Vibration-induced fatigue on process pipework
- Safety Flash
- Published on 20 February 2014
- Generated on 18 September 2025
- IMCA SF 02/14
- 1 minute read
The National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority of Australia (NOPSEMA) has published the following safety flash regarding a discovery, during a recent inspection at a facility, of vibration-induced fatigue cracking and evidence of rectification work carried out on several small bore connections on seawater cooling pipes.
The operator of the facility initially did not report the incident as a dangerous occurrence (damage to safety critical equipment), as it was considered only a ‘minor weep’.
The potential dangers of vibration-induced metal fatigue or other vibration-induced damage to materials and equipment go beyond just process pipework on oil and gas installations and could have much wider implications for IMCA member’s. For this reason IMCA is passing this safety flash onto its members.
The safety flash can be downloaded from nopsema.gov.au/assets/alert/Alert-58.pdf.
IMCA Safety Flashes summarise key safety matters and incidents, allowing lessons to be more easily learnt for the benefit of the entire offshore industry.
The effectiveness of the IMCA Safety Flash system depends on the industry sharing information and so avoiding repeat incidents. Incidents are classified according to IOGP's Life Saving Rules.
All information is anonymised or sanitised, as appropriate, and warnings for graphic content included where possible.
IMCA makes every effort to ensure both the accuracy and reliability of the information shared, but is not be liable for any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained.
The information contained in this document does not fulfil or replace any individual's or Member's legal, regulatory or other duties or obligations in respect of their operations. Individuals and Members remain solely responsible for the safe, lawful and proper conduct of their operations.
Share your safety incidents with IMCA online. Sign-up to receive Safety Flashes straight to your email.