Multiphase twin screw pumps are used by the oil and gas production industry to boost the
transport of hydrocarbons allowing for a greater field recovery and longer transport distances.
The pumps are subjected to wear due to corrosion, erosion and erosion-corrosion. This paper
presents the results of an investigation focused on investigating the wear resistance of a
chromium nickel steel USN S43100 (X22 CrNi 17 2) in the “as delivered” condition and after a
heat treatment, under controlled corrosion activity. The materials were subjected to three
different potentials in the passivity region of the materials and the resistance was investigated
using different amounts of oil in a chloride ion rich standardized water phase with an addition
of 10 wt.% quartz sand as erosion particles and CO2. As a result it will be shown that at all
investigated potentials a water cuts of 40% and less leads to a complete inhibition and wear
solely due to erosion. If the corrosion was allowed to occur, i.e. at lower cuts, the wear due to
erosioncorrosion was governed mostly by the corrosion in the form of pitting corrosion. It will
further be shown, that depending on the level of corrosion the use of one or the other material
has its advantages.
Keywords: turbulent flow, erosion-corrosion, corrosion, inhibition, oil/water cut, multiphase
pumps