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Management of top of Line Corrosion in wet gas lines

Yves GUNALTUN
Total S.A.
DGEP/TDO/TEC.
2, Place de la Coupole
92078 Paris La Défense Cedex / France
yves.gunaltun@total.com

Introduction
Top of Line Corrosion (TLC) occurs in multiphase wet gas lines when water vapour
contained in the gas phase condenses on the internal upper pipe wall. This happens due to
external cooling by river water, seawater or cold air, if the pipe is not thermally insulated or
buried at a reasonable depth. Furthermore, organic acids, if present in the produced gas,
lower the pH of the condensed water (to below pH 4), giving rise to very high localised
corrosion rates of up to 10 mm/year. As TLC occurs in wet gas lines operated in stratified
flow, the corrosion inhibitor injected remains at the bottom of the line and is not able to
protect the top of the line.

At the time top-of-line was detected in the Field A lines in 1996, there was no method,
technique or tool available on the market to predict, control and monitor this type of
corrosion. Several R&D programmes had to be devised and implemented in parallel to
investigate solutions, in order to maintain the integrity of the existing multiphase networks
and to design the future transportation systems. Different entities of Total E&P, Total
Research Centres, several companies and research institutes took part in these projects.

The present article summarises the TLC problems experienced in pipelines of three gas fields
in South East Asia, the actions taken and the techniques and tools developed for the
management of TLC.

TLC in wet gas line – previous occurrences

When TLC was detected in a line of Field A in 1996, after six years of operation, only two
TLC cases had been reported in literature: one in 1960, by Elf on the Lacq field, the other in
1985 by Shell in Canada. In the latter case, it was attributed to the presence of H2S and to

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methanol injection. Neither of these explanations was valid for the Field A lines, where there
was no H2S present and no methanol injected. TLC in the Field A lines was attributed to fast
cooling of the gas by river water at locations where the pipes were subject to upheaval
buckling. The thickness loss detected by MFL (Magnetic Flux Leakage) type intelligent
pigging amounted to nearly 50% of the wall thickness (WT).

In 1999, TLC was detected in the Field B lines, again after 6 years of service. The sealines
were neither thermally insulated nor buried. The operating conditions were fairly similar to
Field A. Again, the thickness loss detected by MFL type intelligent pigging was about 50 -
60% and the corrosion rate was about 1 to 2 mm/year.

In 2001, two Field C lines were inspected after about one year in service and revealed severe
TLC. They were not buried, except for the last 13 km. The first inspection results, by an MFL
tool, revealed up to 72% thickness loss. Even though subsequent inspection results showed
that the thickness losses were somewhat lower, around 50-55% of WT, the initial thickness
losses were estimated to be several mm/month.

On both the Field B and Field C sealines, TLC was detected along the first few kilometres
from the wellhead platforms and was attributed to water dewing, subsequent to fast gas
cooling by ambient seawater.

TLC management in wet gas lines

All initiatives were oriented towards 4 major priorities that the company would be facing in a
few years on three major gas fields:

• understanding of the TLC mechanism;

• development of new techniques, tools and procedures for controlling TLC in the
existing lines;
• development of new tools for the prediction and control of TLC, and for the design of
lines for ongoing and future projects;
• development and tests of new monitoring and inspection tools to guarantee the
integrity of the lines.

Understanding of the TLC mechanism

Several studies were commenced in parallel to understand the mechanism of TLC and
identify important parameters involved in the corrosion process.

• A preliminary assessment of the corrosion risk in the Filed B lines showed that CO2
corrosion was not the main cause of TLC and the presence of organic acids was
suspected. Effectively, standard water analyses do not include analysis for organic
acids and the samples taken from the Field B before field development were no
exception. Water samples collected from Field B and then Field A wells were
therefore analysed in a specialised laboratory in France where they showed
significant amounts (an unusually high) of organic acid species (mainly acetic acid
and, to a lesser extent, formic acid) in the produced water. Organic acids represented

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up to 3000 mg/l in the water from Field A, Field B and Field C. Generally, acetic acid
concentrations in oil production systems are just a few hundred mg/l.

