Summary for electroless nickel wet sour service Discussion
Electroless nickel plating for wet sour service is discussed as a practical but conditional option for oil and gas components. In the 2006 answer, the specialist says the client is partly correct: if electroless nickel (EN) is hardened above about 850 HK, it can shrink and crack, exposing the steel substrate. Once the steel is exposed, wet H2S, acids, or brine can attack it and undermine the coating. However, the same answerer says that if the EN is not hardened, it is very resistant to wet sour streams and is commonly used at temperatures up to about 400 °F. Earlier comments in the thread also describe electroless nickel as a corrosion-erosion coating used on choke boxes, control valves, spools, pumps, pipes, and similar parts to extend service life. The thread therefore supports ENP use in sour service only with careful attention to hardness and service conditions.
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Q. @ NAVED MAHDI: SO HAVE YOU USED ENP COATED BALL VALVES IN SOUR SERVICE? CLIENT ACCEPTED? DID YOU FACE ANY ISSUE? AS WE ALSO WANT TO USE ENP COATED BALL VALVE FOR SOUR SERVICE. APPRECIATE YOUR REPLY.
AAD DANI
– Singapore
June 2, 2022
⇩ Similar, related, Q&As — oldest first ⇩
Q. Hi,
Please, We would like to know about the updated ELECTROLESS NICKEL COATINGS and its applications repairing equipment’ surfaces in the oil and gas industry. We will appreciate your help. Regards.
Dany Di Fazio V. Corpoven, s.a.
PETROLEOS DE VENEZUELA (PDVSA) – Venezuela
1995
“Electroless Copper and Nickel-phosphorous Plating”
by Sha, Wu, & Keong
on Amazon
or
or
(affil link)
A. Hi, Dany. Thanks for visiting. References you might consider are:
Chemical (Electroless) Nickel Plating by G.G. Gawrilov or “Electroless Plating: Fundamentals & Applications” [on
eBay ,
Amazon, or
AbeBooks affil links]
by Mallory and Hajdu
You may also wish to contact suppliers of electroless nickel solutions, such as:
- Atotech
- Coventya
- Heatbath
- Macdermid
Good luck.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
1999
A. Electroless nickel is a coating designed to protect metallic parts of any shape against corrosion-erosion in oil industry applications, for example, in choke boxes, control valves, spools, pumps, pipes, and others where corrosion and erosion resistance are required to reduce operational cost and extend lifetime of components mentioned above.
José Wong
– Caracas, Venezuela
2002
Q. We are a job shop working closely with electroless nickel plating, however one of our clients wanted to clarification as follows:
“Electroless Nickel Plating (ENP) is not used in wet sour service. ENP shall only be used in dry gas and crude oil service. The ENP, which is hardened for anti galling purposes, is easily damaged mechanically and the damaged areas allow for corrosion of the carbon steel substrate. As the steel corrodes it undermines the thin ENP coating resulting in more of it becoming detached from the ball surface.”
Can any specialist clarify whether this is indeed accurate. As per my understanding, ENP is a suitable option (SC4 severe environments) as it offers resistance to Hydrogen sulfides, etc. However manufacturers and applicators may have valid insights to this.
Regards,
Rajeev [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
– Dubai, UAE
2006
Ed. note: Can you attribute that quote please, Rajeev?
A. Your client is partly correct. If EN is hardened to more than about 850 HK it will shrink and it will crack, exposing the steel to the environment. Then steel can be attacked (by wet H2S, or acids, or by brine in crude oil) and the EN undermined.
However, if the EN is not hardened, it is very resistant to wet sour streams and is commonly used at temperatures up to about 400 °F.
Ron Duncan [deceased]
– LaVergne, Tennessee
It is our sad duty to note Ron’s passing on Dec. 15, 2006. A brief obituary opens
Episode 13 of our Podcast.
Q. WELL WE ARE GOING TO USE ENP COATED BALL VALVE IN SOUR SERVICE I ALSO NEED TO CONFIRM IT.
NAVED MAHDI
– DAMMAM, Saudi Arabia
July 15, 2009