Unique environment in the oil field and its effect on the performance of the drilling and production machinery

The problem of losses due to the corrosion of oil well drilling and production equipment is receiving increasing attention from operators and contractors. These losses usually include unproductive rig time and loss of equipment. Corrosion problems are being recognized by a larger segment of the drilling industry than ever before. This concern may be due to sea water and/or the type of muds run in many areas today. The trend away from highly treated, heavy weight, high pH (11-12) muds containing diesel oil to the lightly treated low pH muds containing no oil is clearly more conducive to corrosion. The lighter weight water base muds contain a much higher water fraction than the heavier fluids, and the corrosive water base is in direct contact with the drill pipe and casing. Oxygen and carbon dioxide are entrapped by the high gel structure of these muds which makes them more corrosive as well.