Materials System Specification
01-SAMSS-024 29 October, 2003
Pipe Handling and Nesting
Piping Standards Committee Members
Nasri, Nadhir Ibrahim, Chairman
Dib, Tony George., Vice Chairman
Balhareth, Nasser Mohammad
Khashab, Jaafar M.
Mullen, Marshall Anson
Bannai, Nabeel Saad
Qahtani, Khalid Daifallah
Rumaih, Abdullah Mohammad
Kim, Steve Un
Holland, Brad John
Dossary, Mohammad Battal
Fadley, Gary Lowell
Otaibi, Bander Abdulaziz
Ramadan, Mousa Sadiq
Teraiki, Abdullah Mohammad
Phan, Howard Cong
Lewis, Trevor
Mahmoud, Khalid Ahmed
Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards
Table of Contents
1 Scope............................................................. 2
2 Conflicts and Deviations................................ 2
3 References..................................................... 2
4 General.......................................................... 3
5 Pipe Handling................................................. 3
6 Bearing Surfaces............................................ 4
7 Stacking......................................................... 4
8 Nesting........................................................... 6
9 De-Nesting..................................................... 7
10 Shipping Space.............................................. 7
Previous Issue: 29 November, 2000 Next Planned Update: 1 November, 2008
Revised paragraphs are indicated in the right margin Page 1 of 7
Primary contact: Nasri, Nadhir Ibrahim on 873-4525
Document Responsibility: Piping 01-SAMSS-024
Issue Date: 29 October, 2003
Next Planned Update: 1 November, 2008 Pipe Handling and Nesting
1 Scope
This Specification defines minimum mandatory requirements governing the handling,
loading, nesting and denesting of steel line pipe in sizes 60 mm OD and larger and in
lengths longer than single random.
2 Conflicts and Deviations
2.1 Any conflicts between this specification and other applicable Saudi Aramco
Materials System Specifications (SAMSSs), Engineering Standards (SAESs),
Standard Drawings (SASDs), or industry standards, codes, and forms shall be
resolved in writing by the Company or Buyer Representative through the
Manager, Consulting Services Department of Saudi Aramco, Dhahran.
2.2 Direct all requests to deviate from this specification in writing to the Company
or Buyer Representative, who shall follow internal company procedure SAEP-
302 and forward such requests to the Manager, Consulting Services Department
of Saudi Aramco, Dhahran.
3 References
The selection of material and equipment, and the design, construction, maintenance, and
repair of equipment and facilities covered by this specification shall comply with the
latest edition of the references listed below, unless otherwise noted.
3.1 Saudi Aramco References
Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure
SAEP-302 Instructions for Obtaining a Waiver of a
Mandatory Saudi Aramco Engineering
Requirement
Saudi Aramco Engineering Standard
SAES-H-200 Storage, Handling, and Installation of Externally
Coated Pipe
3.2 Industry Codes and Standards
American Petroleum Institute
API RP 5L1 Recommended Practice for Railroad
Transportation of Line Pipe
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Document Responsibility: Piping 01-SAMSS-024
Issue Date: 29 October, 2003
Next Planned Update: 1 November, 2008 Pipe Handling and Nesting
4 General
4.1 This Specification shall be considered supplementary to government rules or
regulations that are or will become effective with respect to the transportation of
line pipe by truck, railroad or ship. If any conflict arises between such
mandatory rules or regulations and the requirements of this Specification, the
former shall prevail and the Vendor shall notify the Buyer of all exceptions to
this Specification before shipment.
4.2 After inspection by Buyer's inspectors the pipe shall be handled and transported
in such a manner that under normal, foreseeable conditions the pipe will arrive
at destination undamaged. The Vendor shall establish suitable practices for all
phases of the shipping operation and provide for adequate supervision to insure
that the practices are properly followed.
4.3 Discovery of any transit fatigue cracking is grounds for rejection of the entire
load, until absence of cracking on the load is proven to Buyer's satisfaction.
Commentary Notes:
Improper practices or careless handling are likely to result in pipe damage of the
following types:
Dents or ovalness of the pipe due to improper supports or too widely spaced
supports and excessive stacking height.
