shall be made on each bend at the outer radius of
the bend area. The maximum hardness is limited to
237 Brinell. Limiting the hardness level at the
maximum stress point of the bend minimizes the
probability of cracking in this service.

Hot Bending
Pipe hot bending may be done either in a furnace, or by

passing the pipe through an induction heating coil. 01-
SAMSS-010 specifies general requirements for hot
bending, and specific requirements for both the furnace
and induction methods. The following highlights several
of these requirements. Participants are referred to 01-
SAMSS-010 for additional details.
• Detailed procedures must be submitted for review

and approval by the Consulting Services
Department.
• Impact test requirements are specified for low-

temperature service [below -18°C (0°F)].
• Hardness measurements and acceptance criteria

are specified. This will ensure that the bending
procedure did not produce any locally hard areas
that would be more prone to cracking.
• Wall thickness measurements must be made along

the bend to ensure that excessive thinning did not
occur.
• Pipe material and bending temperature

requirements are specified for furnace hot bends.
• Procedural requirements are specified for induction

bends.

Sample Problem 1
This sample problem will review what has been

discussed thus far regarding fabrication and installation
of plant piping systems. Work Aid 1 may be used to help
solve this problem.
A contractor has been engaged by Saudi Aramco to

fabricate and install a piping system at a new pump.
There have been reports from the field that pipe fitup and
pump alignment have not been going smoothly. Field
personnel have expressed concern that the fabrication
and installation quality is not good. You have been asked
to begin reviewing the situation.
Figure 2 is a representation of a fabrication drawing for

one portion of the piping system. Your intent is to use
this as a sample to see if further review of the
contractor's work is necessary. In addition to this, flange
alignment measurements were made in the field at the P-
602 suction flange. The following misalignments were
measured:
• Vertical bolt-hole offset +1.5 mm (+ 1/16 in.)
• Horizontal bolt-hole offset -0.8 mm (- 1/32 in.)
• Rotational offset +0.4 mm (+ 1/64 in.)
• Flange-face tilt across diameter +2.4 mm (+ 3/32 in.)
• Flange-face separation +1.5 mm (+ 1/16 in.)
No deviations or additions from 01-SAMSS-010 were

permitted by the original purchase specification. Use 01-
SAMSS-010, SAES-L-050, and Work Aid 1 to assist in
your review.

FABRICATION DRAWING
A D
B
Connect to P-602
Suction Flange
Dimensions
A = 37'6" ±1/4"
B = 13'-4" ±1/8"
C = 22'-0" ±1/8"
D = On Pipe Centerline ±3/16"
E = 96" Bend Radius
Notes
- Pipe: A106, Gr. A, 16 in., Sch 40.
- Nipples for Vents and Drains: 3/4 in., Sch 40,
A106, Gr. B.
- Weld-Neck Flanges: ASME/ANSI B16.5, Class
300, A350 LF2.
- Butt-Weld Fittings: A234, Gr. WPB.
- 3/4 in. Forged Couplings for Vents and Drains:
ANSI B16.11, Class 2000, A105
- Conform to ASME/ANSI B31.3 and 01-
SAMSS-010
FIGURE 2

Solution
1. The fabrication drawing shows the pipe material to
be A106, Gr. A. This is not an acceptable material
per 01-SAMSS-010. It should be A106, Gr. B, or
one of the other acceptable pipe material
specifications.
2. The nipples are specified to be A106, Gr. B material,
which is acceptable. However, their wall thickness
is specified as Sch. 40. They should be Sch. 80
minimum per 01-SAMSS-010.
3. The flanges are specified to be weld-neck,
ASME/ANSI B16.5, Class 300, A350 LF2 material.
This is acceptable.
4. The butt-weld fittings are specified to be A234, Gr.
WPB. This is acceptable.
5. The forged couplings are specified to be A105
material, ANSI B16.11, Class 2000. They should be
Class 3000 per 01-SAMSS-010.
6. A note indicates that the fabrication conforms to
ASME/ANSI B31.3 and 01-SAMSS-010. Based on
previous information, this is not in conformance with
at least 01-SAMSS-010 requirements.
7. The dimensional tolerances should conform to 01-
SAMSS-010 and SAES-L-050.
Dimensions B & C conform to the required 1/8 in.
tolerance.
Dimension A has a + 1/4 in. tolerance and is not
acceptable.
Dimension D indicates the flanged branch
connection can be off the pipe centerline by 3/16 in.
It should have a 1/16 in. tolerance.
The bend radius of 96 in. is acceptable since it
exceeds the minimum of five times (Nominal Pipe
Diameter) required by 01-SAMSS-010.
8. The flange alignment tolerances generally exceed
the 1/64 in. maximum misalignment tolerance
specified in SAES-L-050, since several exceed the
maximum 1/64 in. permitted.

Solution, Cont’d
In reviewing this one fabrication drawing, a large number
of relatively serious fabrication and construction
discrepancies were found. The fabrication and erection
tolerances do not conform to Saudi Aramco
requirements. Therefore, it should not be surprising that
there are problems in the field with the installation. In
addition, several material and piping component design
deficiencies were also noted. Because of all these
deficiencies, a complete design review of the contractor's
work is warranted.
It should be noted that this review was only made on the
basis of conforming to the minimum Saudi Aramco
requirements for fabrication and erection. It was not a
design review. For example, it was tacitly assumed that
Class 300 flanges and Schedule 40 thickness for the 16
in. pipe were acceptable for the design conditions. A
complete design review would at least spot check these
items, as well, at some point during project execution.
Welding and Heat Treatment

Welding is one of the primary ways of joining pipe.
Welded joints represent the ultimate in safety and
reliability. All codes call for welding to be carried out
using a qualified procedure and welders. Included in the
standard procedure are: base-metal specifications,
electrode, joint preparation, weld position, welding
process (including whether it is manual or automatic),
techniques, electrical details, preheat and interpass
temperatures, and post-weld heat treatment
requirements. The Saudi Aramco engineer needs to
check how the contractor plans to weld pipe together.
This requires knowing the primary welding types and
where they are typically employed in piping systems. 01-
SAMSS-010 and the applicable ASME/ANSI B31 Code
provide considerations for heat treatment and the two
primary weld types used: butt welds and fillet welds.
Saudi Aramco welding requirements are specified in the
following SAES's:
• SAES-W-001, Basic Welding Requirements.
• SAES-W-011, Welding Requirements for On-plot
Piping.
• SAES-W-012, Welding Requirements for Pipelines.

Butt-Welds
Butt-welds are made between two components whose

edges are in close proximity. Butt-welded joints in piping
systems are primarily of the single-V configuration and
are welded from the pipe outside surface. Larger
diameter pipes which can be accessed from the inside
will often be welded from both sides using a double-V
type of joint preparation. The joint preparation and the
procedure that is used ensure that there is complete
fusion between the edges of the components being
joined. Joint designs shown in Figure 3 or applicable
combinations of these joint design details are typically
used for ends of equal thickness. The transition between
ends of unequal thickness may be accomplished by taper
grinding the thicker pipe to match the thinner, or by using
weld metal to provide a smooth transition as shown in
Figure 4. A prefabricated thickness transition section of
not less than one-half pipe diameter in length is another
means to make the change between pipe thickness.
Butt-welds will always be used to weld pipe ends
together, to weld butt-weld-type flanges or fittings to pipe
ends, or to weld the edges of formed plate together when
plate is used to manufacture pipe.

ACCEPTABLE BUTT-WELDED JOINT DESIGN FOR
;;;;;;;
EQUAL WALL THICKNESS
+ 5 deg. 1/16 in. + 1/32 in. 1/16 in. + 1/32 in.

