Oil and Gas

Oil and gas production is a complex task. Crude oil and natural gas are organic mixtures, sometimes in very variable compositions, depending on the reserves. Standard components of crude oil include hydrocarbons and sulfur, oxygen and nitrogen compounds. Natural gas consists of gases such as methane, ethane and propane and similarly contains other secondary components such as sulfuric acid. Resistance to abrasion, crack and stress corrosion are therefore the most important properties of materials used in oil and natural gas production.

According to the World Energy Outlook 2017, published by the International Energy Agency (IEA), primary energy requirements worldwide will increase by 30 percent till 2040. Despite extensive and versatile efforts to develop renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy and commercialize their use, energy supply in the world will continue to rely on oil and natural gas for a longer period of time. In order to maintain the long-term availability of fossil fuel reserves, extraction rates in existing oil and natural gas wells are continuously improved using deep drilling and secondary and tertiary extraction methods. Efforts to discover new reserves and related developments have been increased.

More extraction techniques will be required in the future for oil and gas production, as existing reserves are largely depleted and new reserves are becoming more and more difficult. Nickel alloys and special stainless steels produced by Tei Alloys will make important contributions in supplying fuel and energy to the world in the future.