Oil & Gas components . IOGP S-563 was developed as a result of a joint industry project ( JIP ) with some of the major end-user and engineering companies within the oil and gas industry . The purpose of the JIP was to harmonise demands and testing within the industry and to set one material standard that both material manufacturers and component producers could follow .
Adapting early to new standards
The challenge for materials manufacturers in meeting the range of more stringent standards has been to acknowledge early changes in the industry and adapt accordingly . A major consideration for materials producers has been responding to increased impact strength requirements as part of the new standards . We acknowledged this change in the industry back in 2016 and started to see how we could meet these more stringent standards . Previously , materials were required to surpass acceptance criteria of an average 45J and a single 35J impact in longitudinal and transverse directions . However , the new ISO 17781 standard includes two quality classes ( QL I and QL II ) that require improved performance . QL II sets the acceptance criteria at an average of 65J and a single of 50J in a longitudinal direction , recommended for most applications within the industry . QL I is the highest quality class , with acceptance criteria of average 85J and single 65J . For both quality classes , acceptance criteria for transversal direction are an average of 45J and 35J . This significant increase in acceptance criteria for impact testing is especially important when producing large dimension bars above 200mm or 8 inches . The mechanical strength has an opposite relation to the dimension of the bar , meaning the larger dimension of the bar , the less the mechanical strength . This is mainly because the larger material dimensions have a larger grain size , which is related to the power of the forging press and heat treatment procedures . The laws of physics make this challenge difficult to mitigate , but there are ways to improve the outcome .
Raising the bar in material solutions
The changes in standards meant that manufacturers had to reconsider their materi- als offer to ensure it meets both regulatory and market demands . Sandvik Materials Technology , soon to be renamed Alleima at the end of August 2022 , is one such company that has undergone a reassessment of its product portfolio . In 2017 , the company began designing a new generation of duplex materials to increase mechanical strength and corrosion resistance and to meet all other relevant demands of the offshore industry . The change involved starting from scratch for a range of materials , re-designing the chemical composition , and many parts of the manufacturing steps . One of the most recent developments from the company is the introduction of the duplex stainless steel SAF™ 2205 +, which has been pre-engineered to comply with the toughest demands of the oil and gas offshore industry . Unlike other stainless steels , the grade is pre-approved to the latest IOGP S-563 and
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A major consideration for materials producers has been responding to increased impact strength requirements as part of the new standards . We acknowledged this change in the industry back in 2016 and started to see how we could meet these more stringent standards .”
ISO 17781 standards , so operators do not have to wait weeks to comply with new tests . With highly improved mechanical properties and weldability , the material has been tested to withstand extreme corrosion . It is certified to meet the latest subsea requirements , such as avoiding hard-to-detect pitting corrosion and other types of general corrosion in pumps and valves . Analysis of produced bars demonstrates that SAF™ 2205 + provides a significant increase ( up to 50 %) in the level of impact strength compared to the machinability-improved version of the grade , Sanmac ® 2205 . This enables the material to comply with QL II in a wide size range of dimensions up to 260mm , or 10.2 inches . Furthermore , austenite spacing testing has been introduced to ensure performance in HISC ( hydrogen-induced stress cracking ) related applications under cathodic protection and other environments .
Another recent development has been the addition of super alloy Sanicro ® 625 bar to the growing family of high-performing nickel alloys . The bar , which has an ASTM classification of Grade 1 , will be used to machine advanced components exposed to acids , alkalis , seawater , and other wet , corrosive conditions in both cryogenic environments and temperatures up to 593 ° C ( 1100 ° F ). The chemical composition includes 62 % nickel , 21 % chromium , and 8.5 % molybdenum , ensuring high resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion . The addition of 3.5 % niobium creates a stiffening effect with the molybdenum and provides good stabilisation against intergranular corrosion . Ductility and toughness are also very high , and the material is approved by all key relevant standards ( including ISO , ASTM , ASTME , and EN ). The introduction of Sanicro ® 625 bar follows the launch in 2021 of Sanicro ® 825 bar , and two new high-strength grades in the pipeline ( Sanicro ® 718 and Sanicro ® 925 ) for release in the coming year .
Looking ahead
As technology evolves and applications become more advanced , the material design comes under increased pressure to perform better . Tougher times call for tougher materials , and the development of increasingly stricter standards means material manufacturers must respond accordingly . This will involve companies upgrading their existing bar portfolio where appropriate and continuing to provide new materials to the market . As oil and gas offshore projects enter increasingly challenging environments , operators will rely more heavily on material manufacturers to deliver high-performance options for their critical applications .
About the author Marcus Hillbom is the Technical Marketing Manager at Sandvik Materials Technology . Marcus has worked extensively for over 20 years with tooling and machining solutions within Sandvik , including at Sandvik Coromant , a global leader in machining technology . Today his focus and passion are to increase technical knowledge within the organisation to better support customers with new product development . www . valve-world . net Valve World August 2022
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