30 degree- 0 deg.
37-1/2 deg.
;;;;;;;
+ 2-1/2 deg. 10 deg. + 1 deg.
Rounded
t > 7/8 in. 37 1/2 deg.
7/8 in. + 2-1/2 deg.
3/4 in.
(a) Standard End Preparation (b) Standard End Preparation
of Pipe of Butt-Welding Fittings and
Optional End Preparation of 1/16 in + 1/32 in.
Pipe 7/8 in. and Thinner
( c) Suggested End Preparation,
;;
;;
Pipe and Fittings Over
7/8 in. Thickness
+ 2-1/2 deg.
37-1/2 deg.
Standard End Preparations
+ 5 deg. 37-1/2 deg.
;;
;;;
;;;;
;;;
30 deg.
to
- 0 deg. + 2-1/2 deg.
60 deg.
- 0 deg.
+ 5 deg.
10 deg. + 1 deg.
to
+ 2-1/2 deg.
37-1/2 deg.
80 deg.
30 deg.
(d)
(e)
(f)
Acceptable Combinations of Pipe End Preparations
Source: ASME/ANSI B31.4 - 1989. With permission from American Society of Mechanical
Engineers.
FIGURE 3

; ;;;;
; ;;;;
ACCEPTABLE BUTT-WELDED JOINT DESIGN FOR
UNEQUAL WALL THICKNESS
;; ;
t tw t tw 2 t 2
tD tw tD
1/2 t max. 30 deg. max. 1/2 t max.
3/32 in. max. 30 deg. max. to 14 deg. min. (1:4) 1
(a) (b) (c)
;; ;
t tw 2
tD
30 deg. max. 1/2 t max.
1/2 t max. 2
tw tD
; ; ;
t
30 deg. max. to 14 deg. min. (1:4) 1
(d) (e)
;; ;
1
30 deg. max. to 14 deg. min. (1:4)
30 deg. max. to 14 deg. min. (1:4) 1

2
tw tD
2 t
tD
tw
t 1
30 deg. max. to 14 deg. min. (1:4)
(f) (g)
Engineers.
FIGURE 4

FILLET WELDS
;; ;;;;;
Size of
Weld
; Surface of Perpendicular Member
Convex Fillet Weld
Size of
Surface of Weld
Horizontal
Member
Theoretical Throat
Equal Leg Fillet Weld
Concave
Fillet Weld Size
Fillet Weld
Size of
Weld
Surface of Perpendicular Member
Convex Filled Weld
Surface of
Horizontal
Member
Theoretical Throat
Unequal Leg Fillet Weld
Concave
Fillet Weld
GENRAL NOTE: GENRAL NOTE:
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;;;
The size of An Equal Leg fillet Weld Is the Length of the Largest The size of an Unequal Leg fillet Weld Is the Lengths of the Largest
Inscribed Isosceles Right triangle (Theoretical Throat = 0.707 X Size). Right triangle Which Can Be Inscribed Within the Weld Cross Section
(e.g. 1/2 in. x 3/4 in.)
Typical Details for Double-Welded Slip-on and Socket Welding

Flange Attachment Welds
X min X min X min X min

X min X min X min X min
;;
;;
1/16 in.
Approx. Gap
The Lesser of T or 1/4 in. Before Welding
(1) Front and Back Welds (2) Face and Back Welds (3) Socket Welding Flange
xmin. = the Lesser of 1.4 T or the Thickness of the Hub
;;
t
cx
Minimum Welding Dimensions t = Pressure Design Thickness
for Socket Welding cx
Components Other Then Flanges
1/16 in. Approx. Gap
;;; ;;; ;;;

Before Welding
cx (min.) = 1-1/4 but Not
Less Than 1/8 in. (3.2mm)
;;;;; ;
;;
Typical Backing Rings and Consumable Inserts
3/16 in.
tm (c) Nonmetallic Removable

Backing Ring (Refractory
;;;;;; ;;
3/4 in. (d) Square Ring or
1/8 in. to 3/16 in. Round Wire Type
(a) Butt Joint with Bored Pipe Ends
and Solid or Split Backing Ring
3/16 in.
(e) Flat Rectangular Ring
Typical
Consumable
tm Inserts
(f) Formed Ring Type
3/4 in.
1/8 in. to 3/16 in. (g) Y-Type
(b) Butt Joint with Taper-Bored Ends
and Solid Backing Ring
Engineers.
FIGURE 5

Fillet Weld
The fillet weld generally requires no special preparation
of the joints. It is an angular weld bead that joins
components positioned normally at a 90° angle to each
other. Fillet welds may be concave to slightly convex in
shape. The size of a fillet weld is stated as a leg length
of the largest inscribed right isosceles triangle as shown
in Figure 5 covering typical attachment details of slip-on
flanges. In piping systems, fillet welds are only used for
slip-on flanges, socket welds, and for welding
attachments to piping components (e.g., reinforcing pads,
supports, etc.).
Welding Steps
The following outlines the overall steps that are required

for welding.
Preparation for Welding - Procedure and Welder Qualification:
• Before any welding is done, the specific details of

how it will be carried out, i.e. the welding procedure,
must be specified and demonstrated to achieve
acceptable results. A welding procedure is as
important to the welder as a blueprint or drawing is
to a machinist. Each of the ASME/ANSI B31
Codes, plus modifications contained in SAES-W-
001 (and SAES-W-011 or SAES-W-012 as
applicable), specify welding procedure qualification
requirements.
• Welding procedure qualification demonstrates that

the approach specified for doing the weld will
achieve acceptable results when properly applied.
The next step is to qualify the particular welders and
welding equipment to carry out the specific welding
procedure. Here again, the relevant ASME/ANSI
B31 Code plus Saudi Aramco requirements must be
met.
• The end result of these two steps is that both the

welding procedure, and the individuals and
equipment executing it, have been confirmed to
produce acceptable results.

Welding and Heat Treatment, Cont’d
Cleaning:
• Internal and external surface to be thermally cut or

welded shall be clean and free from paint, oil, rust,
scale, or other material that would be detrimental to
either the weld or base metal when heat is applied.
If such items are not cleaned, they could mix with
the weld metal at elevated temperatures and result
in poor quality welds.
End Preparation:
• The ends of the components to be welded must be

set to the correct geometric shape suitable for the
materials, wall thickness, and welding process
involved.
• End preparation is acceptable only if the surface is

reasonable smooth and true, and slag from oxygen
or arc cutting is cleaned from thermally cut surfaces.
Discoloration that remains on a thermally cut
surface is not considered to be detrimental
oxidation.
• Component ends may be trimmed to allow for fitting

a backing ring, provided that the remaining net
thickness of the finished ends is not less than the
minimum required wall thickness for the service
conditions. A backing ring is often placed at the
inside surface of pipe sections to be joined by butt-
welds to assist in achieving full penetration and
fusion.
• It is permissible to size pipe ends to be of the same

nominal size to improve alignment if wall thickness
requirements are maintained.
• Where necessary, weld metal may be deposited

inside or outside the component to permit alignment
or provide for machining to ensure satisfactory
seating of rings or inserts.

