As pipelines interact with the working environment, pipe materials and the related systems will deteriorate in the form of corrosion. Corrosion can also happen during the drilling, production, processing, storage, and transportation of energy products. Pipeline corrosion can cost billions of dollars to the economy. The advancement of technology has forced the oil and gas industry to demand more corrosive resistant duplex metal and steel supply Houston. It is important to use metals in the oil industry that can withstand corrosion issues. Below are some of the commonly used metals in the industry:
Steel
This is the most important metal used in each part of the oil and gas industry. Carbon steel is an alloy of iron that has up to 2% carbon which increases the material’s strength. It is also resistant to corrosion. The steel contains trace quantities of other metals like chromium or nickel.
Copper
Copper and its alloys like bronze feature great electrical and thermal conductivity and cold-resistant properties. The oil and gas industries use these metals in valves, heat transfer applications, seals, and stems. Bronze alloys that have traces of aluminum and nickel can be utilized in wellheads and blowout prevention valves. Gas processing plants use copper salts for mercury absorption. Mercury is contained in natural gas and separates out during processing. This metal reacts with other metals and is toxic to humans.
Chromium
Low carbon steel that contains 12% to 14% chromium is highly resistant to hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and high temperatures found in very deep oil and gas wells. The proportion of chromium has been commonly used in steel tubing. Chromium compounds like chromium lignosulfonate have been used as deflocculants in oil drilling fluids. These compounds decrease the viscosity of the fluid and prevent the clogging of the suspended rock material around the drill bit.
Nickel
Adding nickel to steel alloys makes the metal more resistant to corrosion and stronger. Steel that has 9% nickel content is hard at very high and very low temperatures. This makes it ideal in making heat exchangers which eliminate heat from gas and oil at around 392 degrees Fahrenheit and cool it to 70 degrees. This will make it safe to transport the liquid.
Titanium
This metal is flexible and valuable. Adding it to steel alloys increases the strength, corrosion resistance, and density of the material. It is popularly used in down-hole tubing. Also, titanium alloys are used in compressor parts showcasing durability which can increase the life useful lives of the parts. Titanium is quite resistant to carbon dioxide, seawater, and hydrogen sulfide corrosion.