Predicting internal corrosion in oil and gas exploration and production operations

Predicting Internal Corrosion in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Operations

This guide is intended to be practical and accessible to all actors of the upstream, midstream oil & gas sectors, it is intended primarily for use by operators, inspectors, technologists, engineering companies, suppliers of equipment and anticorrosion solutions and those responsible for corrosion and erosion control in the sectors of exploration production (upstream) of mineral oils, natural gas and Liquefied Natural Gas.

The main objectives are :

• to promote awareness of the damage mechanisms that are commonly occurring oil and gas production facilities for all persons involved ;
• to indicate their potential severity, according to the operating conditions ;
• to help locate these mechanisms in the facilities, in order to anticipate them, avoid them or monitor their evolution ;
• to help with materials selection and corrosion prevention solutions in the design phase ;
• to provide schematics and diagrams that can be use in documents, guides, specifications,... ;
• to provide up-to-date feedback from operated facilities.

This guide consists of four sections : 1 - contextual presentation and objectives ; 2 - definitions, standards ; 3 - reminders on the feared damage mechanisms in the upstream sector ; 4 - prediction of corrosion in upstream facilities.

The third section describes the degradation mechanisms encountered in the upstream and midstream, thirteen specific mechanisms are identified while in the last section, the possible damage mechanisms, their severity, and location are described for ten process units and ten utility units. The descriptions are illustrated in typical Corrosion Prediction Diagrams and Material Selection Diagrams.

Typical material selection and prevention solutions are provided. They are also reported and described on these same diagrams. These proposals are generic, should be considered as a guideline, and have to be confirmed or infirmed during detailed engineering studies.