Corrosion Fundamentals &

Control

Basic Oilfield Production

Chemistry Course
Miri, 2nd-3rd April 2014
 Corrosion Agenda
 Introduction/Intro’s
 WHY – Corrosion?

Corrosion
 Water Chemistry
 Bacteria
 TSA’s (Field System Survey’s)
 Chemistry for Mitigation
 Field Performance Testing
 Lab Performance Testing
 Modeling
 Applications
 KPI’s
 Monitoring

2
See any Corrosion TODAY - ??

3
Usage of “IRON” – Oil & Gas Industry
 Use of IRON, other Metals & Alloys:
 For STRENGTH & RESISITIVITY to:
- HIGH TEMPERATURES & HIGH PRESSURES

 But – Iron, Other Metals & Alloys are:

 Susceptible to CORROSION

4
Why is corrosion a concern?
Lost Production

Repair/Replacement

Leaks Reduced
Corrosion
Safety/Accidents
Profit

Environmental Fines
It’s the “PIT’S - !!
Increased Regulations

5
What is Corrosion? - Definition

“Corrosion is the Deterioration of a substance

(usually a metal) or its properties because of a
reaction with its Environment”
It is a permanent, physical change.
As per NACE International

6
The Electromotive Force (emf) Series
Active End
Potassium (K) -2.925 V
Magnesium (Mg) -2.370 V
Aluminum (Al) -1.660 V
Zinc (Zn) -0.763 V
Iron (Fe) -0.440 V
Nickel (Ni) -0.250 V
Hydrogen (H) 0.000 V
Copper (Cu) +0.337 V
Silver (Ag) +0.799 V
Gold (Au) +1.680 V
Inactive End

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What is Required for Corrosion to Occur?

 Corrosion occurs within a corrosion cell, which is actually

an electrical circuit.
 A corrosion cell consists of:
 A Metal Conductor
 The Anode, where metal goes into solution
 The Cathode, which is the reaction site for the
electrons
 Electrolyte, which
completes the
electrical circuit
- “WATER”

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Basic Corrosion Cell

Anode: Where metal CORRODES and

electrons are produced

Cathode: Where the electrons are

CONSUMED

Metallic Path: CONDUCTS electrons from the

anodic to the cathodic sites

Electrolyte: Provides reactants for the cathodic reaction

and allows the FLOW OF IONS

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Corrosion Cell

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Parameters Influencing Corrosion
pH Dissolved
Gases
Metallurgy
Water
Chemistry

Organic
Acids
Corrosion
Press.
Bacteria

Temp.
Sulfur

Velocity Solids

11
Water Chemistry

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Water Analyses – WHY?

 Water chemistry is determined by it’s

contents; therefore the water analysis is
perhaps the single most valuable tool
for diagnosing and predicting problems
in Oil & Gas production systems.

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What’s in Produced Water?

 Dissolved Gases: gaseous substances that have been

dissolved on the water
 GAS Analysis

 Dissolved Solids: ionization of the minerals in the formation

 WATER Analysis

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Dissolved Gases
 Carbon Dioxide, CO2
 Lowers the pH, which affects both the waters’ corrosivity and
calcium carbonate scaling tendency

 Hydrogen Sulfide, H2S

 Lowers the pH of the H2O and therefore makes it more corrosive

 Oxygen, O2
 Has a greater affect on corrosivity of water than others
 Facilitates growth of aerobic bacteria

*Solubility of gases are influenced by Pressure and

Temperature

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Dissolved Solids

 Cations: + Charge  Anions: - Charge

 Calcium, Ca  Chloride, Cl
 Sodium, Na  Bicarbonate, HCO3
 Magnesium, Mg  Carbonate, CO3
 Iron, Fe  Sulfate, SO4
 Barium, Ba
 Strontium, Sr
 Manganese, Mn

These are determined with

a Full Water Analysis!

