OMV Exploration & Production

Corrosion Prevention The Basis

for Success in the Production of
Wet Natural Gas
Bucharest, June 21th, 2006

Wolfgang HAVLIK
OMV Laboratory for
Exploration & Production

Move & More.

Contents
f Corrosion problems in the production and transport of wet gas
f Hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) due to H2S
f Corrosion in CO2 environments
f Materials selection
f Corrosion inhibitors
f Phase flow behaviour
f Gas fields in Austria corrosion control
f Gas treatment in Austrian fields
f Conclusions

2 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Introduction
Corrosion Problems Encountered in the
Production and Transport of Wet Gas
f Hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) due to H2S
f Hydrogen diffusion into the material preferably in the

precipitation zones

f Sulfide stress corrosion cracking (SSCC)

f Due to the presence of H2S, mechanical stress and unproper

material

f Material Selection according to NACE MR 0175, ISO 15156

f Stress corrosion cracking of stainless steel in chloride
f SCC in chloride is a function of chloride content, mechanical

stress, the temperature and the steel grade

3 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Introduction
Hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) and laminations caused by H2S

4 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Introduction
f Sulfide stress corrosion

cracking (SSCC) in high

strength carbon steel

5 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Introduction
Corrosion Problems Encountered in the
Production and Transport of Wet Gas
f CO2-Corrosion
f CO2 dissolves in brine to form carbonic acid low pH
f Consequences: general corrosion and localized corrosion
f De Waard-Milliams established calculation model

found out to be too conservative

Example: Miano field
f Calculations for the Miano gas field came up to theoretical
corrosion rates of 20 mm/y recommending Duplex SS
f OMVs experience was confirmed with corrosion rates of less
than 0.02 mm/a after choosing CS and corrosion inhibitor
6 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Introduction

Nomograph
according to de
Waard-Milliams

in practice:
less corrosion rates obtained due to the formation of protective
corrosion layers (FeCO3)
7 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Introduction
Measures Combating Corrosion
In wet fluids containing H2S and CO2:
f Use of
f Carbon steel + corrosion allowance + corrosion inhibitor
f Corrosion resistant alloys (CRAs)
f Combination of both:
CS + corrosion inhibitor, CRAs for critical parts
(example: wellheads, piping and vessels Sawan & Miano)
Economy :
f Calculations for Miano field in Pakistan showed a big difference

of costs of a 40 km line made of CRA and a line made of CS

f Difference would allow to buy the corrision inhibitor demand of

several hundreds of years

8 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Measures combating corrosion

Corrosion inhibitors
f Chemicals (mainly amines) added to the fluid in some ppms
f Inhibitor screening in the laboratory, optimiziation in the field
f Application
f continuous inhibition batch inhibition
f Methods of downhole inhibition
f Via maccaroni string
f Via annulus (mainly for oil production with packerless

completion)

f Corrosion Monitoring
9 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Gas Production in Austria Actual State

Corrosion control
f Inhibitor injection
f corrosion coupon
measurements

10 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Multiphase flow regimes in pipelines

Baker diagram - impact on corrosion control
f
f

flow regime has important impact on inhibitor

application
multi-phase flow: selection of inhibitors with sufficiently
high corrosion protection in all liquid phases and in the
gas phase

11 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Gas Production in Austria Schoenkirchen Tief Field

f Developed in 1967
f 12% CO2
f 2% H2S
f Batch inhibition twice a year
f Diesel fuel + corrosion inhibitor
f Subsequently sweet gas squeezed
f Tubing CS grade C75
f Flowlines and trunklines CS grade X42

12 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Gas Production Types of Field Layout

Type I, e.g. Schoenkirchen Tief
f Gas dehydration near the wells
f Central processing facilities downstream (removal of H2S, CO2
and condensates )
f Corrosion control necessary only for downhole equipment and
flowlines in the wellsite area
W
W

Flowline

D W
D

Pipelin

Field unit

W
D

Pipelin

D
W

e to cu

r
stome

13 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Gas Production in Austria Schoenkirchen Tief Field

Acidising treatment

0,04
0,03
0,02
0,01

/ 03

/ 04

20 03

20 02

/ 02

/ 01

20 01

/ 00

19 99

20 00

/ 98

/ 99
19 98

/ 96

/ 97

19 97

19 96

/ 94

/ 95

19 95

19 94

/ 93

19 93

/ 90

/ 92

19 92

19 91

19 90

19 89

19 88

/ 91

0,00
/ 89

Corrosion rate [mm/a]

