Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mechanisms of Corrosion of Pipelines

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Handbook of Pipeline Engineering

  • 105 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter presents fundamental concepts regarding corrosion, from thermodynamics to kinetics issues, and showcases techniques used to determine corrosion rates. In terms of pipeline corrosion, the circumstances in which a pipeline is operating impacts the frequency and severity of the corrosion events. These events may encompass both external and internal corrosion. While the latter is related to the interaction between the material of the pipe and the fluids inside of it, such as oils, natural gas, or aqueous solutions, external corrosion arises from the environment where the pipeline is installed (underground or in the seawater). Therefore, the main mechanisms related to internal corrosion in the oil and gas industry, such as sweet corrosion (corrosion processes due to the presence of CO2) and sour corrosion (when H2S concentrations can produce a partial pressure above 0.05 psia), are presented. Both are examples of composition-related corrosion. Moreover, it is also discussed other corrosion mechanisms, such as flow-related, surface deposit-related (for instance, under-deposit corrosion and microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC), or even environmental cracking-related (for example, sulfide stress cracking (SSC) and hydrogen-induced corrosion (HIC). Lastly, top of line corrosion (TLC) and black powder, special internal corrosion mechanisms, are also mentioned. Regarding external corrosion, stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and its relation to cathodic disbondment are presented.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ahmad Z (2006) Corrosion kinetics in Principles of Corrosion Engineering and Corrosion Control. Butterworth-Heinemann. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-075065924-6/50004-0

  • Alkazraji D (2008) A quick guide to pipeline engineering, 1st edn. Woodhead Publishing Limited and Matthews Engineering Training Ltd., Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • ASTM NACE/ASTM G31 (2021) Standard guide for laboratory immersion corrosion testing of metals. ASTM International, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  • Bai Y, Bai Q (2019) Subsea corrosion and scale. In: Subsea engineering handbook. Elsevier, pp 455–487

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Bellezze T, Giuliani G, Roventi G (2018) Study of stainless steels corrosion in a strong acid mixture. Part 1: cyclic potentiodynamic polarization curves examined by means of an analytical method. Corros Sci 130:113–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CEPA (1996) Submission to the National Energy Board, Proceeding MH-2-95, Vol. 1, Issue 2, table 2.1 and Response to OPLA Information Request # 8 of Proceeding MH-2-95

    Google Scholar 

  • Colahan M, Young D, Singer M, Nogueira RP (2018) Black powder formation by dewing and hygroscopic corrosion processes. J Nat Gas Sci Eng 56:358–367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crolet J-L, Thevenot N, Dugstad A (1999) Role of free acetic acid on the CO2 corrosion of steels. In: Corrosion 99. NACE, Houston

    Google Scholar 

  • de Freitas DS, Brasil SLDC, Leoni G, da Motta GX, Leite EGB, Coelho JFP (2023) Long-term cathodic disbondment tests in three-layer polyethylene coatings. Mater Corros:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1002/maco.202213653

  • de Waard C, Lotz U (1993) Prediction of CO2 corrosion of carbon steel. In: Corrosion. NACE, Houston

    Google Scholar 

  • Dugstad A (2014) Top of line corrosion-impact of MEG and organic acid in the gas phase. In: Corrosion. NACE, Houston

    Google Scholar 

  • Eckert R (2017) Residual life predictions—extending service life. In: Trends in oil and gas corrosion research and technologies – production and transmission. Elsevier Ltd

    Google Scholar 

  • Faghri A, Zhang Y (2006) Condensation. In: Transport Phenomena in Multiphase Systems. Academic Press, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Freitas D, Gonçalves I, Vaz G (2021) The effect of ethanol added to the natural gas stream on the top of line corrosion: an approach on vapor phase condensation and carbonic acid generation yield. J Nat Gas Sci Eng 96:104297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunaltun YM, Larrey D (2000) Correlation of cases of Top of the line Corrosion with calculated condensation rates. In: Corrosion. NACE, Houston

    Google Scholar 

  • Hinkson D, Zhang Z, Singer M, NeÅ¡ić S (2010) Chemical composition and corrosiveness of the condensate in top-of-the-line corrosion. Corrosion. 66:0450021–0450028

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iannuzzi M (2011) Environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) in oil and gas production in Stress corrosion cracking: Theory and practice. Woodhead Publishing Limited. Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Islam MM, Pojtanabuntoeng T, Gubner R (2016) Condensation corrosion of carbon steel at low to moderate surface temperature and iron carbonate precipitation kinetics. Corros Sci 111:139–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jack TR, Wilmott MJ (2011) Corrosion by soils. In: Revie RW, Uhlig HH (eds) Uhlig’s corrosion handbook. Wiley, Hoboken. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470872864.ch25

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kahyarian A, Nesic S (2019) H2S corrosion of mild steel: a quantitative analysis of the mechanism of the cathodic reaction. Electrochim Acta 297:676–684

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahyarian A, Achour M, Nesic S (2017) CO2 corrosion of mild steel. In: Trends in oil and gas corrosion research and technologies: production and transmission. Elsevier Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kakaei K, Esrafili MD, Ehsani A (2019) Graphene and anticorrosive properties. Interface Sci Technol 27:303–337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kane DR, Maldonado GJ (2003) Stress corrosion cracking of carbon steel in fuel grade ethanol: review and survey. API technical report 939-D. American Petroleum Institute

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan TS, Al-Shehhi MS (2015) Review of black powder in gas pipelines – an industrial perspective. J Nat Gas Sci Eng 25:66–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michael Baker Jr 2005 OPS TT08 – Stress Corrosion Cracking Study – Final Report. Companies, Inc. All. New York (HQ)

    Google Scholar 

  • McCafferty E (2010) Introduction to corrosion science. Springer, Alexandria, p 22309

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Metwally IA, Al-Mandhari HM, Gastli A, Nadir Z (2007) Factors affecting cathodic-protection interference. Eng Anal Bound Elem 31(6):485–493. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955799706002062

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NEB (1996) Public inquiry concerning stress corrosion cracking on Canadian oil and gas pipelines. Canadian National Energy Board. Nov 1996

    Google Scholar 

  • Nesic S (2012) Effects of multiphase flow on internal CO2 corrosion of mild steel pipelines. Energ Fuels 26:4098–4111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ning J, Zheng Y, Brown B, Young D, Nesic S (2015) A thermodynamic model for the prediction of mild steel corrosion products in an aqueous hydrogen sulfide environment. Corrosion 71:945

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pourbaix M, Staehle RW (1973a) Electrochemical equilibria. In: Lectures on electrochemical corrosion. Springer, Boston. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1806-4_4

  • Pourbaix M, Staehle RW (1973b) Corrosion and protection of iron and steel. In: Lectures on electrochemical corrosion. Springer, Boston. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1806-4_6

  • Riaz M, Yussuf MA, Frost M, Kontogeorgis GM, Stenby EH, Yan W, Solbraa E (2014) Distribution of gas hydrate inhibitor monoethylene glycol in condensate and water systems: Experimental measurement and thermodynamic modeling using the cubic-plus-association equation of state. Energ Fuels 28:3530–3538

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberge P (2008) Corrosion engineering – principles and practices, 1st edn. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaoqiang G, Fernando F, Singer M (2016) Effect of monoethylene glycol on sweet top of the line corrosion, in: Corrosion. NACE, Houston

    Google Scholar 

  • Singer M, Hinkson D, Zhang Z, Wang H, NeÅ¡ić S (2013) CO2 top-of-the-line corrosion in presence of acetic acid: a parametric study. Corrosion 69:719–735

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Souza BG, Olivier JHL (2002) Circumferential SCC in pipeline due to land creeping. In Proceedings of the fourth international pipeline conference, ASME, Calgary, Canada, pp 1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Toshiaki O, Atsushi N, Masatoshi S, Koji F (2018) Electrochemistry for corrosion fundamentals. 1st edn. Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6820-1

  • Trabanelli G, Zucchi F, Arpaia M (1972) Methods of determination of soil corrosiveness with respect to metallic structures

    Google Scholar 

  • Videla HA (1996) Manual of biocorrosion. CRC Press, Inc., 2000 Corporate Blvd., N.W., Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Technology (INT), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Denise S. de Freitas & Israel L. M. Gonçalves

  2. Technical Consultant, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Carlos Alexandre M. da Silva

Authors
  1. Denise S. de Freitas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carlos Alexandre M. da Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Israel L. M. Gonçalves
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Denise S. de Freitas .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    ABCM - Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering

  2. JLFreire Consultoria Ltda., Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    José Luiz de França Freire

  3. MR Consultoria em Engenharia, Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Marcelo Rosa Rennó Gomes

  4. PIPELINEBRAZIL, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Marcelino Guedes Gomes

Section Editor information

  1. UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Theodoro Antoun Netto

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 ABCM

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

de Freitas, D.S., da Silva, C.A.M., Gonçalves, I.L.M. (2023). Mechanisms of Corrosion of Pipelines. In: ABCM - Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, de França Freire, J.L., Rennó Gomes, M.R., Guedes Gomes, M. (eds) Handbook of Pipeline Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05735-9_29-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05735-9_29-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-05735-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-05735-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference EngineeringReference Module Computer Science and Engineering

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation