Corrosion Mitigation and Monitoring in Oil Degassing, Spheroid and Stabilizer Units

Authors: Mohammed F. Al-Barout, Maslat S. Al-Waranbi, Iyad A. Al-Buraiki, Husain M. Al-Mahrous, Maher S. Al-Khashram, Abdullah A. BaniHumaim and Seyed M. Abdul Cader

ABSTRACT
The main objective of the atmospheric oil degassing, spheroid and stabilizer units is to process the produced crude into clean, marketable products: crude oil and associated gas. Therefore, contaminants must be removed to meet export specifications. Crude oil fed to these units has varying amounts of water, salt, hydrocarbon gas and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) contaminants. The sour wet crude must be treated to make it safe and environmentally acceptable for storage, processing and export. Corrosion is a major concern in these units due to the presence of a high percentage of hydrogen in most of the equipment. This article will outine the fundamental corrosion issues encountered in these units. In addition, it will address corrosion problems experienced in Saudi Aramco facilities, proposed protective actions and applicable corrosion monitoring techniques.

Con tamin an t W a ter S a lt HC G a s H 2S

Saf ety

E n v iron men tal

Corrosion X X

X X

X X X

Table 1. Concerns posed by various contaminants of sour wet crude oil

Proc ess G a s-O il S ep a r a tio n P la n t

Water X X

Salt X

G ases X X X

H
2

S p h er o id a n d D eg a ssin g T a n k S ta b iliz er

Table 2. The process units and the materials each one removes from the crude oil

INTRODUCTION
The purpose of the atmospheric oil degassing, spheroid and stabilizer units is to process the produced crude into clean, marketable products: crude oil and associated gas. Contaminants must be removed to meet export specifications. Removal of these contaminants also prepares the crude for processing in Saudi Aramco domestic and export refineries. Crude oil fed to the atmospheric oil degassing, spheroid and stabilizer units has varying amounts of the following contaminants: Water _ Emulsions (up to 3% of crude) _ and free water (above 3% to 50%). Salt _ 50,000 to 250,000 mg formation water. Hydrocarbon gas _ associated gas (up to 600 scf/bbl crude). Hydogen sulfide (H2S) _ up to 27,000 ppm. Sour wet crude must be treated to make it safe and environmentally acceptable for storage, processing and export. The concerns posed by to various contaminants are shown in Table 1. Typically three units are used in the crude treatment process to remove the contaminants to levels that make the crude suitable for export or refinery processing. The process units and the materials each one removes from the crude in each step are shown in Table 2. The gas is removed first, using all three process units, to reduce the pressure of the crude. This removal makes control of
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all other processes simpler and reduces equipment costs for subsequent treatments. Gas is evolved from the produced crude when the pressure is reduced to the crudes bubble point. To explain, if a liquid is held at a constant pressure but the temperature is increased, a point arrives when bubbles of gas begin to form in the liquid. This is the bubble point. Similarly, if a liquid is held at a constant temperature but the pressure is reduced, a point arrives when gas begins to form, which again is the bubble point1. Providing guidelines to corrosion mitigation and monitoring in the oil degassing, spheroid and stabilizer units will improve their integrity through a fundamental understanding of the applicable damage mechanisms, process parameters, inspection techniques, and corrosion monitoring and corrosion control options.

PROCESS DESCRIPTION
Degassing Tanks and Spheroids

Although still commercially available, spheroids are not widely used today, since spheres are generally more economical. Lowpressure degassing tanks are more economical for degassing high water cut (emulsion) crudes. Saudi Aramco gas-oil separation plants use both spheroids and low-pressure degassing tanks in the last, or atmospheric, stage of gas-oil separation at 3 psig to 15 psig to release most of the remaining dissolved gases contained in the crude oil. The shape of a spheroid

Fig. 1. Typical spheroid.

