Corrosion behavior of the expandable tubular in formation water

Abstract

The corrosion behavior of expandable tubular materials was investigated in simulated downhole formation water environments using a series of electrochemical techniques. The corrosion morphologies in the real downhole environment after three months of application were also observed by stereology microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that, compared with the unexpanded sample, the area of ferrite increases dramatically after a 7.09% expansion. The expanded material shows a higher corrosion current in the polarization curve and a lower corrosion resistance in the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) plot at every studied temperature. The determined critical pitting temperatures (CPT) before and after expansion are 87.5°C and 79.2°C, respectively. SEM observations demonstrate stress corrosion cracks, and CO₂ corrosion and H₂S corrosion also occur in the downhole environment. Due to additional defects generated during the plastic deformation, the corrosion performance of the expanded tubing deteriorates.

Keywords

steel corrosion / expandable tubes / formation water / electrochemical behavior

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