Conceptual Design of Thermoplastic Composite Pipes for Downhole Applications

Abstract Thermoplastic Composite Pipes (TCP) have been receiving growing attention from the oil industry, as potential replacements for steel pipes, due to superior corrosion resistance, lighter weight, and other advantages (Shi C., et al., 2021). In the upstream segment, TCP have been already explored for subsea applications, as shown in (Barbosa, Bastos, De Boer, & Rojas-Díaz, 2019). This kind of application is relatively simpler than downhole scenarios, where high temperature and pressure can lead to complications. The present work aims to determine what kind of composite material should be pursued to enable downhole application for TCP. Numerical simulations were performed to understand the response of TCP to severe loadings, expected during operation of producer and injector wells. Simulated operations involved acid jobs, pressure tests and unexpected evacuation of tubing or annular pressure build-up (APB), due to thermal effects.