Inspectioneering

Material Failure Investigation of High-Pressure Impulse Tubing

A recent investigation uncovered that a ½‑inch high‑pressure impulse line made of Tungum alloy on a North Sea platform failed due to mercury‑induced liquid metal embrittlement (LME). The leak was traced to aggressive mercury in the production fluid, which compromised the copper‑based alloy’s integrity. The root‑cause analysis employed visual inspection, SEM, EDX, metallography, hardness testing, and XRD to confirm intergranular cracking. The study concludes with recommendations to replace legacy copper alloys with mercury‑resistant materials and to adopt rigorous inspection regimes for offshore tubing.