COMPOSITES TYPES AND APPLICATIONS IN THE OIL INDUSTRY

Challenge

The purpose of the study was to perform the analysis on composites types and applications in the Oil and Gas industry to overcome the significant challenge of increasing demand for non-corrosive and lightweight materials in Oil and Gas industry.

Our Solution

Corrosion-resistant composite materials are increasingly used to mould previously metal parts deployed in a host of offshore oil and gas drilling applications. Oceans are Earth’s most abundant naturally occurring corrosive environment because of salt in seawater. Combined with man-made multipliers such as high temperatures and pressures and the host of aggressive chemicals, solvents and other fluids required to operate an offshore oil rig, and that’s a recipe for conditions that, over time, can be corrosive to almost any material — especially metals.

Composite oil and gas parts include non-load-bearing topside platform components, such as fire-water mains, high- and low-pressure tubing, processing vessels and tanks, fire-blast panels, gratings and handrails, as well as newer subsea structures, such as carbon fibre rod umbilical and components for protecting wellheads, manifolds and other equipment related to subsea processing. Composites also are making inroads into higher volume, more demanding offshore oil and gas applications, such as the systems of pipes with which producers explore for oil, find it and eventually bring it up from the wellhead to the surface.

Onshore, a composites-aided technology called hydraulic fracturing often termed “fracking”,” has been enabled in various countries to increase its onshore oil and natural gas extraction over the past decade. The process artificially fractures low-permeability rock strata with explosives and then injects pressurized, sand-laced solutions into those fractures to facilitate oil and natural gas extraction. Each wellbore requires 10-40 multi-component tools called “frac plugs” (and accompanying “frac balls”) to stimulate multiple oil- or gas-producing layers, or “stages.” These critical parts are typically made with composites.

The increasing usage of composites in the oil & gas applications provides various advantages such as lightweight, high corrosion resistance, and that they are well-suited to the growing operating pressures which can reach very high psi units. Additionally, the low weight of composites results in lower installation costs and high corrosion resistance property in harsh environmental conditions, making composites components a maintenance-free solution in the oil & gas industry. These properties of composites have resulted in the replacement of corrosion-resistant materials for the construction of oil & gas components

Approach

The study provides detailed information on the composites in the oil & gas industry that are being widely used in structures such as piping systems, jumpers, risers, downline, gratings, ladders, walkways, handrails, decking, flooring, frac balls, frac plugs, flexible tubes, composite riders, accumulator bottles, BOP, caissons, among other applications.

Case Study Highlights:

Defined and described the oil & gas composites market based on resin type, fibre type, application, and region
Provide detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges)
Strategically analyzed various technologies based on composites concerning individual growth trends, prospects.
Analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders and provide a competitive landscape for the client.
Strategically profiled key players and comprehensively analyze their market shares and core competencies in terms of their key developments, SWOT analysis, and key strategies adopted by them to sustain in the market
The research segments the oil & gas composites market to following submarkets: Segmentation by Resin Type, Segmentation by Fiber Type.

Segmentation by Applications such as:

Pipes

Composites pipes are gaining importance in the oil & gas industry because they provide more structural strength compared to the metallic alloys and are light in weight. Composite pipes generally use glass fibre reinforced polymers and offer complete solutions against highly corrosive fluids and harsh environment conditions at various temperatures, pressure, adverse weather, and soil conditions. Composite pipes are used in oil transportation, onshore fields, and offshore fields.

Top Side Applications

Topside applications include grids/gratings, handrails, ladders, decking, and flooring. These are being widely used globally on fixed and floating offshore platforms. However, in topside applications, corrosion is a significant problem due to its contact with the water most of the time, which creates a vast the expense for the oil & gas industry. Therefore, the use of composites helps to reduce the life cycle costs of the installation and do not corrode like metals or rot like woods. It helps to increase their durability and weight-saving capability over metal.

Tanks

Composite tanks are the second biggest application after pipes in the oil & gas composites market. In the oil & gas industry, composite tanks are most widely used for the storage of the fluid transported through pipe systems. The increasing problem of corrosion and underground leakage has widely led to the adoption of composite materials for the construction of tanks.

Others

Critical investigations are also covered in the report, such as upcoming trends for oil & gas composites in developing nations and the key players in the market.

Outcome/Impact

The Competitive Intelligence report enabled the client to understand research possibilities for new applications of its existing portfolio of composites being used in the oil and gas industry. It also helped the client to identify untapped market potential as well as potential targets for future acquisitions.