At a refining site, an x-ray examination was done on a 2” drain line connected to a 12” crude line. The x-ray showed deep pits beneath deposits of process material in a horizontal section of the drain line. Further inspection of other locations identified more areas with significant internal corrosion. These were typical cases of Dead Leg Corrosion. The Dead Leg Inspection in this case certainly prevented a Loss of Containment Incident.
Various dead leg piping configurations can form dead legs as shown in Fig. 1.
The Beacon Committee would like to thanks Reliance Industries LTD. For providing the material for this Beacon.
Source for the Fig1: Linkedin article by Mohammed Said Mechanical Integrity & Hazard Identification of Dead Leg.
Dead Legs can be very alive. Never assume that abandoned piping is not corroding!