CORROSION

Toyin Odutola
 • Introduction.

• Corrosion Process.

• Forms of Corrosion.

• Factors influencing Corrosion.

CORROSION • Detection & Measurement of

Corrosion.

• Measurement Rate.

• Control Techniques.
 INTRODUCTION
• Corrosion is the deterioration of a material caused by its
environment.
• Corrosion is the spontaneous destruction of metals and alloys
caused by chemical, bio-chemical, and electrochemical
interaction between metals and alloys and the environment.
• It is a spontaneous chemical reaction which results in reversion
from purified metal to an ionic metallic compound.
• During corrosion, metals tend to convert to more
thermodynamically stable compounds such as oxides,
hydroxides, salts, or carbonates
 INTRODUCTION
• Corrosive environments include moisture, oxygen, inorganic and
organic acids, high pressure, temperature, and chlorides.
• Corrosion processes are classified as chemical, biochemical, and
electrochemical corrosion.
• Corrosion compromises structure safety and is a leading factor in
the catastrophic failure in bridges, nuclear facilities, airplane
components, and equipment used in chemical, petrochemical,
transportation, and construction industries.
• Corrosion is a spontaneous, slow-progressing phenomenon. The
rate is mainly governed by the environment, metal composition,
and metallurgical, chemical, and electrochemical properties.
 INTRODUCTION
• Corrosion is a major expense in estimating production cost
and investments in any industry.

• The direct cost of corrosion is considered the cost of replacing

corroded structures and labor.

• Indirect losses add billions of dollars. The following losses are

considered indirect costs: product loss, shutdown, efficiency
loss, product contamination, equipment over design, for
example, using more expensive, overqualified materials.
 Introduction
• The petroleum and chemical
industries contain a wide variety
of corrosive environments; many
are unique to these industries.
• Corrosion problems occur in at
least three general areas in the
petroleum industry: (1)
production, (2) transportation
and storage, and (3) operations.
• Oil and gas production
operations consume a
tremendous amount of iron and
steel pipe, tubing, pumps,
valves, and sucker rods.
• Leaks cause loss of oil and gas,
and also permit infiltration of
water and silt, thus increasing
corrosion damage.
 Introduction
• Saline water and sulfides are often
present in oil and gas wells and
corrosion occurs both inside and
outside the casing. Surface
equipment is subject to atmospheric
corrosion.
• We have all seen corrosion and know
that the process produces a new and
less desirable material from the
original metal and can result in a loss
of function of the component or
system. The corrosion product we see
most commonly is the rust which
forms on the surface of steel.
 INTRODUCTION
We observe corrosion process in our
environment in the following areas;

• Motor vehicles – the bright body turns

rusty with time.

• Water pipes in older houses .

• Roof of houses made of iron sheets.

• Kitchen utensils.

• Underground & Underwater pipes.

Corroded surfaces
seen daily
 CORROSION PROCESS
Electrochemical reaction in corrosion process require the flow of
current
through a closed circuit. The circuit consist of;

• The anode (positive pole) – Losses electron by the reacting

iron.

• The cathode (negative pole) – Electron is gained at this site.

• An electrolyte – A conductive solution which provides the path

for current between the two poles.

• Conductor – The electro flow through the conductor (as metal)

 Corrosion process
• In order for corrosion to proceed as a chemical reaction, the reacting particles
must come into contact to transfer the electrons.
• The corrosion product we see most commonly is the rust which forms on
the surface of steel.
• For this to happen the major component of steel, iron (Fe) at the surface of
a component undergoes a number of simple changes. Firstly, the iron atom
can lose some electrons and become a positively charged ion. (anodic
reaction)

• This allows it to bond to other groups of atoms that are negatively charged.
We know that wet steel rusts to give a variant of iron oxide, so the other half
of the reaction must involve water (H2O) and oxygen (O2), something like
this:

. (cathodic reaction)
 Corrosion process
• we can, for clarity, ignore the electrons and write

