Project partners: National Oilwell Varco Norway AS (NOV), Aker Solutions MH AS (MH), Umoe Mandal AS, Statoil ASA, Elkem AS Research, Xstrata Nikkelverk AS, Bosch Rexroth B.V Cylinders (BRH) and the University of Agder (UIA). The PhD research work was supervised and carried out at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway.
The background of this research project was picked up by the business cluster organization based on a desire from National Oilwell Varco Norway AS and Aker Solutions MH to solve a common problem concerning short service life of piston rods operating in harsh marine conditions. This research initiative was based on the many reported incidents of failing riser tensioner cylinder piston rods operating in the splash zone on board drilling vessels due to the corrosion and wear related failures causing major drilling down time. One of the goals was to develop a more reliable and predictable piston rod material combination and sealing system. The goal of the two other PhD projects were to investigate the actual loads and the dynamic characterization of the tensioner cylinders and riser pipe using computer modelling, and to verify these by offshore logging measurements. In the PhD project of WP 2, first the primary aim was to study various coatings and their behavior to various combinations of corrosion and wear exposure (tribocorrosion). However, during the first stage of the project, based on the early mapping of offshore experience data and failure analysis cases it was discovered that there was in addition evidence of synergy between tribocorrosion and mechanical loading. NTNU together with National Oilwell Varco (PhD student) pioneered the multi-degradation testing and understanding, building the pilot multi-degradation test rig that has been used in many later R&D-projects. The NODE ART culminated in designing and building a test rig for the simultaneous action of fatigue and tribocorrosion i.e., multi-degradation. The first approach of modelling the multi-degradation mechanisms was published in 2010 and test results of many materials and coatings was published in 2011.
This project ensured to build up the tribocorrosion activities (NTNU/SINTEF Tribo-lab) and later educate several industrial PhD and MSc students in the multi-degradation field for the O&G industry at NTNU.
Segment: Smart Production, Competence
Project Owner: GCE NODE
GCE NODE Project Manager: Anders Hjemlseth (Umoe Mandal)
Period: 2007-2011
Funding: The Research Council of Norway, Petromax program