Mitigating the issue of pipeline corrosion

Corrosion is considered to be the main cause of failure in the oil and gas production process and, due to the development of fields in deeper offshore wells with higher pressure, temperature, and higher levels of hydrogen sulphide (H₂ S), carbon dioxide (CO₂ ), and chloride, corrosion costs are increasing. According to research from NACE International, the effects of corrosion can contribute between 3.5% and 5.2% of global gross domestic product (i.e. between US$285 and US$439 billion annually on a global basis, calculated for 2020 GDP figures of US$84.54 trillion).

Until a decade ago, steel material for pipelines and pipe structures was the main option for the oil and gas industry. However, steel pipelines are heavy and their corrosion must be mitigated using coatings and inhibitors (such as amines and nitrites), thus increasing operating costs. Now, Strohm is leading the development and deployment of its Thermoplastic Composite Pipe (TCP) to counter the inherent drawbacks of steel: corrosion, fatigue, and rigidity.

Revolutionary solution

Strong, lightweight and corrosion resistant, TCP provides a wide variety of financial, operational, and environmental benefits in subsea production and oilfield service applications.

“The value proposition that TCP has is three-fold,” explained Martin van Onna, Strohm’s Chief Commercial Officer. “One is completely doing away with corrosion, two is the reduction in total installation costs, and the third, more recently added, is the reduction in carbon footprint. The cost and footprint elements are all around the ability to use small vessels to transport and install our pipes in a very cost-effective and fuel-efficient manner. This is not possible with steel pipes, because you have to mobilise a large pipelay barge and other vessels, which often have to come from other regions before you can start installing your pipelines.”

TCP features a solid pipe wall constructed from glass or carbon reinforcement fibres and thermoplastic polymeric materials. The unique and proprietary melt-fusing manufacturing process results in a true composite structure, with the fibres fully embedded within a ductile polymer matrix and ensuring the strongest interface possible between the different pipe layers. The fibres are linear in behaviour and typically do not show plastic deformation or yielding, whilst the ductile polymer matrix provides flexibility. This combination creates a robust spoolable pipe, manufactured in long lengths, and adapted to customer-specific requirements. For subsea applications Strohm provides an on-target weight coating to ensure stability on the seabed …

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Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/equipment-and-safety/17062022/mitigating-the-issue-of-pipeline-corrosion/