Preheating is used, along with heat treatment, to minimize

the detrimental effects of high temperature and severe
thermal gradients that are inherent in welding. The
necessity for preheating and the temperature to be used
shall be specified in the engineering design and stated by
procedure qualification. Specific preheat temperature
requirements are specified in the appropriate
ASME/ANSI B31 Code based on the pipe material and
wall thickness that are being joined.
The following identifies specific benefits of preheating:
• Dries the metal and removes surface moisture

which could, if present, result in porosity of the weld
metal.
• Reduces the temperature difference between the

base metal and the weld to reduce the cooling rate
of the weldment, lowers the weld hardness to
reduce residual stresses, and reduces
cooling/shrinkage stresses.
• Helps maintain the weld pool molten for a longer

time to permit maximum fluxing and separation of
impurities.
• Helps drive off absorbed gases (such as hydrogen)

which could contribute to weld porosity.
Postweld-heat treatment is used to avert or relieve the

detrimental effects of high temperature and severe
temperature gradients that are inherent in welding, and to
relieve residual stresses that are created by bending and
forming. Specific heat treatment temperature and
procedure requirements are specified in the appropriate
ASME/ANSI B31 Code based on the pipe material and
wall thickness being joined.

The following summarizes the principal reasons for

PWHT:
• Stress relief is the most common reason for

specifying PWHT, and is the only consideration for
the requirements that are specified in the
ASME/ANSI B31 Codes. Residual stresses will
remain in the pipe and result from shrinkage as the
weld and adjacent pipe metal cool down from
elevated welding temperatures. Residual stresses
will also remain after bending or forming processes.
If these residual stresses are too high, they can lead
to premature failure of the pipe. ASME/ANSI B31
Code requirements specify when PWHT is required
to relieve these residual stresses and bring the pipe
to an initial stress-free state. PWHT is also required
to reduce fabrication stresses to minimize the
potential for stress-corrosion cracking in certain
process environments, such as caustic, amines, and
wet H2S.
• After welding the normal grades of stainless steels

(i.e., those that are not stabilized with alloy
additions), it is necessary to heat treat the material
to restore maximum corrosion resistance.
• PWHT is required to prevent caustic embrittlement
of welded carbon steel pipe that handles alkaline
solutions. Caustic embrittlement is a form of stress
corrosion where the residual stresses due to
welding are sufficient to cause failure.
• PWHT is also sometimes necessary to reduce weld
hardness in certain materials. Minimizing weld
hardness reduces the tendency to crack, especially
in certain process environments such as caustic or
wet H2S.
Inspection and Testing of Pipe Spools
When the pipe spool piece has been completely

fabricated, it is ready for final inspection and testing. The
vendor shall give reasonably advanced notice regarding
the dates that fabrication and tests will be made. All
materials, certificates, fabrication, testing, and
examination shall be in accordance with ASME/ANSI

B31.3, Chapter VI, and are subject to verification by the

buyer's inspector.
When all openings on a pipe spool are either flanged or

threaded, the spool shall be hydrostatically tested. When
no test pressure is indicated in the purchase order, the
hydrostatic test pressure shall be based on the flange
rating per ASME/ANSI B16.5, but in no case shall the
pipe be stressed to more than 90% of the specified
minimum yield strength based on the nominal pipe
thickness.
The vendor must provide the blind flanges, plugs and

caps that are needed to close off open spool piece ends.
This prevents the entry of dirt and debris during
transportation and subsequent storage prior to field
installation, and reduces the amount of cleaning and
flushing required in the field.
Pipe spools with welded ends shall not be pressure

tested unless specified in the purchase order. In these
cases, the spools will be tested in the field after the entire
piping system has been assembled.
Product Marking and Preparation for Shipment
In order to properly assemble the piping spools in the

field, the vendor must properly identify and prepare each
segment for shipment.
Identification
• Each spool shall be marked with the spool mark

number painted at the ends as shown on the
drawings. The numbers shall not be less than 25
mm (1 in.) in height.
• The spool number will be die-stamped on the rim of

each flange.
• Pipe bends that are delivered as separate

components must also be marked, as specified in
01-SAMSS-010.

Product Marking and Preparation for Shipment, Cont’d
Cleaning
• All loose, foreign material and weld spatter shall be

removed. The spool shall be clean and dry.
Painting
• Unless specified otherwise, spools shall not be

painted or coated.
Protection
• When spools are supplied with blind flanges, the

latter shall be bolted on with the specified gaskets
and stud bolts. Other flange faces shall be
protected by a cover that is bolted to the flange.
• Threaded pipe ends shall be provided with steel or

malleable iron pipe caps.
• Threads shall be coated with a graphite and oil

paste.
• Welding ends shall be protected by a securely

fastened bevel protector.

DETERMINING WHETHER METALLIC PLANT PIPING MEETS

INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS
The piping fabrication requirements that were discussed

in the previous section apply primarily to carbon steel
piping, but may be used for alloy piping as well, with
some modifications. For plant piping, there are additional
piping fabrication requirements that the engineer must be
able to identify when auditing a contractor's work. These
requirements are outlined in SAES-L-050, which
supplements ASME/ANSI Code B31.3. This section
discusses some of the requirements that are established
in ASME/ANSI B31.3 and SAES-L-050. These
requirements are highlighted in Work Aid 2.
Storage and Handling
Improper handling and storage of pipe materials and

welding filler metals can cause damage and result in poor
construction quality and failures during operation.
• Pipe shall not be stored directly on the ground, and

shall be placed on mounds or sleepers. This will
help prevent the accumulation of rainwater around
the pipe, which could result in corrosion.
• Pipe shall not be stacked so high that pipes or their

coatings may be damaged.
• Fittings and valves shall be stored in shipping crates

or on racks. This is to provide greater protection
from damage until these components are used.
• End protectors shall be firmly attached to prevent

damage to weld bevels, flange faces, threads, or
socket-weld ends.
• Lined and coated pipes and fittings shall be lifted

with wide fabric or rubber-covered slings and
padding to prevent damage. This prevents overly-
localized load application which could lead to
excessive pipe deformation and damage to the
lining or coating.

Pipe Fitup and Tolerances
Good joint fitup is essential to making a sound weld and

minimizing the loads imposed on the piping system and
connected equipment. Depending on the welding
process used, a slight mismatch may be permissible.
The applicable ASME/ANSI B31 Code specifies welding
requirements, which are supplemented by Saudi Aramco
requirements. For example, in pipe joints where the
inside diameters have not been matched up by internal
boring or tapering, fitup may become a problem,
particularly when backing rings are not used.
• Pipe fitup for welded joints shall be as required by

SAES-W-001, Section 7.
• The tolerance for axial dimensions, face-to-face,

center-to-face, and location of attachments shall be
±3 mm (±1/8 in.) maximum.
• Flattening of bends, measured as the difference

between the largest and smallest outside diameter
at any cross-section, shall not exceed 5% of the
nominal diameter of the pipe (3% at the ends).
• Lateral translation of branches and connections

from centerline of run shall not exceed ±1.5 mm
(±1/16 in.).
• Flange bolt holes shall straddle the centerlines.

Rotation of flanges, measured as the offset between
elevation of bolt holes on opposite sides of a flange
centerline, shall not exceed ±1.5 mm (±1/16 in.).
• The tilt of flange measured at the periphery across

any diameter shall not exceed 1 mm (1/32 in.) from
the square position.

