Effect of crude oil and well stream chemical on glass fiber epoxy composite pipes

Abstract Glass-reinforced epoxy (GRE) pipes are used as an alternative to carbon steel pipes in desert oil field applications owing to their good properties such as chemical resistance, thermal resistance and mechanical properties. In the desert oil field service, the pipes are exposed to different harsh environmental conditions such as high temperature, humidity and ultraviolet radiation. The harsh environmental conditions can affect the properties of GRE pipes, which, in turn, can impact their performance. The present study covers the effects of environment factors such as crude oil and well stream chemicals on the properties of GRE pipes. The pipe samples were aged in wet crude, effluent water and scale inhibitor to simulate the exposure to desert oil field service. The aged samples were evaluated for their mechanical properties, thermal stability and chemical resistance. The compositional change in the composite structures was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and matrix deterioration by scanning electron microscopy. Swelling studies revealed no significant diffusion by the chemical media. Tensile testing showed a slight change in tensile strength with aging in crude oil. In addition, all the pipe samples showed adequate thermal stability to withstand harsh environmental conditions.