Full-Scale Tribocorrosion and Abrasive Testing to Mitigate Rod and Tubing Wear

The relative motion between sucker rods and tubing in rod-lifted wells, particularly in corrosive fluids, leads to degradation mechanisms that often cause material loss, commonly referred to as wear. In U.S. unconventional wells, this wear mechanism accounts for over 50% of the operational expenditure (OPEX) in rod-lifted systems.

Through the application of Root Cause Analysis, the primary mechanisms responsible for this wear—tribocorrosion and three-part abrasion—were identified. These mechanisms can occur individually or in combination.

To better understand these processes and assess the performance of materials and components, Tenaris developed two distinct full-scale testing methods: (1) the Tribocorrosion Sliding Test and (2) the Abrasive Sliding Test. Both testing methods allow for the manipulation of environmental conditions, lateral loads, and key fluid or abrasive components.

Upon completion of the testing protocols, wear levels in each component were quantified using state-of-the-art imaging techniques. This data was carefully analyzed to evaluate the relative performance of materials and identify optimal combinations to mitigate wear, ultimately enhancing the run life of rod-lifted systems.