• Oxygen dissolves quite readily in water and because there is usually an

excess of it, reacts with the iron hydroxide.
 Rusting
• This series of steps tells us a lot about the corrosion process:
1. Ions are involved and need a medium to move in (usually water).
2. Oxygen is involved and needs to be supplied.
3. The metal has to be willing to give up electrons to start the process.
4. A new material is formed and this may react again or could protect the
original metal.
5. A series of simple steps are involved and a driving force is needed to
achieve them.
6. The most important fact is that interfering with the steps allows the corrosion
reaction to be stopped or slowed to a manageable rate.
 FORMS OF CORROSION.
Corrosion could be classified as follows;

1. Uniform attack and/or weight loss corrosion.

2. Galvanic Corrosion.

3. Crevice corrosion

4. Stress Corrosion (Sulphide Stress Cracking, SSC)

5. Pitting.
 UNIFORM ATTACK OR WEIGHT LOSS CORROSION

• Most common type of corrosion normally characterized by a

chemical reaction.

• It proceeds uniformly over the entire exposed surface often at a

predictable rate.

• The rate varies greatly depending on the susceptibility of the

material.
 UNIFORM ATTACK OR WEIGHT LOSS CORROSION
• The corroding metal must be compositionally and metallurgically uniform.
Because there are no preferential corrosion sites, both the cathode and anode
are not a fixed location, resulting in uniform corrosion. Corrosion rates are
measured by electrochemical corrosion techniques or weight loss

• The metal becomes thinner and eventually fails.

• Although it is unsightly, its predictability facilitates easy control, the most
basic method being to make the material thick enough to function for the
lifetime of the component.
• An example of uniform corrosion is atmospheric corrosion. The
spontaneous corrosion of materials in atmospheric corrosion is
controlled by temperature, relative humidity, time of wetness, pH
of the electrolyte, presence of contaminants such as chlo- rides,
NH3, SO2, NO2, and acidic fogs

• [Link]
 Uniform corrosion can be slowed or
stopped in five basic ways:
1. Slow down or stop the movement of electrons:
a. Coat the surface with a non-conducting medium
such as paint, lacquer or oil
b. Reduce the conductivity of the solution in contact
with the metal, an extreme case being to keep it dry
c. Wash away conductive pollutants regularly
2. Slow down or stop oxygen from reaching the
surface. This is difficult to do completely, but coatings
can help.
 Uniform corrosion can be slowed or
stopped in five basic ways:
3. Prevent the metal from giving up electrons:
a. Use a more corrosion-resistant metal higher in the
electrochemical series,
b. Use a sacrificial coating that gives up its electrons
more easily than the metal being protected
c. Use inhibitors.
4. Select a metal that forms an oxide that is protective
and stops the reaction.
5. Control and consideration of environmental and
thermal factors is also essential.
 GALVANIC CORROSION
1. The potential difference established when two metals (alloys) are electrically connected in
a conducting medium produces electron flow and causes the metal (alloy) with more
negative potential to preferentially corrode.
2. The more positive metal (alloy) becomes a cathode and is protected by the negative metal
(alloy), which becomes an anode.
3. The driving force for galvanic corrosion is the potential difference between the metals
 GALVANIC CORROSION

• Galvanic corrosion also occurs when the same

metal is in contact with an electrolyte of two
different concentrations or with different
levels of aeration (differential aeration cell).
Soil with varying salinity or pH in contact with
a buried iron pipe creates galvanic cells in
which the anodic part of the pipe corrodes
faster.
• The corrosion rate of metals is determined by
established potential difference, soil
conductivity, and relative anodic and cathodic
areas
 GALVANIC CORROSION
• . For galvanic corrosion to occur:
1. The metals need to be in contact electrically.
2. One metal needs to be significantly better at giving
up electrons than the other
3. An additional path for ion and electron movement is
necessary.

• Prevention of this problem is based on ensuring that

one or more of the three features do not exist:
1. Break the electrical contact using plastic insulators or
coatings between the metals.
2. Select metals close together in the galvanic series.
3. Prevent ion movement by coating the junction with
an impermeable material, or ensure the environment
is dry and that liquids cannot be trapped.
 CREVICE CORROSION
• Crevice corrosion refers to the attack of metal surfaces
by a stagnant solution in crevices, for example around
the edges of nuts and rivet heads.
• When dust, sand and other corrosive substances are
deposited on surfaces, they create an environment
where water will accumulate and corrode the part. It
can happen between two metals or between a metal
and a nonmetal.
• This causes damage to the metallic part, which is
initiated by the concentration gradient in chemicals.
• It occurs when oxygen cannot penetrate a crevice
and a differential aeration cell is set up.
CREVICE CORROSION