• A small size water condensation loop was constructed in the Correx laboratory at
Saint Etienne (France) (specialised in corrosion studies), to investigate the role of
organic acids and water condensation. The results confirmed the strong influence of
these parameters, especially above 50°C. When organic acids are present, the
corrosion is no longer of “uniform” type, but becomes “localised” (fig. 1), a much
more critical form of corrosion. Moreover, for acetic acid, the corrosion rate is
multiplied by a factor of 10 to 20 (compared to a pure CO2 system) when the
temperature is increased from 50°C to 70°C. In addition, the presence of mill scale
(the oxide layer formed during pipe manufacture) was found to exacerbate the
initiation and development of the localised corrosion phenomena.

Fig. 1: photo of TLC in a Field A line

Localised corrosion

• A water condensation pilot was built at one of the Total E&P bases in South East
Asia, to study the TLC mechanism and validate the results of the Correx laboratory.

• Total developed a model (US 14 model) to calculate water condensation rates in the
wet gas lines. The predictions of the model were matched against the inspection
results from Field A and Field B lines in order to identify a threshold in water
condensation rates below which the TLC rate is tolerable (fig. 2).

• The TLC issue was then considered as part of the “Wet Schema” R&D programme.
An R&D project was kicked off at Ohio University to develop a physical model for
the prediction of TLC. A 4” condensation loop was built (fig. 3) for this purpose.
Preliminary results confirmed the influence of the parameters mentioned above.
During the first phase of the project, a semi-empirical model was developed for TLC
prediction.

Finally, it was established that TLC is specific to hot wet gas lines operated in stratified flow,
when they are subject to external cooling and especially to heat loss by convection (lines
neither thermally insulated nor buried). The water condensation rate, temperature, and
quantity of organic acids dissolved in the condensed water are the main parameters. Water
analysis for organic acids is now part of standard practice in Total.

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Fig. 2: Predicted water condensation rates and thickness loss profile in a Field B line

Water condensation rate (g/(m2.s)) Thickness loss

2.50 (WT%) 50

2.00 40
Thickness loss
1.50 30
Water condensation rate
(max. expected)
1.00 20
Water condensation rate
(min. expected)
0.50 10

0.00 0
Cumulative length (m)

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

Fig. 3: Condensing loop at Ohio University

Control of TLC in the existing pipelines

Several actions have been taken to control TLC in the existing pipelines and also to prevent it
in future pipelines.

• Local heat insulation was applied on the most corroding areas (detected by
instrumented pig inspection) of the Field A and Field B lines by installing sand bags.

• A corrosion inhibitor selection loop was built at CReG’s premises (Total Research
Centre at Le Havre - France) to select filming type corrosion inhibitors for batch
injection between two pigging runs. A water-soluble product with short contact time

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efficiency was selected (inhibitor should be able to pass into the water layer and film
the surface in less than 2- 3 seconds during the pig movement).

• Field tests were conducted in the Field B and Field C lines to confirm the efficiency
of the selected inhibitor. It was found that batch treatment is effective for about two to
three weeks only.

• The cooperation with CReG was then extended to the thermodynamic modelling of
the Liquid (hydrocarbon)/Liquid (water)/ Gas system comprising various amounts of
organic acids. It was carried out using the OLI/ESP thermodynamic package and
aimed at assessing the composition of the water at the top of line conditions and the
efficiency of neutralising amines such as MDEA. The calculations were used to
evaluate the neutralising efficiency in Field C lines, where the produced water was
mainly condensed water. The CReG study confirmed the feasibility of neutralising.

• Preliminary tests carried out at the Correx laboratory in the condensing loop
confirmed the possibility of neutralising organic acids by MDEA to reduce the TLC
rate.

• A field test was run in a Field C line and confirmed the CReG simulations and Correx
results. Continuous injection of MDEA in the Field C lines started to bring TLC
under control. Treatment efficiency was monitored by water analysis for iron, pH and
calcium (to check the carbonate precipitation). The iron content in the water phase,
collected at the line outlet, was reduced from 150 ppm to 20 ppm (concentration at
the line inlet see figure 4).

