Paper No.

CAP45

Casing – Carrier Electrolytic Short Rectification

Author: N. Ganesh

Contact Details: Chief Manager (NG P/L O&M), Zuari – Terminal, GAIL (India) Limited, Goa,
Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT

As per standard practice, the pipeline across Rail and major road/highways crossings are provided
with casing pipes. The purpose of casing is to avoid any mechanical stress to pipeline due to
movement of rail/vehicle. Prior to insertion of carrier inside the casing, insulator rings are provided
on the carrier pipe at every one meter distance & after insertion both ends of casing is provided with
casing end seals to prevent ingress of water, mud/electrolyte. For proper cathodic protection of
carrier pipe inside the casing pipe, usually Zn-ribbons anode are provided at 04 & 08 O’clock
position at a distance of approximately two meters over the Carrier pipe.

Two Types of Casing – Carrier shorting is possible

1. Electrolytic Coupling: This can occur due to presence of moisture / liquid in the Annular
Space (space between Casing and Carrier pipe). Moisture / Liquid enters through the Vent
Pipe / Drain Pipe during heavy monsoon and it is comparatively easier to handle.ie to rectify

2. Electric Carrier Shorting means that carrier pipe get shortened with casing pipe by metallic
interconnecting bolts of damaged insulator and sometimes the Zn-ribbon anode got
detached from one end and provide an electrical path to flow of Cathodic protection current
between casing & carrier pipes. These situations resulted drainage of CP current &
sometimes the PSP of the effected zone goes below the protection level.

Keywords: electrolytic, casing, carrier,

NIGIS * CORCON 2017 * 17-20 September * Mumbai, India

Copyright 2017 by NIGIS. The material presented and the views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily by NIGIS.
INTRODUCTION

M/s GAIL (India) Limited is a major operator of cross country natural gas/RLNG/LPG pipeline in
India & having approximately 10000 Kms of natural gas pipeline and having capacity around 175
MMSCMD. M/s GAIL (India) Limited is also having around 2000 Kms of LPG pipeline having
capacity around 3.8 MMTPA. Diameter of the main pipeline varies from 04” to 48”. These natural
gas pipelines are utilized for transporting of Natural Gas & these pipelines are feeding Natural Gas
to various Petrochemical, Fertilizer, LPG & Power Plants located along the pipeline route.

Pipelines pass through different kind of environments. Cased Crossings are generally provided
where pipelines needs to cross rail and major road/ highways. The casing pipes are larger in
diameter than carrier pipe to make the insertion of carrier pipe and avoid the transfer of stress on
carrier pipe. Prior to insertion of carrier in to casing, casing insulator rings are provided on the
carrier pipe at an interval of one meter & after insertion both ends of casing is provided with casing
end seals to prevent ingress of water, mud/electrolyte in the annular space. For proper Cathodic
protection of carrier pipe inside the casing pipe, usually Zn-ribbons anode are provided at 04 & 08
O’clock position at interval of approximately two meters.

Casing insulators electrically insulate pipelines from casings to prevent carrier-casing shorting.
Insulators also provide support to the pipeline and protect pipe coatings during insertion. For the
proper Cathodic protection of carrier pipe inside the casing pipe, ribbon anodes usually zinc ribbon
anodes is provided. Zinc ribbon anodes are welded to the carrier pipe at of 4 & 8 O’ clock position at
an interval of approximately 02 meter. Zinc ribbon anodes provide a very simple, cost effective,
maintenance free method of corrosion control for buried or immersed metals such as iron, steel etc.

Pipeline coatings can be damaged when coated carrier pipe is being pushed inside the Casing pipe
without taking proper care and the longer the casing, the greater the probability of damage. Water
sometimes enters the casing through defective end seals and through Vent and drain pipes at the
crossing locations which are vulnerable for getting submerged due to heavy water flow

This paper is a case study about rectification of electrolytic casing and carrier shorting in larger
diameter pipeline.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Types of Shorted Casings

A short is generally characterised as being either a metallic short or an electrolytic short.

Figure 1 illustrates a Typical Schematic of normal healthy Cased Crossing. Here the Cathodic
protection current is picked up on the carrier pipe outside the region of the casing, but is not picked
by the casing because of the electrical isolation being provided by the insulators. Figure 2a
illustrates metallic short. In this, the carrier pipe is in metallic contact with the casing. This can
happen due to Zinc anodes getting detached from the carrier pipe and providing the electrical
continuity or metallic ring supports of insulators provides the contact with casing pipe.

NIGIS * CORCON 2017 * 17-20 September * Mumbai, India

Copyright 2017 by NIGIS. The material presented and the views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily by NIGIS.
 Figure 1: Schematic Diagram of Cased Crossing

Figure 2 a. Metallic Short

NIGIS * CORCON 2017 * 17-20 September * Mumbai, India

Copyright 2017 by NIGIS. The material presented and the views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily by NIGIS.
 Figure 2 b. Electrolytic Short

Figure 2b illustrates an electrolytic short. This can occur due to the presence of moisture / liquid in
the Annular Space (space between Casing and Carrier pipe) which provides the ionic conducting
path between the casing and the carrier pipe.

