Overview - ISO 17348:2016 (Materials selection for high CO2)
ISO 17348:2016 provides guidance for selecting materials for seamless casing, tubing and downhole equipment in CO2 injection and gas production wells where CO2 concentrations and partial pressures are high (greater than 10% molar CO2 and pCO2 ≥ 1 MPa). The standard focuses exclusively on materials compatibility with high-CO2 environments - addressing corrosion evaluation, materials selection and corrosion control - and does not cover oil production wells or manufacturing/testing specifics.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Corrosion evaluation and likelihood: assessment of CO2-driven corrosion risks (including low pH scenarios) as the basis for material choice and corrosion management planning.
- Materials selection guidance: recommendations for casing, tubing, packers, liners and other downhole components for:
- high-CO2 gas injection,
- Water Alternating Gas (WAG) systems,
- high-CO2 gas production wells.
- Corrosion control: strategies for prevention and management, including inspection/maintenance considerations and specification of internal corrosion allowance where applicable.
- Materials classes and considerations: use of corrosion-resistant alloys (CRAs), stainless steels (PREN considerations), carbon steels, and non‑metallics - with attention to susceptibilities such as stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and rapid gas decompression (RGD) of elastomers/polymers.
- Design and operational inputs: the standard emphasizes that materials selection must be performed by experienced materials or corrosion engineers using a site-specific design basis (temperature, pressure, fluid composition, lifecycle and intervention philosophy).
- Scope limits: ISO 17348 deals with compatibility only and defers to product/manufacturing standards when conflicts arise.
Applications and practical value
- Selection of downhole materials for offshore and onshore CO2 injection wells, CO2-rich gas production wells, and WAG operations.
- Useful for projects involving CO2 enhanced recovery (EOR) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) where high CO2 partial pressures and corrosive conditions are expected.
- Helps operators, engineering contractors and equipment suppliers define material requirements to reduce failure risk, optimize inspection regimes and manage lifecycle costs.
Who should use this standard
- Oil & gas production companies operating CO2-rich wells
- Corrosion and materials engineers designing well completions
- Engineering contractors, equipment manufacturers and suppliers
- Project leads for CCS and EOR field developments
Related standards
- ISO 11960 (steel pipes for casing/tubing)
- ISO 13680 (corrosion‑resistant alloy tubes)
- ISO 15156 (materials for H2S environments)
- ISO 21457 (materials selection and corrosion control for production systems)
- ISO 23936‑1/2 (non‑metallic materials - thermoplastics and elastomers)
Keywords: ISO 17348:2016, materials selection, high CO2, CO2 corrosion, casing, tubing, downhole equipment, WAG, corrosion control, PREN, corrosion‑resistant alloy.