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Corrosion Protection and Systems

About Corrosion Protection

External corrosion in the energy and water infrastructure is an often costly and sometimes overlooked issue. The degradation of expensive piping, valves, and other steel structures from corrosion is always ongoing and its sometimes a difficult situation to properly assess and address. Its impact is financially serious and often because it proceeds so slowly in some cases it is often overlooked and not given the attention it deserves. In the case of energy pipelines, often strict government legal and technical oversight from the DOT/PHMSA or state regulatory authorities require compliance. However, especially in underground installations e.g. buried pipelines and structures, corrosion may be hidden from view out of the reach of conventional inspection tools or procedures and can result in metal failure. This risk is no less true for any pipeline, regardless of what material it carries. In fact, it is estimated by a respected industry study that the cost of corrosion in the water utility industry alone is 36 billion dollars which exceeds the cost of corrosion to the energy industry by a factor of 4!

Why It Is Important

There are so many choices to address the many different corrosion issues that exists within the water and energy industry, that without the help of an experienced professional, a correct decision made with complete confidence is a challenging endeavor. Confusion abounds with the input of integrity engineers, coatings’ manufacturing claims, contractor recommendations and the lack of field experience of management. This informational ambiguity can lead to a decision-making process that may reflect a set of “beliefs” rather than solid reasoning derived from a knowledgeable professional.
Exterior corrosion protection on tubulars in the industry is a vast and interesting science. Depending on service of the piping, its environment, and the expected design life, we can offer many solutions from a survey of pipeline integrity to detailed coating specifications, job bidding recommendations, contractors, and inspection of the installed systems.
There are numerous coating systems for the purpose of coating-based corrosion protection and where and how they are used matter a great deal to be able to maintain their value. The decisions made by the project leader will be based on several factors and may include generic choices (but not be limited to):

They are a firmly placed tool in the corrosion protection arsenal. These systems have been the traditional first line against corrosion over many years on pipelines and infrastructure. Their formulation technologies have varied, but their processes of application always require strict quality controls to remain effective and durable. It is absolutely necessary to have expertise in the selection of the right coatings to fit the task at hand. Vendor reliance for proper recommendation should be supplemented with oversight by a trained independent coatings industry professional and third-party inspection during application

Proper procedures and applications are critical in this environment as well as competent third-party inspection to ensure quality. The cost of application failure in this type of scenario is enormous.

Their ease of application and low surface preparation requirements make them an easy and reliable solution for long term corrosion protection. They are presently capable of effectively protecting pipe in much higher operating temperatures

On atmospheric installations, it has been a proven technology if applied properly and to correct minimum thicknesses.