EG205

CORROSION IN
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY

INTRODUCTION
 Topics
Definition
Environment
Corrosion Science &
Engineering
Effects of Corrosion
Cost of Corrosion
Classification of Corrosion
Corrosion Control
 Definition
Latin corrodere means to wear away
gradually.
Corrosion is defined as destruction or
deterioration of a material and its properties
by chemical or electrochemical reaction with
its environment.
Corrosion occurs because metals tend to revert
to more stable forms in which they were found
in nature, i.e. oxides, sulfates, or carbonates.
 Wikipedia definition
Corrosion is the disintegration of an
engineered material into its constituent
atoms due to chemical reactions with its
surroundings. In the most common use of the
word, this means electrochemical oxidation
of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as
oxygen. Formation of an oxide of iron due to
oxidation of the iron atoms in solid solution is
a well-known example of electrochemical
corrosion, commonly known as rusting. This
type of damage typically produces oxide(s)
and/or salt(s) of the original metal.
 Environment
Practically all environments are
corrosive to some extent.
(Air and moisture; waters; rural, urban and
industrial atmosphere; steam and gases; mineral
acids; organic acids; soils, solvents, vegetable and
petroleum oils).
In petroleum drilling and producing
operations, fluids such as oxygen,
carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, salts
and organic acids promote corrosion.
 Factors to consider:

(a)Physical state gas, liquid or solid.

(b)Chemical composition constituents
and compositions.
(c)Temperature.
(d)Relative velocity, flow or agitation.
Corrosion Science &
Engineering
Mechanical Material Science &
Engineering Engineering

CORROSION

Chemistry Physics
Electrochemistry
 Corrosion science:
- Study of corrosion mechanisms to improve the
understanding of causes of corrosion and ways
to prevent or minimize damage caused by
corrosion.

Corrosion engineering:
- Application of scientific knowledge to prevent
or control corrosion damage economically and
safely.
 Effects of Corrosion
Usually causes harmful or damaging
effects.

Can be beneficial in some cases, e.g.

chemical machining or chemical
milling used in aircraft applications
where unmasked areas are etched
away by chemicals; anodizing of
aluminium.
 Causes unsightly appearance:
- Automobile body panels, bridge structures, guardrails.

Incurs maintenance and operating

costs:
- Use of corrosion resistance bolts in chemical plants,
application of cathodic protection to underground pipelines.

Plant shutdowns:
- Change in operating procedures/parameters e.g.
temperature and time, cause unexpected corrosion failures.

Contamination of product:
- Contamination of dissolved metal ions in products affect
purity and quality.
 Loss of valuable products:
- Leak of expensive compounds from drums, pipelines, etc.

Effect on safety and reliability:

- Leakage of hazardous materials such as toxic gasses,
chemicals; stress corrosion of metal wall separating fuel
and oxidizer could cause destruction; contamination of
potable water, corrosion of biomaterials in hip joints.

Product liability:
- Responsibility of producers or manufacturers of any failed
equipment.
 Cost of Corrosion
Direct costs:
1. Cost of design, manufacturing and
construction.
- The costs of designing, manufacturing and
construction include material selection, such as
stainless steel to replace carbon steel, additional
material, such as increased wall thickness for corrosion
allowance, material used to mitigate or prevent
corrosion, such as coatings, sealants, corrosion
inhibitors, and cathodic protection, and application,
including the cost of labour and equipment.
2. Cost of management.
- The cost of management includes corrosion-
related inspection, corrosion-related maintenance,
repairs due to corrosion, replacement of corroded
parts, inventory of backup components,
rehabilitation, and loss of productive time.

Indirect costs:
- As a result of :
- Lost of revenue, lost of productivity, lost
efficiency, product contamination, overdesign,
delays and lawsuits.
Cost of Corrosion in Different Industry
Sectors (2002)

Source: http://www.corrosioncost.com/home.html
Cost of Corrosion Per Analyzed Economic Sector, ($ x billion)
Highway Bridges 8.3
Gas & Liquid Transmission Pipelines 7
Infrastructure
Waterways & Ports 0.3
Hazardous Materials Storage 7
Gas Distribution 5
Drinking Water & Sewer Systems 36
Utilities
Electrical Utilities 6.9
Telecommunication 0.5
Motor Vehicles 23.4
Ships 2.7
Transportation Aircraft 2.2
Railroad Cars 0.5
Hazardous Material Transport 0.9
Oil & Gas Exploration & Production 1.4
Mining 0.1
Petroleum Refining 3.7
Production & Chem., Petrochem., Pharm. 1.7
Manufacturing Pulp & Paper 6
Agricultural 1.1
Food Processing 2.1
Home Appliances 1.5
Defence 20
Government
Nuclear Waste Storage 0.1

Source: http://www.corrosioncost.com/home.html
 Classification of Corrosion
Can be classified in many different ways:
low- and high-temperature corrosion; oxidation and
electro-chemical corrosion; wet and dry corrosion

Eight forms of corrosion:

(a)Uniform corrosion (b) Galvanic or two-metal
(c) Concentration cell (d) Pitting corrosion
(e)Intergranular corrosion (f) Stress-corrosion
cracking
(g)Erosion-corrosion (h) Dealloying
 Pitting
Uniform attack
Dezincification corrosion

Galvanic corrosion
(brass & steel) Erosion corrosion

Rivet holes
Stress corrosion
cracking
Crevice corrosion
 Corrosion Control
Methods to control corrosion:
(a)Material selection substitution of alloys
(b)Coatings protective coatings on surfaces
(metallic or organic)
(c)Modification of environment use of
inhibitors
(d)Modification of potential cathodic
protection
(e)Design avoid crevices, design stress levels.
- THE END -