End damage due to use of improper end hooks for lifting or due to improper
nesting or denesting techniques, or due to longitudinal shifting of the pipe and
striking the end of the pipe, which would cause cutting of the bevel.
Fatigue cracks due to excessive static and cyclic loads as a result of vertical
vibrations during transportation.
Abrasion or peening due to rubbing or striking of the pipewall against other
objects.
4.4 API RP 5L1, American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice for Railroad
Transportation of Line Pipe shall be followed and shall be considered part of
this Specification. The same recommendations shall apply to transportation
other than by rail, except as modified in this Specification.
5 Pipe Handling
5.1 Pipe joints and pipe nests may be lifted in horizontal or slanted position by one
of the following methods:
5.1.1 By fork lift truck near the center of the joint if done with proper care.
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Document Responsibility: Piping 01-SAMSS-024
Issue Date: 29 October, 2003
Next Planned Update: 1 November, 2008 Pipe Handling and Nesting
5.1.2 By means of suitable slings applied at some distance from each end of
the joint. Wire sling shall not be used.
5.1.3 By means of a hook at the lower end of a joint and a suitable sling at
some distance from the upper end.
5.1.4 By means of two hooks applied at the ends of the joint.
5.1.5 Storage and handling of coated pipes shall be in accordance with
SAES-H-200.
5.1.6 Internally coated pipes shall be handled from the outside diameter (OD)
only.
5.2 Hooks used to lift pipe shall have curved contact faces to fit the inside diameter
of the pipe to be lifted. The hooks shall be of sufficient width and shall be lined
with soft metal or other soft material to prevent damage to the pipe bevel.
6 Bearing Surfaces
Surfaces on which the pipe is laid or stacked shall be flat and free of protrusions,
assuring full uniform bearing for the pipe length or shall be provided with suitable
bearing strips as required by API RP 5L1.
7 Stacking
7.1 The maximum number of rows in a stack of pipe shall be limited by the
maximum allowable static load stress in the wall of the most heavily loaded pipe
in the bottom row of the stack.
7.2 The static load stress, calculated as specified below, shall not exceed the
following:
a. For railroad transportation: 0.4 times the specified minimum yield strength
or 0.3 times the specified minimum tensile strength of the pipe material,
whichever is less.
b. For ocean transportation: 0.5 times the specified minimum yield strength
of the pipe material.
c. For stacks in the pipe yard: 0.6 times the specified minimum yield strength
of the pipe material.
7.3 The stacking load factor ″n″ shall be taken as the total mass of the pipe stack
divided by the mass of the bottom layer for which the static load stress is
calculated. In the case of stacking nested pipes, the mass of the pipe inside the
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Document Responsibility: Piping 01-SAMSS-024
Issue Date: 29 October, 2003
Next Planned Update: 1 November, 2008 Pipe Handling and Nesting
bottom pipe may be excluded from the mass of the stack. In the case of stacking
pipe of equal diameter and wall thickness the factor ″n″ equals the number of
rows in the stack.
7.4 If the bottom pipe is supported by a number (B) of flat bearing strips of not less
than 100 mm wide, the static load stress shall be calculated using equation (1):
⎛ nL ⎞ ⎛ D ⎞ ⎛ D ⎞
Stress = f (D) ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ Ln⎜ ⎟ (1)
⎝ B ⎠ ⎝ t ⎠ ⎝ 2t ⎠
Where: Ln is natural logarithm.
f = 0.9 for metric units
= 0.2 for Customary Units
n = stacking load factor defined in paragraph 7.3
L = length of pipe, m
B = effective number of bearing strips.
D = nominal OD of pipe, mm
t = nominal wall thickness of pipe, mm
The maximum number of effective bearing strips used in the calculation shall be
that which corresponds to a center to center distance of 3 pipe diameters.
Although the actual bearing strips may be spaced closer than 3D, the static load
stress will not be reduced proportionally.
If equation (1) is used, the pipe may be stacked in a square pattern with
separator strips between rows. The number of separator strips shall be equal to
the number of bearing strips under the bottom row.
