Laser cladding combats corrosion in the oil and gas industry
Corrosion is a massive problem across all industries. NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers) estimates the global cost of corrosion at $2.5 trillion a year. The oil and gas industry represents a big chunk of these costs with its complex and challenging production techniques and the environmental risks should components fail.
From offshore to downhole drilling and production, corrosion strikes virtually every component across the oil and gas industry. While there are many sources of corrosion, there are also many methods to prevent or slow the process and protect expensive components. Laser cladding is increasingly being used as a solution for many corrosion problems in the industry.
Laser cladding, also known as laser metal deposition (LMD), is a process that uses metal alloy powders to apply a protective coating to the surfaces of metal components to increase their corrosion or wear-resistance. Laser cladding offers a number of advantages over more traditional additive processes, including:
- Improved metallurgy with higher material hardness
- Lower powder costs due to thinner coatings
- Less stress due to lower heat input
- Shorter process time than traditional processes like PTA
Here are a few examples of how LMD is being used in the oil and gas industry:
There are other oil and gas applications that can benefit from this process. If you have questions about applications not mentioned here, get in touch with our experts or leave a comment in the space below.
Our e-book on laser cladding solutions for corrosion offers additional examples of applications in several other industries. Download it here.