Failure analysis of 400SS material in crude oil processing facility

Corrosion is a naturally occurring phenomenon which is extremely difficult to control or avoid completely. Corrosion protection plays an integral role in defending the internal surfaces of processing plant assets against corrosion. Many commonly stored aggressive media, such as acids, alkalis and crude oil containing seawater, can quickly damage unprotected steel. There are many different types of corrosion which can occur and depending on both the materials used and the products enclosed, and the severity of damage caused, and cost of repairs arising from each type of corrosion can differ significantly.

The oil and gas industry, as well as various process industries, use vessels and tanks for the containment of fluids at different stages of the production process. Normally, products are stored for a short time before being transferred for further processing. Ensuring these assets are protected from the effects of corrosion, and that highly volatile products are securely stored and not contaminated or degraded, is both an economic and business-critical situation for all the asset owners. Unfortunately, corrosion is unavoidable in these industrial situations, given the corrosive nature of products stored and the long lifetime required from these assets. The only way to control/reduce the damage in these industrial situations is to consider the correct corrosion protection technology and to ensure consistent monitoring and maintenance of it. Although the initiation of corrosion can be a slow process, selecting the wrong corrosion prevention technique, or failing to effectively monitor the condition of the asset through its lifetime could prove just as disastrous. Thankfully, there is a wide range of corrosion prevention techniques available, allowing for the selection of process-specific requirements of an individual asset, but this diversity can be confusing. These concerns become even more complex when it comes to monitoring and detecting corrosion.

This article looks at the corrosion of 400 SS stainless steel in a crude oil processing facility, and discusses the reasons behind the failure.

Bukhari, U. (2021). Failure analysis of 400SS material in crude oil processing facility. A journal of the Institute of Corrosion Management. Issue 161 May/June 2021. Retrieved from https://www.icorr.org