Pipeline Corrosion Research Articles

Understanding the Global Distribution of Groundwater Sulfate and Assessing Population at Risk.

Besides sulfate-induced diarrhea, recent studies have emphasized that groundwater sulfate drives the release of arsenic in groundwater and accelerates water pipeline corrosion. Despite its impact on public health and urban infrastructure, sulfate has been overlooked in water supply research. Here, we used a random forest model to develop a 1 km global map depicting the probability of sulfate exceeding 250 mg/L in groundwater based on the World Health Organization's guidelines. The map was further applied to estimate the exposed population and identify contributors of sulfate exceedance in global hotspot regions. The results revealed that sulfate exceedance in groundwater was widespread in 156 countries. Approximately 194 million people use water with sulfate levels exceeding 250 mg/L. Among them, around 17 million people face groundwater sulfate concentrations surpassing 500 mg/L, with 82% of these individuals residing in ten specific countries. Contributing factor analysis in these countries indicates that annual precipitation and sedimentary rocks are the primary factors contributing to sulfate concentration prediction, while other natural and anthropogenic predictors exhibit region-specific impact patterns. This study uncovered a significant prevalence of elevated sulfate levels in groundwater, highlighting the need to integrate sulfate into water safety management practices.

Computational modeling of localized corrosion in steel pipelines supported by composite sleeves

Pitting corrosion is a worrying phenomenon in the oil industry representing a major threat that can lead to the reduction of the structural integrity of pipeline transportation networks. To prevent this corrosion risk, active cathodic protection with a potential maintained at – 850 mV Cu/CuSO4 is used as a coating protection system based on bituminous binders to isolate the steel from the corrosive soil environment in hydrocarbon transportation pipelines. In this work, we examine the clock spring repair method by applying composite paths including a numerical simulation on corroded tubes using ANSYS software. The approach involves analyzing the structure under three scenarios: without defects, after the introduction of elliptical simulated corrosion pits, and following repair with multilayer reinforcement using a composite sleeve. The results indicate that the stress distribution varies across each scenario. In the case of a structure with parabolic corrosion defects, the Von Mises stresses are unevenly distributed. The defect exhibits a peak stress that could lead to the propagation of corrosion pits, necessitating repair. Conversely, in the scenario where the corroded structure is reinforced with a composite sleeve, the maximum Von Mises stress is decreased to levels comparable to those of an uncorroded pipe, demonstrating the necessity and effectiveness of using composite sleeve reinforcement.

The respective roles of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and iron-oxidizing bacteria (IOB) in the mixed microbial corrosion process of carbon steel pipelines

The respective roles of IOB and SRB in mixed microbial corrosion of carbon steel pipelines were investigated by surface analysis and electrochemical measurements. The results indicate that in initial corrosion stage the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of SRBs can hinder the adhesion of IOB and inhibit corrosion nodulation formation. As SRB:IOB increases from 0:22500 cells/mL to 22500:22500 cells/mL, the size and number of corrosion nodulations decrease by two orders of magnitude. In latter corrosion stage, the SRBs become the dominant microbes, accelerating the propagation of corrosion nodulations in mixed microbial system due to low dissolved oxygen (DO).

Progress in Corrosion Protection Research for Supercritical CO2 Transportation Pipelines

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technology is an emergent field with the potential for substantial CO2 emissions reduction, enabling low-carbon utilization of fossil fuels. It is widely regarded as a critical technology for combating global climate change and controlling greenhouse gas emissions. According to recent studies, China has identified CCUS as a key emissions reduction technology in climate change response and carbon neutrality objectives. Within this framework, supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) transport pipelines are an essential means for efficient and safe transportation of CO2. Corrosion protection of pipelines enhances the efficiency and safety of CCUS technology and supports broader implementation and application. This paper reviews the current research on corrosion protection for SC-CO2 transport pipelines, discusses effect factors, compares various corrosion protection strategies, and analyzes the challenges in corrosion protection of SC-CO2 transport pipelines. It concludes with a perspective on future research and development directions in this field. This paper is dedicated to providing new research strategies for pipeline corrosion protection in CCUS technology in the future, and providing technical support for pipeline corrosion protection in CCUS industrial applications.

