ISO 23936-1:2022

Overview

ISO 23936-1:2022 - "Oil and gas industries including lower carbon energy - Non-metallic materials in contact with media related to oil and gas production - Part 1: Thermoplastics" provides principles, requirements and recommendations for assessing the stability of thermoplastic non‑metallic materials used in oil and gas exploration and production equipment. The standard guides material selection and quality assurance to reduce the risk of degradation-related failures that could affect safety, environment or equipment integrity. It supplements - but does not replace - applicable design codes and regulations.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope & exclusions: Focuses on thermoplastics in production environments (pipelines, piping, liners, seals, gaskets, washers). Excludes interaction with sunlight or ionizing radiation, blistering from rapid gas decompression, and is not specifically intended for refining/downstream equipment.
• Four-level evaluation framework:
  • Level 1 - Material property characterization and documentation (material data report, certificates).
  • Level 2 - Short-term material stability (added 28-day, single-temperature evaluation for non-H2S conditions).
  • Level 3 - Accelerated stability testing (Arrhenius approach; 56-day total target for multi-temperature tests).
  • Level 4 - Long-term stability and life estimation (life‑estimation analyses moved here; 180-day Arrhenius target).
• Testing and reporting: Requirements for specimen identification, moulding, orientation, post‑treatment, test fluids, exposure temperatures/durations, property test methods and threshold criteria. Annex A details test media, conditions and procedures; Annex B covers long‑term life estimation methodology.
• Traceability & QA: Emphasis on traceability, validation of conformance and preconditioning considerations for reliable, comparable results.
• Caveat: The standard allocates ultimate responsibility for suitability for intended service to the equipment user.

Applications and users

ISO 23936-1:2022 is practical for:

• Engineers and designers selecting thermoplastic materials for oil/gas production equipment
• Material suppliers and manufacturers validating product stability
• Operators, integrity and asset managers assessing long‑term performance and risk
• QA/QC teams implementing traceability and conformance reporting
• Regulators and procurement specifying test/qualification requirements

Benefits include reduced degradation failures, more informed material selection, and documented life‑estimation evidence supporting operational decisions.

Related standards

• ISO 23936 series (other parts covering elastomers, thermosets, etc.)
• ISO 15156 series (complementary guidance on metallic materials in sour service)

Keywords: ISO 23936-1:2022, thermoplastics, non‑metallic materials, oil and gas, material stability, ageing tests, life estimation, Arrhenius, material selection, quality assurance.