Alignment of Pipe Attached to Load-Sensitive Equipment
As discussed in MEX 101.07, special care must be taken

for load-sensitive equipment, especially rotating
equipment. Specifically, in attaching pipe to rotating
equipment, the installation should avoid putting excessive
forces and moments on the machinery nozzles which
could result in misalignment. The flexibility calculations
that were discussed in MEX 101.07 do not account for
loads imposed on equipment nozzles during erection,
and tacitly assume that these will be relatively small.
Adhering to relatively small installation tolerances makes
this a valid assumption.
• Installation of piping that is connected to rotating
equipment should preferably start at the machine
nozzle flange. This will reduce the possibility of
having a large mismatch between the pipe and
machine flanges if pipe installation is begun from the
opposite end of the system. The first piping section
up to the first flange should be loosely bolted to the
machine nozzle flange. Gaskets should be used
during fabrication procedures and renewed before
final boltup. Temporary supports may be required
during installation until all pipe sections and
permanent supports are installed.
• Bolt on succeeding pipe sections as appropriate up
to the first support. Adjust this support as required
to just contact the pipe at its bearing point before
any temporary pipe supports are removed. Proceed
to any other adjacent supports which should be
similarly adjusted.
• One or more field welds are typically used to join the
piping nearest to the machine with the rest of the
system. The number and location of these field
welds are determined such that they will permit final
position adjustments to achieve acceptable flange
alignment at the machine nozzle. The piping
system should generally be freestanding on its
permanent support system without any additional
support or restraint prior to making these field welds.
If this were not the case, additional loads could be
imposed on the machine nozzle when the temporary
supports or restraints are subsequently removed
after making the field welds.

• Spring supports should be locked in their cold

position during pipe installation.
• All spring supports will be adjusted in the locked

position just until they contact their respective
support points. If spring-support adjustment is
insufficient, modifications to associated structural
members or shimming will be required. Spring
hangers should also be locked and hanger rods
adjusted until free movement is eliminated. Vertical
flange misalignment should never be corrected by
using spring-support adjusters or spring-hanger
rods.
Alignment of Pipe Attached to Load-Sensitive Equipment, Cont’d

• Final bolt tensioning of component flanges close to
the machinery should be done after initial alignment
of nozzle flanges.
• Piping that requires any sections to be removed for

flushing after completing field welds should have
final nozzle alignment and component flange boltup
completed after replacing flushed sections.
• For piping over 75 mm (3 in.) NPS connected to

machinery, flange alignment must be within more
stringent limits than is specified for general piping
systems. More stringent limits are required to
minimize the loads that are imposed by flange
boltup. These flange alignment limits are
summarized in Work Aid 1.
• Precautions should be taken to prevent ingress of

debris into machine internals during construction of
connecting pipework.
• Spring supports are designed to support the weight

of the pipe, insulation, and contents during
operation. Flange alignment is most easily
accomplished with the spring locking stops installed,
which makes the spring a rigid support. Since
alignment is being done with the pipe empty, and
the spring support was designed for the line full,

trying to do a pipe alignment with the spring stops

removed could be an unreasonable exercise
(especially if the springs are designed for liquid
loading during operation).
Flange Joint Assembly
Flange joint assembly procedures directly affect the

ability of the flange to be leak-tight in service. In many
low-pressure, low-temperature, and/or nonflammable
services, many rules of good flanged joint design and
makeup can and have been violated with no adverse
consequences. However, it is dangerous to break these
rules in critical, high-temperature services since the
results can be serious leakage problems with consequent
fires. The primary factors for successfully making up a
flanged joint and controlling leakage are the following:
• Proper selection and design of the flanged joint.
• Proper preparation, inspection, and installation of
the flanged joint.
• Identifying and controlling the causes of leakage.
Flanged joint assembly and leakage control are
discussed below.

Preparation, Inspection, and Installation – The following
discusses the primary steps that are required to achieve
a properly assembled flanged joint. These are
summarized in Work Aid 2.
• Redo Damaged Surfaces — Warped or badly

corroded flanges should be replaced or refaced.
Flanges with tool marks or scratches across the
gasket seating surface should be refaced, since
these form leakage paths.
• Clean Faces — All gasket and flange surfaces

should be clean. Remove all burrs, rust, and dirt
from flange faces with scrapers or wire brushes.
This step is often overlooked.
• Align flanges — Flanges at rest should be within the

alignment tolerances previously discussed, with the

flanges practically mating before the bolts are
installed. Nonparallel flanges are sometimes
straightened by applying heat or by bending the
pipe. However, the best alignment approach usually
involves cutting off the flange and rewelding it to the
pipe.
Bringing the flanges into alignment should not leave

any residual stresses in the piping system. Residual
stresses could lead to flange leakage in service or
overload problems in systems that are connected to
load-sensitive equipment. This becomes more
important with increasing pipe diameter, as the
residual stress increases with increasing diameter
for the same amount of misalignment.
• Lubricate Threads and Nuts — Lubricate the bolt

threads and the nut faces where they will contact
the flange. An oil-graphite mixture works well. For
high temperatures, use high-temperature silicone
grease or a colloidal copper compound. Lubrication
helps increase the amount of bolt load that goes into
tightening the flange rather than into overcoming
friction. Lubrication also aids in achieving high
enough and uniform bolt tension required to achieve
a leak-free joint during operation.

• Place Gasket Properly — The gasket must be
centered on the flange faces to achieve a reliable
joint, but holding the gasket in place can be a
problem. If something must be used to hold the
gasket, a high-temperature grease may be used
sparingly in systems that operate at less than 93°C
(200°F). No grease, paste, or adhesive should be
used to hold gaskets for systems operating at 93°C
(200°F) or more. The high temperature causes
these materials to burn off, which could damage the
gasket and cause leakage.
Thin cellophane tape may be used on the outside

edges of a gasket, but never on the seating

surfaces. Tape on the seating surfaces will deform

the gasket during joint assembly, burn out at
operating temperature, and thus provide a leakage
path. Centering rings on spiral-wound gaskets help
by allowing the gasket to be supported in the proper
position by a few bolts while the other bolts are
inserted. Sheet gaskets should be cut so that their
outside diameter corresponds to the bolt position,
again to help centering.
• Use Proper Flange Boltup Procedure — Flanges

may be made up using a wrench and hammer, an
impact wrench, a torque wrench, or a stud
tensioner. The most important aspects of a proper
boltup procedure, regardless of method, are to:
– Use a "criss-cross" pattern bolt-tightening

sequence, as is used when bolting a wheel onto
a car. Examples of such bolting patterns are
shown in Figure 6. This approach helps to
achieve a uniform bolt load around the flange.
– Use at least three rounds of tightening around

the flange, increasing the applied load in each
round, with two rounds at the maximum load.
This approach also helps achieve uniform bolt
load around the flange circumference.
– For the most critical high-temperature or high-

pressure flanges, use a method that permits
measuring the applied load (i.e., torque wrench
or stud tensioner). In this way, there is greater
assurance that uniform bolt load is achieved.
For such applications, a maximum stud stress
during boltup of 275-345 MPa (40-50,000 psi) is
the normal target.

Causes of Flange Leakage – Most of the primary causes of
flange leakage are directly related to poor inspection or
installation. These are summarized below:

• Uneven Bolt Stress — An incorrect boltup procedure

or limited working space near one side of a flange
can leave some bolts loose while others crush the
gasket. This is especially troublesome in high-
temperature services, when the heavily loaded bolts
relax during operation.
• Improper Flange Alignment — Improper flange
alignment, especially nonparallel faces, causes
uneven gasket compression, local crushing, and
subsequent leakage.
• Improper Gasket Centering — If a gasket is off-
center compared to the flange faces, the gasket will
be unevenly compressed and more prone to
leakage.
• Dirty or Damaged Flange Faces — Dirt, scale,
scratches, protrusions, or weld spatter on gasket
seating surfaces provide leakage paths or can
cause uneven gasket compression that results in
leakage.
• Excessive Loads in the Piping System at Flange
Locations — Excessive piping system forces and
moments at flanges can distort them and cause
leaks. Common causes of this are inadequate
flexibility, using excessive force to align flanges, and
improper location of supports or restraints.
• Thermal Shock — Rapid temperature fluctuations
can cause flanges to deform temporarily, resulting in
leakage.
• Improper Gasket Size or Material. — Using the

wrong gasket size or material can result in leakage.
• Improper Flange Facing — A rougher flange-surface

finish than specified for spiral-wound gaskets can
result in leakage.
Discussing the principal methods for correcting flange

leakage problems is beyond the scope of this course.
However, several of them will be quite obvious based on
the causes of leakage highlighted above.