Fig. 4: Neutralising organic acids in a Field C line by MDEA injection

pH Fe (ppm)
8,50 160,0
pH Iron
8,00 140,0

7,50
120,0
pH 100,0
7,00
80,0
6,50
60,0
6,00
40,0
5,50 20,0
5,00 0,0
3-juil-01 31-oct-01 28-Feb. 02 28-juin-02 16- Sep - 02

• CReG thermodynamic modelling showed that MDEA injection was not a competitive
option in the long term, if significant amounts of formation water were produced (this
was the case for the Field A and Field B lines). Moreover, the implementation of
batch treatment in Field A lines threw up a number of safety issues and entailed

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significant production loss. An R&D programme was then fielded to develop a new
type of pig to control TLC. The idea was to use the inhibited liquid available at the
bottom of the line to film the surface at the top of the line. The concept of “spray pig”
was patented. Then, the decision was taken to develop the spray pig, called “TLCC-
PIG”, with TD Williamson at Tulsa. The project was financed by Total and PTTEP.
After several loop tests at Tulsa and a field test in the Field B lines, this pig was
adopted for batch treatments in gas lines (fig. 5).

Fig. 5: Spray pig capable of projecting the inhibited bottom line liquid to top of line

TLC prevention and control in future pipelines

While work was being done on the control of TLC in pipelines in service today, other actions
were being fielded to prevent TLC in future ones.

• Total ran several simulations, considering different types of heat insulation coating
and coating thickness, to bring the water condensation rates (inner wall surface of the
upper half of the pipe) down to below the critical value based on comparison of
condensation rates and inspection results from the Field A and Field B lines.

• Where lines are buried to prevent pipe cooling by the external environment,
simulations showed that there must be at least 50 cm of soil above the line.

• After first inspection of Field C lines, the critical condensation rate was revised to a
much lower value due to specific low pH. In order to validate this value, an R&D
project was launched at IFE (Norway) using their condensation loop. It confirmed
that, at this condensation rate, no TLC occurs in Field C conditions. The design of
Field C lines was validated. The decision was taken to apply heat insulation coating
and to bury the pipelines at a depth of 2 metres. The IFE tests also confirmed the
Correx results that mill scale played an important role in the initiation of the localised
corrosion.

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• A new programme was set up at Ohio University to study TLC risk in the lines with
pH control and in presence of H2S (application in sour gas lines). Recently this
programme became a JIP when a number of other oil and gas companies joined it.
The results showed that there is no risk of TLC if the corrosion is monitored by pH
control. However, TLC can also occur in presence of H2S if the pH is not neutralised.
The JIP is continuing work on this issue. It also covers the determination of critical
velocities in the gas lines subject to TLC. A prediction model is under preparation.

• For a new phase of Field C development, different types of heat insulation coatings
and field joint coatings were evaluated and qualified.

• Recent inspection results showed that TLC stabilises with time. The initial corrosion
rate of 5 – 10 mm/year drops to less than 0.5 mm/year after 1 to 2 years of operation
(figure 6). Another R&D project to understand the reasons for this stabilisation has
started at IFE with a PhD student. The results will help to improve prediction of
localised corrosion rates and evaluation of the remaining life of the lines affected by
TLC.

Figure 6: Evolution of pit depth/wall thickness ratio with time in Field C lines

Pit depth / wall thickness

1
0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
28-8-99 15-3-00 1-10-00 19-4-01 5-11-01 24-5-02 10-12-02

• In order to reduce CAPEX for the projects (eliminate heat insulation and line burial)
and OPEX (injection of MDEA and batch treatments), an R&D project was started to
develop volatile corrosion inhibitors. Cooperation with CECA (Arkema) has resulted
in the identification of some promising molecules, and the tests carried out in the
Correx condensing loop are very positive. A new chemical was formulated,
combining the inhibitors for bottom line and top-of-line controls. After validation
tests which are going on in the Ohio University condensing loop, field testing will
start in the Field B and Field C lines.

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Monitoring of TLC and inspection of TLC-prone lines

Monitoring of TLC

Several types of treatment were proposed and applied, but evaluating the treatment efficiency
was the weak point. Chemical analysis of water samples from the Field C lines was effective
in monitoring the MDEA injection efficiency, but questionable for the batch treatment.

