Mechanical Characterization and Corrosion Effects on Glass Reinforced Vinyl Ester Liners used for Oil and Gas Production

Abstract

In this study, a glass reinforced vinyl ester (GRV) liner was systematically designed to produce a corrosion resistant, toughened, liner with superior corrosion resistance and strength characteristics. This GRV liner system was designed as an alternative to previously tested glass reinforced epoxy systems [1]. The composite liner could theoretically be used in conjunction with standardized oil and gas production tubing to alleviate the effects of corrosion in offshore exploration applications. This particular system was designed using netting analysis for filament wound pressure vessels and tested in accordance with ASTM D2290 split-disk procedures. To ensure that the finalized design would be capable of withstanding the immense pressures and temperatures seen during use in offshore oil and gas production, the project used an API controlled steel alloy already employed by industry as a benchmark for determining the necessary yield stress and internal yield pressure required for the proposed application. To further define the physical characteristics of the proposed system, tests were conducted to verify the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the composite material. The CTE data was then used to evaluate the potential for interfacial thermal stresses induced when bonding dissimilar materials at elevated temperatures. Furthermore, the vinyl ester composite was environmentally conditioned in accordance with ASTM G202 rotating cage procedures, and evaluated to assess the proposed system's susceptibility to degradation caused by corrosive fluids. The study was conducted with the intent to utilize the design principles of filament wound pressure vessels to produce an oil and gas production liner that emulates the strength characteristics of its steel counterpart, while retaining the corrosion resistance associated with vinyl ester matrix.