Stainless steel alloy for wirelines

Citation

(2001), "Stainless steel alloy for wirelines", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 48 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.2001.12848aad.005

Stainless steel alloy for wirelines

Stainless steel alloy for wirelines

Keywords: Sandvik Steel, Stainless steel, Wireline, Alloys

A new stainless steel alloy for wirelines has been developed by Swedish steelmaker Sandvik Steel for use in highly corrosive oil and gas well environments. Sandvik informs us that it has developed the new steel to meet the needs of well service companies operating sour wells at ever greater depths.

Designated Sanicro 26Mo (UNS S08926), the new wireline contains high levels of alloying elements molybdenum and nitrogen. It claims exceptional tensile strength (1,585Mpa min/230ksi min), very good corrosion resistance in chloride bearing environments and very good resistance in sour wells against stress corrosion cracking.

The new wirelines are available in weld free lengths up to 30,000 feet and in the recognised industry diameters, e.g. 0.082, 0.092, 0.108 and 0.125 inches. A key feature of Sandvik wirelines is that Sandvik retains total quality control throughout the production process from steel melt to the finished wireline. This control of quality has now been further extended to the point of use through Sandvik's appointed agent for the UK, Grampian Test and Certification Ltd in Aberdeen (Plate 1).

Plate 1 Sandvik wirelines at Grampian Test and Certification Ltd

Grampian hold Sanicro 26Mo wirelines in stock and are able to offer complete layer winding with a fast turn-round. The company believes that recently installed and innovative spooling equipment, jointly developed by Sandvik and Grampian, means that spools are guaranteed with no cross-overs. Wirelines are said to "pay off smoothly from the first to the last" layer, giving the end-user the key benefit of the elimination of mechanical damage. Grampian wind exclusively Sandvik's stainless steel slicklines on to customers' wireline drums, and are therefore able to guarantee also no contact with, or contamination from, carbon wireline materials. The potential corrosion problem associated with carbon pick-up is therefore said to be avoided.

Further details available from Sandvik Steel. Tel: +44 (0)1922 728800; Fax: +44 (0)1922 728827.