Materials Performance

DEC 2016

Materials Performance is the world's most widely circulated magazine dedicated to corrosion prevention and control. MP provides information about the latest corrosion control technologies and practical applications for every industry and environment.

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52 DECEMBER 2016 MATERIALS PERFORMANCE NACE INTERNATIONAL: VOL. 55, NO. 12 CM CORROSION MANAGEMENT M Microbiologically influenced corro- sion (MIC) has been a major integrity threat for many North Sea seawater injection systems and their associated pipelines. Its mitigation is based on the four-stage process of sampling, analysis, chemical treatment, and per- formance monitoring. Various short- comings associated with these stages often render the overall mitigation process rather ineffective and ineffi- cient. Studying several cases demon- strated that using the corrosion man- agement concept could further enhance MIC mitigation by resolving or removing some of the observed shortcomings. Implementation of cor- rosion management principles brings more transparency and improves staff understanding with regard to the ex- tent and severity of MIC. Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) has been a major integrity threat for many of the North Sea seawater injection systems and associated subsea pipelines in the United Kingdom. Both younger and mature assets have been suffering from high corrosion rates due to bacterial con- tamination and activity. The process to mitigate such bacterial corrosion includes sampling, analysis, chemical treatment, and performance monitoring. Studying contaminated assets has revealed that vari- ous shortcomings associated with these four stages prevented the overall mitiga- tion system from being effective and suc- cessful. Many of these shortcomings could have been associated with faults commit- ted during execution of each of these activ- ities. Inadequate (or a complete lack of ) training could be regarded as one of the main causes behind inefficient MIC mitiga- tion programs. Field experience has shown that using the concept of corrosion man- agement and implementing its principles could significantly improve implementa- tion of the four key stages. One of the principal opportunities for th e corrosion managem ent pro cess to enhance an incumbent MIC mitigation pro- g ram i s m an a gem ent th at t ake s into account both corrosion engineering pa- rameters and noncorrosion engineering factors such as communication, documen- tation , procedures, and competencies. Thus, applying or implementing corrosion m an a gem ent prin c ipl e s c o ul d h av e a greater positive impact on any incumbent MIC mitigation plan or program than im- plementing one that is based on corrosion engineering alone. The MIC Threat and Its Mitigation Bacteria pose threats to process equip- ment and the producing reservoir. Regard- ing the equipment, bacterial corrosion (MIC) could cause severe localized pitting with corrosion rates as high as 5.0 mm/y. With regard to the reservoir, bacteria can create the following problems: Enhancing Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion Mitigation Through Corrosion Management a li Mo R shed, Corrosion Engineer, London, United Kingdom

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