CORROSION INHIBITOR :

FIELD APPLICATION AND

MONITORING
BONY BUDIMAN
OCTOBER 2020
Bony Budiman

OBJECTIVE , DISCLAIMER AND SCOPE

• The objective of this presentation is to share some experiences regarding method of CI

injection and field monitoring in the oil and gas field
• The presentation was based on reference from field experience, literature study and informal
discussion. This is not a scientific research
• Implementation may different for each field and system depend on field condition, design basis
and others internal consideration.
• The presentation focus on how to inject the chemical and some method to monitor the
performance of Corrosion Inhibitor.
• Corrosion Inhibitor in this presentation limited to Filming Corrosion Inhibitor used in the oil
and gas field. I exclude the stoichiometric Corrosion Inhibitor such as Oxygen Scavenger and
H2S Scavenger also Biocide as well.
Bony Budiman

APPLICATION

• Continuous
• Non continuous
• Batching
• Squeeze
• Stick
 Bony Budiman

CONTINUOUS INJECTION

• This is the most common application

• The injection could be at downhole, wellhead or topside, wherever the
corrosion predict to occur.
• CI injected continuously, 24 hours a day to provide continuous
protection
• CI in the daily tank pumped to the system using injection pump or gas
lift
• Dosage vary depends of type of active content, concentration,
corrosion severity and pump limitation
• Common dosage for oil field : 10 – 100 ppm based on produced water
• Common dosage for gas field : 0.5-2 pint/mmscf

Courtesy pictures Handout Oilfield Production Chemicals and Microbiology, HTS Consultants, 2007
Bony Budiman

CONTINUOUS INJECTION : DISPERSION

• One problem in CI injection is how to disperse

the molecules to the water phase
• Poor dispersion will lead to gunking, not fully
protection or even corrosion near the injection
point (some of Corrosion Inhibitor has low
pH).
• To increase dispersion, we may modify the
formulation or add additional equipment
named quill + (atomizer) nozzle
Bony Budiman

QUILL + NOZZLE

• The quill may be a simple open tubing or

notched tubing, parallel or perpendicular
spray nozzle.
• The nozzle will spray the CI into smaller
droplet so it will be easier to disperse.
• The nozzles may be adjusted in length
from top of the line, center or bottom
to deliver chemical into the desired
liquid flow.
Bony Budiman

EXAMPLE OF CONTINUOUS INJECTION RATE

CALCULATION
• In Oil Field
Produced Water Rate = 20,000 BWPD, dosage recommendation 20 ppm
Injection rate (liter/day) = (dosage x 106) / (produced water rate x 159)
= (20 x 106) / (20,000 x 159)
= 63 LPD
• In Gas Field
Gas Production Rate = 15 mmscfd, dosage recommendation = 2 pint/mmscfd
Injection rate (liter/day) = dosage x gas production rate x 0.473
= 15 x 2 x 0.473
= 14 LPD
Bony Budiman

BATCHING

• Batching is method to inject CI at high dose at specified interval period

• Batching injection considered for some reasons such as to provide thicker layer
protection film, for area that not covered by continuous injection or as additional
treatment
• Common dosage will be explain in the following slide depend on the batching mode.
 Bony Budiman

BATCHING – USING INJECTION PUMP

• This is common to applied in close system or semi close system when the water base liquid
mostly recirculated with minimum lose such as at Close Cooling Water System
• Also known as slug dose method.
• This method may also applied as additional treatment beside the continuous in order to provide
thicker protection layer.
• For Close Cooling Water with nitrite as active content, the injection rate is 1-5 liter CI per 2,500
liter water with interval batching every 1-4 week(s)
• For oil and gas field with amine as active content, the dosage is between 1000 – 5000 ppm for 3-6
hours injection
Bony Budiman

BATCHING : USING PIG

• The method could be conducted during pigging

job not as special corrosion inhibitor pigging
• The chemical put in between of lead pig and
Trailing pig tailing pig
• Batch-size volume is determined by:

Inhibitor + diluent • 3 mil film thickness on tubing interior

OR
Lead pig
• 5000 or 10000 ppm concentration in produced
fluid in annulus
OR
• 25-50 ppm based on well fluid production over
treatment interval between batches
 Bony Budiman