In order to evaluate the risk of TLC and monitor the efficiency of the chemical treatment by
batch, it was decided with the CReG to develop a condensing probe. In a cooperation study
with Cormon (a company specialised in monitoring tools), a “cooled probe” was successfully
developed to create a controlled water condensation rate on the resistive probe element and to
measure the corrosion rate. The Cormon’s CEION signal treatment and technology was used
for this purpose. The probe, patented by Cormon and Total, is extremely sensitive to metal
loss and can indicate any change in the corrosion rate in less than one hour. The figure 7
shows the test results on Ohio condensing loop.

Figure 7: Measurement of corrosion rate by a “cooled probe”

The probe has already been validated on the Ohio University condensing loop. It will be
installed very soon on a pipe section on one of the Total refineries (condensing corrosion is
also a problem in downstream operations), after which it will be field-tested on a Field B or
Field C line.

Inspection of lines prone to TLC

Inspection tools used for the gas lines are generally based on the magnetic flux leakage
(MFL) technique. The use of ultrasonic tools (UT) is limited (for practical reasons) to
crosschecking or confirmation of the MFL results.

In one 16” Field A gas line, the MFL tool reported metal losses of 60 to 77% of wall
thickness, but crosschecking by UT showed metal losses of only 30%. The over-evaluation
of thickness losses by MFL was confirmed by UT tools and also by visual inspection of

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repaired pipe sections in other lines of Field A and Field B. The inaccuracy was attributed to
the shape of localised corrosion spot, which generally has uneven sharp edges.

Without in-situ crosschecks, such over-evaluation could lead to misleading corrosion rate
hypotheses, incorrect fitness for purpose assessment and therefore inappropriate decisions
regarding the necessity for pipeline repair or derating. Several actions have been undertaken:

• For the inspection of Field B lines, PTTEP has developed, in collaboration with
Dacon Inspection Services, a new UT tool called IRIS UT PIG to cross-check the
MFL results.

• A programme has commenced to compare the results of MFL tools, UT tools and
visual inspection so as to understand the reasons for over-evaluation and to be able to
calibrate these tools as appropriate. The programme was recently completed, and
confirmed that the interpretation of inspection results for TLC-prone lines requires a
new model, factoring in the shape of TLC features. Figure 8 shows the accuracy of
two of the available tools (one MFL and one UT) on the market.

Figure 8: Crosschecking of MFL and UT inspection results by C-Scan

MFL pig reported metal loss depth (% WT) UT pig reported metal loss depth (% WT)
10 10
9 9
8 8
7 7
6 6
5
5
4
4
3
3
2
2
1
1
0
0
0 2 4 6 8 10
0 2 4 6 8 10
Reported C-scan metal loss depth (% WT) Reported C-scan metal loss depth (% WT)

Conclusions

After seven years of efforts, the TLC risk can now be far more accurately predicted. Tools,
techniques and chemicals are now available for prediction, prevention and control of TLC. A
number of studies are still in progress regarding the H2S impact on TLC, critical velocity
evaluation and stabilisation of TLC.

The requirements for TLC prevention have recently been revised for two new projects. It was
decided to reduce the thickness of heat insulation coating on the sealines, except doglegs, to

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prevent heat loss by convection. This solution could then be considered for other sealines and
other projects, but we still lack information on heat insulation requirements for service with
relatively high H2S.

And if the efficiency of volatile corrosion inhibitors is confirmed by field tests, TLC would
then be controlled as efficiently as bottom line corrosion in the near future. In this case heat
insulation and batch treatment would not longer be required.

An example of cooperation
Thanks to highly positive cooperation all round, most of the problems mentioned hereafter have
been solved. The different collaborations to be noted involved several Total EP entities in head
offices and in affiliates (Total E&P Indonésie and Total E&P Thailand), but also other operators
(mainly PTTEP), Centre de Recherche de Gonfreville Total R&M (CReG), several chemical
companies like CECA (which belong to ARKEMA) and Nalco, service companies such as OLI,
external laboratories, universities and research institutes like Correx (Saint Etienne France), IFE
(Norway), Ohio University (USA), companies specialised in developing monitoring and treatment
tools such as Cormon (UK) and TD Williamson (Tulsa - USA), inspection companies like Rosen,
PII, Dacon, heat insulation and pipe coating applicators such as Eupec and Bredero Shaw, and
“dozens of others”. Total has, further, published, with its partners, about 15 papers on the theme.
TLC is now considered as a major issue by Oil & Gas Industry and several major companies are
taking part in JIPs on the subject.

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