Corrosion Coupon Measurements

0,05

Time installed
ST 32
14 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June

21st,

ST 38a

ST 42

ST 62

2006

Gas Production in Austria Hoeflein Field

f Developed in 1987
f Gas condensate field
f 16% CO2
f Continuous downhole inhibition via maccaroni string
f Tubing CS grade C75
f Flowlines and trunklines CS grade X42

15 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Gas Production Types of Field Layout

Type II e.g. Hoeflein
f Central gas dehydration in single field units
f Processing downstream (removal of CO2 and gas condensates)
f Corrosion protection necessary for tubing and flowline until
drying units
W

W
W

Flowline

D
W

e to
Pipelin

custom

er

W
16 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Gas Production in Austria Hoeflein Field

Continuous downhole inhibition
Well completion

Inhibitor application

17 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Corrosion situation field Hflein

Corrosion control Hflein
0,016
0,014
0,012
0,010
0,008
0,006
0,004
0,002
0,000
11/8712/ 87

07/ 8807/89

09/9008/ 91

07/9206/ 93

09/ 9408/95

07/9607/97

09/9807/99

08/ 0008/01

08/ 0208/03

Installation periods
18 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Gas Production Types of Field Layout

Type III e.g. Miano, Pakistan
f Gas dehydration and processing in one central facility
f Corrosion control necessary for long distances including
downhole equipment and long distances of flowlines
f Advantage: less CAPEX
f Challenging for corrosion control
W
W

W
Flo

wl
i ne
ipelin
D P
P

W
W

e to c

ustom

er

W
19 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Gas Treatment Plant Aderklaa 1

Aderklaa 1: treatment of sour gas from the Field
Schnkirchen Tief
f gas composition: 12 %Vol CO2, 2 %Vol H2S
f On each well the production pressure is reduced to about 7 MPa

then the gas is dried

f The raw gas containing CO2 and H2S is transported to Aderklaa

through a 16 km long pipeline

f According to the hazardous fluid composition this line is under

permanent survey by the materials and corrosion department

20 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Gas Treatment Plant Aderklaa 1

Fuel gas
70 m3/h

Fuel gas 600 m3/h

500 m3/h

Waste gas
20.000 m3/h

Thermal
Incineration

Air
10.500 m3/h

Air

Sulfur 1.530 kg/h

Remaining gas
8.800 m3/h

2.200 m /h
Tail gasUnit (TGU)

Tail gas

Acid gas

C5+ -WaterSeparation

Acid gas
2.500 m3/h

Acid gasenrichment (AGE)

Process gas 3.800 m3/h

Sour water
1,2 m3/h

54.000 m3/h

ClausPlant

H2S + CO2 7.500 m3/h

Acid gas

MDEA-Absorption
and Regeneration

Sweet gas

Gas drying
with TEG

Sales gas
46.500 m3/h

Plant Aderklaa 1
21 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Gas Treatment Plant Aderklaa 2

Aderklaa 2: treatment of acidic gas from the gas
Condensate field Hflein
f gas composition: 16 %Vol CO2, 5 %Vol C2, 2.25 %Vol C3,

1.25 %Vol C4+

f Pressure reduction on the wells

f Separation of produced water in the gathering plant Korneuburg
f Gas/NGL is shipped to the treatment plant Aderklaa in a 2 phase

flow through a 21 km long pipeline

22 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Gas Treatment Plant Aderklaa - Ad2

Air
3.000 m3/h
Fuel gas 80 m3/h

Solution gas 500 m3/h

Gas/C5+
Disconnection

Solution gas
2.000 m3/h

Thermal
Incineration

Waste gas
10.000 m3/h

CO2-Off gas
6.800 m3/h

Acid gas

MDEA-Absorption
and Regeneration

Sweet gas

C5+

Gas drying with

Molekularsieve

Dry gas

C5+
Stabilization

Sales gas
28.000 m3/h

LPG-Extraction
C2 - C4
LPG 5.000 kg/h

C5+ 5.000 kg/h

Plant Aderklaa 2
23 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006

Conclusions
f H2S and CO2 environments in gas production need corrosion

protection measures to guarantee safe operations

f Proper material selection necessary to avoid stress corrosion

cracking especially for corrosion resistant alloys in H2S

atmospheres

f Low carbon steel is economic option together with inhibitor

treatment
f Proper inhibitor treatment very effective measure to achieve

lowest corrosion rates

24 |OMV E&P Laboratory, W. Havlik, June 21st, 2006