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Solubility

 The amount of solute that can be dissolved in a given

amount of solvent at a specific temperature and
pressure Solubility Curves of Pure Substances

Solute: what is being dissolved 150

140

-Minerals from the formation 130 KI

120

-Can also be trapped acid 110

NaNO3

gases
100

grams solute per 100 grams H2O

90

KNO3
80

Solvent: the liquid in which it is 70

dissolved: 60 NH3 NH4Cl

50
KCl
-In our case , water 40
NaCl

30

Saturation: when a solvent 20

KClO3

has dissolved all of the solute 10

Ce2(SO4)3
0

it can hold 0 10 20 30 40 50
Temperature/Celsuis
60 70 80 90 100

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Solubility - What affects it?

 Temperature
 ↑Temp… more solute can be dissolved

 Pressure
 ↑ Pressure…more gas can be dissolved

 Once a hole is drilled into the reservoir, pressure and

temperature begin to decrease… gases are released
as pressure drops … solids are precipitated as
temperature drops

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Solubility - Continued

 Some molecules will dissolve in a liquid into positively and

negatively charged ions – IONIZATION
- Cations: + charge
- Anions: - charge
 If they dissociate this way they are called
ELECTROLYTES: solutes which dissolved in water
produce a solution which conducts an electric current

 An electrolyte is one of the components that allows for

CORROSION!!!

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Ionization of Water & pH
H2O = H-O-H → H+ + OH-
 The pH of the water is a measure of the balance
between the Hydrogen (H+) and Hydroxide (OH-) ions in
the water.
1
pH = log +
[H ]
Importance of pH

 When pH is low, dissolved solids remain in the water

making it more electrically conductive – MORE
CORROSION

 When pH is high, dissolved solids come out of solution –

MORE SCALE

 pH changes rapidly and needs to be determined

immediately upon sample collection

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NO – “WATER” - ?
 NO CORROSION – destroying metal tubing, pipelines,
vessels etc.
 NO SCALE – plug, block and/or restrict flow
 NO EMULSIONS - plug, block or restrict flow
 NO BACTERIA PROBLEMS - plug, block or restrict flow;
increase corrosion rates
 Foaming, Hydrate, Paraffin, Asphaltene, Defoamer, Water
Quality – problems would also be minimized
 THEREFORE: NO WATER = MINIMAL OIL & GAS
PRODUCTION ISSUES
 “It’s the Water -- and a lot more.”

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How quickly will metal corrode?

 The rate at which metal corrodes depends on several

factors, most of which are related to the water and other
characteristics of the environment.
 Factors affecting Corrosion:
 pH
 Acid Gases
 Bacteria
 Dissolved Salts
 Fluid Velocity
 Temperature
 Pressure

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Factors Affecting Corrosion - pH
 The lower the pH of the water, the
greater the rate of corrosion.
 In wells with a small amount of
produced water (such as condensate
wells) the pH of the water can get as
low as two or three, due to the
exposure of high pressure and carbon
dioxide.
 Therefore, it stands to reason that the
corrosion rate will increase as the pH
decreases because there will be more
hydrogen ions to drive the process.
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Factors Affecting Corrosion – Acid Gases

 Acid Gases
 Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

 Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)

 Oxygen (O2)
- Although not an acid gas…O2 accelerates the
corrosion rate many more times than CO2 & H2S

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Relative Reactivity

 While the
presence of
oxygen increases
the rate of
general metal
loss and pitting
attack, the
presence of either
CO2 and/or H2S
augments the rate
of attack.

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Factors Affecting Corrosion – CO2
 The presence of carbon dioxide(CO2) in water
has an impact on the speed of the corrosion
process, and tends to be the primary cause of
corrosion itself.
 Some factors influencing the solubility of carbon dioxide in
water are:
 Pressure → the higher the pressure, the more soluble carbon
dioxide is in the water.
 Temperature → the higher the temperature, the lower the
solubility of carbon dioxide in water, however generally a 10
ºC (17 ºF) increase will double the rate of corrosion reaction.
 Composition Of Water → Dissolved materials in water may
buffer it, preventing a reduction in pH.