TYPICAL "CRISS-CROSS" BOLT-TIGHTENING SEQUENCE
3 3
7 5
4 Bolt 8 Bolt
1 2 1 2
Flange Flange
6 8
4 4
3 13 3 11
9 7
5 7
5 11
9 15
12 Bolt 16 Bolt
1 2 1 Flange 2
Flange
16 10
12 6
8 6
8 10 12 14
4 4
13 3 17 3 1119
9 7 2115
5 7
5 11 17 23
19 15 9 14
1 20 Bolt 2 1 24 Bolt 2
16 Flange 20 13 Flange 10
12 6 24 18
8 10 8 6
20
18 4 14 12 4 16 22
FIGURE 6

Cleaning
• Prefabricated pipe spools shall be visually inspected

for cleanliness, have foreign matter removed from
the inside, and have end protectors installed.
• After assembly and installation, the piping shall be

cleaned inside to remove all material, either by
flushing or blowing with air as a minimum. Excess
debris that is left in the line could adversely impact
process operations and cause equipment damage.
• The interior of carbon steel piping for specific

services such as boiler-feed water, lube and seal oil,
must be chemically cleaned since these services
are especially sensitive to even small quantities of
dirt and corrosion products that remain in the pipe.
• Pipe cleaning must be done so that soft seats of

valves, control valves, and instruments are not
damaged. These components are typically removed
from the system prior to cleaning.
Buried Installation
• Buried metallic plant piping shall have corrosion

protection in accordance with the applicable SAES-
H and SAES-X standards. Buried installations shall
be in accordance with SAES-L-051.
• The minimum cover in paved or otherwise stabilized

areas shall be 450 mm (18 in.), or as required by
SAES-L-046. The minimum cover under paved
roads shall be 760 mm (30 in.).

Sample Problem 2
You have been assigned to review the installation of

several new piping systems being installed at Ras
Tanura. As part of your effort, you have been watching
flange installation procedures being used by the
contractor. The particular flange being installed is 600
mm (24 in.) in diameter and has 24, 38 mm (1-1/2 in.)
diameter studs. The design pressure and temperature of
the system are 3,103 kPa (450 psig) and 427°C (800°F)
respectively, and is in a dangerous, hydrocarbon service.
This is what you have observed:
• The flange make-up crew inspected the flange

surfaces and used a wire brush to clean them.
• Flange alignment was measured and compared to

the required acceptance criteria. No excessive
force was used to bring the flanges into alignment.
• They are having difficulty keeping the gasket in

place since the flange is in a horizontal pipe run.
They solved this problem by using two strips of
adhesive tape across the gasket and attached to the
flange.
• The studs are inserted and the nuts finger tightened.

Then three men take turns tightening each stud by
hammering on a stud wrench with a 5 kg (10 lb.)
hammer as hard as they can. Since the flange is
fairly large and it is a very hot day, the men are
tightening the studs in sequence around the flange
to avoid moving from one side of the pipe to the
other, and wasting time and energy.
Is this procedure acceptable?

Solution
This crew started out doing the job right, but did not finish
the job correctly. The following items are incorrect:
• Tape installed in the manner described will likely

lead to leakage during operation. If tape is needed,
it must be attached only to the edge of the gasket
and not its face. However, if the gasket is a spiral-
wound-type, there should be a centering ring to
keep the gasket in place. If the gasket is a sheet-
type, it should be cut so that its outside diameter just
contacts the bolts to help center it.
• For the service described, it would be preferable if a

torque wrench or stud tensioner was used for boltup
to help achieve more uniform bolt stress. If a
hammer and wrench is used, the highest force
should not be immediately applied to each stud. It
should be applied in increments.
• The studs should be tightened in a "criss-cross"

bolting sequence.

DETERMINING WHETHER ABOVEGROUND AND BURIED PIPING MEET

The piping fabrication requirements that were discussed

earlier apply primarily to all carbon steel piping systems,
but may be used for alloy piping as well, with some
modifications. For transportation piping, there are
additional piping fabrication and installation requirements
that the engineer must be able to identify when auditing a
contractor's work. These requirements are located in
SAES-L-051, which supplements ASME/ANSI B31.4 and
B31.8. This section discusses some of the requirements
that are established in ASME/ANSI B31.4 and SAES-L-
051. This information should not be used to replace the
standard for on-the-job applications. Work Aid 3
summarizes these requirements.
Vertical Profile
• A route drawing, detailed plan drawings, a piping
and instrument diagram, a hydrostatic test diagram,
and other drawings required per SAES-L-020 shall
be issued by the Prime Engineering Office (PEO)
and shall be the basis for installing the pipeline. The
end of the pipeline, Station 0 + 00, shall be stated in
the Scope of Work, and is normally the upstream
end. A metric tape shall be used for the horizontal
survey. Profile surveying shall be in meters and
decimal fractions of a meter.
• The contractor shall determine the vertical profile of

the pipeline, the amount of cover, the location and
degree of elastic and preformed bends, and the
locations of vents and drains in accordance with
SAES-L-051 and the construction drawings. The
change in slope of the pipeline at normal spacing of
30 m (100 ft.), and at intermediate stations as
required, shall be calculated. The Saudi Aramco
Construction Engineer shall approve the contractor's
design.
• Saudi Aramco will typically do without predesigned

vertical profile drawings, except at locations where
there are steep slopes, or above- to belowground
transitions that require special considerations. In all

other cases, the required profile and required bends

are determined during construction.
• The right-of-way shall be graded to a flat or

smoothly rolling surface. Irregularities shall not
obstruct access of construction equipment. Fills and
cuts shall be made to reduce the number and/or
magnitude of overbends and sagbends in the
pipeline. Fill shall be provided to support
construction equipment in Sabkha areas as
required. The width of such fills and cuts shall not
be less than the area to be stabilized, and the
adjacent slopes shall not be steeper than one in
four.
• If the pipeline construction will change the natural

drainage pattern, either by the grading of the right-
of-way or by a bermed-over cover, provisions shall
be made to prevent washout of the pipeline cover by
rain storms.
Elastic Bends
The maximum change in slope for elastic bends (bends

that are made during installation that do not cause pipe
yielding), shall be in accordance with the Project
Specification or the Scope of Work. Larger changes of
slope shall be made with preformed bends.
The pipeline design and stress analysis specifies the

maximum permitted elastic-bend stress. If this is
exceeded, yielding might occur at points of maximum
combined stress during either the hydrotest or operations
at higher temperatures. If the pipe must be yielded in
order to conform to the required profile, it should be done
in a pipe bending machine during construction to achieve
adequate control and prevent possible ovaling, wrinkling
or buckling.

Preformed Bends
Preformed bends are made by a pipe-bending machine

which has mandrels and/or dies for each pipe size. The
machine causes a short length of the pipe to yield and
conform to the radius of the die. The result is a local
"bite" in the pipe. The required preformed bend is made
by making a series of bites at regular spacings.
• Preformed bends shall be made by welding into the

correct location of the string a length of pipe which
has been bent with a smooth stretch-bending
machine. No wrinkle bends or hot bends shall be
used. At any point along a preformed bend, the
pipe diameter shall not be reduced by more than 2-
1/2% of the nominal pipe diameter.
• Bends shall not be made closer than 600 mm (2 ft.)

from a circumferential weld unless the weld is
backwelded. The weld shall be radiographed after
the bend is made. Making a bend closer to a
nonbackwelded weld would introduce a high local
stress at the weld. Radiographing the weld after
bending will identify any weld defects caused by the
bending.

