Special Uses of Seamless Steel Tubes in the Oil Industry

Seamless steel tubes are widely used in the petroleum industry and play an important role in many key areas. Since equipment and pipelines in the petroleum industry are usually exposed to extreme temperatures, pressures, corrosive media and harsh environments, seamless steel tubes have become an indispensable key material in the petroleum industry due to their high strength, pressure resistance, corrosion resistance and excellent mechanical properties.
 
1. Oil and gas pipelines
 
Long-distance transportation: Seamless steel tubes are used for long-distance oil and gas transportation pipelines on land and undersea. Since seamless steel tubes have no welds, they have higher strength and reliability and can withstand high pressure and complex external environments.
Adaptability to harsh environments: Oil and natural gas pipelines often need to pass through various harsh environments, such as high temperature, low temperature, corrosive soil, seabed, etc. Seamless steel tubes can adapt to the requirements of these harsh environments by selecting suitable materials (such as adding alloy elements to improve corrosion resistance).
Safety: The high strength and weld-free characteristics of seamless steel tubes reduce the risk of pipeline leakage and ensure the safety and reliability of transportation.
 
2. Oil and gas exploration and production
 
Drilling: Seamless steel tubes are used to manufacture key components such as drill pipes, casing pipes, tubing pipes and drill collars.
Drill pipe: A tubular column used to connect the drill bit and surface equipment, transmitting drilling power and transporting drilling fluid.
Casing pipe: It is used to protect the wellbore, prevent wellbore collapse and the invasion of formation fluids into the wellbore.
Tubing: Used to transport oil and natural gas underground to the surface.
Drill collar: Used to increase the weight of the drill string and provide the pressure required for drilling.
Special working conditions: Under special working conditions such as deep Wells, ultra-deep Wells, high pressure Wells and high temperature Wells, higher requirements are put forward for the strength, toughness, corrosion resistance and high temperature resistance of seamless steel tubes, and seamless steel tubes with special materials and heat treatment processes are required.
3. Petroleum refining and chemical industry
 
Heating furnace tubes and heat exchanger tubes: Seamless steel tubes are used to manufacture heating furnace tubes and heat exchanger tubes in refineries, which need to work at high temperatures and pressures and withstand the erosion of various corrosive media.
Cracking pipe: Cracking unit used in petrochemical production, which needs to react under high temperature and pressure and corrosive media.
Pipelines for conveying corrosive media: Pipelines for conveying various acid, alkali, salt and other corrosive media need to choose stainless steel seamless pipes with good corrosion resistance.
 
4. Offshore oil platforms
 
Platform structure: Seamless steel tube is used to build the support structure, pile foundation and jacket of the offshore oil platform.
Subsea pipeline: Subsea pipeline used to connect an offshore platform to a land-based terminal.
 
The advantages of seamless steel tube application in the petroleum industry
 
High strength and toughness: able to withstand high pressure and complex external loads.
No welds: Improves the reliability and safety of the pipeline and reduces the risk of leakage.
Good corrosion resistance: by choosing the right material, you can adapt to a variety of corrosive environments.
Good high and low temperature performance: able to adapt to various extreme operating temperatures.
Good processing performance: easy to carry out various processing, such as bending, welding and so on.
 
Seamless steel tubes are commonly used in the petroleum industry
 
Seamless steel pipe materials commonly used in the petroleum industry include:
Carbon steel: such as 20#, Q345, etc., used for general transportation pipes and structural parts.
Alloy steel: such as 16Mn, 15CrMo, 35CrMo, etc., for high pressure, high temperature or special working conditions of the pipeline and equipment.
Stainless steel: such as 304, 316L, 321, 2205, etc., for the transport of corrosive media and special conditions of the application.

Read more: How to Correctly Choose the Material of Thick-walled Seamless Steel Pipes?