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Factors Affecting Corrosion – H2S
 H2S corrosion is very common in all parts of North
America
 H2S can be generated by bacteria underground and in
surface equipment used.
 When H2S is dissolved in water,
it creates a weak acid that is a
significant cause of corrosion.
 Hydrogen sulfide is the most
corrosive when combined with
carbon dioxide. H2S corrosion has its own
characteristic pits as well

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Factors Affecting Corrosion – O2
 Common in established (old) oil fields,
oxygen is the worst of the dissolved
gases that can contribute to corrosion.
 O2 causes severe corrosion at very low
concentrations. It combines slowly with
many metals, even at temperatures
below 38°C, and rapidly oxidizes (rusts)
iron and steel.
 O2 is not normally present in the
produced water, but comes into contact
with it, as it is brought to the surface.
 If O2 entry is overlooked severe
corrosion, corrosion products in injection
wells and equipment failures may occur!
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Factors Affecting Corrosion - Bacteria
 Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB)
 Sulfate Reducing Bacteria are very corrosive in an
anaerobic (No O2 present) environment.
 The sulphate reducing bacteria are able to reduce
sulphate in water to sulfides, resulting in the
production of hydrogen sulphide, which can cause
four different corrosion problems:
– Pitting directly under a colony of bacteria.
– The generation of H2S can make the water more acidic, raising the
level of general corrosion.
– Sulphide cracking, (a form of stress corrosion cracking) and sulphide
blistering.
– "Sour corrosion" which forms insoluble iron sulphide which itself forms
more sites for further pitting.

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Factors Affecting Corrosion – Dissolved
Solids
 Typically, chlorides (Cl-) give water the conductivity
required for corrosion to occur.
 Electrolytic conductivity of water is increased as dissolved
inorganic salts increase.
 Corrosion reactions almost always increase with an increase of
salt concentration.
 The type of salt or ions influence the degree and form of corrosion
attack.
 Electrochemical reactions promote chloride and hydrogen ions in
pits which form hydrochloric acid and accelerate corrosion.

 Dissolved sulfate (SO4-) ions in water are another cause

of corrosion, yet the effects are not as severe as those
from the chloride ions.
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Factors Affecting Corrosion – Fluid Velocity
 The rate at which the fluid travels up the well or through
the flow line can directly influence the rate of corrosion.
 Higher velocity
• Removes iron from the boundary layer causing corrosion to increase.
• Creates flow patterns that will strip away inhibitor films.
• Metal will remain under attack until film is re-established, or the metal
surface is completely corroded away.
 Lower velocity
• Allows for solids to drop out creating under deposit corrosion.
• Creates stagnant areas that increase contact time with corrosive
components and allow bacterial colonization.
 Knowing the flow pattern in your system can help you
predict problem areas and treat accordingly

32
Factors Affecting Corrosion – Temperature
 A temperature increase can affect the rate of corrosion in
many different ways:
 The rate of the chemical reaction will speed up.

 Rule of thumb; every 10 ºC (18 0F) doubles the rate of a

reaction

 The solubility of the gases in water will decrease.

 Can change the nature of the scale formation.

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Factors Affecting Corrosion – Pressure
 As pressure increases
High Pressure → Higher Solubility → Higher Corrosion Rate
 the solubility of gases (CO2, H2S & O2) will increase in
the brine

 As pressure decreases
 the solubility of gases (CO2, H2S & O2) will decrease in
the brine, raising the pH.

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Factors affecting Corrosion - Summary
 Water Chemistry
 Dissolved Gases -- Carbon Dioxide, Hydrogen Sulfide, Oxygen
 pH
 Pressure
 Temperature
 Metallurgy
 Velocity
 Stagnant/low flow: Liquid holdup can impact slugging; chemical transport efficiency
 Slug Flow: Can be intermittent; very corrosive; Similar to cavitation
 Multiphase flow: Stratified effects most pronounced; 3 Phases can result in three velocities
 Condensing water: Un-buffered-low pH; Top of Line Corrosion possible
 Solids: Suspended or Dissolved -- Increases erosional; Consumes corrosion inhibitors; Ideal surfaces for
bacterial growth
 Sulfur: Can cause accelerated corrosion rates
 Bacteria: Grows/reproduces
 Galvanic: Dissimilar Metals
 Mechanical/ Abrasion
 Flow enhanced
 Electrolysis

