Advances in manufacturing techniques of cladding steel pipes using corrosion-resistant alloy material for offshore oil and gas pipelines

Offshore Oil and Gas pipelines experience severe corrosion both externally (due to seawater) and internally (due to flow of corrosive hydrocarbons) reducing their operational life significantly. The main segments of these carbon steel-made pipelines (viz. flow lines and risers) function to either inject acidic chemicals, water to keep the reservoir in working condition or to transport hydrocarbons to the receiving facility hence experiencing extreme pressure, sour and corrosive environments. To reduce internal corrosion and to increase the operational performance of these pipelines, the oil and gas industry has adopted various methods such as using corrosion inhibitors, coatings, corrosion-resistant alloy, composite materials, etc. Cladding on carbon steel pipes with corrosion-resistant alloy has emerged as the front runner solution for internal corrosion mitigation and to enhance the service life of piping components. Manufacturing industries have adopted advanced techniques to fabricate clad pipes such as hot roll bonded, Co-extrusion, Powder metallurgy, Solid corrosion-resistant alloy (CRA), Weld Overlay Cladding using Ni-based super alloys, etc. This article focuses on providing a comprehensive review of clad pipe fabrication methods employed by the industry focusing on their merits and demerits. Also, it identifies the most preferred process in terms of enhanced productivity which can help the scientific as well as industrial communities to analyze state-of-the-art technology in clad pipe manufacturing.