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Pipeline corrosion

Article  in  Corrosion Engineering Science and Technology · May 2015

DOI: 10.1179/1478422X15Z.000000000357

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Guest editorial
Pipeline corrosion

Corrosion, including corrosion assisted cracking, has been identified as the primary mechanism resulting in failures of oil/gas
pipelines.1,2 Pipeline corrosion is a quite complex phenomenon, and the complexity arises as a result of the interaction of
multiple reactions and processes occurring simultaneously, which in turn, are very specific to both the material and the
environmental interaction. Particularly, the environments where the pipelines are encountered range from highly corrosive
ones in upstream oil/gas gathering lines, where high contents of gases such as CO2 and H2S are dissolved in multi-phased
flow fluids, to mildly corrosive ones at the soil side, where coating properties and performance, cathodic protection (CP), soil
properties, microbial activity, etc., affect the corrosivity of the environment. While significant efforts and advances have
been made in pipeline corrosion research, there are increasing uncertainties and ignorance to the emerging corrosion
phenomena. In recent years, some broadly reported pipeline incidents resulted from corrosion.3,4 Indeed, corrosion has been
a vital issue affecting the pipeline safety, energy transportation, environmental conservation, and even the national policy-
making, as seen in the widely watched Keystone XL and Northern Gateway pipeline projects in North America.5,6
This special issue of Corrosion Engineering, Science and Technology features papers on the topic of pipeline corrosion. The
specific focus is to establish a forum for the dissemination and discussion of recent research advances in the pipeline cor-
rosion area with wide-range themes, including internal corrosion, external corrosion, stress corrosion cracking (SCC),
coatings and CP, inspection techniques, corrosion modeling, and AC (alternating current) corrosion. The papers included in
this issue are from reputed research groups in Australia, Canada, China, Italy and the USA, respectively.
The issue starts with a paper by Eckert,7 who reviewed the nature, affecting factors, monitoring and management of
internal microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC), one of the least understood corrosion phenomena in oil/gas pipeline
systems. Eckert analysed the current method on enumeration of planktonic for MIC investigation, and concluded that the
method is neither representative of sessile microorganisms in biofilms nor indicative of the potential for internal MIC in oil
and gas systems. Increased emphasis on understanding the interaction between biofilm and metal is suggested in order to
improve current MIC management capabilities for oil and gas assets. It is anticipated that the paper provides essential guides
for pipeline MIC research and management. Continuing the theme of internal corrosion, Huang et al.8 have looked to
corrosion of pipeline steel in H2S/CO2 containing environments. Undoubtedly, this is also a difficult research topic, es-
pecially at a testing pressure up to 10 MPa with the co-existence of H2S and CO2 in the system. They characterised the
competitive formation of carbonate and sulfide scales on the steel surface, and discussed the effect of element sulfur deposit
on the steel corrosion. Moreover, the inhibitive performance of amine/ammonium salts and imidazoline/pyridine derivatives
were evaluated and analysed. The results will cast a ray of light on understanding and management of corrosion of pipelines
in high pressure H2S/CO2 environments in oil/gas production.
Moving to the theme of pipeline external corrosion, there are two papers investigating corrosion and passivity of pipeline
steels in concentrated bicarbonate solutions which are generated under coatings permeable to CP so as to elevate the solution
pH. Eliyan and Alfantazi9 studied the electrochemical corrosion behavior of X100 steel and its weld, and determined the
critical bicarbonate concentration, below which the steel is dominated by anodic dissolution, rather than passivation. Upon
formation of a passive film on the steel surface, the metallurgical microstructure shows its role in corrosion by affecting the
stability of the film. Lu et al.10 investigated the negative effect of stress, which is mainly from internal operating pressure of
pipelines, on passivity of the steel in bicarbonate solutions. Moreover, the entry of hydrogen into the steel also degrades its
passivity.
Three papers are included in the theme of pipeline SCC, a phenomenon used to result in rupture and failures of pipelines
due to the synergism of tensile stress, corrosive environment and steel metallurgy.11 Gamboa12 targeted at inclined SCC
occurring in high pH environments, where the majority of stress corrosion cracks are perpendicular to the direction of
applied stress. This is an interesting paper providing phenomenal summary and characteristics of this SCC, serving as an
important supplement to the present SCC research results. The paper by Shirband et al.13 investigated a possible method to
create artificial pits on steel surface, simulating the incubators for near-neutral pH SCC on pipelines. The method can be
used to shorten the period of crack initiation in lab testing. The last paper in this theme is authored by Fumagalli et al.,14
who used electrochemical methods to measure the diffusivity of atomic hydrogen in steels featured different microstructures.
This work will be helpful to understand and quantify the contribution of hydrogen to cracking of pipelines, especially for
those made of high-strength steels which are susceptible to hydrogen induced cracking or hydrogen facilitated SCC. This
paper also gave a mini-review about hydrogen diffusion and trapping in steels.
There are two papers categorised in the theme of coatings and CP, the key techniques to protect pipelines from external
corrosion. Kuang and Cheng15 investigated the coating disbondment and its shielding effect on CP in the absence and
presence of AC interference. The work is important in advancing the scientific understanding of the CP shielding
phenomenon under disbonded coating. Moreover, they measured in-situ the changes of local potential and solution pH
under coating as a function of disbonding distance, AC current density and time. The results provide industry
recommendations for improved integrity management of pipelines. Li and Castaneda’s16 work furthered the use of elec-
trochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique in coating performance evaluation. They proposed the parameters of
ensemble average phase and ensemble average impedance, which can be derived from the measured EIS, for fast evaluation
of coatings used in practical buried pipeline in soil.

