Assessment of Nickel Steel Welding for LNG Applications

Advances in testing and defect detection combined with modern alloying techniques have been instrumental in improving safety of the liquified natural gas (LNG) transfer and storage systems. Demand for LNG and LNG storage systems are expected to continue increasing.

In this study, we analyzed the performance of welded nickel steels for LNG tanks and piping components. We used a combination data from the literature, cryogenic temperature test results, and flaw sizes in the fabricated parts to evaluate the response of welded metallic components under various extreme load scenarios.

We performed fitness for service calculations in accordance with API 579 to determine acceptable sizes of material imperfections and draw conclusions on design requirements for the analyzed failure scenarios.