Aplicación del estándar api 579-1 apartado 9 en la evaluación de la aptitud para el servicio de un spacer spool con defecto tipo grieta

Abstract

Currently, contracting companies operating in the hydrocarbon industry work with equipment that conveys or stores fluids at high pressure. By the end of 2022, the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) had achieved 113% of its target for exploratory wells drilled, corresponding to 68 wells out of the proposed target of 60 (ANH, 2022). This is all possible thanks to the control and drilling equipment that allows for the proper execution of operations in which fossil fuels are extracted from the subsoil. The main concern of business owners and shareholders is to guarantee the safety of their assets, not only based on risk (leaks, explosions) but also on productivity issues, in order to avoid unscheduled shutdowns and unnecessary corrective maintenance in situations that can be anticipated with proper planning. For this reason, components within this classification are considered critical and high-risk, as they may exhibit crack-like defects (due to operating and service conditions) that, without proper intervention, could propagate to fracture. Given the above, the priority and relevance of equipment for transporting, controlling, and storing high-pressure fluids is paramount. Is there a method to evaluate the integrity of these components exhibiting crack-like defects? Current evaluation methods allow for assessing component integrity through visual inspection and measurement of defects as an initial step in determining the component's condition. Among these is the API 579-1 standard, which includes several annexes for evaluating different types of failures, such as crack-like defects