Postle Industries Drill Pipe Hardbanding and Hardfacing Alloys

For more than 40 years, Postle Industries has built a strong reputation for developing durable hardfacing alloys and welding procedures for industries including drilling, mining, construction, agriculture, recycling and many others. In the oil and gas exploration and drilling field, Postle’s Hardbanding Solutions business unit has developed a comprehensive product line which benefits both the drill pipe tool joint and the casing. The company is best known as the maker of Duraband, the world’s most trusted hardbanding.

Drill pipe hardbanding

Our research and design department has worked tirelessly to address the tool joint wear and casing concerns of the drilling industry related to the hardbanding of drill pipe. In 2003, to protect drill pipe and casing, Postle Industries introduced Tuffband NC, a non-cracking hardband.

As drilling increased and techniques adapted to industry advancements, the need for a more wear-resistant, non-cracking product became apparent due to the severe conditions encountered in the oil and gas fields. Postle addressed this dilemma with Duraband NC, which was designed for all drilling conditions, including sour gas, HPHT, ERD and highly abrasive conditions. In addition to this we developed tool joint build-up wires and non-magnetic hardbanding to further rectify the problem facing the offshore industry.

Hardbanding Solution by Postle will continue to be there to support, develop and deliver quality hardbanding products as technological advancements and industrial needs develop. Your drill pipe deserves the best…it deserves Duraband NC and Tuffband NC.

Duraband NC crack-free hardband

Duraband® NC is a completely crack-free hardband that provides maximum protection to the tool joint and casing. Its microstructure consists of a mixture of resilient tool steel matrix with a high volume of tightly packed micro-constituents. This combination ensures excellent wear resistance in open hole drilling while being casing-friendly.

Since its introduction to the market in 2007, Duraband has maintained an excellent track record, due to its ability to lay down a totally crack-free deposit. MPI testing throughout the world has substantiated this claim, something which no other rival product can claim.

A leading titanium containing product states in its manual that 1in (25mm) long cracks in both the traverse and longitudinal directions are acceptable. The Duraband manual, however, allows zero cracks, regardless of direction. The virtues of crack-free deposits provide numerous benefits to all stakeholders in the drilling industry – operators, drilling contractors, rental companies and applicators – and cannot be stressed enough.

Duraband NC is unique. It is Fearnley Procter NS-1™ certified for new applications to tool joints and certified for re-application over itself and other hardband products as specified in the NS-1 re-application approval certificates. It is the only product that provides maximum protection that is also applied crack-free. For maximum reliability and wear resistance, Duraband NC is a market-leading product.

• Duraband NC is engineered to be crack-free – it’s application procedures do not allow stress cracks
• Abrasives and drilling fluid are not trapped in cracks; even under severe drilling conditions spalling is highly unlikely
• No premature re-application due to spalling and chipping
• Excellent wear qualities
• No nucleation sites for H2S gas
• Excellent casing protection
• Eliminates costly premature re-application
• Easy and less expensive re-application
• Faster turnaround time

Tuffband NC high hardness hardband

Tuffband® NC is a high hardness hardband that may be used on its own for casing-friendly hardband applications, or utilised as a weld matrix with tungsten carbide (WC) when casing protection is not a factor.

Tuffband NC is applied crack-free and prevents spalling, even under the most extreme drilling conditions, and is completely rebuildable. It is Fearnley Procter NS-1™ certified for new applications to tool joints and it is certified for re-application over itself and other hardband products as specified in the NS-1 re-application approval certificates. It offers good protection for tool joints and casing, and crack-free application means no trapped abrasive materials that might lead to unexpected casing wear. Advantages of Tuffband NC include:

• Long life of tool joints and casing
• Minimisation of sour gas problems at critical sites
• 100% rebuildable

Global applicators

Duraband is the most trusted hardband in the drilling industry. To support your offshore drilling projects, Hardbanding Solutions by Postle has seven strategically located technical centers and has certified almost 200 applicators worldwide, in almost every country involved with oil and gas, and geothermal drilling. More than 200 applicators on every continent in almost every country and drilling location involved within the oil and gas and geothermal industries choose Duraband.

Duraband is completely applicator-friendly and has been successfully applied at rig sites throughout the world.

Customers of Duraband are provided with 100% support, anywhere in the world. This ensures the quality of their work and our product. Our support service includes:

• Site inspection – sending an application engineer on site as the product is being applied
• Applicator training – complete and ongoing applicator training and support anywhere in the world
• Applicator levels to encourage improving skill and knowledge
• Tool joint examination, which, as part of the certification process, ensures the quality of work