Abstract
The application of composite materials in the oil industry, in particular within the exploration and production area, can offer significant cost savings by utilizing their beneficial material properties, high strength-to-weight ratio and good corrosion resistance. The challenge facing materials engineers is to design structures that will be fit for purpose over the lifetime of the oil field, typically 20 to 30 years. Presently the most common composite structure is a filament-wound glass fibre-reinforced epoxy-matrix pipe. The role of research has been to develop an understanding of the failure mechanisms to provide technical information as input into design guidelines. The mechanisms under study have been cyclic fatigue, static fatigue and impact. Also, initial defect/damage assessment procedures have been outlined. Finally the role of the environment, i.e., temperature and chemical species, on material performance has been considered.
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