Preformed Bends for Aboveground Pipelines
The maximum permissible localized bend or "bite" at one

place on the pipe and the minimum spacing of such bites
are shown below:
Nominal Pipe Size Minimum Bite Spacing Maximum Bend per
mm (in.) mm (in.) Bite, degrees
150 (6) 300 (12) 4.5
200 (8) 300 (12) 3.8
250 (10) 300 (12) 2.8
300 (12) 300 (12) 2.3
350 (14) 300 (12) 1.7
400 (16) 300 (12) 1.5
450 (18) 300 (12) 1.2
500 (20) 450 (18) 0.9
600 (24) 450 (18) 0.75
750 (30) 450 (18) 0.6
900 and larger 450 (18) 0.5
(36 and larger)
• Vertical preformed bends shall be used when

changes of slope are required which are larger than
permissible using elastic bends. The preformed
bend shall be welded into the string so that its
center will be centered on the support at which the
change in slope occurs. Movements of the string
due to temperature changes after the location has
been first established may be neglected. The
maximum allowable angle of preformed bend per
support in a 900 to 1,200 m (3,000 to 4,000 ft.)
string shall decrease as the distance between the
bend and either free end of the string increases, as
shown below.
Distance From End of String, m Degrees Per Change in Slope
(Ft.) Support
0 to 60 (0 to 200) 10 0.1745
60 to 120 (200 to 400) 8 0.1396
120 to 180 (400 to 600) 6 0.1047
180 to 275 (600 to 900) 4 0.0698
• For aboveground restrained pipelines, the support

design shall limit the angle of vertical bend per
support to a maximum as indicated in the Project

Drawings or Specifications. A deflection anchor

force acts at bends in restrained pipelines. The
bend angle affects the force that is transmitted to
the support, and the support is designed for a
maximum permitted force.
• For aboveground restrained pipelines, all horizontal
deflections shall be made at deflection anchors or
consist of a series of very large radius field bends
held in special supports designed for horizontal
thrust, as shown on the Project Drawings.
Preformed Bends for Buried Pipelines
• Unless there are space limitations, the bends for

buried pipelines shall be long radius with maximum
bend or "bite" at one place on the pipe of 0.50° and
minimum spacing of such bites of 0.9 m (3 ft.) In
order to use a more severe angle for a preformed
bend, calculations, which consider expected
temperature rise, weight of pipe, and fluid and
cover, shall show that such a bend will be
adequately restrained.
• Preformed horizontal bends shall normally consist of

pipe joints with a maximum of 3° bend per joint
corresponding to an overall bend radius of
approximately 210 m (690 ft.) for a 12 m (40 ft.) long
joint. In order to use a smaller radius, calculations
must show that the bend will be adequately
restrained.
• Vents shall be installed at the major high points of

the vertical profile when required by the design per
SAES-L-020. If temporary vents are used, nipples
and valves shall be removed and bosses shall be
plugged and seal welded after the hydrostatic test.
• Drains at the top of the line shall be installed at the

major low points of the vertical profile when required
by the design per SAES-L-020.

Storage and Handling
• Slings for lifting pipe shall be nylon or similar

material. Wire rope slings shall not be used without
suitable protection. This is done to prevent high
localized loads and possible pipe deformation, or
damage to an external coating.
• Pipe shall not be rolled or dropped off trucks. The

pipe handling procedure and equipment shall be
approved by the Construction Engineer.
• Storage, handling, and installation of pipe that is

externally coated with fusion-bonded epoxy or
polyethylene shall be in accordance with SAES-H-
200.
• Internally coated pipe shall be handled from the

outside (OD) only. This is to prevent damage to the
internal coating caused by handling devices.
Installation of Aboveground Pipelines
• Each length of pipe shall be examined to make sure

it is free from internal obstructions. Any obstructions
shall be removed before the pipe is welded into a
string. Pipelines typically require the use of scraper
devices, and internal obstructions could prevent
their free passage.
• Pipe joints shall be welded in accordance with

SAES-W-001 and SAES-W-012 to form strings of
900 to 1,200 m (3,000 to 4,000 ft.). Pipe strings or
portions thereof shall not be moved until all welds
therein have been fully completed.

• When open ends of pipeline strings are not

attended, they shall be capped to prevent entry of
foreign matter. Each string of the pipeline shall be
cleaned to remove all debris. Except for internally
coated pipe, each string shall be gaged by passing
an internal gaging plate of not less than 90% of the
inside diameter for pipe sizes smaller than 750 mm
(30 in.), and 93% for pipe sizes larger than 750 mm
(30 in.). Cleaning shall be done before pipeline
valves are installed, or the soft seats of valves shall
be protected against damage from debris.
• Support spacing and type shall be in accordance

with the plan and the profile drawings in the Project
Specification or the Scope of Work. Support
elevations shall be maintained within ±6 mm (±1/4
in.). If support elevations are established during
construction, the slope shall be calculated from the
actual support elevations and distances.
• Ring girders shall be installed within ±6 mm (±1/4

in.) horizontal and vertical tolerances.
• Driven piles shall be coated to prevent corrosion

and shall be driven in accordance with the Project
Specification.
• Concrete supports shall use concrete in accordance

with SAES-Q-001. The concrete shall have a
minimum compressive strength of 20.7 MPa (3,000
psi) after 28 days. When supports are installed on
fill, the fill shall be well compacted, shall be at least
1.8 m (6 ft.) in diameter, and shall be stabilized
using marl or crude oil.

Installation of Buried Pipelines
The first three points previously noted for the installation

of aboveground pipelines apply to buried pipelines as
well. The items that follow are in addition to these.
• If the pipeline crosses other buried lines or comes
within 30 m (100 ft.) of other buried steel
installations, a Cathodic Protection Engineer shall
determine if bonding stations are needed. All
bonding stations shall be completed within seven
days from the date the pipeline is covered with
backfill. The as-built drawings shall indicate the
other buried installations and any bonding stations.
This is required to ensure that galvanic corrosion of
the pipeline does not occur.
• Buried installations that cross the pipeline route

shall be located in advance of grading and digging
ditches. The ditch bottom shall be surveyed to
establish the elastic bends and preformed bends
that are required in rolling terrain or when passing
through dunes. When the pipe is lowered into the
ditch, the pipe shall conform to the ditch bottom and
must be substantially supported at all points. The
maximum allowable unsupported length before
backfilling is 3 m (10 ft.). Any larger voids shall be
carefully backfilled. The minimum clearance
between pipelines or between a pipeline and an
obstruction shall be as specified in SAES-L-020,
unless additional clearance is specified on the
pipeline drawings.
• Spot backfilling shall be used to restrain the pipe in

the ditch after it has been lowered in. Spot backfill
shall provide the full specified cover and shall cover
all preformed bends for a distance of 6 m (20 ft.) to
each side of the centers of the bends. The
maximum clear distance between spot backfills shall
be as specified by the project design. Spot backfills
shall cover the pipe for at least 4.5 m (15 ft.) along
the pipe.
• LPG lines, gas lines, and oilwell flowlines shall have

a minimum cover of 900 mm (3 ft.). Other lines

shall have a minimum cover of 600 mm (2 ft.). The

cover is measured from the top of the pipe to the
surface of the berm over the pipe centerline.
Original grade shall be restored to adequate cover
over the pipeline unless otherwise specified.
Additional cover required at road or rail crossings
shall be as noted on the drawings.
The specified minimum cover depth applies to

