Enhancing Corrosion Resistance of Oil Well Pipes: A Comparative Study Using Nano-Ceramic Coatings

Abstract Corrosive pipeline and oil wellpipes are one of the world’s hottest problems in the oil and gas industry. Factors in the environment, including moisture, air temperature, pH, salinity, and dissolved oxygen in surrounding soils, drive it. Such a problem results in a breakdown of machinery, low efficiency, and very high maintenance costs. Accordingly, herein the nano-ceramic coatings were investigated as a means of protection solution for carbon steel pipes. The coating consists of polyphosphate and silicate co-polymers, deposited using a cold spray atomization process to form a chemically bonded ceramic layer, using a locally developed sol-gel process. SEM and EDXS analyses showed homogeneous coverage of the nanoparticles and a thickness of 100 to 150 µm. Corrosion performances were evaluated in crude oil media for one week, two weeks, and one month, before and after desalting. The coated samples exhibited significantly reduced corrosion rates ranging from 0.08 to 1.66 mm/y, compared to 0.33–3.50 mm/y for uncoated steel, while hardness increased from 130 to 366 Brinell hardness (HB) and adhesion strength exceeded 27 MPa.