• Oxygen causes an electrochemical

concentration cell outside the crevice. This is a
differential aeration cell where the air present is
oxygen. In the crevice (the cathode), the pH and
the oxygen content increases.
• The potential for crevice corrosion can be
reduced by:
1. avoiding sharp corners and designing out
stagnant areas,
2. use of sealants,
3. use of welds instead of bolts or rivets,
4. selection of resistant materials.
 PITTING

• Pitting represents an extremely localized attack that produces holes in the

metal or alloy.
• It is one of the most destructive, localized forms of corrosion.
• The severity of pitting corrosion is controlled by environment, chloride
concentration, electrolyte acidity, oxidizer concentration, temperature,
structural characteristics, metal or alloy composition, dissolved oxygen
concentration, potential, and potential scan rates
• In pitting, the exposed metal gives up electrons easily and the
reaction initiates tiny pits with localized chemistry supporting rapid
attack.
 PITTING

• A form of localized attack that results in the development of holes in the

metal.

• Pitting corrosion is difficult to detect because pits are likely to be covered

with corrosion products.

• Pits are so small & close together that they are mistaken for surface
roughness.

• Pitting corrosion is reported the most destructive form of corrosion.

• Most pitting failure are caused by chloride ions.
• Pits can be crack initiators in stressed components or those with residual
stresses resulting from forming operations. This can lead to stress
corrosion cracking.
 Pitting can be controlled by:
• selecting a resistant material,
• control of the chemistry of fluids and use of inhibitors,
• use of a protective coating,

• maintaining the material's own protective film.

STRESS CORROSION
• Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is defined as
crack growth due to simultaneous tensile stress
and corrosive environments on active metals or
alloys.
• In order for SCC to occur, the metal should be
susceptible to SCC and be in a corrosive
environment.
• SCC leads to catastrophic failure in aircraft
structures, nuclear facilities, boilers, and liquid
or gas transmission pipes.
• Stress is induced by heat treatment, welding,
machining, grinding, and cold work.
• The rate of crack propagation is affected by
stress levels, temperature, and corrosion
solution concentration.
 STRESS CORROSION

• Include combined effect of stress & corrosion on the behavior of metal

which leads to accelerated attack & cracking.

• The stress could be either cyclic or static.

• Cyclic stress is observed in rotating drill string.

• Effect of cyclic stress on metal is influenced by degree of corrosiveness of

fluid (mud) in which the drill string is immersed.
• The combined action of cyclic stresses and a corrosive environment
reduce the life of components below that expected by the action of fatigue
alone.
 STRESS CORROSION
• Stress corrosion can be reduced or prevented by:
1. coating the material,

2. good design that reduces stress concentration,

3. avoiding sudden changes of section,

4. removing or isolating sources of cyclic stress.

 STRESS CORROSION cont’d

• The forms of stress corrosion cracking in oil & gas production are sulphide
stress cracking (SSC) and Chloride stress cracking.

• Other unique forms under environmental conditions are;

v Caustic,

v Carbon-monoxide,

v Hydrogen – induced cracking and

v Liquid metal embrittlement.

• Sulfide Stress Cracking is the cracking of a metal under the combined action
of tensile stress and corrosion in the presence of water and hydrogen
sulfide (a form of hydrogen stress cracking). Sulfide stress cracking is a form
of hydrogen embrittlement that occurs in high-strength steels and in
localized hard zones in weldment of susceptible materials when the
environment contains wet H2S.