uncultivated areas and designated pipeline
corridors. The project design may specify a larger
minimum cover in developed areas and/or specific
locations.
• The project design shall specify where extra cover is

required at vertical, horizontal, and composite-
preformed bends based on bend radius and tie-in
temperature to adequately restrain the buried
pipeline. Such extra cover shall extend a minimum
of 6 m (20 ft.) beyond a bent portion of pipe.
SAES-L-051 also specifies requirements for installation in

sand areas, rock areas, and Sabkha areas.
Tie-in Temperature
The tie-in temperature must be measured because all

thermal expansion or contraction takes place from the
installation temperature. The pipeline design assumed a
specific tie-in temperature range in making all stress and
load calculations. Therefore, the piping installation must
be made to conform to the assumptions that were made.
• A tie-in weld is each weld which connects a pipeline

string to another string, to the pipeline under
construction, or to an anchor. The segment of the
pipeline between tie-in points remains fully
restrained at the tie-in temperature if shrinkage of
the segment is prevented by adequate anchorage at
both ends. For normal diurnal temperature
variations during construction, one of the following
will provide adequate anchorage:

- Full-thrust anchor.
- Intermediate anchor with a full string of pipe

welded to each side of the anchor.
- Friction forces along the "tail": at least 450 m

(1,500 ft.) of buried pipeline, a 900 to 1,200 m
(3,000 - 4,000 ft.) string on wooden skids or
sand, or 1,800-2,400 m (6,000 - 8,000 ft.) of
pipe, a double string, resting on steel supports.
The Construction Engineer shall determine the

highest practical tie-in temperature for each tie-in
weld of a buried pipeline, and for each aboveground
pipeline segment from one anchorage point to
another. The tie-in temperature must be above the
minimum or within the range stated in the Project
Specification.
• The actual tie-in temperature shall be the average of

two readings, one at the top and one at the bottom
of the pipe. The temperature measuring device
shall contact the pipe and shall be shielded from
direct sunlight.
• The Contractor shall record all tie-in temperatures

and the pipeline stations of the tie-ins.
• Specific methods of tie-in for buried pipelines,

aboveground restrained pipelines, and aboveground
nonrestrained pipelines are specified in
SAES-L-051.

Cleanup and Records
Specific instructions for cleanup and record keeping are

in SAES-L-051.
• Construction waste material shall be removed from

the right-of-way as construction progresses.
• Records of tie-in temperature and all repairs shall be

sent to the Prime Engineering Office.
• All survey data and as-built drawings shall be sent

to the Prime Engineering Office. This includes:
- Bottom-of-line elevations and ground elevations

at all 30 m (100 ft.) stations and at all preformed
bends.
- The location and degree of all horizontal bends.
- The location and degree of all preformed

sagbends and overbends.
- The location of all vents and drains.
- The identification, station, elevation, and size of

all pipes which cross the pipeline and of any
other buried steel within 30 m (100 ft.).
- The stations of all markers and cathodic

protection facilities.
- All other data which should be included on a

maintenance record profile, including the stations
of block values, anchors, road crossings, and
changes in the grade of the pipe, wall thickness
and diameter.
- Safety Instruction Sheets per SAES-A-005.

SUMMARY
This module discussed the requirements of piping

fabrication as governed by Saudi Aramco Standards
SAES-L-050, SAES-L-051, and 01-SAMSS-010, and the
applicable ASME/ANSI B31 Codes. These requirements
provide the engineer with quality control criteria to use for
the fabrication and construction of piping systems for
plants and cross-country pipelines.

WORK AID 1: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING WHETHER PIPING

MEETS FABRICATION REQUIREMENTS
1. Review purchase order to determine if any special

requirements were specified. Especially note any
that are exceptions or additions to Saudi Aramco
SAES or SAMSS requirements.
2. Confirm that Saudi Aramco Material System

Specification 01-SAMSS-010, and ASME/ANSI
B31.3, B31.4 or B31.8 are referenced, as
appropriate. This will establish that the intent is to
adhere to the requirements contained in these
documents for items not specifically identified on the
drawings. These references may appear in the
general pipe fabrication and erection specification
prepared for the project, rather than on each
fabrication drawing.
3. Pipe Material Note: The following checklist items

assume that there are no acceptable deviations
from 01-SAMSS-010, and that the material is carbon
steel.
• API 5L, Grade B through X60.

• ASTM A53, Seamless Grade B, black.
• ASTM A106, Grade B.
4. Nipples
• Material same as pipe.
• Schedule 80 minimum thickness.
• Threading per ASME/ANSI B1.20.1 taper pipe
thread.
5. Flanges
• Weld-neck- or blind-type, unless otherwise
specified in Purchase Order.
• ASME/ANSI B16.5, ASTM A350, LF2 material,
unless otherwise specified in Purchase Order,
based on SAES-L-009 or 02-SAMSS-011

requirements.
• MSS-SP-44 if not specified by ASME/ANSI
B16.5 or Standard Drawing.
WORK AID 1: Procedure for Determining Whether Piping Meets

Fabrication Requirements, Cont’d
6. Pipe Fittings
• Butt-welding fittings shall be used for nominal

pipe sizes 50 mm (2 in.) and larger, conforming
to 02-SAMSS-005. Material grade and nominal
wall thickness shall be the same or equal to
adjoining pipe. The following applies for carbon
steel pipe:
Pipe Material Fitting Material
A106, Gr. B; A53, Gr. B; or ASTM A234/A234M, Gr. WPB,

API 5L, Gr. B plus additional requirements of
02-SAMSS-005
API 5L, Gr. X42 through X65 MSS SP75, plus additional
requirements of 02-SAMSS-005
• Forged steel threaded or socket-welding fittings

shall conform to ANSI B16.11, pressure class
3000, and unions shall conform to MSS-SP-83.
These may be used for pipe sizes less than 50
mm (2 in.). ASTM A105 shall be used for carbon
steel piping systems.
7. Steel Plate for Reinforcements and Structural

Attachments
• Must be listed in the applicable code and have
an SMYS of at least 207 MPa (30,000 psi).
8. Mitered Joints
• Maximum angular offset of 3° unless otherwise
specified and approved.
9. Ends for Field Welding
• Same alignment tolerance as above. Note if
extra length added to permit cut back for field

adjustment.
• Weld-end bevel 35° ± 5°.
• 1.5 mm (1/16 in.) root face.
• End-plane normal to pipe axis within 0.25°.

10. General Dimensional Tolerances
• Maximum lateral translation of branch

connections from centerline of run to be ± 1.5
mm (± 1/16 in.).
• The tolerance for axial dimensions, face-to-face,
center-to-face, and location of attachments shall
be ± 3 mm (± 1/8 in.).
• Flange rotation measured as the offset between
bolt-hole elevations on opposite sides of a flange
centerline shall not exceed ± 1.5 mm (± 1/16 in.).
• Flange tilt measured at the periphery across any
diameter shall not exceed
1 mm (1/32 in.) from the square position.
11. Piping Over 75 mm (3 in.) Size Connected to
Machinery.
Flange alignment to be within following limits:

a. Vertical bolt-hole offset: ± 0.5 mm (± 1/64 in.).
b. Horizontal bolt-hole offset: ± 0.5 mm (± 1/64 in.).
c. Rotational offset: ± 0.5 mm (± 1/64 in.).
d. Flange-face tilt across diameter: ± 0.5 mm (± 1/64

in.).
e. Flange-face separation,
gasket thickness: ± 0.5 mm (± 1/64 in.).


