Oil & Gas Equipment Life Extended 3× with Hardfacing

The Challenge

An oilfield equipment manufacturer serving Middle East and North African operations was experiencing rapid wear on drill bit components, valve seats, and pump plungers. The sandy, saline well environment created combined abrasive and corrosive wear that standard hardening treatments couldn't address:

• Drill bit bearings failing after 50-80 hours of drilling in abrasive sandstone formations
• Valve seat erosion requiring replacement every 200 operating hours
• Unplanned rig downtime costing $25,000+ per incident

The Solution

LSBT supplied NiCrSiB nickel-chromium-silicon-boron alloy powder optimized for HVOF (High Velocity Oxygen Fuel) thermal spray application:

• NiCr14Si4.5B3.1 grade — primary hardfacing alloy with Cr for corrosion resistance and B/Si for fluxing and hard boride/carbide formation
• 15-45 µm particle size — optimized for HVOF spray gun parameters and deposition efficiency
• High sphericity — ensures consistent powder feeding and uniform coating thickness
• Low oxygen content — minimizes oxide inclusions in the as-sprayed coating

The Results

HVOF coatings applied with LSBT's NiCrSiB powder achieved HV 1100-1200 hardness with porosity below 1%. Drill bit bearing life extended from 50-80 hours to over 250 hours in abrasive formations. Valve seat replacement intervals extended from 200 to over 600 operating hours.