Proper Material Selection for Oil & Gas Industry Parts and Equipment

For the oil and gas industries, metal materials make up more than 60% of expenses and can be found in nearly every step of the value chain. Choosing the right material for each application is of the utmost importance, as this will save your business significant money and time. Proper material selection is crucial to ensuring an ideal service life and maintenance requirements for your equipment.

Materials Ideal for the Oil and Gas Industry

Carbon steel and stainless steel are the two most common metal materials used in the oil and gas industry, and for good reason. They are strong, can handle high heat, and are resistant to corrosion.

Carbon Steel

Iron steel contains less than 2% carbon content. A small portion of iron steel will also be made up of sulfur, silicon, phosphorus, and manganese. Carbon steel is the most commonly produced steel material and well known for its high strength properties. It is also very unlikely to need replacement from regular wear and tear. While all carbon steel is susceptible to corrosion, coatings and chemicals can be added to mitigate this risk.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a type of iron steel possessing no less than 10.5% chromium, which makes up what is known as a passive layer. This layer protects the steel from the harmful effects of corrosion. Often, metals such as molybdenum and nickel are included to add increased corrosion resistance.

Duplex stainless steel provides a price-stable option for many applications as it is made up of very little chrome and nickel, which fluctuate greatly in price. Instead, duplex stainless steel is available in ferritic and austenitic varieties. It is also highly resistant to corrosion and stress cracking, and features good strength properties.

Material Qualities Needed for Oil & Gas

Oil and gas applications usually require equipment that will withstand high temperatures and pressures during normal operation. This equipment must be fabricated from materials that are versatile enough to adapt to the fluctuating demands of oil and gas environments. Most importantly, all equipment must be resistant to corrosion to ensure long service life with minimal maintenance.

Applications and Equipment

At Bergsen, we fabricate a wide range of carbon steel and stainless steel parts and components used in the oil and gas industry in many applications and for many different types of equipment. These include:

Flow lines

• Heat exchangers
• Oil country tubular goods (OCTG)
• Process equipment
• Storage tanks and pressure vessels
• Structural components
• Umbilicals

By their nature, oil and gas operations put enormous stress on equipment, which can eventually lead to wear. Appropriate material selection can mitigate many of the risks and long-term effects posed by these environments. Please contact us today to request a quote or more information on our products and services for the oil and gas sector.