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Common Forms of Corrosion

 General Corrosion
 Pitting Corrosion – “It’s the Pits”
 Galvanic Corrosion
 Velocity Influenced Corrosion
 Environmental Cracking
 Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion

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General Corrosion
Corrosion that proceeds without appreciable localization of
attack. Also known as “Uniform Corrosion” & “General
Thinning”
 High chlorides and acidic environments
 UNIFORM surface roughening and in some cases the presence
of corrosion products
 Anodic and cathodic areas SHIFTS – uniform corrosion
 Starts at fast rates then slows down due to formation of
protective scale
 Predictable

37
Pitting Corrosion

Corrosive attack limited to a specific, relatively small

surface area; the remaining area is un-attacked
 RAPID penetration of wall thickness
 Occurs due to imperfections at films & coatings, under
deposit and/or metallurgical differences
 Occurs in acid gases environment
 Increased risk with high chloride brines
 The anodic sites are much SMALLER than cathodic sites

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Carbon Dioxide

CO 2 + H 2 O → H 2 CO 3
Carbon + Water →Carbonic
Dioxide Acid

39
 Carbon Dioxide

• Sweet Corrosion
• CO2 is ~36 times more soluble in H2O than O2 at 25 0C (77 0F)
• Solubility is a function of CO2 partial pressure in gas
Partial Pressure = Total System Pressure x % CO2 / 100
• ‘Rule of Thumb’ - low salinity conditions
PCO2 < 7 psi non-corrosive
PCO2 7 - 30 psi corrosion likely
PCO2 > 30 psi corrosion almost certain
• Forms carbonic acid in water

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H2S Pitting Attack

Shallow ROUND
PITS with etched
bottoms

41
Crevice Corrosion

Occurs in areas where access to surrounding

environment is restricted
 Particular form of localized corrosion
 Usually occurs between OVERLAYING surfaces (i.e.
rivets, joints, threaded connections, flanges, under
gaskets, under deposits…etc)
 Due to LOCALIZED DIFFERENCE in environments
 Most common initiation forms are:
 Oxygen Concentration Cells
 Metal Ion Concentration
42
Galvanic Corrosion

Corrosion when two DISSIMILAR metals are

electrically coupled in the same electrolyte.

 Classical electrochemical cell

 Accelerated by the difference in potential (emf series)
 Corrosion affected by:
 The nature of environment
 Anode/cathode surface area ratio, distance between
metals
 Conductivity of the electrolyte
43
Galvanic Corrosion

Stainless steel
screw, cadmium
plated washer

44
Velocity Influenced Corrosion

 Erosion Corrosion

 Mechanical Erosion/Impingement

 Cavitation

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Erosion Corrosion

 Occurs in flowing liquid or gases containing NO abrasive

particles
 Velocity is sufficient to remove weakly adhered corrosion
products (films) – causing localized attack
 Velocity changes where the diameter of the pipe or
direction of flow is changing

Erosion Corrosion due to

change in the direction of
flow. Severe metal loss
can quickly occur

46
Mechanical Erosion/ Impingement

 Caused by hard particles impacting the metal surface at

high velocity

 “Liquid Impingement” is a type of Mechanical Erosion

where high velocity liquid (condensed water/liquids)
droplets is the eroding medium

47
Cavitation

 Mechanical damage process caused by COLLAPSING

gas bubbles in a flowing liquid. No significant
contribution by hard particles or corrosion.