SQUEEZE

• A squeeze treatment is designed to place the

inhibitor back in the formation where it will adhere
to the reservoir rock. As the producing water
passes over the rock surface it will slowly dissolve
some of the inhibitor back into the water to
prevent scaling (in the formation and throughout
the processing system).
• Although the squeeze is considered a batch
treatment, the return of chemical is continuous

Courtesy pictures Handout Oilfield Production Chemicals and Microbiology, HTS Consultants, 2007
 Bony Budiman

VOLUME OF SQUEEZE TREATMENT

D =A x B x C
• Example : how many corrosion inhibitor shall be
prepared for squeeze job if the recommended

1000
dosage is 20 ppm, average produce water = 2,000
BWPD. The protection days is 3 months (90 days)
• D = (20 x 2,000 x 90) / 1000

D= Volume of CI (liter) = 3.600 liter

A= Recommended dosage in ppm
B= Produce Water in BWPD
C= days of protection
Bony Budiman

STICK

• Stick CI is CI in solid form

• Used when liquid CI is not applicable such as no chemical injection line
• Mechanism : the solid CI dropped to the annulus or the production tubing then it will be
slowly dissolved in liquid phase due to its solubility (usually in water).
• The dosage not easy to control since the solubility in the liquid phase will depend on
time and temperature.
• Ammount of sticks per treatment : 3 – 5 stick for duration 1 – 4 weeks.
 Normal operation

V1 Valve 1 (V!) close

Valve 2 (V2) open

Valve 3 (V3) open

V2 Step of Stick Application

V2 1. Close V3
2. Close V2
3. Open V1
V3 4. Insert sticks through V1
5. Close V1
6. Open V3 for 15-30 minutes, Open Valve V2
GAS CORROSION INHIBITOR DOSAGE
Field Condition Characteristic Kind of CI Treatment Method

> 1 bbls water / MMSCF Water soluble- oil dispersible

A. Wet Gas
Dosage 5 - 20 ppm based on
High tendency of corrosion
fluid
Pigging should be done
- Low Velovity < 50 ft/sec regularly following with
continuous injection
> 50 ft/sec
- High Velocity Have high film persistency Continuous injection
Possible of erosion

< 1 bbls water / MMSCF Continuous injection

B. Dry Gas Oil soluble - water dispersible
Low corrosion rate Dosage 0.5 – 1.0 pint /MMSCF

- Low Velocity < 50 ft/sec Volatile corrosion inhibitor

> 50 ft/sec Have high film persistency

- High Velocity
Possible of erosion
WET AND DRY GAS DEFINITION

1. Refer to Engineering Data Book, IATMI, 1994 : Dry Gas if water

content max 7 (in US) or 10 (in Indonesia) lbs/mmscfpd
2. Champion Technologies Technical Brief of Cortron® R-2378: A
‘dry’ gas corrosion inhibitor : Dry Gas Champion’s definition of dry
gas pipelines in this document are separated pipelines that carry
less than 3 bbls liquid/mmscf of water and condensate.
3. According to the NACE Internal Corrosion Course : maximum
water at Dry gas was 7 lbs per MMSCF
4. NACE Standard Practice SP0206-2006 "Internal Corrosion Direct
Assessment Methodology for Pipelines Carrying Normally Dry
Natural GAS (DG-ICDA" defines dry gas as A gas above its dew
point and without condensed liquids
MONITORING
Bony Budiman

• Monitoring of CI performance means activities to

review the effectiveness to inhibit corrosion rate
• The ideal monitoring program shall be as
combination of some methods not as one or only
two method
• The monitoring result could be used as
recommendation for dosage optimization,
change type of CI, add or reroute injection point
and others follow up that could maximize the
corrosion protection using Corrosion Inhibitor
Chemicals (Process Improvement)
Bony Budiman

TYPE OF MONITORING

• Corrosion Rate Monitoring

• Corrosion Coupon
• Probe Coupon

• Wall Thickness inspection

• Ultrasonic Thickness (UT) Inspection
• Intelligent Pigging.

• Water Analysis
• Residual CI
• Total iron
 Bony Budiman

CORROSION COUPON

• The common method in the oil and gas field\

• Work philosophy : calculate metal loss of coupon during specified exposure
days.
• Metal loss converted to corrosion rate
• Common unit of corrosion rate : mill per year (mpy) or millimeter per year
(mmy
• Coupon : metal strip or disc that immersed in the fluid
• Could show local and general corrosion
• Cannot differentiate erosion and corrosion
• Need minimum 15 days to monitor the result. Lower corrosion rate need
longer exposure days.

