Producing, refining, and processing oil, gas, and chemical products degrade equipment that must operate in highly corrosive environments. Failure mechanisms include:
- Stress corrosion cracking
- Hydrogen sulfide attack
- Erosion-corrosion
- Fatigue
- Caustic attack
- Acid pitting
- Hydrogen embrittlement
In addition to a laboratory dedicated to corrosion tests, SwRI has proven expertise in identifying and solving problems in the field. Past investigations have identified failures in:
- Rupture disks
- Heat exchangers
- Boiler tubes
- Drill collars
- Oil well tubing
- Pressure vessels
- Steel and polymer pipelines for gas and liquids