Structural Components for Oil, Gas, Exploration, Refining and Petrochemical Applications

Abstract

A structural component for use in oil, gas, exploration, refining and petrochemical applications in the form of a pipe system is provided. The structural component comprises a plurality of layers, a structural layer comprising a composite material; a corrosion resistant layer for contacting the corrosive petroleum products, the corrosion resistant layer comprising an amorphous metal; a fire resistive layer having a thermal conductivity of less than 0.4 W/m° C. In one embodiment, the structural component has a burn-through time of greater than 5 minutes. In another embodiment, the structural component meets level II fire endurance standard according to IMO A 18/Res.753 fire testing protocol.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims benefit under 35 USC 119 of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 170,080 with a filing date of Apr. 16, 2009. This application claims priority to and benefits from the foregoing, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The invention relates generally to the use of advanced materials, e.g., composites, cermet linings, amorphous metals, corrosion resistant materials, thermal resistant coatings, etc., in oil and gas exploration, refining and petrochemical applications.BACKGROUND[0003]It is known that petroleum products, i.e., gas and liquid hydrocarbon products, contain or have associated with them corrosive materials such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and chlorides, etc. Aqueous fluids, such as those used in drilling and completion, can contribute salts, amines, acids, or other contaminants, causing the fluids to be corrosive. Crudes with high organic acid content...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]In one aspect, a structural component for containing corrosive petroleum products is provided. The structural component comprises a structural layer comprising a composite material; a corrosion resistant layer for contacting the corrosive petroleum products, the corrosion resistant layer comprising an amorphous metal; a fire resistive layer having a thermal conductivity of less than 0.4 W / m° C.; wherein the structural component has a burn-through time of greater than 5 minutes. In one embodiment, the amorphous metal alloy is a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy. In another embodiment, the amorphous metal is selected from the group of amorphous metal oxides, amorphous metal carbides, amorphous metal carbide-nitrides, amorphous silicon nitrides, and combinations thereof. In yet another embodiment, the structural component meets level II fire endurance standard according to IMO A 18 / Res.753 fire testing protocol.

Problems solved by technology

Aqueous fluids, such as those used in drilling and completion, can contribute salts, amines, acids, or other contaminants, causing the fluids to be corrosive.

Crudes with high organic acid content such as those containing naphthenic acids are corrosive to the equipment used to extract, transport, and process the oil.

Degradation of the absorbent and acidic components, as well as the generation of by-products, results in corrosion of metallic surfaces.

Besides the corrosion issue, there is a risk of leakage and associated fire protection and fire resistant issues in the handling of petroleum products.

A loss of containment in any portion of the piping system may result in a high temperature, high heat flux, high velocity flame, frequently termed a “jet fire.” When there is a jet fire, extreme heat flux densities may occur together with high temperatures, depending on the nature of the fire.

Each approach has risks and drawbacks.

It is often not possible to monitor and plan an economic replacement schedule for equipment with a high degree of certainty.

The use of inhibitors can have unintended side effects, such as moving the corrosion to other parts of the process or possibly posing some environmental concerns.

When the cause of the corrosion is not known with certainty, or the causes of corrosion are numerous, or the corrosion varies with process changes, the selection of a resistant material is difficult and almost always very expensive.

However, lined metal pipe systems can fail due to the differences in the physical properties of the liner and the metal pipe (e.g., viscoelastic properties due to thermal cycling).

However, when structural components comprising nonmetallic composite materials are heated to their ignition or combustion support temperatures by heat transfer from a near-by flame, the materials ignite and / or support combustion, lose structural integrity, and evolve large quantities of smoke while burning.

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