• Chloride stress corrosion cracking (CSCC) is a type of intergranular

corrosion. Chloride stress corrosion involves selective attack of a metal
along its grain boundaries. It occurs in austenitic stainless steel (Austenitic
refers to an alloy consisting mainly of austenite) under tensile stress in the
presence of oxygen, chloride ions and high temperature. This form of
corrosion is controlled by maintaining low chloride ion and oxygen content
in the environment and use of low-carbon steels.
 Microbial Corrosion

• This general class covers the degradation of materials by bacteria, molds,

and fungi, or their by-products. It can occur by a range of actions, such as:
• Attack on the metal or protective coating by acid by-products, sulfur,
hydrogen, sulfide or ammonia
• Direct interaction between the microbes and metal under attack.
• Prevention can be achieved by:
1. selection of resistant materials,
2. frequent cleaning,
3. control of the chemistry of the surrounding medium and removal of
nutrients,
4. use of biocides,
5. cathodic protection.
 Classwork
• Give specific examples of different parts of the
petroleum industry that experience the
different forms of corrosion. A minimum of
three examples per corrosion type is
expected.

• [Link]
 FACTORS INFLUENCING CORROSION

The factors can be categorized into two groups;

• Factors associated mainly with the metal.

• Factors associated mainly with the environment.

 FACTORS ASSOCIATED MAINLY WITH THE METAL

• Effective electrode potential of the metal. (the potential

difference between the charged metallic rods and salt solution.)
The more negative the standard electrode potential, the greater the
tendency to form metal ions and hence to corrode.

• Tendency of metal to form an insoluble protective film.

• Chemical and physical homogeneity of the metal surface

 FACTORS ASSOCIATED MAINLY WITH ENVIRONMENT

• Oxygen concentration.

• Presence of H2S (sour-gas).

• Presence of CO2 in gas condensates, under high pressure resulting in low

PH or acidity of solution.

• Nature, concentration & distribution of electrolytes such as carbonic acid

due to CO2. Presence of acids & acid generating salts.
 FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ENVIRONMENT cont’d

• Tendency of environment to deposit a protective film on the metal surface.

• Rate of flow of solution (high pressure well effluent) against metal.

• Temperature.

• Static or cyclic stresses.

• Contact with dissimilar solutions.

• Contact with dissimilar metals.

• Stray currents.
 DETECTION & MEASUREMENT OF CORROSION
Various techniques used to detect & measurement corrosion include;

• Visual inspection.

• Chemical test.

- Analysis of composition of produced fluids to determine CO2, H2S &

organic acid content.

- Analysis of formed scales, etc

- Iron count.

• Bacteriological tests of aerobic or anaerobic bacteria.

 DETECTION & MEASUREMENT OF CORROSION

• Electrochemical test to check surface lines, well casings or other buried

structures.

• Test for pipelines.

- Resistivity of soils.

• Tests for current flow in well casings to determine casing-potential profile.

• X-ray.

• Electrical resistance probes.

- Corrosimeter.

- Linear polarization meter.

 DETECTION & MEASUREMENT OF CORROSION cont’d

- Galvanic probe.

Others include;

• Corrosion coupons.

• Hydrogen probe.

• Corrosion records.

• Caliper surveys.
 CORROSION CONTROL TECHNIQUES

The following corrosion control techniques may be used.

• Inhibition.

• Chemical scavenging.

• Use of biocides.
 METHOD OF MINIMIZING CORROSION IN PETROLEUM INDUSTRY

The methods includes,

• Painting.

• Cathodic Protection.
- Impressed current system.
- Sacrificial anode system.
- A combination

• Use of inhibitor.
- Inorganic
- Organic
- They are applied into the wells by means of batch flush, tubing
displacement.
 METHOD OF MINIMIZING CORROSION IN PETROLEUM INDUSTRY cont’d

• Material selection.

• Control through original engineering design.

• Use of internal & external coatings.

- Organic coatings (epoxies etc)

- Inorganic coatings (cement etc)

• Removal of corrosive gases.

- By use of chemical scavengers.

 MATERIAL SELECTION
• Improper selection of metals is the primary cause of galvanic corrosion.

• High priced alloys are more economical in certain corrosive environments

than iron & steel.

• Hydrogen embrittlement is a big problem in H2S environment, metal lose

is the problem in CO2 & O2 environment.

• Generally concrete & ceramics are corrosion resistant in all types of

produced field .

• Cement pipes which are mixtures of portland cement & abestors are
widely used as transit pipes, oil & water gathering lines.

• All materials selected must conform to API and NACE standards.

 SELECTION OF COATINGS

• Coatings such as paints, plastics, cement , rubber and ceramics have been
used to prevent contact between metal & corrosive environments.

• Cathodic protection type coatings are also in use.

