Process for forming and assembling pipe sections using mechanical press fit pipe joints in a pipeline

In a process for forming pipe section ends, or for field assembly of pipe sections in an oil and gas pipeline to be joined by mechanical press-fit joints, comprising the steps of:

• configuring a swaging bench having a fixed stock at a first end configured with a clamp to secure therein a first end of a pipe section having respectively an unformed or formed end, and a movable stock slidingly supported on a second end of the bench, the movable stock coupled to a source of hydraulic pressure for sliding toward the fixed stock;
• wherein
• the movable stock is configured with a clamp to secure a tooling die for forming an end of a pipe section or for securing a first formed end of a first pipe section for assembly to a corresponding second formed end of a second pipe section during field assembly of the pipeline;
• initializing first and second sensors including a first sensor coupled to the source of hydraulic pressure for measuring a hydraulic pressure P and a second sensor coupled between a fixed reference on the bench and the movable stock for measuring a displacement length L;
• configuring on a display screen operated by a processor coupled to an output of the first and second sensors a graph for plotting P=hydraulic pressure versus L=displacement length during real time while pipe section pin and box ends are being respectively formed or assembled;
• installing the tooling die in the movable stock of the swaging bench for forming the first or second end of the pipe section or for field assembly of the second end of a second pipe section to the first end of a first pipe section in the oil and gas pipeline;
• operating the swaging bench to form a pin end or a box end of a pipe section or to assemble a pin end of a first pipe section and into a box end of a second pipe section;
• and
• measuring and displaying on the display screen the parameters P and L as the respective pin end and box end are formed or assembled to ensure the parameters P and L associated with forming or assembling the respective ends are each met within a predetermined tolerance marked on the display as an acceptance window defined by maximum and minimum values of the parameters P and L;
• wherein
• the mechanical press-fit joint is formed without the use of a separate coupling device.