How Galling is Sabotaging Your Extraction Costs
The Hidden Cost of Galling
In 2024, galling-related failures accounted for 15% of OCTG (Oil Country Tubular Goods) breakdowns, costing oilfields an average of $1,000,000 per rig annually, according to IEA reports. For drilling engineers and rig managers, galling—friction-induced damage to pipe threads, drill collars, and accessories—is not just a maintenance headache; it is a silent profit killer. As oil extraction costs rise (up 12% globally per Rystad Energy), every seized thread or worn tool drives up downtime and replacement expenses. Enter Sterling Impreglon Asia’s copper Brush Plating technology: a widely approved, cost-saving solution that is transforming how the oilfield industry fight galling.
Why Galling Hurts Your Bottom Line
Galling occurs when high-torque operations, like those in deepwater or shale drilling, cause metal surfaces to weld and tear. The result? Seized pipe threads, damaged casing tools, and hours of downtime. Traditional coatings like nickel or chrome often flake under pressure, leading to repeat failures. A single stuck drill pipe can halt operations for 12+ hours, racking up $50,000-$200,000 in losses, not counting replacement costs. In 2025, with oil demand projected to hit 105 million barrels/day (OPEC), these inefficiencies are unsustainable.
Copper Brush Plating: The Anti-Galling Game-Changer
Sterling’s proprietary Brush Plating process applies a precision copper layer to threads, tools, and accessories, reducing friction and galling by up to 70%. Unlike traditional methods, our plating:
- Bonds Perfectly: 100% adhesion, no delamination—even in high-torque, corrosive environments.
- Saves Time: On-site application in hours, not days, with no disassembly needed.
- Cuts Costs: Reduces tool replacements by 50%, slashing downtime expenses.
- Meets Standards: Approved by all major OCTG manufacturers, licensors, machine and threading shops around the world.
Our copper plating doesn’t just mask galling—it eliminates it, extending tool life by years and keeping rigs running.
Why Sterling in 2025?
- Proven Expertise: Over 35 years plating oilfield tools, from drill pipes, connections, accessories to subsea valves.
- Global Trust: Approved vendor for OCTG giants like VAM, JFE, Tenaris as well as used by major Oil & Gas customers like Weatherford, Schlumberger, Hunting, Baker Hughes, and many more.
- Eco-Friendly: Our chemicals are all water-based meaning it pose no harm to the environment.
- Cost-Effective: ROI of up to 5x by preventing failures and extending tool life.
