CarTech 15-15LC Modified stainless is an austenitic, nitrogen-strengthened stainless steel. It should be considered for oil and gas industry applications such as nonmagnetic drill collars, stabilizers, and MWD housings.

The lower carbon content of CarTech 15-15LC Modified stainless results in less tendency for carbides to precipitate in grain boundaries compared with normal chrome-manganese stainless grades. This provides CarTech 15-15LC Modified stainless with improved resistance to intergranular stress- corrosion cracking. In addition, nickel, chromium, nitrogen, manganese and molybdenum are controlled to further enhance the resistance to intergranular stress-corrosion cracking.

A post-machining ID compressive stress treatment for drill collars has been developed to further improve the resistance to stress-corrosion cracking.

The strength of CarTech 15-15LC Modified stainless is achieved by warm working on a rotary forge at a temperature below the recrystallization temperature.