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Metals for Petrochemical

Today as the demand for oil and gas increases more exploration is being undertaken to reveal new oil and gas fields. This involves venturing into deeper waters and encountering even harsher conditions than ever before. Naturally the safety of people involved in this industry is paramount and drilling and extraction techniques are being continually advanced to meet the challenges of digging deeper.

As the demand for more oil and gas increases so does the demand for metals and alloys used in the equipment and machinery required to bring the deposits to the surface. From spikes for seismic applications to single engineered products for drilling equipment, Oil Equipment Manufacturers require precision machining that can deal with challenging natural materials and harsh weather conditions. Up to 80% of parts used in the petrochemical sector are now made from nickel-based alloys and exotic materials in order to provide rigidity for the harder-to-machine materials.

While recognising that it will be increasingly difficult to find oil and gas in the 21st century versus the 20th century, extracted fossil fuels are still needed. Technology will be key to supplying affordable oil and gas and the different castings required by the petrochemical industry will be vast. Castings will range from those weighing under one kilo to those weighing several tonnes and these castings must have the capability to operate in temperatures from minus 40 degrees celsius to those which exceed 350 degrees.

William Rowland Limited supplies the alloys and metals for castings that have to pass rigorous tests to show they are highly resistant to erosion, corrosion and stress. These castings are made by alloying, amongst others, chromium, molybdenum, nickel and nitrogen, stainless steel, duplex and super duplex alloys in pressure vessels, pumps, valves and heat exchangers.