Assessment of the influence of glycol and alcohol on the morphology and protective properties of iron carbonate in carbon dioxide corrosion of gas pipelines

The potential effect of hydrate formation inhibitors (glycols, alcohols) — components of the liquid phase of gas pipeline operating media — on carbon dioxide corrosion during the transport of aggressive gas has not been sufficiently studied. The paper presents the results of a study of the corrosive effect of glycol (alcohol) present in the liquid phase on the composition and properties of corrosion products on steel when modeling the main aggressive factors under conditions of transport of CO2-containing gas. On a corrosion stand, the aggressive conditions of alternating wetting of gas pipeline walls with water were reproduced. The fluid circulation characteristic of a partially filled pipeline can have an effect on preventing the formation or destruction of films of corrosion products (iron carbonate, siderite) on the steel surface. In places of cracking and peeling of siderite formed in the presence of CO2, conditions will be created for the formation of general and local corrosion damage. During simulation tests, monoethylene glycol and isopropanol, as well as their aqueous solutions of different concentrations, were used. For the first time, data on the formation and composition of non-stoichiometric siderite in water-glycol and water-alcohol media at CO2 partial pressures and temperature were obtained. By processing diffraction patterns obtained by X-ray diffraction, the degree of substitution of iron ions in non-stoichiometric siderites by other cations was determined. The dependence of the degree of substitution on the concentration of alcohol (glycol) in their aqueous solutions was analyzed. It was revealed that with an increase in glycol concentration, a decrease in the rate of local corrosion is observed. With a high glycol content, internal corrosion is completely suppressed in the presence of CO2. It has been established that in aqueous-alcoholic media at elevated temperatures, local carbon dioxide corrosion does not occur. This is apparently due to the uneven distribution of water and alcohol in the mixture. The results obtained can be used in assessing internal carbon dioxide corrosion in the presence of glycol (alcohol), used at gas facilities as an inhibitor of hydrate formation.

ნიადაგით გამოწვეული ელექტროქიმიური კოროზია ტენიან, ნაკლებ მჟავიან, ნეიტრალურ და ტუტოვან გარემოში

The article analyzes the anodic, transient and cathodic processes of a galvanic cell. Electrochemical corrosion caused by soil in a moist, less acidic, neutral and alkaline environment is discussed. The scheme of corrosion of underground pipelines under various conditions of soil aeration is given. The cases of corrosion process control for various soil corrosion conditions are considered: soil corrosion with prevailing cathodic control; corrosion in loose, dry soils (anodic control); corrosion over long stretches (prevailing ohmic control).

Research on Through-Flame Imaging Using Mid-Wave Infrared Camera Based on Flame Filter.

High-temperature furnaces and coal-fired boilers are widely employed in the petrochemical and metal-smelting sectors. Over time, the deterioration, corrosion, and wear of pipelines can lead to equipment malfunctions and safety incidents. Nevertheless, effective real-time monitoring of equipment conditions remains insufficient, primarily due to the interference caused by flames generated from fuel combustion. To address this issue, in this study, a through-flame infrared imager is developed based on the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) radiation characteristics of the flame. The imager incorporates a narrowband filter that operates within the wavelength range of 3.80 μm to 4.05 μm, which is integrated into conventional thermal imagers to perform flame filtering. This configuration enables the radiation from the background to pass through the flame and reach the detector, thereby allowing the infrared imager to visualize objects obscured by the flame and measure their temperatures directly. Our experimental findings indicate that the imager is capable of through-flame imaging; specifically, when the temperature of the target exceeds 50 °C, the imager can effectively penetrate the outer flame of an alcohol lamp and distinctly capture the target's outline. Importantly, as the temperature of the target increases, the clarity of the target's contour in the images improves. The MWIR through-flame imager presents considerable potential for the real-time monitoring and preventive maintenance of high-temperature furnaces and similar equipment, such as detecting the degradation of refractory materials and damage to pipelines.

The Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion and Protection of Pipelines: A Detailed Review

Microbial corrosion is the deterioration of materials associated with microorganisms in environments, especially in oil- and gas-dominated sectors. It has been widely reported to cause great losses to industrial facilities such as drainage systems, sewage structures, food-processing equipment, and oil and gas facilities. Generally, bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms are the most important microorganisms associated with microbial corrosion. The destructive nature of these microorganisms differs based on the kind of bacteria involved in the corrosion mechanism. Amongst the microorganisms related to microbial corrosion, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is reported to be the most common harmful bacteria. The detailed mechanistic explanations relating to the corrosion of pipelines by sulfate-reducing bacteria are discussed. The mechanism of microbial corrosion in pipelines showing the formation of pitting corrosion and cathodic depolarization is also reported. The current review provides theoretical information for the control and protection of pipelines caused by microbial corrosion and how new eco-friendly protection methods could be explored.

Internal inspection method for crack defects in ferromagnetic pipelines under remanent magnetization

Magnetic flux leakage (MFL) testing is effective in detecting corrosion in ferromagnetic pipelines. However, the MFL generated at the crack is highly weak and is easily drowned in the strong background magnetic field and difficult to detect. Therefore, this paper creatively proposes a remanent magnetic flux leakage (RMFL) detection method. This method utilizes the hysteresis state of the pipeline after MFL detection and identifies crack defects by collecting the remanent magnetic flux density near the inner wall surface of the pipeline. The remanent magnetic field distribution near the pipeline surface is examined at different crack sizes, magnetization speeds, and lift-off values via theoretical analysis, finite element simulation, and experimental verification. In addition, experiments have demonstrated that in terms of crack detection capability, RMFL is superior to MFL. Therefore, adding a RMFL measurement module to the conventional MFL detector has important practical value. It can realize the targeted collaborative application of these two technologies, namely the synchronous detection of corrosion and crack defects, which greatly improves the detection coverage and detection efficiency.

Anions exacerbate microbial corrosion of X80 pipeline steel induced by sulfate-reducing bacteria in the sea mud environment

Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) present in sea mud pose a challenge to the safe operation of subsea pipelines. Chlorides and sulfates in sea mud promote the microbial corrosion of subsea pipelines by SRB. This study investigates the effects of sulfate and chloride on the microbial corrosion of X80 pipeline steel in the sea mud environment. The results indicate that sulfate serves as an electron acceptor, promoting the growth of SRB, while chloride regulates the osmotic pressure of SRB cells, affecting their bioactivity. SRB exhibit more aggressive corrosion behavior in sea mud with high concentrations of both chloride and sulfate.

Corrosion prediction model for long-distance pipelines based on NLFE-NGO-ELM

Abstract To improve the accuracy of buried pipeline corrosion rate prediction, we developed a Northern Goshawk Optimization-based Extreme Learning Machine (NLFE-NGO-ELM) model enhanced by Non-linear Feature Expansion. Feature selection was used to expand the small dataset and reduce the dimensionality of factors affecting pipeline corrosion. The Northern Goshawk algorithm was used, and 106 sets of pipeline external corrosion detection data were simulated in MATLAB as a case study. The ELM optimizer was analyzed using Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO-ELM), Northern Goshawk Optimization (NGO-ELM), and BP optimization as comparison models. Using NLFE-NGO-ELM significantly improved the model's prediction accuracy and speed. The NGO-ELM model was applied to predict the corrosion rates of 21 pipelines, achieving an absolute error of only 2.40% and an R value of 0.97255, surpassing the predictive performance of NGO-BP and GWO-ELM models. These results indicate that the current model exhibits superior learning performance and stronger fitting capabilities.

Design and Optimization of Elliptical B-shaped Sleeve Configuration for Oil&Gas Pipeline

Abstract Affected by external loads or pipeline corrosion, oil & gas transmission pipelines may encounter safety hazards during service. In terms of defect repair, both domestic and foreign standards currently stipulate that the permanent repair method is B-type sleeve or tube replacement. Compared to the costly tube replacement, B-type sleeves are undoubtedly the preferred choice for economy and safety. However, due to installation size limitations, conventional sleeves are difficult to repair large deformation defects such as wrinkles and buckling in oil and gas pipelines. This study aims at developing, designing, and optimizing a B-type sleeve for welding repair of irregular defects in oil and gas pipelines. By designing irregular B-shaped sleeves with different curve configurations, the stress levels and concentration coefficients of irregular sleeves at different defect heights and sleeve lengths are calculated. The optimal pumpkin shaped and elliptical curve sleeve configurations are selected as the repair solutions for irregular sleeves. Under the existing limitations of machining and detection accuracy, pumpkin shaped irregular sleeves can be prioritized for application in engineering, while elliptical curve sleeves are considered as alternative solutions.

