ABSTRACT
Nano-laminated metallic claddings is an emerging technology that is being used to generate products with material property combinations heretofore not possible. Through a patented electrochemical controlled deposition process, Modumetal produces precisely defined configurations of layered metal alloys that can be applied to a variety of substrates or as near net shape parts. The deposition process can be controlled to produce nano-scale layers with unique interfacial properties resulting in corrosion resistance, elastic modulus, strength, hardness, and fracture toughness combinations uniquely different from conventional material processing.
Oil and gas equipment is constantly exposed to corrosive elements that threaten asset longevity and productivity. Corrosion and wear of equipment such as tubulars, downhole artificial lift systems and pumps, leads to production decline over time and ultimately to expensive repairs and operational downtime, all of which negatively impact companies' bottom lines. Until now, the most common fixes to combat pipeline corrosion required a sacrifice of either performance or cost. On one hand, more corrosion-resistant equipment coated with expensive materials like tungsten carbide coatings or high nickel containing steels can be installed at considerable cost. Alternatively, lower-performance materials like carbon steel or organic coatings can be applied, with the understanding that more frequent replacements will be needed. This paper presents a novel class of materials, called nano-laminated alloys that are based on the same conventional materials used today in galvanizing or metal coatings, but configured into nano-laminated structures that deliver significantly higher performance at a price that is competitive with conventional metals and coatings.
Calling on data from field tests carried out in collaboration with Chevron in various onshore fields in the Mid-Continent Region, this paper illustrates how nano-laminated alloys achieve higher performance than traditional alloys at comparable costs. The presentation will include a performance and economics data-rich comparison of nano-laminated alloy coating performance and cost with conventional steels and coatings.
Two case studies are presented for downhole tubulars and downhole plunger lift systems. These case studies represent the conclusions of actual field trials. Results of these case studies review the up-front cost of the nano-laminated product installation, performance comparison both in lab and field trials and return on investment calculation for the nano-laminated products in the field environment.
