Corrosion Control Methods

The control and treatment of corrosion are of vital concern because of

degradation of the operational and structural integrity of the equipment and
facilities. There are a wide range of effective and affordable corrosion
mitigation measures now available to protect structures and equipment
exposed to corrosive environments. Economic considerations are normally
the primary influence on decisions that are made when choosing a corrosion
control program.

One of the most important methods of corrosion prevention is to find an

economic alloy/environment combination where the alloy is in the passive
condition and corrodes at a much slower rate. In production wells, a
corrosion rate below 1 mpy (mils per year, 1 mil = 1/1000 in) is acceptable,
while in water systems, a rate of 2 mpy is a good target.

Understanding of Specific Corrosion Mechnism: The first step in

preventing material corrosion is understanding its specific mechanism. The
second and often more difficult step is designing a type of prevention. Some
metals produce corrosion products that are insoluble, about the same size
molecularly as the parent metal, and that crystallize in the same type of
lattice structure. These are often able to become attached to the metal
surface and form a protective coat against further corrosion. The patina that
forms on copper is an example of this type of coating.

Corrosion Control Methods: There are four basic methods for control of
corrosion. In most cases, effective corrosion control is obtained by combining
two or more of these methods. Corrosion control should be considered at the
design stage of a given facility or system. The methods selected must be
appropriate for the materials used, for the configurations, and for the types
and forms of corrosion which must be controlled. They are as follows:

 Equipment Design/Geometry
 Material Selection
 Protective Coatings and Lining
 Cathodic Protection Systems
 Corrosion Inhibitor/Chemical Injection

Equipment Design/Geometry: There are many design decisions and

compromises to be made in the course of developing a product. The
specifications and requirements may leave room for a wide range of
engineering practices to meet not only the performance, cost and schedule,
but also the reliability and maintainability requirements. Only with an
understanding of the ultimate environment and its effects on equipment can
these engineering practices include design characteristics that will result in
equipment that will best survive and operate in that “real world”
environment.

Material Selection: Corrosion-resistant metals, alloys and nonmetallic

materials such as plastics, fiberglass or ceramics, may be substituted for
traditional materials in severe environments. A wide range of new corrosion-
resistant materials have appeared on the market within the past few years;
these materials need to be specified by a knowledgeable professional who
can select on the basis of corrosion allowance, service environment and the
desired design life.

Protective Coatings: Paint is the most common coating used to slow the
rate of atmospheric corrosion. Many other materials, such as plastics,
ceramics, rubbers, and even electroplated metals, can be used as protective
coatings. Protective coatings can be used to protect tubing, downhole
equipment, wellhead components, Christmas trees, and various flowlines and
pressure vessels. Coatings work by reducing the cathodic area available for
corrosion reaction. Since no coat can be 100% holiday-free (without pinholes
or defects), coatings are often used in conjunction with cathodic protection or
chemical inhibition. Quality control parameters for coating include surface
finish/preparation, application techniques, coating thickness, holiday
detection, joint condition, and inspection. Coated equipment must be
carefully handled after coating to prevent defects in the coat.

Cathodic Protection: In general, cathodic protection is an approach where

the metal surface to be protected is made into the cathode of a corrosion
cell. Since corrosion and material loss occurs at the anode, this approach
protects the metal. There are two types of cathodic protection, the sacrificial
anode and the impressed-current method.

Corrosion Inhibitor/Chemical Injection: For corrosion engineering

purposes, “environment” means the chemistry and electrochemical activity of
the immediate area around a utility or structure, and environments are
classified broadly as atmospheric, immersed or buried. Environmental
modification systems work by changing humidity, air contaminants and fluid
chemical characteristics to protect any exposed concrete or steel surfaces.