The complete paper describes an operator’s experience in confirming glass fiber-reinforced epoxy (GRE) as an effective alternative to high-grade corrosion-resistant alloys (CRA) to extend tubing life in high-velocity gas wells. Laboratory testing and applications in several fields, both on and offshore, and in oil-production and water-injection wells and surface-gathering lines, demonstrate that, when used within the operating limits, GRE can extend tubing life and provide life-cycle cost savings.
GRE
The material has been intensively tested in the past to determine characteristics and capabilities. Mechanical properties, fatigue resistance, chemical compatibilities, connection properties, and abrasion trials have been proved by specific laboratory tests and field trials, demonstrating that GRE can be applied inside production tubing strings. API RP15CLT, first issued in 2007, provides guidelines for the design, manufacture, qualification, and application of composite-lined carbon-steel downhole tubing in the handling and transport of multiphase fluids, hydrocarbon gases, hydrocarbon liquids, and water.
Carbon steel guarantees the system’s mechanical resistance, and the internal GRE liner ensures corrosion resistance.
