Selecting materials for offshore use

The cost of maintenance work conducted offshore is an order of magnitude greater than that of an equivalent job performed onshore. If the work is on subsea equipment, the cost is greater still. For these reasons, the specification and the verification by quality control procedures of materials for offshore use, and the effectiveness of corrosion control measures, are of the highest importance to the operators of offshore oil & gas plant equipment and related facilities.

Achievements to date

EEMUA’s Materials Technology Committee (MTC) has published a guidance document on materials selection and corrosion control for subsea oil and gas production equipment, the development of which was a co-operative effort between major operators and contractors.

EEMUA has also published specifications for copper alloy piping and for structural castings for offshore use.

EEMUA’s current agenda on materials for offshore use

Following the failure, experienced by an EEMUA member company, of a flanged joint in a water injection line due to defective nuts on the flange bolts, MTC has recently begun developing a guide on quality control and inspection of bolting materials for (oil and gas) ‘upstream’ applications.

Join us

To participate in EEMUA’s materials-related Technical Committees, or to become involved in other ways in the Association’s current agenda on materials selection, write to .