Ñ 2015 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining

Published by Maney on behalf of the Institute
DOI 10.1179/1478422X15Z.000000000357 Corrosion Engineering, Science and Technology 2015 VOL 50 NO 3 161
Guest editorial

There is one paper by Varela et al.,17 summarising the major methods for inspection and monitoring of pipeline external
corrosion. The advantages and limitations of the techniques, including potential survey tools (close interval potential survey,
alternating current voltage gradient and direct current voltage gradient), and in-line inspection tools (magnetic flux leakages,
ultrasonic transducers, electromagnetic acoustic transducers and eddy current), were analysed. Moreover, the paper over-
viewed the tools for inspecting non-piggable pipelines, such as pipeline crawlers, external corrosion direct assessment and
hydrostatic tests, and the electrochemical and non-electrochemical monitoring techniques for pipeline corrosion.
Corrosion modeling has been a key means for assessment and prediction of pipeline failure and risk management. The
paper in this theme is authored by Koch et al.,18 who used a Bayesian network model that combines physics based models
and expert knowledge of oil flow lines to predict corrosion flaws depth and leak probability. This work demonstrates the
feasibility to estimate the location-specific probability of pipeline failure, and thus provide input to the prioritisation of
inspections and corrosion mitigation.
The final theme contained in the special issue is AC corrosion of pipelines, where two papers are included. Cui et al.19
investigated the effect of AC voltage on passivity of steel developed in concentrated carbonate/bicarbonate solutions, while
the work of Lu et al.20 touches the mitigation of AC corrosion of pipelines. Their results are interesting in that the zinc
ribbons used for AC corrosion prevention experience accelerated corrosion by AC, especially when the DC (direct current)
decoupler is not applied.
It is evident that there is a broad range of research activities in the pipeline corrosion area. Certainly, further accom-
plishments, both mechanistically and practically, will be made in the future to improve our management to this important
problem.
I hope that you enjoy perusing through this special issue.
Y. Frank Cheng
Guest Editor
Professor and Canada Research Chair in Pipeline Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing En-
gineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