12. Bends
• Maximum dimension of flat spot, d:

d = 2tD
t = Nominal wall thickness
d= Nominal pipe diameter
• Maximum difference between largest and

smallest diameter to be 5% of nominal pipe
diameter at any point in the bend, and 3% of the
nominal pipe diameter at the ends.
• Minimum thickness after bending not less than
specified in purchase order.
• Minimum centerline radius to be five times
nominal diameter.
• Bend no closer than the smaller of 1 1/2 times
the nominal pipe diameter or 600 mm (2 ft.) from
circumferential weld.
• Bend tolerances as follows, unless otherwise
specified:
- ±0.5° on bend angle
- ±1% on bend radius
• For pipeline:
- Maximum localized bend at one place for
aboveground, preformed bend per SAES-L-
051.
- Maximum vertical angle per support for

aboveground, preformed bend per SAES-L-
051.
• For buried preformed bends:

- Maximum localized bend at one place to be
0.5° at a minimum spacing of 0.9 m (3 ft.).

- Maximum horizontal angle of 3° bend per

pipe joint resulting in approximate bend
radius of 210 m (690 ft.) for a 12 m (40 ft.)
long joint.

13. For Pipelines:
• Support elevations: ±6 mm(±1/4 in.) from

specified value.
• Ring Girders: installed within ±6 mm (±1/4 in.) of
horizontal and vertical positions specified.
14. Weld-type vs. Usage
• Butt-Weld — Circumferential welds between pipe

ends, between pipe ends and butt-welded fittings
or welded-neck flanges, plate edges formed to
form pipe.
• Fillet Weld — Socket-welded connections, slip-
on flanges, branch connection reinforcing pads,
and nonpressure containing attachments to pipe.
15. Welding Steps Review
• General conformance to appropriate

ASME/ANSI B31 and Saudi Aramco
requirements
• Meet requirements of SAES-W-001, and SAES-
W-011 or SAES-W-012, as required
• Welding procedure qualification
• Welder and welding equipment qualification
• Cleaning
• End preparation
• Preheat
• Postweld heat treatment

WORK AID 2: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING WHETHER METALLIC

PLANT PIPING MEETS INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS
1. Confirm that all pipe storage and handling

requirements are being followed.
2. Review specified pipe fitup requirements and

installation tolerances, and confirm that they meet
ASME/ANSI B31.3 and SAES-L-050 requirements.
3. Confirm that the more stringent installation

tolerances for piping connected to load-sensitive
equipment are being met.
4. Review flange installation procedures and confirm

that they meet accepted practices. This includes
the following:
a. Inspect gasket seating surfaces and resurface as

required.
b. Clean gasket seating surfaces.
c Align flanges to within required tolerances.
d. Lubricate threads and nuts.
e. Place gasket properly.
f. Use proper boltup procedure.
• Criss-cross bolt-tightening sequence
• Gradually increase bolt load applied
• Use torque wrench or stud tensioner for critical,
high-temperature, or
high-pressure services.
5. Confirm that pipe spool pieces and assemblies have
been properly cleaned.
6. Buried installations to meet corrosion protection and

cover requirements specified in SAES-L-050.

WORK AID 3: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING WHETHER

ABOVEGROUND AND BURIED PIPELINES MEET
1. Confirm that all required drawings have been

issued, and that they meet project requirements.
2. Right-of-way to be graded to a flat or smoothly

rolling surface.
3. Check width and slope of fills and cuts.
4. Confirm that the resulting drainage patterns are

acceptable.
5. Check that specification and location of elastic and

preformed bends are in accordance with SAES-L-
051.
6. Confirm that pipe storage and handling provisions

are acceptable.
7. Confirm that installation details of aboveground and

buried pipelines meet requirements of SAES-L-051.
8. Measure and record tie-in temperature. Confirm

that it meets project requirements.

GLOSSARY
arc cutting Use of an electric arc generated at the tip of a

welding electrode to cut metal.
backing ring A relatively narrow, circular section placed in

back of a butt-welded joint prior to making the
root pass of the weld. This is done to achieve
a full-penetration weld when the back side of
the weld joint cannot be accessed.
bolt tensioner A mechanical device used to tighten bolts by

applying a uniform, calibrated load. It attaches
to the end of the bolt, stretches it by applying a
load, and then permits easy turning down of
the nut to hold the load in the bolt.
pipe joint This word has two meanings depending on the

context. (a) The interface between two
components, such as at a weld, flange, or
threads. (b) In pipeline applications, a single
section of straight pipe before being welded
into a longer section.
radiography The use of radiant energy in the form of

neutrons,
x-rays or gamma rays for the nondestructive
examination of opaque objects. It produces
graphical records on sensitized films which
indicate the comparative soundness of the
object being tested.
root pass The first weld bead made.
slag A nonmetallic blanket that forms on the top of

the molten weld metal. It helps to control the
temperature, the cooling rate, and assists in
preventing and removing impurities from the
weld metal.

union A pipe connector that is made of two mating

pieces, one for each end of the two pipes being
joined. The two halves of the union are held
together by a threaded ring.
water quenching Rapid reduction of metal temperature after a

hot forming process by using water.
weld A localized union of metal achieved in plastic

and molten states, with or without the addition
of filler metal or application of pressure.
wrinkle A deviation of the pipewall from the ideal

contour of more than 15% of the nominal wall
thickness perpendicular to the surface.

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Engineering Encyclopedia Piping, Pipelines & Valves

Piping Fabrication and Construction

Module Component Page

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards i

Piping Fabrication and Construction

Pipe Fitup and Tolerances ......................................................................30

WORK AID 1: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING

WORK AID 2: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING

WORK AID 3: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards ii

Piping Fabrication and Construction

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 3

Piping Fabrication and Construction

Saudi Aramco Materials System Specification 01-

SAES-L-050 and SAES-L-051

Saudi Aramco Engineering Standard SAES-L-050,

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 4

Piping Fabrication and Construction

DETERMINING WHETHER PIPING MEETS FABRICATION REQUIREMENTS

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 5

Piping Fabrication and Construction

Material Limitations, Cont'd

• Pipe for cross-country pipelines shall conform to one

- Electric Resistance Welded (ERW) pipe in

- Spiral-welded pipe in accordance with 01-

- If 01-SAMSS-035 pipe is not available, API 5L

For wet, sour service, the pipe must be seamless, or

• Nipples shall conform to one of the pipe

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 6

Piping Fabrication and Construction

Weld-neck flanges and blind flanges that conform to one

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 7

Piping Fabrication and Construction

• The vendor shall prepare the detailed shop

• Any details not shown on the buyer's drawings shall

• Welded branch connections and other joints shall be

• Standard piping symbols that are used on Piping

Fitup tolerances specify the allowable limits that are

Established tolerances control the fabrication of the pipe

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 8

Piping Fabrication and Construction

amount of shop fabrication to bring the largest possible

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 9

Piping Fabrication and Construction

• A welding technique shall be used which provides a

Ends for Field Welding

• Bends shall be completely free from buckles, dents,

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 10

Piping Fabrication and Construction

where: d = Largest dimension of the flat spot

Pipe Bending, Cont’d

• The difference between the largest and smallest

• The minimum wall thickness shall not be less than

• Unless otherwise specified, the centerline radius of

• When bends are supplied with welding ends for field

• Bend tolerances shall be as follows (unless

- ± 0.5° on bend angle.

These points are illustrated in Figure 1.

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 11

Piping Fabrication and Construction

TOLERANCES AT PIPE BENDS

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 12

Piping Fabrication and Construction