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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Interagency Bolt Action Team (IBAT)

Interagency Bolt Action Team (IBAT)

Background

The IBAT is a group of subject matter experts (SME) from various industries who have relevant fastener expertise, experiences in failure analysis, research and development on the fastener types (bolts, studs, nuts, screws, etc.), materials and environment, and applied best practices knowledge for various industrial applications for enhanced performance of the fastener components. The IBAT SMEs observes and oversee the quality-assurance and quality-control procedures and assesses equipment and systems for fitness of service. The IBAT shares the root causes of fastener incidents and near-miss events; and recommends solution implementation how newer materials and/or technologies may be applied to promote safety of the equipment and protect the environment.

Objectives

The team will collectively communicate, evaluate and share the following fastener data:

  • Materials and its exposure to environments
  • Failure data – cause of failure
  • Failure testing and analytical results
  • Research and development
  • Industry standards
  • Best Practices – Optimal material properties requirements for fastener manufacture

Root Cause Analysis

The team will identify, determine and the share the root cause of failure of the fastener and equipment, quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) issues, deficiencies and remedies to the manufacturing processes, and recommend optimal fastener material properties and relevant standards to enhance the performance in various applicable environments.

IBAT Charter

Current BSEE Bolt Efforts

Below are updates as of February 13, 2017 on current BSEE bolt related efforts.

BSEE is pursuing several projects addressing bolt failure concerns.  One QC-FIT bolt reports is currently under development on subsea critical equipment bolt failures.  Three QC-FIT bolt reports are posted on BSEE’s website.  BSEE is pursuing research studies and a workshop to increase bolt performance reliability knowledge and possible solutions to the bolt failure issues. 

QC-FIT Blind Shear Ram Bolts Report

  • Draft report in progress

Completed Bolt QC-FIT Reports

BSEE Bolts Webpage

Bolt Research

  • National Academies of Science (NAS) Bolt Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Workshop
    • February 16, 2017 - Meeting with NAS Steering Committee members to discuss workshop tasks and goals of workshop.
    • March 22-23, 2017 – NAS Steering Committee members site visit to Original Equipment Manufacturers, Houston, TX.
    • April 10-11, 2017 – Tentative NAS Bolt RCA Workshop, Washington, DC
    • https://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/CommitteeView.aspx?key=49838.

Relevant Industry Bolt and Quality Standards

BSEE is tracking the latest relevant industry bolt and quality standards (see below).

  • API Specification 20E - Alloy and Carbon Steel Bolting for Use in the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries - First Edition; ERTA: October 2014
  • API Specification 20F - Corrosion Resistant Bolting for Use in the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries - First Edition
  • API Q1 Specification for Quality Management System Requirements for Manufacturing Organizations for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry - NINTH EDITION; Effective June 1, 2014; ERTA: February 2014; ERTA 2: March 2014; ADD 1: June 2016
  • API Specification Q2 Specification for Quality Management System Requirements for Manufacturing Organizations for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry - Ninth Edition; Effective June 1, 2014; ERTA: February 2014; ERTA 2: March 2014; ADD 1: June 2016
  • API Specification 18LCM Life Cycle Management – to be published in 2017
  • ASTM B633 2015 Standard Specification for Electrodeposited Coatings of Zinc on Iron and Steel
  • ASTM B849 2013 Standard Specification for Pre-Treatments of Iron or Steel for Reducing Risk of Hydrogen Embrittlement
  • ASTM B850 2015 Standard Guide for Post-Coating Treatments of Steel for Reducing the Risk of Hydrogen Embrittlement
  • ASTM F1941/F1941M 2016 Standard Specification for Electrodeposited Coatings on Mechanical Fasteners, Inch and Metric
  • ASTM A540/A540M 2015 Standard Specification for Alloy-Steel Bolting for Special Applications
  • NACE MR0175/ISO 15156 Petroleum, Petrochemical, and Natural Gas Industries – Materials for use in H2S-Containing Environments in Oil and Gas Production; Third Edition; Incorporates MR0175/ISO 15156-1, MR0175/ISO 15156-2 and MR0175/ISO 15156-3
  • NACE TM0198 Reaffirmed 2016 Slow Strain Rate Test Method for Screening Corrosion-Resistant Alloys for Stress Corrosion Cracking in Sour Oilfield Service
  • NORSOK M-001 Materials selection - Edition 5 published in 2014