RBI Corrosion Calculation

Training
T. Illson, S. Abdollah & A. Hilmi
16th December 2008
Copyright 2007 Advantica Inc. (USA Only) and Advantica Ltd. (Outside USA). All rights reserved by the respective owner.

Overview
Start

Material = Carbon
Steel?

Material = Stainless
Steel?

No

No

Material = Other?

Yes

Representative Fluid?

Yes

Natural Gas
&
Condensate

Glycol

Amine

See
Algorithm 1

See
Algorithm 2

See
Algorithm 3

Yes

Amine?
Yes

Dryness factor

No
Inspection Corrosion Rate

Final Theoretical
Corrosion Rate
Calculation

FINAL CORROSION RATE (Refer Table 1)

CORROSION RATE =
0.01 mm/yr

CONTACT
CORROSION
SPECIALIST

Natural Gas & Condensate Corrosion

Measurement
1710
log V = 5.8
+ 0.671 log( fCO 2 )
T

Start

Natural Gas or
Condensate

T ( scale) =

Calculate base corrosion rate

(de Waard & Milliam)

If the product temperature is less than T(scale) then

no correction to the corrosion rate should be made.

1

log F ( scale) = 2400
T
T
(
scale
)

Apply scale
factor

Is water pH
known?

2400
6.7 + 0.6 log ( fCO 2 )

If pH(sat) > pH(act),

log F ( pH ) = 0.32( pH ( sat ) pH ( act ))

No

Yes
Apply pH
correction
factor

If pH(sat) < pH(act),

log F ( pH ) = 0.13( pH (act) pH (sat))1.6

Theoretical Corrosion Rate Calculation

Glycol Corrosion Calculation

Start

Glycol

Calculate base corrosion rate

(de Waard & Milliam)

Apply glycol
factor

Apply scale
factor

Theoretical Corrosion Rate Calculation

Based on de Waard & Milliams

equation
Glycol correction factor for TEG

F (t ) = 10(1.2 logW 2.4)

where
F(t) = reduction factor for TEG
W = wt% brine in glycol/brine solution
NOTE:
Applicable for glycol above pH6.
Below pH6, detailed calculation required
carried out by subject expert.

Glycol Corrosion
Corrosion occurs in glycol units for two reasons:
Breakout of acid gas dissolved in the glycol, this leads to
conventional CO2/H2S attack which can be predicted using a
modified DeWaard approach
Degradation of the glycol by oxygen contamination or overheating.
This forms organic acids which then cause acid attack. This can
be detected by monitoring glycol pH.

The following slide shows the theoretical prediction for the

first mechanism, if acid attack is suspected then specialist
advice should be sought and process changes
undertaken.

Amine Corrosion Calculation

Start

Materials - Carbon
Steel?

No

Material = Stainless
Steel?

Yes

Yes

Determine corrosion
rate using
Table 3

Determine corrosion
rate using
Table 4

No

Material = Other?

MDEA concentration
Heat Stable Amine
Salts (HSAS)

Yes

Acid loading gas

Estimated corrosion rate

CONTACT
ADVANTICA

Amine Corrosion
Carbon steel can corrode in
gas treatment amines
Amines in themselves are not
very corrosive but corrosion
rates are increased by:
Contaminants such as heat
stable salts, bicines and
organic acids
Increases in temperature
Increases in velocity that
remove protective films
Increased amine concentration
Acid gas loading

Amine Calculation Table 3

Acid
Gas
Loading
(mol/mol)
< 0.1

0.1 - 0.2

0.21 - 0.3

0.31 - 0.4

0.41 - 0.5

0.51 - 0.6

0.61 - 0.7

> 0.7

< 87.78

87.78 - 98.89

HSAS
(wt %)
0.5
0.51 - 4.0
> 4.0

6.096
0.025
0.051
0.127

> 6.096
0.076
0.152
0.254

6.096
0.025
0.051
0.127

> 6.096
0.076
0.152
0.381

0.5
0.51 - 4.0
> 4.0
0.5
0.51 - 4.0
> 4.0
0.5
0.51 - 4.0
> 4.0
0.5
0.51 - 4.0
> 4.0
0.5
0.51 - 4.0
> 4.0
0.5
0.51 - 4.0
> 4.0
0.5
0.51 - 4.0
> 4.0

1.524
0.025
0.051
0.127
0.051
0.102
0.203
0.051
0.102
0.203
0.076
0.152
0.254
0.076
0.152
0.254
0.102
0.203
0.381
0.127
0.254
0.508

> 1.5024
0.076
0.152
0.381
0.152
0.254
0.635
0.152
0.254
0.635
0.229
0.381
0.762
0.229
0.508
0.762
0.254
0.381
0.889
0.381
0.762
1.143

