TLC is a significant threat to pipelines in the Gulf of Thailand (GOT). Since 2016, VCIs have been implemented in the field following successful laboratory tests and are favored over traditional batch treatments for their continuous protection without production disruption.

However, field data reveal inconsistent outcomes: while some pipelines achieve stable TLC control, others still suffer severe corrosion. This study reviews comprehensive field data, including operating conditions, in-line inspection (ILI) results, and VCI injection dosages to evaluate VCI effectiveness. Chemical vendors recommend VCI dosages of 350 ppm, significantly higher than conventional inhibitors. As many fields enter late life with increased water production, optimizing VCI dosages is essential to manage costs and adapt existing injection facilities.

The study also addresses the debate on VCI effectiveness, highlighting discrepancies between laboratory tests and field performance, as laboratory efficiency tests may not fully replicate real field conditions. Through this analysis, we aim to provide insights into the actual performance of VCIs in GOT pipelines, offering valuable information for further development and improvement of TLC mitigation strategies.

Subject
Field performance, Corrosion severity, Modeling, Corrosion rate, Top of the line corrosion, Pipelines, Volatile corrosion inhibitors, Inspection, Dosages, Defects, Wall thickness, Contractors, Corrosion protection
Keywords:
Top-of-the-Line Corrosion (TLC), Volatile corrosion inhibitor (VCI), Corrosion mitigation, Pipeline integrity management
© 2025 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. This work is protected by both domestic and international copyright laws. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
2025
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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