Multi-physics coupled simulation and experimental investigation of alternating stray current corrosion of buried gas pipeline adjacent to rail transit system

As the gradual emergence of alternating current (AC) electrified rail transit system in urban areas, buried gas pipeline adjacent to the system will be seriously corroded by induced alternating stray current. These buried gas pipelines are at serious risk of electrochemical corrosion, which leads to safety and environmental threaten. In order to study the distribution of alternating stray current corrosion on pipeline surface on a larger spatial scale, this paper conducted numerical simulation and experimental validation of alternating stray current corrosion of buried gas pipeline. In the numerical simulation model, coupling between different physical fields are realized through the relationship between current density of pipe-to-soil interface, electrolyte, and electrodes. Proposed numerical method based on coupled multi-physics in this paper are in good agreement with experimental results under different influencing factors. A novel evaluation index was proposed to assess the corrosion risk within different zones on the pipeline surface. Results show that corrosion distribution is greatly influenced by spatial interaction between buried pipeline and rail transit system including crossing angle and parallel distance. Besides, alternating stray current corrosion on buried gas pipeline are proved to be both affected by dynamic characteristics due to AC fluctuation and operation mode of locomotive.

Numerical Investigation on Cathodic Protection of X80 Pipeline Steel in Marine Environment

Abstract Submarine pipelines are usually buried in sea mud, but part of the pipes will be exposed to seawater directly because of the change of seabed, the differences between sea mud and seawater result in different corrosion states. Generally, due to its large geometric size, complex medium, difficult to detect and other reasons, corrosion defects will cause greater harm to pipeline materials. A numerical analysis model of the outer surface corrosion of submarine pipelines was developed to simulate status of cathodic protection, furthermore, potential distribution and local density of current inside the defects was also analyzed and evaluated. The results indicates that: (1)The CP potential distributes more evenly in sea mud when the same sacrificial anode is used, and the cathodic protection current density needed to meet the anti-corrosion requirements is much larger in seawater than in sea mud.(2)Compared with sea mud, the polarization potential of the sacrificial anode in seawater is more negative, and the CP potential at the edge of anodes is the most positive in both sea mud and seawater. Furthermore, in seawater, the dissolution rate of sacrificial anodes closer to the seabed is lower, and anodes dissolve much faster at the inner surface, while it is just the opposite in sea mud.(3)Cathodic protection cannot ensure complete and effective protection at defect points. At defect bottom, the cathodic protection current is partially shielded, reducing the effectiveness of CP system on corrosion protection of pipelines. Moreover, the shielding effect of defect point on cathodic protection current has a great deal with the geometric shape of defect points, with decreasing width and increasing depth, the shielding phenomenon becomes more obvious.(4) Numerical simulation technique based on the finite element model provides a new method to solve this problem and plays a positive role in assessing anti-corrosion status and the service life of anodes.

Internal Corrosion Control Strategy of Oil Gathering and Transportation Pipeline

Abstract Internal corrosion and perforation of metal pipelines is the main reason for failure of gathering and transportation pipelines in a western oil field. The content of Cl-in the transport medium of the oilfield is between 24910-118051mg/l, the total salinity is between 65404-39363mg/l, the reduced sulfur content is between 6-36mg/l, and the number of SRBS is between 20-300 /ml, which are the main factors leading to corrosion in the pipeline. Through investigation, demonstration and field test, the internal corrosion control technology system of pipeline has been formed, which includes internal extrusion coating, internal penetration, 32MPa high pressure flexible composite pipe, polyethylene lined FRP composite pipe technology. The internal corrosion control strategy has been popularized in oil field, and the effect is good.

Water Separation and Formation of Cells with Differential Aeration as Factors Controlling Corrosion of Steel Pipelines in a Crude Oil Storage Facility

The mechanism causing the dramatic intensification of the corrosion deterioration of carbon steel pipes in a crude oil storage facility has been investigated. This study considers a number of factors affecting corrosion in crude oil, such as the water content, the corrosivity of the aqueous phase, the kinetics of water–oil separation, the effect of dissolved oxygen, the effect of the crude oil quality, the degree of stagnancy inside of the pipes, the possible contribution of microbially induced corrosion (MIC) and the presence of deposits. The key root of the corrosion intensification was the separation of the water phase, supported by stagnancy, which eventually led to the formation of stable shallow pits surrounded by cathodic areas.

