High Pressure Testing Safety Research

BakerRisk has organized a joint industry program (JIP) to assess hazards common to oilfield equipment companies. The goal of this research program is to help interested companies understand and predict hazards in their test facilities and learn how to mitigate fragment hazards with effective protective structures. The focus is on safety issues common to this industry with the results, benefits, and costs being shared by all participants.

Failures during high pressure testing are of great concern to companies that manufacture tools and products for drilling, completion, and production of oil and gas. Incidents have potentially high consequences in terms of injury, property damage, and business interruption. Most companies do not have the internal resources available to conduct the research necessary to improve understanding of high-pressure testing failures and develop methods to aid in the prediction of these failures.

Failures of fittings (connections, valves, gauges, transducers, etc.) during high pressure testing are not uncommon. Fitting failures present a serious fragment hazard to personnel in the test area. The severity of the threat and the design requirements of protective shielding are determined by the size and velocity of the fragments. Fragment velocity in hydrostatic testing varies with the pressure, temperature, and volume of the water. As test pressure requirements increase, the threat from fragment failures increases, as does the need to assure that shields protecting personnel are suitable for the task.

Current prediction methods are based on ballistic data developed by the U.S. Department of Defense and Energy, the UK Health and Safety Executive, and other applicable documents. However, there is no specific experimental test data available on fitting velocities or the effectiveness of shields against fitting impacts. This program will produce the data required in order to: