Abstract
In today’s pipeline market, operators have limited choices for controlling internal corrosion with conventional amine based inhibitors. Amine inhibitors are applied by one of two methods; continuously injected through atomization, or batched as a slug between pigs. Traditional inhibitors and application methods have two major short comings and limitations. The first short coming being a very limited performance lifespan, and the other is inadequate chemical coverage as well as treatment of the top of the line. The first short coming results in a very expensive approach due to extensive labor and injection equipment costs along with dosing issues that can occur with changing product flow rates. The second approach has inherent coverage problems where critical areas that are most susceptible to internal corrosion is, (i.e. elevation changes) may not be properly treated.
A solution to the problem’s is the proper application of a recently developed two-part corrosion inhibitor. This binary corrosion inhibitor is applied by modified batch methods using spray pig technology that ensures full circumferential coverage of the internal pipe wall. Field performance and film persistency tests have proven that the active lifespan far exceeds that of existing conventional pipeline corrosion inhibitors. Field applications have shown that the performance life can provide corrosion protection and other flow benefits for periods up to one year with a single application depending on operational and contamination exposure factors. The binary corrosion inhibitor is typically applied as a two part system where Part A bonds molecularly with the metallic pipeline wall and then Part B reacts and bonds with the Part A allowing it to be applied to pipelines with limited cleaning and surface preparation requirements. Proper application of the binary corrosion inhibitor delivers superior internal corrosion protection for the pipeline operator/owner at a better economic cost performance benefit over traditional corrosion inhibitor treatment methods. This binary corrosion inhibitor has also been proven to significantly reduce wax deposition problems in crude oil lines which results in lower maintenance and improved flow characteristics.
