Internal Corrosion Mechanisms and Mitigation
Pitting corrosion along the bottom of the pipeline is the primary corrosion
mechanism leading to failures in sweet gas pipelines. The common features
of this mechanism are: (reference)
- The presence of water containing any of the
following; CO2, bacteria, O2, or solids;
- Pipelines carrying higher levels of free-water
production with no means of water removal, i.e. well site separation or
dehydration;
- The presence of fluid traps where water and solids
can accumulate;
- Vapor phase corrosion is a less common mechanism
that has also led to failures. Although not specifically addressed in this
recommended practice, many of the preventative measures described in this
document will also mitigate this mechanism.
See also:
