[ Super Duplex ]
[ Super Duplex ]
New alloy designed for subsea umbilicals
A new super-duplex stainless steel grade has been developed for subsea umbilicals : SAF™ 3007 , the latest addition to the growing duplex family of Alleima . The new tube offers a safe , lighter , stronger and more efficient alternative to SAF™ 2507 , the current standard . With superior strength , fatigue properties and excellent corrosion resistance , SAF™ 3007 delivers superior performance in harsh deepwater environments .
Text & images by Alleima
The new tube product represents the next generation of super-duplex seamless tubing developed specifically for the offshore oil and gas industry . It builds on the success of SAF™ 2507 ( UNS S32750 ), which has become the industry standard , and further advances the duplex revolution that Alleima pioneered decades ago .
Strong energy demand “ Across the globe , the demand for energy is growing strong . We see a rising tide of activity in the oilfields off the coast of Brazil , in the Gulf of Mexico , North Sea and Southeast Asia . Following a dip during Covid , this new surge comes , underscoring the need for reliable , cost-efficient energy production ,” says John Tokaruk , Global Product Manager for umbilical tubing at Alleima .
“ As a market leader in umbilical steel tubing , we often get requests for a material matching SAF™ 2507 in reliability , but with reduced costs , improved fatigue life and enhanced pressure handling . SAF™ 3007 ( UNS S83072 ) accomplishes all this with a ‘ less is more ’ approach . Thinner tube walls , thanks to its superior strength and fatigue properties , results in lower cost per meter . It offers the excellent corrosion resistance of SAF™ 2507 , and a similar microstructure , as well as simplified welding due to thinner walls ,” explains Mr Tokaruk .
Pioneers of super duplex For more than 40 years , Alleima has been at the forefront of developing modern duplex grades , which are typically more than twice as strong as standard stainless steel , with superior corrosion resistance . Within the oil and gas sector , the company has been active for more than 60 years , supporting most major oil and gas companies , fabricators and service companies . For example , one Alleima customer in the Gulf of Mexico relies on umbilicals connected to the world ’ s deepest spar , moored in waters with depths of 2,450 meters ( 8,000 feet ). Under such extreme conditions , system pressures may run up to 20,000 psi or more . These “ dynamic ” umbilicals are floating and twisting beneath the sea surface with high stress in chloriderich environments – precisely the kind of harsh environments where Alleima specializes . In the mid-1990s , Alleima pioneered the utilization of high alloy SAF™ 2507 as a groundbreaking alternative to
42 Stainless Steel World April 2024 www . stainless-steel-world . net