References
1. National Energy Board of Canada: ‘Focus on safety and environment - A comparative analysis of pipeline performance, 2000-
2009’, Calgary, AB, Canada; 2011.
2. Alberta Energy Regulator: ‘Pipeline performance in Alberta, 1990-2012’, Report 2013-B, Calgary, AB, Canada; 2013.
3. National Transportation Safety Board: ‘Enbridge Incorporated-hazardous liquid pipeline rupture and release, Marshall,
Michigan, July 25, 2010’, Accident Report, NTSB/PAR-12/01, Washington D.C., USA; 2012.
4. Energy Resources Conservation Board of Canada: ‘Plains Midstream Canada ULC, NPS 20 rainbow pipeline failure, April 28,
2011’, ERCB Investigation Report, Calgary, AB, Canada; 2013.
5. National Academy of Sciences: ‘Effects of diluted bitumen on crude oil transmission pipelines’, Transportation Research Board
(TRB) Special Report 311, Washington D.C., USA; 2013.
6. National Energy Board of Canada: ‘Considerations-Report of the joint review panel for the Enbridge Northern Gateway
project’, Volume 2, Calgary, AB, Canada; 2013.
7. R. B. Eckert: ‘Emphasis on biofilms can improve mitigation of microbiologically influenced corrosion in oil and gas industry’,
Cor. Eng. Sci. Technol., 2015, 50, (3), 163–168.
8. X. S. Huang, Y. M. Qi, C. F. Chen, H. B. Yu and G. W. Lu: ‘Effect of environmental factors on corrosion behaviour of
L360QCS pipeline steel in H2S/CO2 environments’, Cor. Eng. Sci. Technol., 2015, 50, (3), 169–177.
9. F. F. Eliyan and A. Alfantazi: ‘Effect of bicarbonate concentration on corrosion of high strength steel’, Cor. Eng. Sci. Technol.,
2015, 50, (3), 178–185.
10. B-L. Lu, Y. Zeng, X. Pang and J. -L. Luo: ‘Effects on Hydrogen and Tensile Stress on Passivity of Carbon Steel’, Cor. Eng. Sci.
Technol., 2015, 50, (3), 186–190.
11. F. Y. Cheng: ‘Stress corrosion cracking of pipelines’; 2013, Hoboken, NJ, USA, John Wiley Publishing.
12. E. Gamboa: ‘Inclined stress corrosion cracks in steel pipelines’, Cor. Eng. Sci. Technol., 2015, 50, (3), 191–195.
13. Z. Shirband, R. L. Eadie, W. Chen, J. L. Luo, R. Kania, J. Been and G. V. Boven: ‘Developing prepitting procedure for near
neutral pH stress corrosion crack initiation studies on X-52 pipeline steel’, Cor. Eng. Sci. Technol., 2015, 50, (3), 196–202.
14. G. Fumagalli, F. Bolzoni, E. Fallahmohammadi, G. Re and L. Lazzari: ‘Electrochemical methods for determining diffusion
coefficient of hydrogen in steels’, Cor. Eng. Sci. Technol., 2015, 50, (3), 203–210.
15. D. Kuang and Y. F. Cheng: ‘Effect of alternating current interference on coating disbondment and cathodic protection
shielding on pipelines’, Cor. Eng. Sci. Technol., 2015, 50, (3), 211–217.
16. X. Li and H. Castaneda: ‘Coating studies of buried pipe in soil by novel approach of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
at wide frequency domain’, Cor. Eng. Sci. Technol., 2015, 50, (3), 218–225.
17. F. Varela, M. Y. Tan and M. Forsyth: ‘An overview of major methods for inspecting and monitoring external corrosion of on-
shore transportation pipelines’, Cor. Eng. Sci. Technol., 2015, 50, (3), 226–235.
18. G. Koch, F. Ayello, V. Khare, N. Sridhar and A. Moosavi: ‘Corrosion threat assessment of crude oil flow lines using Bayesian
network models’, Cor. Eng. Sci. Technol., 2015, 50, (3), 236–247.
19. Z. -Y. Cui, L. -W. Wang, Z. -Y. Liu, C. -W. Du and X. -G. Li: ‘Influence of alternating voltages on the passivation and
corrosion properties of X80 pipeline steel in high pH 0.5 mol/L NaHCO3 þ 0.25 mol/L Na2CO3 solution’, Cor. Eng. Sci.
Technol., 2015, 50, (3), 248–257.
20. M. -X. Lu, D. -Z. Tang, Y. -X. Du and L. Zhang: ‘Investigation on corrosion of zinc ribbon under alternating current’,
Cor. Eng. Sci. Technol., 2015, 50, (3), 258–265.

162 Corrosion Engineering, Science and Technology 2015 VOL 50 NO 3

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