After reviewing briefly the characteristics, type of cargo and capacities of oil tank ships operating between Gulf and East Coast ports, the estimated cost of internal corrosion of the existing United States tanker fleet is estimated at $360,000,000 during the next 20 years. Causes of corrosion in tank compartments are scanned and current protective methods discussed.
Laboratory experiments using coupons are described in which soluble oil, sodium dichromate, sodium nitrite, benzoic acid and a commercial organic inhibitor are tested. Because of the good showing made by a sodium alkyl aryl sulfonate inhibitor formulations incorporating calcium sulfonate and sodium sulfonate with rosin amine stearate as a tackifying agent were tested. The best formulation was adopted for shipboard tests which are now in progress. Efforts are being made to find hydrocarbons with lower flash points.