A Method for the Pattern Recognition of Acoustic Emission Signals Using Blind Source Separation and a CNN for Online Corrosion Monitoring in Pipelines with Interference from Flow-Induced Noise.

As a critical component in industrial production, pipelines face the risk of failure due to long-term corrosion. In recent years, acoustic emission (AE) technology has demonstrated significant potential in online pipeline monitoring. However, the interference of flow-induced noise seriously hinders the application of acoustic emission technology in pipeline corrosion monitoring. Therefore, a pattern-recognition model for online pipeline AE monitoring signals based on blind source separation (BSS) and a convolutional neural network (CNN) is proposed. First, the singular spectrum analysis (SSA) was employed to transform the original AE signal into multiple observed signals. An independent component analysis (ICA) was then utilized to separate the source signals from the mixed signals. Subsequently, the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) was applied to each source signal to obtain a joint time-frequency domain map and to construct and compress it. Finally, the mapping relationship between the pipeline sources and AE signals was established based on the CNN for the precise identification of corrosion signals. The experimental data indicate that when the average amplitude of flow-induced noise signals is within three times that of corrosion signals, the separation of mixed signals is effective, and the overall recognition accuracy of the model exceeds 90%.

Effect of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) on Desulfovibrio desulfuricans corrosion of pipeline welded joint

The impact of Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) on sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) corrosion of a pipeline welded joint (WJ) was investigated under anaerobic condition in this paper. The results showed that the thickness of the corrosion product on heat affected zone (HAZ) was lower than that on base metal (BM) and welded zone (WZ), and the FAD addition enhanced the development of the protruding microbial tubercles on the WJ. The local corrosion degrees of the BM and WZ coupons were significantly higher than that of the HAZ coupon. Besides, the FAD addition simultaneously promoted local corrosion of all three zones of the WJ in the SRB inoculated environment, and the promotion role was much more pronounced on the WZ coupons. The selective promotion effect of FAD on SRB corrosion in the WJ was attributed to the special structure of the WZ, the selected SRB attachment and the FAD/FADH2 redox feedback cycle.

Enhanced prediction of corrosion rates of pipeline steels using simulated annealing-optimized ANFIS models

Accurate prediction of corrosion rates is crucial for preventing infrastructure failures, reducing maintenance costs, and ensuring operational safety. Traditional models often struggle to account for the complex, non-linear interactions between environmental factors and material properties. This study presents a novel approach integrating Simulated Annealing (SA) with an Adaptive Network-based Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) to improve corrosion rate predictions for pipeline steels. The SA-ANFIS model features six input neurons representing temperature, H₂S pressure, CO₂ pressure, salinity, moisture content, and material type. These factors influence corrosion rates, represented by a single output neuron. The SA algorithm optimizes the ANFIS model's parameters, enhancing its ability to handle non-linear relationships. Historical corrosion data for P110SS, L80, and 2205 Duplex steel were used, incorporating environmental variables such as temperature, pH, and gas pressures. The SA-ANFIS model achieved superior accuracy, with a maximum error of 2.8424 % and an average error of 1.2536 %, outperforming the GA-ANFIS model and conventional ANFIS and SVR models. The SA-ANFIS model offers a robust, optimized tool for predicting corrosion in petroleum pipelines, significantly improving prediction accuracy under harsh conditions.

Synergistic effects of mixed microorganisms on the corrosion of X65 carbon steel in actual reinjection water

Complex microbiological interactions in reinjection water can lead to severe corrosion of pipelines. In this study, X65 specimen was used for corrosion simulation experiments to explore the microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) and mechanism in actual oilfield reinjection water. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) showed that the X65 carbon steel was severely corroded by microorganisms, with the maximum localized corrosion pit depth of 15.04 μm after 28 days of immersion. Electrochemical analysis and weight loss measurement further confirmed that the mixed microorganisms caused serious corrosion of X65 carbon steel, and the maximum corrosion rate was 0.249 mm/y. Furthermore, microbial community structure determination showed that mixed microorganisms in the actual reinjection water formed a corrosive biofilm on the surface of X65 steel, inducing severe pitting corrosion, which was mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of Pseudomonas, sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB), sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and methanogenic archaea. The results of this study have important guiding significance for the identification of MIC process for actual water samples of the oilfield and the timely adjustment of MIC control measures.