Fig. 2. Typical crude stabilizaton unit.

approximates the ideal shape of a freestanding liquid droplet, with shell stresses theoretically equal in all directions. A typical spheroid used to reduce the crude pressure to very near atmospheric pressure1, is shown in Fig. 1. The liquid level in the spheroid is held at approximately 30% to allow mist in the vapor to settle out and return to the liquid. Additional processing in a stabilizer unit is required to release the final portions of associated gas as well as the H2S present in the crude.
Stabilizers

experienced in atmospheric oil degassing, spheroid and stabilizer units, as well as where the damage occurs.
Hydrogen Induced Cracking (HIC)/Blistering

The objective of crude stabilization is to remove light hydrocarbons and H2S from the crude to achieve an acceptable level of volatility for storage and transportation, and an acceptable concentration of H2S for meeting envirnomental standards. Generally, it is not desirable to remove from the crude any hydrocarbons beyond the required minimum. There are two obvious advantages to retaining the lighter hydrocarbons in the stabilized crude. First, liquids can be stored and transported to the user more economically than gas. Second, retention of the lighter hydrocarbons in the liquid phase preserves their value when the separated gas has no available market. Conversely, retention of too many lighter hydrocarbons, or light ends, can cause problems. How many light ends must be removed from the crude oil is determined by the composition of the oil, the ambient air temperature, the method of transportation and economic considerations1. Figure 2 illustrates a typical stabilization unit. Desalted crude at the ambient temperature is fed into the top tray. A set of reboilers provides the driving force for stripping light material and H2S from the crude. Live steam is also injected in the reboiler return line. The temperature reached at the bottom of the unit is a function of the quality of stripping and is a good indication of the H2S content in the crude oil at the bottom. The gas in the column overhead is sent to other plants for the compression and recovery of light hydrocarbons. The stabilized crude at the bottom plate is cooled and then stored or shipped.

Hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) may manifest as surface bulges on the internal surface or within the wall thickness of a pipe or pressure vessel. Blistering is a specific type of HIC that occurs when hydrogen atoms form on the surface of the steel during the sulfide corrosion process. They diffuse into the steel and collect at any discontinuity in the steel, such as an inclusion, dislocation or lamination. When the hydrogen atoms combine to form hydrogen molecules that are too large to diffuse out, the pressure builds to the point where local deformation occurs, and a blister forms2. HIC is one of the major corrosion mechanisms affecting atmospheric oil degassing, spheroid and stabilizer units, and it normally takes place in the top section.
Soil Corrosion

Soil corrosion is the localized deterioration and corrosion of metal in contact with soil. Corrosion is determined by many factors, including temperature, moisture and oxygen availability, soil resistivity (soil condition and characteristics), soil type (water drainage), and homogeneity (variation in soil type), cathodic protection (CP), stray current drainage, coating type, and unit age and condition. It takes place on spheroid or degassing tank bottom plates that are in contact with the oily sand and that lack CP2.
Fatigue Cracking

DAMAGE MECHANISMS
This section summarizes the most common damage mechanisms

Fatigue cracking is a mechanical form of degradation that occurs when a component is exposed to cyclical stresses for an extended period, often resulting in sudden, unexpected failure. Vibration induced fatigue, due to fluid flow, has often caused fatigue cracking in some equipment, such as spheroid riser caps and the weldments at the spheroids top and bottom structure tie members. Additional structure supports and oil deflector caps were installed to eliminate the vibration problem. There was no more vibration observed within any of the spheroid tanks after the modifications were implemented2.
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Under Deposit Corrosion

Under deposit corrosion is a form of localized corrosion and pitting that occurs underneath deposits within the crude, due to the formation of a localized corrosion cell with a higher corrosion rate than that of the bulk fluid2.
Erosion Corrosion

Erosion corrosion is the acceleration in the rate of corrosion affecting metal due to the relative motion of a corrosive fluid against a metal surface. The increased turbulence caused by pitting on the internal surfaces of a tube can result in rapidly increasing erosion rates and eventually a leak. A combination of erosion and corrosion can lead to extremely high pitting rates2.
Microbiologically Induced Corrosion

Microbiologically induced corrosion is the deterioration of metals due to the direct or indirect activity of living organisms. Bacteria are usually classed as aerobic or anaerobic (able to grow with or without the presence of oxygen, respectively). Anaerobic bacteria including the type most commonly associated with corrosion, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) function in situations where little or no oxygen is present. SRB acts to produce H2S and water from sulfates in the environment by consumption of hydrogen2.

maintain the stability of stored products. The tank bottom on the soil side can be coated with coal tar epoxy if the service temperature is less than 70 C, or it can be coated with 100% solid epoxy if the service temperature is higher, but does not exceed 150 C. For piping and valves, 8 and above with flange connections, and sour crude piping can be protected from under deposit corrosion with glass flake vinyl-ester coatings, using Polyglass VEF Pipe Grade from Corrocoat or 100% solid epoxy novolac. Gate or butterfly valves 8 and above can be protected from corrosion and erosion with ceramic filled epoxy coatings. For reboiler tubes, protection from corrosion can be achieved with the application of a heat-cured phenolic epoxy coating. Internal surfaces of the tube sheet and covers can be coated with a thick film of 100% solid epoxy. If not insulated, the external surface can be coated with polyamide epoxy for temperatures up to 120 C or inorganic zinc coating if the operating temperature is above 150 C. High heat silicone coatings can be used if operating at more than 120 C up to 650 C. For personal protection and energy retention, heat exchangers usually have to be insulated. If the unit requires insulation, then the new thermal insulating coating is the best option1.
Cathodic Protection (CP)