• Coating also improve appearance of steel structures.

• Type of paint, preparation of surface and method of application, determine

the durability and protective value of paints.

• Cost of labour contributes heavily to cost of painting.

 CATEGORIES OF COATINGS

Coatings can be categorized by their composition into:

• Organic.

• Inorganic, and

• Metallic.
 ORGANIC COATING

• Organic coatings are most commonly used in the petroleum industry.

• They are subdivided into :

Ø Thin film (about 5 mils) paints for atmospheric exposure inside drill pipes
and tubings.

Ø Heavy coating such as bituminous paints applied to buried or submerged

structures.
 INORGANIC COATING
• Cement is an example of inorganic coating used to line pipes in salt
water service.

• In acidizing operations the use of such pipes is not recommended.

• Cement pipes are cheaper than plastic pipes.

• Coatings for pipes and vessels pipes.

internal Vessel internal
Cement(lined) Coal tar Expoxy
Expoxy Coal tar
Coal tar Expoxy Expoxy
Phenolics PVC (liner)
Polyurethane Polyesters.
polyesters
 METALLIC COATING

• Zinc and aluminium coatings are common in oil production operations more
in atmospheric protection than in buried or submerged structures.

• Others are chromium coatings used in some pumps which apart from
coating help in improving hardness & resistance to wear.

• Cadmium-plated bolts are used mainly in offshore operations.

• Zinc silicate paint provides the best and most economic protection as
undercoat but also for atmospheric protection.

• The process of hot-dip, spraying and electroplating are used in the

coatings.
 INTERNAL & EXTERNAL COATINGS

Internal coating

• For new or used – pipes in good conditions, multiple coats of different

paints are applied after careful cleaning by sandblasting.

• Each coat must be baked at controlled temperature.

• Cement –lined pipes are frequently used in saltwater service

 INTERNAL & EXTERNAL COATINGS

EXTERNAL COATING

• Buried & submerged pipes are often protected by cathodic protection.

• A shield of asbestos felt & reinforcement of felt or fibreglass improves the

strength and durability of coating.

• For tank bottoms, concrete and asphalt mastic have been used for pads.

• Sand pads are used where the soil is dry and well drained.

• Success of coating depends on adequate surface preparation, coating

thickness and uniformity of coating.
 DESIGNING PRODUCTION FACILITIES

Among other things, the following should be noted when designing production
facilities.

• Concentration cell corrosion often result in crevices & poorly drained flow
lines and equipment. Trace amounts of oxygen cause concentration cells.

• Dissimilar metals cause galvanic corrosion.

• Improper selection of metal for H2O, CO2 & O2 service will cause
problems.
• Non-insulation of well from flow-lines or insufficient insulation disastrous.
 DESIGNING PRODUCTION FACILITIES cont’d

• Undersizing of air (oxygen) exclusion equipment should be avoided.

• Improper coating detrimental.

• Cathodic protection systems must be well designed.

• Ensure adequate protection of casing.

• Provide subsurface chemical injection valves for possible injection of

chemical.

• In the case of cathodic production, care must be taken to provide

adequate earthing (grounding) of structures against lighting &
accidental failure of electrical insulation.
 Quiz
• [Link]
 QUESTION ON CORROSION

• A steel water–tank was to be protected by “Cathodic Protection” with

the dc current applied so that the tank would have negative polarity.
The tank was 4m tall, closed at the top and 3m in diameter. The wall
thickness was 0.9652cm and the practical life of the tank was
considered at an end when any part reached 0.46cm in thickness.
The current flow was adjusted so that 0.5382amp/m2 was impressed.
Accidentally, wrong connections were made and the tank was made
anodic.
The error was not noticed for 2years and the blame was attributed to
corrosion. Assuming the reaction is
Fe ® Fe2+ + 2e- at 100%
Efficiency and that 26.3amp/hr are capable of dissolving 27.93gms of
iron.

(a) How much iron has dissolved in the 2years?

(b) What was the wall thickness after 2 year?
(c) What fraction of the tanks life was used up?

