Qualification of an Additively Manufactured Component for Critical Applications in H2S-Containing Oilfield Environments

Abstract Additive manufacturing (AM) processes have long been used for prototypes and non-critical applications in sour (H2S containing) oilfield environments. The challenge now is how to reliably qualify a product that is critical and a primary pressure boundary in more severe application environments. This paper addresses the qualification details for a critical application of an UNS N07718 nickel alloy component manufactured via the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process. This paper includes qualification details with environmental cracking tests utilizing both slow strain rate testing (SSRT) and C-ring testing in a high temperature, high pressure H2S-containing environment. The SSRT samples tested included machined gage surfaces and C-rings that were machined from the actual component being qualified. In addition to composition, mechanical property, and impact resistance measurements, microstructural evaluations were conducted as a function of location within the component being qualified.