In 1950 the premature failures of downhole tubular materials in the Pincher Creek and the Jumping Pound Fields, Alberta, Canada, the McKamie Field-Patton Field, Arkansas, and the experiences in the Lacq Field, France, focused attention on performance of materials in hydrogen sulfide environment. These wells were classed as sour condensate, containing both hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide with moderate pressure and temperature. From this beginning the problem has been exhaustively investigated, literally thousands of tests have been made, and theories explored. Development of satisfactory materials for this environment has been slow but’ steady. In actual practice there have not been extremely serious or uncontrollable failures, except one in the state of Mississippi. These early problems were handled expeditiously which speaks well for the material investigators in the petroleum industry.

Subject
Hydrogen sulfide, Materials, Piping, Sour gas, Drilling fluid, Tools, Joints, Sulfide stress, Copper, Sulfide stress cracking, Fracture, Hardness, Hydrogen
© 1973 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1973
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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