Role of polymers in the provision of cost-effective, corrosion-resistant, high-pressure pipework with complex geometry

Equipment destined for use in oil exploration and production must withstand high pressures and temperatures and the corrosive nature of the produced fluids. Currently, pipework destined for this harsh environment is manufactured from duplex or superduplex steels or, in the most challenging cases, from carbon steel overlain with a layer of nickel alloy. These materials are expensive and not always readily available. A recent paper [1] considered several alternative means of conferring corrosion resistance on high-pressure pipework featuring complex three-dimensional geometry. The study covered both metallic and polymer solutions. The principal conclusion of this study was that there might be opportunities for adopting some form of polymer liner as a cost-effective alternative to metallic liners. The present paper takes a detailed look at the polymer solutions currently available, makes a critical appraisal of the viability, both technical and commercial, of the alternatives, and concludes by suggesting a test programme that would qualify any polymer solution successfully completing it. © IMechE 2006.