Failure analysis of geothermal perforated casing tubing in H2S and O2 containing environment

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15587/1729-4061.2020.215163

Keywords:

corrosion, H2S, air drilling, failure, tubing, failure analysis, carbon steel

Abstract

A failure incident occurred on perforated casing tubing for geothermal wells. The damage happened during the drilling process by an air drilling technique after eleven days from the installation. Even though air drilling is a common method for geothermal drilling, this incident showed a lesson to learn to prevent a similar accident in the future. Failure analysis based on the laboratory and field observation was done to get the failure incident's root cause. The visual identification result showed a severe depletion and cracks in the tubing at a depth of 1,450–1,500 m. Optical emission spectroscopy and the tensile test showed materials appropriateness to the specifications. The corrosion attacked from the outer side of the tube. This tubing was exposed to an environment with significant H2S, CO2, water steam, and oxygen from the air drilling process. The results of X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) showed FeS and Fe3O4 in the corrosion product. Both of the scale formed as a different layer, where the FeS is formed below the Fe3O4 layer. The energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) results revealed that each tubing's sulfur content gets an increase in the deeper location. The gas sampling result showed that H2S gas is more dominant than CO2 gas, which showed the sour service condition. Corrosion rate calculation modeling was also performed based on the environment parameter; the result is lower than the real cases. The oxygen from air drilling also accelerates the corrosion rate as it acted as an oxidizing agent in the process. Free sulfur is possibly formed, which is possibly transformed into sulfuric acid. This study showed the lesson learn about the deadly combination of sulfur, oxygen, H2S, and CO2, making a severe corrosion rate in the perforated tubing

Author Biographies

Harris Prabowo, Universitas Indonesia Kampus Baru UI-Depok, Indonesia

Master of Science, Doctorate Candidate

Department of Metallurgy and Materials

Yudha Pratesa, Universitas Indonesia Kampus Baru UI-Depok, Indonesia

Master of Engineering

Department of Metallurgy and Materials

Askin Tohari, PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur, 1A, Jakarta, Indonesia, 1011

Master of Science

Ali Mudakir, PT Elnusa Jl. TB Simatupang Kav. 1 B, Graha Elnusa, Jakarta, Indonesia, 12560

Master of Science

Badrul Munir, Universitas Indonesia Kampus Baru UI-Depok, Indonesia

Associate Professor

Department of Metallurgy and Materials

Johny W. Soedarsono, Universitas Indonesia Kampus Baru UI-Depok, Indonesia

Professor

Department of Metallurgy and Materials

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Published

2020-12-31

How to Cite

Prabowo, H., Pratesa, Y., Tohari, A., Mudakir, A., Munir, B., & Soedarsono, J. W. (2020). Failure analysis of geothermal perforated casing tubing in H2S and O2 containing environment. Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies, 6(12 (108), 72–78. https://doi.org/10.15587/1729-4061.2020.215163

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 12 (108) (2020): Materials Science

Section

Materials Science

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Copyright (c) 2020 Harris Prabowo, Yudha Pratesa, Askin Tohari, Ali Mudakir, Badrul Munir, Johny Wahyuadi Soedarsono

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