CORROSION CONTROL OPTIONS

Materials Selection

Carbon steel is the preferred material of construction for degassing tanks, spheroids and stabilizers. In some cases, alloy materials have been used to help resolve some corrosion problems. Wet H2S damage is usually controlled by proper material selection at the design phase of a project, which includes specifying the requirements for testing and qualifying materials for resistance to HIC1, 3. Several mitigation methods can be used to control HIC damage and blistering. These methods include: The use of HIC resistant steels in the design to minimize the susceptibility to blistering and HIC damage. For existing equipment, adding effective barriers that protect the surface of the steel from the wet H2S environment and prevent damage, including alloy cladding and coatings.
Coatings

Degassing tanks and spheroids are protected with either magnesium or aluminum anodes, mounted internally on the tank bottom plates (and inside the sump), to ensure sufficient protection when water accumulates on the bottom of the tank and/or inside the sump. New above grade storage tanks are protected against soil-side corrosion using grid or continuous mixed metal oxide anode systems. Installed underneath the tank these systems are and designed to ensure a relatively uniform current distribution. It maintains all points on the tank bottom within the required protection criteria limits. The anode system is installed while the tank is being constructed. CP is not a common means of preventing corrosion in stabilization processes1.
Corrosion Monitoring

For degassing tanks and spheroids, a thick film polymeric coating of 20 mils and above should be applied to the internal surfaces. Glass flake coatings can also be used for internal corrosion protection as well as solvent free, 100% solid epoxy phenolic. The external surface should receive three coatings, a corrosion resistance primer of polyamide epoxy, a thermal reflective coating and a top-clear coat for dirt resistance and gloss retention. This coating system will reduce the heating buildup and
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Within Saudi Aramco, the generally accepted maximum corrosion rate is 3 mils per year. Corrosion rates determined through monitoring techniques rarely match exactly the actual rates experienced in the vessel. Successful corrosion management requires building a history of monitoring results and correlating those data to actual T&I or onstream inspection (OSI) results. The following methods can be used to monitor corrosion behavior: 1. Online corrosion monitoring. 2. Weight loss coupons (these give only average rates). 3. Nondestructive testing or OSI. 4. CP Anode Monitoring System (AMS) for the plant vessels. 5. Laboratory analyses: Corrosion product analysis.

 Iron counts. Bacteria counts. Brine analysis. Hydrocarbon composition, gas composition and acid gas content analyses. 6. Monitoring changes in process variables, i.e., pressure, temperature and/or production. 7. Failure analysis. 8. Visual inspection. 9. Record keeping: While not a monitoring function, accurate record keeping is essential to ensure realistic and representative monitoring analysis. Some methods are useful for onstream measurements, either continuous or periodic. Others are methods used during shutdowns. The choice of the method depends on the goal. For example, if the intent is to monitor general corrosion rates over a long time, coupons are a good choice. If the intent is to monitor the efficacy of a chemical inhibition program, then a more sensitive and real-time system, such as online corrosion monitoring, should be selected. Corrosion coupons and online probes are often used in studying the effectiveness of corrosion inhibitor programs or the effects of specific process changes on corrosion. They do not, however, accurately measure localized corrosion (pitting). The corrosion coupon/probe readings should be used to create a corrosion rate loss indicator through the trending of data. Whenever this indicator shows an upward trend, the corrosion inhibition and process parameters of the plant piping and equipment should be reviewed by a skilled corrosion engineer1.

Control, September 2009. 2. API Recommended Practice 571, Damage Mechanism Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry, American Petroleum Institute, December 2003. 3. Hansen, D.A. and Puyear, R.B.: Materials Selection for Hydrocarbon and Chemical Plants, Marcel Dekker, Inc., 1996, pp. 138, 165, 196 and 227.

