Gas & Oil Separation Plants (GOSPs) have oil trains designed to process wet crude oil and associated gas for separation into dry and stabilized crude oil, high-pressure gas, low-pressure gas & disposal water. GOSPs employ several process vessels in each train for this separation. Each train consists of high-pressure production trap (HPPT), low-pressure production trap (LPPT), Water Oil Separator (WOSEP), a dehydrator, desalter vessels, and a crude stabilizer.

Corrosion control and management is essential for these vessel internals to support operation. Cathodic protection (CP) by galvanic anodes plays a crucial role in ensuring that these vessels remain protected from corrosion during their life. Aluminum anodes, zinc anodes and high temperature zinc anodes are used for CP. Specially designed Anode Monitoring Systems (AMS) are used for monitoring of the CP system performance including the anode consumption.

Accelerated anode consumption, failure of electrical isolation between stainless steel (SS) & carbon steel (CS), SS vessel internals draining CP current, corrosion of the carbon steel, are some of the challenges in managing corrosion of these vessel internals. This paper presents approaches followed, including design practices, monitoring, field issues and associated remedial actions. In addition, it will show how the data from the field is used to estimate the CP system status and life of anodes to manage corrosion of Saudi Aramco’s process vessel internals.

Subject
Water, Anode potential, Anodic protection, Cathodic protection, Zinc anodes, Isolation, Current measurements, Anode resistance, Anodic current, Stainless steel, Protection potential, Anodes, Oil
Keywords:
Process Vessels, Pressure Vessels, Cathodic Protection, Current, Corrosion, Monitoring, Protective Coating, Corrosion Control, Sacrificial Anodes, Inspection planning
© 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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