48
 Environmental Cracking
 The combined action of tensile stress and a corrosion
reaction is the principal characteristic of all
environmental cracking phenomena
 SCC – Stress Corrosion Cracking
 HIC – Hydrogen Induced Cracking
 SSC – Sulfide Stress Cracking
 Hydrogen Bistering
 Corrosion Fatigue

49
Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC)

 Combined influence of tensile STRESS and a specific

CORROSIVE environment
 The required tensile stresses may be in the form of
directly applied stresses or in the form of residual stresses
 Depending on the Environment, Sulfide Stress or Chloride
Stress Cracking may occur

50
Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) - Initiation

On-set of localized pitting

Application of
mechanical stress

Accumulation of
Initiation of a crack stress at pit face

Accelerated crack growth Continued application

to complete failure of mechanical stress

51
Corrosion Fatigue
 Results from the combined action of a CYCLIC
(alternating) tensile stress and a CORROSIVE
environment
 A form of SCC
 At the point of high stresses, the corrosion product
film is damaged allowing localized corrosion to take
place
 This lead to crack initiation and growth by a
combination of mechanical and corrosive action
H2S attack on
sucker rods
followed by
corrosion
fatigue break,
caused by
alternating
stresses 52
Hydrogen Induced Cracking (HIC)

 Results from the combined action of tensile STRESS and

HYDROGEN in the metal

 Hydrogen atom migrates through the metal’s grain boundaries

 Hydrogen atoms combines to form a hydrogen molecule

generating tremendous pressure that causes the failure

 High-strength alloys are more susceptible to this mode of

cracking

53
Sulfide Stress Cracking (SSC)

 Occurs when susceptible metal is under tensile

STRESS and exposed to SOUR environment
 SSC is a specific form of Hydrogen Induced Cracking
 Sulfides generated from the corrosion reaction
POISONS the atomic hydrogen reaction

54
Microbiological Influenced Corrosion (MIC)

 Types of Bacteria

 Aerobic (OXYGEN)
 Acid Producing Bacteria (APB)
 General Aerobic Bacteria (GAB)

 Anaerobic (NO Oxygen)

 Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB)
 Anaerobic Acid Producing
 General Anaerobic

55
Problems caused by Bacteria - MIC
 Corrosion due to generation of H2S by SRB’s, Sessile bacteria forms
“Slime” that promotes Crevice/Under Deposit corrosion - MIC
 Plugging, filter problems, System fouling, high injectivity pressures
 H2S produced by bacteria causes Reservoir Souring of Production
 H2S produced by bacteria causes Health Hazards
 Sales Gas – unable to met Gas Pipeline Spec’s for sale – 4 ppm or less
H 2S
 Increasing presence of H2S Gas – throughout Production System
 Physical evidence of slime (Biomasses) found in Production Equipment
 Corrosion failures on the rise
 Degradation of expensive metal coatings and polymers
 Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) destroys production
equipment
 Emulsion Stabilization

56
 What are some signs that a system may
have a corrosion problem?
 There are many signs that could suggest that corrosion is
occurring in the system. They include:
 Reduced Production
 Reduced Casing Pressure
 High Iron and/or Manganese Counts
 High debris in water
 Reddish/blackish water at Production Vessels
 Pigging or Caliper Operations show that tubing is
thinning
 The age of the system
 OTHERS - !!!!! [What’s your Sign - ?]
57
Corrosion Control with Corrosion
Inhibitor

58
Preventive Actions
 Engineering solutions – careful selection of material
 Control of environment which contacts the metal during
fabrication, shipping and construction
 Applied barrier lining: protective coating, paint
 Hydrotesting & commissioning – impact on future system
integrity
 Electrochemical cathodic protection, “sacrificial anode.”
 Modification of the environment - removing acid gases
from the water or de-ionize the water to eliminate its
electrical conductivity, dehydrate the system and remove
the water altogether, addition of chemical corrosion inhibitor

59
Corrective Actions

 Modifying materials or conditions to minimize future

corrosion
 Mitigating attack at exact location
 Remedy for any uncertainty during design phase and poor
quality control during fabrication/construction
 Improve inspection, monitoring and maintenance facilities

60
Why are Corrosion Inhibitors needed?

Unprotected Metals =
↑ Corrosion Risks & Failures =
Lost Production ($$) Where did
it all go??

61
Corrosion Inhibitor

 Nalco Champion provides chemical solutions to oilfield

problems
 Nalco Champion sells Corrosion Inhibitors to minimize the
corrosion rate
 Corrosion Inhibitors create a thin chemical film (barrier)
between the electrolyte and the metal
 Other functions: passivating (anodic/cathodic inhibition),
scavenging

62
How do chemical inhibitors work?

Corrosion inhibitors seek out the metal to bond to it

and form a protective coating between the water and
the metal.