During the pipe to soil potential (PSP) monitoring, it was observed that the Casing PSP and the
carrier PSP was same at one of the Cased Road Crossing location. The status of the Casing and
Carrier short at that location is as described below.

1. No Continuity was observed between the Casing and the Carrier Pipe.

2. Resistance Value between the Casing and the Carrier Pipe was measured in the range of
1.68 Mega Ohm to 1.80 Mega Ohm with Multi meter.

3. Output Current of CPPSM unit observed in the range 0.2 to 0.4 ampere.

4. Bulb was not glowing while connected between the casing and the carrier pipe with 9 volt
battery

The above facts are suggesting that the shorting at this Location is of electrolytic type. The initial
CPPSM and PSP data as measured is as detailed in Table 1.

NIGIS * CORCON 2017 * 17-20 September * Mumbai, India

Copyright 2017 by NIGIS. The material presented and the views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily by NIGIS.
 Table 1: Initial CPPSM and PSP Data

Internal Resistance Test as per NACE Standard RP0200-2014 using Earth Tester with four pin test
method has also been carried out at this location

As mentioned in the NACE standard RP0200-2014, A four-pin soil resistivity meter may replace the
battery, voltmeter, and ammeter shown in Figure B2 so that the resistance may be read directly. If a
four-pin soil resistivity meter is used, the locations of the test leads are the same as those shown in
Figure 3. C1 is connected to T3, P1 to T1, P2 to T2, and C2 to T4.

Figure 3: Internal Resistance Test

T2 and T4 are carrier pipe cable terminal and T1 and T3 casing Pipe cable terminal. In earth tester
C1 and C2 Current terminal and P1 and P2 are Potential terminal

T3 of Casing Pipe is connected to C1 terminal of Earth Tester

T1 of Casing Pipe is connected to P1 terminal of Earth Tester
T2 of Carrier Pipe is connected to P2 terminal of Earth Tester
T4 of Carrier Pipe is connected to C2 terminal of Earth tester

NIGIS * CORCON 2017 * 17-20 September * Mumbai, India

Copyright 2017 by NIGIS. The material presented and the views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily by NIGIS.
The Internal Resistance value Obtained as 2.68 Ohm. Since the Internal Resistance as measured is
greater than 0.01 Ohm, there is no metal to metal short is indicated.

Vent Pipe at the downstream side was cut up to 0.5 meter above ground. Dry Compressed air was
blown at a pressure of 1.5 to 2 Kg/cm2 through the vent Pipe for drying the annular space.
Compressed air was blown continuously for about half an hour and observed no air was coming out
of the drain Pipe.

Then the drain Pipe at the upstream side was also cut up to 0.5 meter above ground. Then using a
DIP tape, the presence of water was checked and found the presence of water traces of almost 1.5
meter length on the DIP tap

Then using the dewatering pump the water present inside the annular space was pumped out from
the drain side, again started blowing compressed air at a pressure of 1.5 to 2 Kg/cm2 continuously
for 2 to 3 hours and observed full air is getting vented through the drain pipe with the same pressure
applied.

Finally additional pipe of length (say 2 meter) is welded to Vent Pipe to increase its height, as it is in
such a Vulnerable Location where Water entry is possible during heavy monsoon season.

RESULTS

After Rectification of Electrolytic Shorting the PSP Values of the Casing and the Carrier pipe was
measured and it is as given in Table 2 below.

Table 2: Final Results as measured after rectification

The field test measurements made as detailed above shows the Electrolytic Shorting between the
Casing and the Carrier pipe is rectified

NIGIS * CORCON 2017 * 17-20 September * Mumbai, India

Copyright 2017 by NIGIS. The material presented and the views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily by NIGIS.
CONCLUSION

Carrier-casing shorting makes it very difficult to maintain the pipe to soil potential of pipeline at the
crossing and near to the crossing within acceptable limits because it can absorb as much CP
current as several kilometres of cathodically protected pipeline. Less negative, than - 0.850V,
potentials of pipeline make it under polarization which may result into beginning of corrosion activity.
The drainage of CP current makes the pipeline vulnerable to corrosion & could result failure of the
pipeline.

For new construction, the cased crossings should be avoided whenever structural analyses indicate
they are not needed and codes/regulations permit uncased crossings. Where the use of casings
cannot be avoided, care must be exercised in selecting the proper material, sound design for casing
spacers, end seals and its length should be kept as small as possible. Sufficient increase in the
height of Vent and drain pipes to be provided. All possible care must be given during the installation
of casing insulators, zinc ribbon anodes, end seals and utmost care shall be given at the time of
insertion of carrier pipe.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Author would like to express his appreciation to GAIL (India) Limited for permission to use
information and data contained in this paper.

REFERENCES

NACE Standard RP0200-2014- Standard Recommended Practice Steel-Cased Pipeline Practices.

NIGIS * CORCON 2017 * 17-20 September * Mumbai, India

Copyright 2017 by NIGIS. The material presented and the views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily by NIGIS.