CONCLUSIONS
This article examined the damage mechanisms and corrosion control methods, including material selection and corrosion monitoring, for atmospheric oil degassing, spheroid and stabilizer units. The company experience has shown that improper unit operation and material selection can result in severe damage and corrosion. Proper process control and understanding of the operation modes of the atmospheric oil degassing, spheroid and stabilizer units are essential to their safe and reliable life. In addition, proper understanding of the most common damage mechanisms, their causes and expected locations within these units will help operators run their units smoothly and will hopefully minimize the number of failures and breakdowns.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to thank Saudi Aramco management for their permission to present and publish this article.

REFERENCES
1. Saudi Aramco Best Practice SABP-A-014, Atmospheric Oil Degassing, Spheroids and Stabilizers Corrosion
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BIOGRAPHIES
Mohammed F. Al-Barout is a Corrosion Engineer in the Consulting Service Department. He has been with Saudi Aramco since 2000. Mohammed is a National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) certified Senior Corrosion Technologist. He has been an active NACE member for 7 years and has served as the NACE Saudi Arabia Sections Vice Chairman. In 2000, Mohammed received his B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. In 2007, he received his M.S. degree in Construction Engineering and Management from KFUPM. Maslat S. Al-Waranbi is an Upstream Corrosion Engineer in the Materials Engineering and Corrosion Control Division of the Consulting Services Department. He has been working in the area of corrosion control, monitoring and management for Saudi Aramcos upstream facilities for more than 11 years. Maslat is a National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) certified Senior Corrosion Technologist. He received his B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in 1999. In 2006, Maslat received his M.S. degree in Metals and Materials Engineering from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He has presented and published several technical papers in related international conferences and journals. Iyad A. Al-Buraiki is a Metallurgical Engineer with the Materials Engineering Unit of the Consulting Services Department. He specializes in material selection and failure analysis in support of all company operations, including both upstream and downstream operations. Iyad has experience in metallography, fractography, materials testing, material characterization, corrosion and high temperature materials. He received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Iyad received an M.S. degree in Materials for Engineering Applications from the University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, U.K. He is a member of the Materials and Corrosion Standards Committee as well as the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) and ASM International.

Husain M. Al-Mahrous is a Corrosion Protection (CP) Specialist with Saudi Aramcos Consulting Services Department. Since joining the company in 1993, he has had several developmental assignments in Dhahran, Ras Tanura, Tanajib, Abqaiq, Dhahran and Houston, TX. Husain is a National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) certified CP Specialist, CIP Level 1 and Senior Corrosion Technologist. He received his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in 1993. Husain has been granted three patents in CP. He has also served as the NACE Regional Vice Chairman in 2004 and as the Technical Committee Chairman during the 13th MECC in Bahrain. Maher S. Al-Khashram is a Coating Specialist with Saudi Aramcos Consulting Service Department. He has over 18 years of experience in oil and gas operations, including new projects. As the primary coating specialist member of the Corrosion Control Management Team, Maher has explored new coating specialist technologies to reduce the cost of corrosion, to conserve energy and to enhance the environment. In 1994, he received his B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Maher is the technology coordinator of the Saudi Coating Society and an active member in several international societies dealing with corrosion, coating, materials and chemicals. Abdullah A. BaniHumaim is a Senior Process Engineer with Saudi Aramcos Oil Production Unit of the Upstream Process Engineering Division. He has 14 years of diversified experience in process design, steady-state modeling using HYSYS, Pro II and Aspen stimulations, process analysis, optimization and troubleshooting, process HSE, separation technology evaluation, plant O&M and project management. Abdullah is a certified HAZOP/SIL leader, certified value engineer and a registered Project Management Professional (PMP). He led the front-end engineering and process licensor selection for the Jazan Refinery Hydrogen Generation Plant in the project pre-FEED stage and took part in the design and commissioning of the Khurais, Khursaniyah, Qatif and Shaybah gas-oil separation plants (GOSPs). In 1997, he received his B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK. Abdullah is a member the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AICHE).

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Seyed M. Abdul Cader is an Engineer currently with Saudi Aramcos Inspection Engineering Unit of the Inspection Department, extending assistance to Saudi Aramcos operating plants, developing inspection procedures and participating in plant assessments. He has had a varied industrial career, moving from a position as a Mechanical Superintendent of a heavy steel fabrication workshop to refinery inspection and inspection training. Seyeds main professional interests are inspection, quality control and quality assurance, metallurgy, corrosion and preventive maintenance. He received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Hardy Senior Technical Institute, Ampari, Sri Lanka, in 1969. Seyed is a professional member of the American Welding Society (AWS) and the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE).

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