63
How do chemical inhibitors work?
 Oilfield corrosion inhibitors have usually been derivatives of
nitrogen called amines and organic acids. There are also
molecules containing phosphorous and sulfur that are
corrosion inhibitors.
 Corrosion inhibitors form a protective layer between the
metal surface and the water. Without the metal-to-water
contact, corrosion cannot take place

64
Corrosion Inhibitor

Water
Corrosion Inhibitor

65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
Corrosion Inhibitors
Fluid Dispersibilities Types of Inhibitors
 Oil Soluble - non-water  Inorganic
dispersible
 Organic
 Oil Soluble - water
dispersible  Anionic

 Water Soluble - oil  Cationic

dispersible
 Typical oilfield corrosion
 Water Soluble – oil inhibitors were organic,
insoluble cationic, nitrogen based
chemicals
 Vapor Phase or Volatile

74
Chemistry of Inhibitors

 Amines  Today’s inhibitors include

 Cyclic - imidazolines, nitrogen compounds plus:
piperazine, morpholine
 Linear - amides, diamines  Sulfur compounds
 Thioglycolic acids
 Fatty Acids- RCOOH  Mercaptoethanol
function
 Phosphorous compounds
 Quaternary Amines  Phosphate ester

75
Corrosion Inhibition

A Corrosion Inhibitor should be:

 Effective for Inhibition
 Present in adequate amount
 Replenished often enough
 Reach all metal to protect

 Select
the proper application technique to
accomplish these goals

76
How Inhibitors Mix

Turbulent mixed flow

with suitable corr. inh.

Liquid separation with corrosion inhibitor

Oil
Interfacer
Water

Oil/water Oil Water

partitioning partitioning partitioning

77
 “Residual” Inhibitor in Water

Inhibitor Adsorbed
onto Surface

Surface of Steel Pipe

78
Corrosion Inhibitor Applications

 Continuous

 Batch

 Squeeze is not recommended for producing wells,

only supply wells
 Combination of Methods

79
Application of Corrosion Inhibitors

a) Continuous injection into

flowline

capillary

b) Continuous injection by
capillary tubing stream

Corrosion
Inhibitor

80
Application of Corrosion Inhibitors

81
Application of Corrosion Inhibitors

82
Application of Corrosion Inhibitors

83
Application of Corrosion Inhibitors - Options

84
Batch Application with Pig

Trailing pig

Inhibitor + diluent

Lead pig
Slug is sized for 3 mil film
thickness and at least 10 second contact time

85
 Corrosion Inhibition
Batch Application
Regular “batch” application of inhibitor into annulus with
flush of 1 to 10 bbls

Batch-size volume is determined by:

• 3 mil film thickness on tubing interior
OR
• 5000 or 10000 ppm concentration in produced fluid in
annulus
OR
• 25-50 ppm based on well fluid production over treatment
interval between batches

86
Monitoring and Inspection

87
Monitoring
• Acquiring data on the rate of material degradation (corrosion rate
measurement)
• Part of control measure activities:
 Process Parameters
 Chemical Treatment
 Chemical Analysis
 Pigging
• Corrosion monitoring is not a simple activity:
 There are number of different types of corrosion
 Corrosion may be uniform or concentrated in a small area
 Corrosion rates may vary over some distances
 There is no single measurement technique that will detect all
various conditions

88
Monitoring Considerations
 Location of monitoring system – based on “worst-case” condition or at a
point where corrosion is expected to be most severe
 Chose proper device - long-term coupon exposure vs real-time probe
sensing, simple measurement vs fully integrated surveillance units,
multiple techniques vs increased numbers of single technique
 Identify parameters to be monitored – understand what is being
monitored
 What part of system is being monitored – monitoring point should be
closed to system being monitored
 Avoid contamination of the monitoring system – important information
may be lost due to contamination

89
Monitoring Considerations (cont.)
 Use multiple techniques instead of single one – in general,
no individual technique alone is suitable for monitoring
corrosion under complex industrial conditions, very
common long-term coupon exposure is used to correlate
data from probe/instrumented sensor
 Repeatability of results – monitoring device provides
consistent results
 Interpretation of results – to have a clear view of corrosion
process inside the system being monitored

90
91
Pipeline Monitoring: Where do we put the
probe/spool?
Pressure = 30 bar, Shear stress = 1 Pa, CO2 = 6 mole%

7
Corrosion rate / (mm/year)

pH=5
6
pH=5.4
5 pH=6
4
3
2
1
0
0 50 100 150
Temperature / (°C)

92
Monitoring the Effectiveness of the Inhibition

 Once a corrosion inhibition program has been implemented, it must be

monitored. First for effectiveness, then for efficiency.
 Weight loss coupons
 Test nipples or spools
 Corrosion instruments
 Iron counts
 Product residuals
 Bacteria counts
 Corrosion product analysis

93
New Technologies
 ‘Real-Time’ Corrosion Rate Measurement
 Electrochemical Noise
 High Sensitivity ER
- Ceion
- Microcorr
 Field Signature Method
 Erosion Monitoring
- Clampon Acoustic Sensors
- Intrusive Metal-Loss Probes

 Rapid detection of an increase in corrosion rate or metal

loss

94
Corrosion Inhibition Monitoring the Program

Coupon ladder

From
well

Sour service corrosion test spool - wet natural gas production

95
Corrosion Inhibition Monitoring the Program

bottom top

middle

Weight loss coupon ladder for installation

into high pressure wet gas pipeline

96
Corrosion Monitoring Probe Types

97
Flush Mounted LPR Probe

98
Electrical Resistance Probe

99
100
Subsea CEION Probe

101
CEION ™ SPOOL IN SERVICE

102
 Electrochemical Noise
Monitoring of Pigging Operations

Effect of Sphering on the Corrosion Rate from Electrochemical Noise,

7 December 1995 to 16 January 1996, every 400 seconds.
0.6
Electrochemical Noise Corrosion Rate,

Trace describes ECN Corrosion Rate. Bars give time of receipt of spheres

0.5

0.4
mm year .
-1

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0
07/12/95 12/12/95 17/12/95 22/12/95 27/12/95 01/01/96 06/01/96 11/01/96 16/01/96
00:00 00:00 00:00 00:00 00:00 00:00 00:00 00:00 00:00
Date and Time

103
Instrumented Spool Pieces
 Metal loss techniques
 Applicable to different metallurgies
 Differentiate between general and localised attack
 Circumferential measurement  Corrocean’s FSM
Technology
 Monitors pipe wall
• Cormon’s RPCM Technology
 > 10 years field experience
– Dedicated spool piece
 Metal loss technique

104
Other Monitoring Activities
 Liquids and Gas Analysis
 Water content
 Fe & Mn Counts
 Inhibitor residual
 CO2 and H2S content
 Associated Analyses
 Pig Water/Trash Analysis
 Water corrosivity
 Solids/Wax Analysis
 Microbial enumeration

105
Inspection
 Evaluation of the quality of material to a standard or a
specification
 Also, an attempt to gain a deeper understanding on
corrosion mechanism and rate of material degradation –
more accurate than monitoring
 Mostly used to identify failures “hot spots”
 Often a “once-off” measurement, it compliments monitoring
activities
 Choice of inspection techniques will depend on the
accuracy and cost

106
Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE)

 Visual Examination – oldest, simplest, less expensive.

Borescope is often used.
 Radiography – x-ray, radioactive
 Ultrasonic – thickness measurement, defect sizing
 Electromagnetic – Eddy Current (EC), Magnetic Flux
Leakage (MFL), Caliper Survey (downhole)
 Liquid Penetrant – flourescence dye, magnetic particle

107
Visual – Pit Gage

108
Radiography

109
UT Measurement

110
Inspection - Intelligent Pigs

111
Smart Pigs - MFL

112
Magnetic particle indications on pipeline exterior

113