Lonestar has the capacity, resources and space required to conduct several Full Ring Tests (also known as CAPCIS Tests) simultaneously on various sizes of pipe coupons. These tests are required by numerous Oil and Gas companies to determine performance of materials under source service conditions using a full ring pipe coupon.

Sour service problems in pipeline steels are caused by various forms of hydrogen damage due to presence of Hydrogen Sulfide. The main mechanisms are Hydrogen Induced Cracking (HIC), Sulfide Stress Corrosion Cracking (SSCC) and Stress Oriented Hydrogen Induced Cracking (SOHIC).

SSCC and HIC have long been recognized and have well established standard test procedures. For SSCC to occur a combination of tensile stress (applied and/or residual), corrosive environment and susceptible material is required. Stresses found within pipework systems are predominantly tensile and the environment i.e. sour oil and gas is a highly corrosive environment. HIC requires only the corroding environment. SOHIC is a combination of both SSCC and HIC and generally requires some element of stress, together with the Sulfide containing environment

There is a clear need for a laboratory based test method which can be used to evaluate the susceptibility of steels to all forms of cracking due to sour service. The Full Ring Test Method (FRT) has been designed to determine such susceptibilities.

Testing Method

• OTI 95 635

Testing Suitability

• Full circumferential ring is tested including all welds, HAZ and parent metal
• Online monitoring (UT Scan, hydrogen permeation) possible
• Full residual stress of manufacture and welding retained
• Full weld included and tested
• Full coupling of dissimilar materials along residual stress

Testing Process

• Strain Gauging of test ring to measure the applied stress
• Test cell containment
• Periodic On line UT monitoring for crack detection
• Unloading
• Magnetic particle inspection
• Metallography