Pushing the Limits of Metals in Corrosive Oil and Gas Well Environments

An evolution has occurred with low-alloy steels and corrosion-resistant alloys to address corrosive oil and gas production needs. This evolution occurred because of the extensive laboratory and on-site testing and the significant potential for economic and fitness-for-purpose gains. These alloys have evolved with primarily higher yield strengths than those used in the petrochemical industry. For many metals, a strength restriction arises if hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is present. The current uses of these alloys have resulted in pushing the limits of the use of low-alloy steels and the less heavily alloyed corrosion-resistant alloys. This paper addresses the many modes of environmentally assisted cracking that have been identified while evaluating strength limitations of low-alloys steels and corrosion-resistant alloys with the intention of capturing the significant ideas and unresolved questions within the alloy development and testing framework.