Uncovered buried pipe support during pressure test? Guidelines?

[seasar]

Hello all,

I'm about to bid work involving installing new underground natural gas pipe with a requisite pressure test...I'm trying to find a reference for how to support pipe during the pressure test that is uncovered. I know there are guidelines for how many feet of what diameter can be exposed without fear of the pipe jumping all over the place but I can't find anything.

Mainly I want to be passingly familiar with this instead just writing "follow industry guidelines" in the scope.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[BigInch]

None of it needs to be uncovered and it's much safer if any of it isn't.

Let your acquaintances be many, but your advisors one in a thousand’ ... Book of Ecclesiasticus

 

[cvg]

testing an incomplete (uncovered) pipe might be a good preliminary test, but really doesn't guarantee that it won't start leaking after it is backfilled. We require full backfill before acceptance testing is completed.

 

[BigInch]

If you leave some lengths uncovered, greater temperature and subsequent pressure changes can make the test much more complicated to resolve as well.

Let your acquaintances be many, but your advisors one in a thousand’ ... Book of Ecclesiasticus

 

[GregLamberson]

I think what seasar is talking about is the bits at each end where the test headers, recorders & dead weights will be will be located. The rest of it, even if it wasn't backfilled would not be at risk for excessive movement if it's in the trench (temperature fluxations would be a whole different story!!!). At the ends, if they are transitions from UG to AG, then you can just skid up under where your test headers are and use chocks if you feel better about it. Shouldn't be a problem - you won't get pipe jumping around.

Greg Lamberson, BS, MBA
Consultant - Upstream Energy
Website:

http://www.oil-gas-consulting.com