Courtesy pictures https://www.cosasco.com/disc-coupon-holder-6202.html and :http://www.maksur.com/corrosion-monitoring-systems.html

 Bony Budiman

CORROSION RATE SPECIFICATION

Reference : NACE STD SP0775-2018 : Preparation, installation, analysis and interpretation of corrosion coupons in oilfield operations.
Bony Budiman

UNIT CONVERSION OF CORROSION RATE

 Bony Budiman

PROBE COUPON

 Resistance probe : calculate corrosion rate

based on electrical resistance / current
 Quick result (could be set in every
minutes)
 Cannot detect pitting corrosion
 Not working properly for dirty liquid since
the contaminant could cover the probe.
 The result may not accurate but good to
show trending.

Courtesy pictures : https://www.alspi.com/erintro.htm and http://en.zkwell.com.cn/product.php?cid=40

Bony Budiman

ULTRASONIC TESTING (UT) INSPECTION

• Usually used at surface facilities

• UT is a family of non-destructive testing techniques based
on the propagation of ultrasonic waves in the object or
material tested
• UT will measure the thickness of material and compare to
the previous and initial thickness
• Could be use at most of static equipment, at any size and
any place as long as it could be accessed.
• UT are low cost, could detect corrosion location but need
experienced operator and tested surface shall be cleaned
from paint and scale.
 Bony Budiman

INTELLIGENT PIGGING

• Intelligent Pigging is an inspection technique whereby an

inspection probe, often referred to as a "smart" pig, is
propelled through a pipeline while gathering important
data, such as the presence and location of corrosion or
other irregularities on the inner walls of the pipe *
• Advantages : . It allows pipelines to be cleaned and
inspected without having to stop the flow of product. It
also allows the a pipeline to be completely inspected
without having to send inspectors down its entire length.
Finally, it provides cleaning and inspection services at the
same time, saving companies both time and money. *

* https://inspectioneering.com/tag/pigging#:~:text=Intelligent%20Pigging%20is%20an%20inspection,inner%20walls%20of%20the%20pipe.
Courtesy pictures : https://www.openpr.com/news/2095424/intelligent-pigging-market-is-expected-to-see-growth-rate
 Bony Budiman

RESIDUAL CORROSION INHIBITOR

Figure XX

• Most of the CI’s molecules will form layer with the inner side of
metal, some molecules will be degraded due to reaction with others
chemicals or by relative high temperature and the others will be as
free molecule in water known as residual CI (the rest of CI’s
molecules).
• High residual means the amount of CI is enough or even excessive.
Corrosion inhibitors seek out the metal to
bond to it and form a protective coating Low residual means the amount of CI is not sufficient or CI may
between the water and the metal. not compatible with other chemicals or not stable with the field
condition
• Residual CI at field may different depend on type of active content
and treated system. For example residual amine at pipeline may vary
from 5 to 20 ppm while residual nitrite at close cooling water
sytem shall be keep between 600 – 1000 ppm
• Residual CI could be measured by spectrophotometric method.

Courtesy pictures : https://www.hach.com/spectrophotometers/dr3900-laboratory-spectrophotometer-for-water-analysis/family?productCategoryId=35547203834

Bony Budiman

TOTAL IRON

 Iron count : corrosion rate calculated based on

dissolved iron in water
 Easy Calculation
 Useful to monitor trending
 Shall consider iron content from produced water
 Show total corrosion + erosion
 Cannot use to locate the corrosion point
 Cannot differentiate general and local corrosion
 Not accurate for corrosion caused by H2S
 Not accurate for new installation pipe
 Bony Budiman

IRON - MANGANESE (Mn) COUNT*

• The concentration of Mn in iron alloys used in oilfield

downhole equipment is typically 0.5 to 1.5%. Therefore, the
supposition is that the ratio of Mn to Fe in produced water
should be about 1:100
• If the Fe:Mn ratio > 100, extraneous or noncorrosion-related
iron may be present in the formation water
• If Mn content >1% of the Fe content, Fe may deposited as
scale, or is present in the hydrocarbon phase, or that Mn is
produced from the formation

*NACE Standard RP0192-98 Item No. 21053 Monitoring Corrosion in Oil and Gas Production with Iron Counts