7.5 If the bottom pipe is placed directly on a flat continuous surface, the static load
stress shall be calculated (for pipe stacked in a square pattern) by equation (2):
3WD
Stress =
t²
[0.239 + 0.318 (n − 1)] (2)
where: W = force caused by the mass of pipe in bottom layer per unit
length, N/m
D = nominal OD of pipe, mm
t = nominal wall thickness of pipe, mm
n = stacking load factor defined in paragraph 7.3
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Document Responsibility: Piping 01-SAMSS-024
Issue Date: 29 October, 2003
Next Planned Update: 1 November, 2008 Pipe Handling and Nesting
7.6 If the bottom pipe is placed on continuous longitudinal supports which are
contoured to contact the pipe at the 5 and 7 o'clock positions, or on transverse
bearing strips, which are contoured to contact the pipe for a minimum include
angle of 60°, and are at least 100 mm wide and spaced no more than 3D/4t apart,
the static load stress shall be calculated by equation (3):
[0.066 + 0132
. (n − 1)]
3WD
Stress = (3)
t²
The pipe must be stacked in a staggered pattern so that each pipe in the stack is
continuously supported by two pipes in the row below. Pipe at the sides of stack
shall be laterally supported by contoured blocks, spaced no more than 3D/4t
apart.
7.7 If transverse bearing strips are used, whether flat or contoured, they shall be
leveled to provide uniform load distribution.
7.8 Pipe and pipe nests shall be laid down carefully to avoid excessive shock loads.
8 Nesting
8.1 Nesting pipe shall be done in accordance with a procedure designed to avoid
scratching and/or other damage to the ends and outside and inside surfaces of
the pipes. The interior of the pipe shall be free from cuttings and foreign
objects.
8.2 The smaller pipe shall be inserted into the large pipe so that the former is
supported at not less than two points at all times and true alignment is
maintained during the operation.
8.3 The front end of the inside pipe shall be kept free from the inside surface of the
larger pipe by means of a wheel carriage, by suitable fibrous material wrapped
around the end of the inside pipe, or by equally suitable means. In the case of
spiral welded pipe a wheel carriage shall be used.
8.4 The end of the outside pipe shall be kept free of the outside surface of the
smaller pipe by proper alignment of the latter or by means of a roller supporting
the inside pipe.
8.5 The inside pipe may be pushed through or pulled with hook and wire. In either
case the contact face shall be lined with brass, rubber, wood or other suitable
material to prevent end damage.
8.6 The inside pipe shall be left to rest free inside the larger pipe unless there is a
mandatory requirement to increase the friction between the pipes in the nest. In
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Document Responsibility: Piping 01-SAMSS-024
Issue Date: 29 October, 2003
Next Planned Update: 1 November, 2008 Pipe Handling and Nesting
the latter case suitable strands of straw braid or sisal rope shall be wrapped
around the smaller pipe covering a length not less than 150 mm from the end. In
no case shall wooden wedges be inserted in the space between the pipes of a
nest. Such wooden wedges are likely to cause deformation of the pipe wall when
nests are rotated or lifted by means of end hooks.
8.7 The pipes in a nest shall be aligned at one end to allow safe handling in a slanted
position when necessary.
9 De-Nesting
9.1 Denesting of pipe shall be done according to a procedure designed to avoid
deformation or other damages to the pipe ends. Any straw braid or other
material stuffed into the space between the pipes of a nest shall be removed prior
to denesting.
9.2 The inside pipe shall be pulled out by a suitably lined hook in such a manner
that the pipe will be received on rollers or supports set to maintain proper
alignment during the entire operation until the inside pipe is completely free.
10 Shipping Space
10.1 The Shipping space selected shall allow loading and unloading of line pipe with
minimum risk of damage to the pipe. The risk of damage depends to a large
extent on the size of the hatches, the space between decks of the vessel, and the
stowing method. The hatches shall be large enough to allow the pipe to pass in
a horizontal position with not less than 600 mm clearance at each end.
10.2 In the event that the use of less suitable shipping space cannot be avoided,
additional care during loading and unloading must be enforced by continuous
supervision in order to avoid damage to the pipe.
Commentary Note:
For resolution of questions on ship storage and inland transportation consult with
Material Distribution Department, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran.
Revision Summary
29 October, 2003 Revised the "Next Planned Update". Reaffirmed the contents of the document, and
reissued with no other changes.
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