1.524
0.051
0.102
0.203
0.076
0.152
0.381
0.102
0.203
0.381
0.127
0.254
0.508
0.178
0.381
0.762
0.229
0.508
1.016
0.254
0.508
1.016

> 1.5024
0.152
0.305
0.635
0.229
0.508
1.143
0.254
0.635
1.016
0.381
0.762
1.016
0.508
1.143
1.524
0.762
1.016
2.032
0.762
1.524
2.032

Corrosion Rate (mm/yr)

Temperature (C)
99.44 - 110.00
110.56 - 121.11
Velocity (m/s)
6.096
> 6.096
6.096
> 6.096
0.076
0.254
0.127
0.381
0.152
0.508
0.381
1.016
0.381
1.016
0.762
1.524
Velocity (m/s)
1.524
> 1.5024
1.524
> 1.5024
0.127
0.381
0.254
0.762
0.254
0.762
0.508
1.524
0.508
1.524
1.016
2.032
0.178
0.508
0.254
0.762
0.381
1.016
0.508
1.269
0.762
1.524
1.016
2.032
0.178
0.508
0.381
1.016
0.381
1.143
0.762
1.524
0.889
1.778
1.524
2.539
0.254
0.762
0.381
1.143
0.508
1.524
1.143
2.286
1.016
2.032
2.286
3.048
0.254
0.762
0.635
1.905
0.508
1.524
1.269
2.539
1.143
2.286
2.539
3.809
0.381
1.016
0.762
2.539
0.762
1.524
1.524
2.539
1.524
2.539
2.539
3.809
0.508
1.524
1.016
2.539
1.016
2.032
1.778
3.048
1.524
2.539
2.539
3.809

251.67 - 132.22

> 132.22

6.096
0.254
0.508
1.016

> 6.096
0.635
1.143
2.286

6.096
0.381
0.762
1.524

> 6.096
1.016
2.032
3.048

1.524
0.381
0.762
1.524
0.508
1.016
2.032
0.635
1.269
2.539
0.889
1.778
3.048
1.016
2.032
3.556
1.269
2.286
3.556
1.524
2.539
3.809

> 1.5024
1.143
2.286
3.048
1.524
2.032
3.048
1.778
2.539
3.556
1.778
3.302
3.809
2.539
3.556
4.572
3.048
3.556
4.572
3.048
3.809
4.572

1.524
0.508
1.016
3.048
0.635
1.269
2.539
0.762
2.539
3.809
1.143
2.286
3.809
1.269
2.539
4.063
1.524
2.539
4.063
1.778
3.048
4.317

> 1.5024
1.524
2.032
3.809
1.905
2.539
3.809
2.032
3.809
4.572
0.254
3.809
4.572
3.048
3.809
5.078
3.809
3.809
5.078
3.809
3.809
5.588

Amine Table 4
Acid Gas Loading

Temperature C

(mol/mol)

148.89

<0.1

0.00254

0.1 - 0.2

0.00254

0.21 - 0.3

0.00254

0.31 - 0.4

0.00508

0.41 - 0.5

0.00508

0.51 - 0.6

0.00762

0.61 - 0.7

0.01016

> 0.7

0.01270

Estimated Corrosion Rates (mm/yr) for Stainless Steel for all Amines

Deadlegs
Corrosion in deadlegs can be different from active pipe
systems
Require active monitoring (thickness monitoring locations
TML)
Prime location for corrosion in oil or condensate systems
Location

Factor

Condensate system

0.33

Amine system

1.00

Dry hydrocarbon gas systems

0.10

Wet hydrocarbon gas systems

1.33

Glycol service

1.00

Stress Corrosion Cracking

Three factors needed for stress corrosion cracking
Susceptible material
Tensile stress (may be residual)
Corrosive environment

Remove any of the factors and cracking will not occur

Three types
Active path dissolution where corrosion follows a line of
susceptibility typically a grain boundary
Film induced cleavage (amine cracking) where cracks occur in a
passive film, corrosion occurs at the crack tip directed corrosion
Hydrogen embrittlement (SSC) hydrogen atoms dissolve in the
metal reducing its tensile strength and fracture toughness
cracks then initiate at defects

Stress corrosion cracking

Wet Hydrogen Cracking

Natural Gas /
Condensate / Amine

H2 S ?

Yes

Material =
NACE?

No

Yes

LOW

MEDIUM

No

HIGH

Different types hydrogen blistering, hydrogen induced cracking,

stress oriented hydrogen induced cracking, SSC
Based on ISO 15616-2

Amine Cracking
Cracking of steels under
combined tensile stress
+ aqueous alkanolamine
systems
Factors include
temperature & PWHT
Based on API RP 945

Carbon Steel / Amine

> 60 degC

Yes

PWHT?

No

No

Yes

LOW

HIGH