Density 𝜌Fe = 7.8gm/cm3, Atomic weight of steel = 55.85gm, F = 96500

coulumbs.
Solution
3m

4m

Tank

Soil level
 Fe ® Fe+ + 2e-
• Given,
Wall thickness = 0.9652cm
Current, I = 0.5382 amp/m2
Valency = 2
Efficiency = 100%
radius = 3 /2 = 1.5m
Useful wall thickness = 0.9652 – 0.46 = 0.5052cm

The total surface Area is shown below

Top Area (Circular top
Note, Density is defined as Mass .
Vol

Height Curved Surface Area

Base Area (Circular Base

 Given

• 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ = 4𝑚
• 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 3𝑚 , 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 = 1.5𝑚
• 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 = 0.9652𝑐𝑚
• 𝑃𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑘 = 0.46𝑐𝑚
• 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 = 0.5382𝑎𝑚𝑝/𝑚2
• 𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝐼𝑟𝑜𝑛 = 7.8 𝑔𝑚/ 𝑐𝑚3
• 𝐴𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑐 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 = 55.85𝑔𝑚
• 𝐹𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 (𝐹) = 96500 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑠
• 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 = 100%
• 𝐹𝑒 −−−−−−> 𝐹𝑒 ! + 2𝑒 "
 How much iron was dissolved in 2
years

i) Step1: calculate the Tank total surface area

Total Surface Area = Top area + Curved surface +
Base area
= 𝜋𝑟 ! + 2𝜋𝑟ℎ + 𝜋𝑟 !
= 2𝜋𝑟[ 𝑟 + ℎ]
!!
= 2×( ) ×1.5 ∗ [ 1.5 + 4 ]
"
= 51.85 𝑚2
From electrolysis:
𝑀 = 𝑍×𝐼×𝑇
M = mass of substance undergoing electrolysis
Z= electrochemical equivalent of the substance
I= Impressed current
T= time in seconds

𝑍 = 𝑀 ÷ (𝑛×𝐹)
Where: M= Molecular mass
N = moles of electron used
1𝐹 = 96500 𝐶
From the equation 2 moles of electron were used

Hence,
𝑍 = 55.85 ÷ (2× 96500) = 0.00028938 𝑔/𝐶
𝐼 = 0.5382 𝑎𝑚𝑝/𝑚2 ÷ 51.85𝑚2 = 27.91 𝑎𝑚𝑝
𝑇 = 2× 365× 24×3600 = 63.072 ×10 " 𝑠
𝑀 = 0.00028938×27.91×63.072 ×10"
= 509407 𝑔𝑚
At 100% efficiency:
1.0×509407 = 509407 𝑔𝑚
ii) volume of tank = wall thickness * total surface area of
tank
useful wall thickness = initial wall thickness – thickness at
practical end of tank life
= 0.965𝑐𝑚 – 0.46𝑐𝑚 = 0.505 𝑐𝑚
volume of tank= 0.965𝑐𝑚 × 51.85𝑚2 𝑚 ÷ 100𝑐𝑚
= 0.5 𝑚3
See full solution in
google classroom
 Zones of Corrosion in an Offshore
platform
These three different zones require different level of protection

Atmospheric region

Splash zone/Tidal
region of platform

Submerged area of
platform
 Evaluation of corrosiveness
• This depends on the partial pressure of C02, Pv.

• Pv = (%mole fraction C02) (total wellhead pressure).

• The higher the C02 content and wellhead pressure the higher
the partial pressure and the more corrosive the well.

partial pressure, Pv (psi) Corrosiveness

0-7 non corrosive
7.30. possibly corrosive
30+ corrosive
 Example
• An oil well with a well head pressure of
1500psi produces associated gas with the
following composition (N2 =0.32, CO2=2.34,
C1= 30.3, C2=9.77, C3=1.3, i-C4=0.96, n-
C4=1.34, i-C5= 3.8, n-C5 = 2.78, C6= 8.0, C7+
=39.09). Diagnose the corrosivity of the fluid
and suggest mitigation measures
 Solution
• This depends on the partial pressure of C02, Pv.
• Pv = (%mole fraction C02) (total wellhead
pressure)
• CO2=2.34
• well head pressure =1500psi
• Mole fraction of CO2 =2.34/100 = 0.0234
• Pv of CO2 = 0.0234* 1500 = 35.1psi
• Therefore, the fluid is corrosive