The role of niobium as an alloying element in high-strength steels for oil country tubular goods

The information found in this report is the result of a review of the literature and meetings with representatives of oil companies, steel producers, OCTG distributors, ferro- alloy producers and equipment manufacturers. The NACE publication, ‘H2S Corrosion - A Compilation of Classic Papers’, is an excellent general reference. A bibliography is not included; the references are cited only where information is presented in the text. This review deals with the present use of Niobium-bearing steels in the drilling and production of oil and gas. It also treats potential usage of such materials and suggests areas for research and development. Excluded from this paper is any significant treatment of the transmission of petroleum products through pipelines or other means. It assumes a basic understanding of the metallurgy of the alloy systems that are described and deals as much as possible with the unique role and benefits of niobium. Moreover, the technology of drilling and production are not discussed beyond the limited extent necessary to identify the need for the alloys used. (AU)