Advanced Electroplating – Honeywell’s Approach for Oil and Gas Drilling

Honeywell has partnered with industrial coating providers to distribute and apply its advanced electroplating technology for use in demanding conditions within the oil and gas industry. The new coating is now being field-tested by several major oil and gas companies to protect drilling tools from corrosion and abrasion.

“Coming from a demanding industry like aerospace, we understand the vigorous demands placed on essential equipment used by oil and gas companies during the exploration and development processes,” said Enrique Terrats, Senior Director of Business Development at Honeywell. Benefiting from decades of experience with coatings for aerospace applications, Honeywell advanced electroplating is designed to outperform conventional solutions like tungsten carbide coatings (HVOF-WC), which are applied using a high-velocity oxygen fuel process, and hard chrome electroplating.

HVOF-WC coatings have high hardness but are expensive, and may be prone to failure due to low impact resistance. Also, most thermal spray processes are not suitable for non-line of sight (NLOS) applications. On the other hand, hard chrome coatings are less expensive than HVOF-WC but prone to microcracks which can initiate corrosion and erosion. In addition, there are increasing environmental concerns regarding the use of chrome plating.

Honeywell’s new coating is a solution that makes sense both economically and environmentally – it enables customers to extend their drilling hours and lower total operating costs without environmental concerns. “Our coatings and the proprietary advanced electroplating process we’ve developed protect vital parts from premature failure, which can impact performance, efficiency, and cost.” Terrats pointed out.

If you would like to know more about Honeywell Advanced Electroplating, please contact us at advancedplating@honeywell.com.