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An Evaluation of Well Completion Materials for Impure Carbon Dioxide Supercritical Streams in Hydrocarbon Production and Geological Carbon Sequestration

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) represents to traditional industrial emitters a critical transitional technology to globally manage greenhouse gas emission, meet the latest carbon net-zero ambitions, and continue the commercial use of fossil fuels. In CCS, anthropogenic CO2 is captured near emission, treated, compressed, transported (usually by steel pipelines), injected underground through casings, tubings, and completion equipment, and finally permanently stored into saline formations, aquifers, depleted (abandoned) reservoirs, or un-mineable coal seams. [1] Depending upon emitters, the injected CO2 is either near or in a dense state (i.e., indistinctly including a supercritical phase and potentially liquids) having various impurities.

Product Number: MECC23-20034-SG
Author: Manuel Marya
Publication Date: 2023
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Carbon dioxide (CO2) is corrosive as a wet gas, dissolved gas in brines, or as a supercritical fluid with contaminants. Subsurface equipment made of nickel-based alloys has become well-established in hydrocarbon production; CO2 sequestration demands for identical alloys, despite the availability of potentially suitable stainless steels. In this paper, the author discusses results from complementary corrosion tests on metallic materials from tubular products and well equipment, including subsurface safety valves. The test program exposed corrosion-resistant alloys (i.e.,13Cr,15Cr, 17Cr, 22Cr, 25Cr, 925, 718, 716) to supercritical and near-supercritical fluids (dense phases) with elevated contaminant levels [i.e., water (H2O), oxygen (O2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), sulfur oxide (SOx), nitrogen oxide (NOx), hydrogen (H2)] in addition to chloride-rich brines. The testing consisted of 4,000-to-4,500 psi (276-to-310 bar) autoclave tests at 70°F (21°C), 175°F (79°C), and 425°F (219°C), with test samples of each alloy immersed in the CO2-rich lighter fluids and the chloride brines. The materials were evaluated for mass loss, pitting, and crevice corrosion under pH values between 2.5 and 3.4. Overall, Alloy 718 was identified as a fairly complete alloy for CCS well equipment, while Alloys 25Cr and 925 continue to be attractive. For low temperatures and low contaminant levels, Alloys 17Cr and 22Cr can remain acceptable on a case basis, but are not recommended for typical subsurface equipment, because tubing metallurgy overmatching and manufacturing considerations weight heavily in favor of the nickelbased alloys.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is corrosive as a wet gas, dissolved gas in brines, or as a supercritical fluid with contaminants. Subsurface equipment made of nickel-based alloys has become well-established in hydrocarbon production; CO2 sequestration demands for identical alloys, despite the availability of potentially suitable stainless steels. In this paper, the author discusses results from complementary corrosion tests on metallic materials from tubular products and well equipment, including subsurface safety valves. The test program exposed corrosion-resistant alloys (i.e.,13Cr,15Cr, 17Cr, 22Cr, 25Cr, 925, 718, 716) to supercritical and near-supercritical fluids (dense phases) with elevated contaminant levels [i.e., water (H2O), oxygen (O2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), sulfur oxide (SOx), nitrogen oxide (NOx), hydrogen (H2)] in addition to chloride-rich brines. The testing consisted of 4,000-to-4,500 psi (276-to-310 bar) autoclave tests at 70°F (21°C), 175°F (79°C), and 425°F (219°C), with test samples of each alloy immersed in the CO2-rich lighter fluids and the chloride brines. The materials were evaluated for mass loss, pitting, and crevice corrosion under pH values between 2.5 and 3.4. Overall, Alloy 718 was identified as a fairly complete alloy for CCS well equipment, while Alloys 25Cr and 925 continue to be attractive. For low temperatures and low contaminant levels, Alloys 17Cr and 22Cr can remain acceptable on a case basis, but are not recommended for typical subsurface equipment, because tubing metallurgy overmatching and manufacturing considerations weight heavily in favor of the nickelbased alloys.