Analysis of reliability and efficiency of drill dipping piles for oil field construction in permafrost zone

Relocation of the main capacities of oil production infrastructure from Central to Northern Russia necessitated a re-evaluation of oilfield development strategies, particularly addressing the challenges of constructing foundations for pipelines, processing facilities, and power plants. These foundations are formed by drill-dipping piles into pre-drilled boreholes. The use of drill dipping piles in permafrost is technologically essential as alternative pile types are impractical. The most common are drill dipping piles fabricated from longitudinal seam pipes welded with high frequency current techniques (as per GOST 20295 and GOST R 58064). Performance of such pipes in permafrost conditions was evaluated through laboratory simulations mimicking operational conditions, as well as in-situ at the test site of Federal Research Centre "The Yakut Scientific Centre of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences" where full-size piles were installed in firm loamy and wet peaty permafrost soils. Pipes both with and without post-weld heat treatment, as specified in SP 16.13330.2017, were tested. The authors examined static mechanical properties and impact toughness of the base metal and welded joints of the pipes, as well as corrosion resistance and crack resistance. The research revealed that post-weld heat treatment did not significantly enhance the reliability of drill dipping piles fabricated from 09G2S steel. Concurrently, microstructure analysis of the welded joints revealed a considerable number of defects along the weld-fusion line, potentially accelerating pile failure.

1. Alekseev, A. G., Sazonov, P. M., & Zorin, D. V. (2019). On the issue of improving the technology of making and calculation of various types of piles. Bulletin of Science and Research Center of Construction, (1(20)), pp. 5-13. (In Russian).

2. Presnov, O. M., Ivanova, L. A., Bychkovskaya, S. I., & Lomova, D. A. (2022). Pile on permafrost soil. Construction Economy, (1(73)), pp. 41-45. (In Russian).

3. Alekseeva, O. I., & Balobaev, V. T. (2002). Information models of the Earth cryosphere. Kriosfera Zemli, 6(1), pp. 62-71. (In Russian).

4. Goncharov, Yu. M., Targulyan, Yu. O., & Vartanov, S. Kh. (1981). Proizvodstvo svaynykh rabot na vechnomerzlykh gruntakh. 2nd edition, revised. Leningrad : Stroyizdat Publ., 160 p. (In Russian).

5. Spiridonov, A. A., & Fadeev, A. M. (2022). Systematic development of transport infrastructure in the Arctic. Arctic 2035: current issues, problems, solutions, (4(12)), pp. 31-37. (In Russian). DOI 10.51823/74670_2022_4_31.

6. Pritula, V. V. (2015). Situation with corrosion on the Russian gas and oil pipelines and with their industrial safety. Pipeline transport: Theory and practice, (2(48)), pp. 6-10. (In Russian).

7. Gulayev, A. S. (2017). Effect of soils on the corrosion of steel pipes. Modeling stress-corrosion processes. Analytics, (6(37)), pp. 74-77. (In Russian). DOI 10.22184/2227-572X.2017.37.6.74.77

8. Shcherbinin, I. A., Fakhretdinov, I. Z., Ivanov, S. S., & Zholobov, I. A. (2015). Giprotyumenneftegaz engineering solutions for construction of oil and gas industrial facilities in permafrost areas (Part 1). Oil Industry, (1), pp. 90-92. (In Russian).

9. P'yankov, S. A. (2007). Svaynye fundamenty. Ulynovsk, 104 p. (In Russian).

10. Yalygin, S. A., Ermakov, B. S., Stolyarov, A. V., Koinov, E. G., Shvetsov, O. V., Shaposhnikov, N. O., … Golikov, N. I. (2024). The influence of heat treatment after high-frequency welding on the operational properties of steel 09G2S used for the manufacturing of drilled piles. Proneft. Professionals about Oil, (1(31)), pp. 173-182. (In Russian). DOI 10.51890/2587-7399-2024-9-1-173-182

11. Tkachuk, M. A., Bagmet, O. A., & Stepanov, P. P. (2016). Local heat treatment of weld seams in moderate-diameter pipe produced by high-frequency current. Steel in Translation, 46(3), pp. 224-229. (In English). DOI 10.3103/S0967091216030141

12. Goncharov, N. G., Yushin, A. A., Kolesnikov, O. I., Nesterov, G. V., & Azarin, А. I. (2021). Research of influence of heat treatment on metallophysical properties of metal of welded seams. Science and Technologies: Oil and Oil Products Pipeline Transportation, 11(4), pp. 412-419. (In Russian). DOI 10.28999/2541-9595-2021-11-4-412-419

13. Pantyukhova, K. N., Negrov, D. A., Burgonova, O. Yu., & Putintsev, V. Yu. (2019). Investigation of reasons for decrease in mechanical characteristics of hot-rolled steel 09G2S bends. Omsk Scientific Bulletin, (1(163)), pp. 11-16. (In Russian). DOI 10.25206/1813-8225-2019-163-11-16

14. Startsev, O. V., Lebedev, M. P., & Kychkin, A. K. (2020). Aging of polymer composites in extremely cold climates. Izvestiya of Altai State University, (1(111)), pp. 41-51. (In Russian). DOI 10.14258/izvasu(2020)1-06

15. Salmanov, I. D., Baranovskii, M. Yu., & Tarasov, V. A. (2014). Welding deformations and residual stresses. Construction of Unique Buildings and Structures, (12(27)), pp. 64-75. (In Russian).

16. Brushkov, A. V. (1998). Zasolennye mnogoletnemerzlye porody Arkticheskogo poberezh'ya, ikh proiskhozhdenie i svoystva. Moscow, Izdatelstvo Moskovskogo universiteta Publ., 330 p. (In Russian). ISBN 5-211-04017-1

17. Shamrikova, E. V. (2015). Kislotno-osnovnoe sostoyanie pochv taezhnoy i tundrovoy zon Evropeyskogo Severo-Vostoka Rossii. Diss. kand. biolog. nauk. Syktyvkar, 302 p. (In Russian).

18. Kozhin, V. N., Astafev, V. I., Ioffe, A. V., Sergeeva, A. O., & Bulgakov, S. A. (2021). Critical crack opening (CTOD) determination from three-point flexion tests of samples. The Eurasian Scientific Journal, 13(3). Available at: https://esj.today/PDF/27SAVN321.pdf (accessed 15.04.2024)

19. Markadeeva, A. Yu., Ilyin, A. V., & Gusev, M. A. (2018). The study of fracture toughness of heat-affected zone of welded joints of steels applied for arctic structures. Science Vector of Togliatti State University, (1(43)), pp. 43-51. (In Russian).

20. Minami, F., Toyoda, M., Thaulow, C., & Hauge, M. (1995). Effect of strength mismatch on fracture mechanical behavior of HAZ-notched weld joint. Quarterly Journal of the Japan Welding Society, 13(4), pp. 508-517. (In English). DOI 10.2207/qjjws.13.508