The Analyses of Glass-Reinforced Plastic Pipeline Failures and Possible Solutions

Glass-reinforced Plastics (GRP) has been considered as an alternative material to carbon steel for applications in corrosive environments. The main objective of utilizing GRE pipes is to prevent corrosion and leaks in the pipelines. This increases the reliability of the system by preventing leaks, and thereby also reducing life cycle costs. However, some premature failures had been found after the application of GRP pipes in oil fields. Such failures as fractures around the joint, wrinkles of the inner layer, and circumferential cracks on the body part of the pipeline are the top three major failures which usually appear in practice. This paper analyzes the main causes of these three major failures and attempts to offer several possible solutions to them.