Research Article Open Access

ANALYSIS OF CORROSION INDUCED FAILURE OF OIL PIPELINE IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND POSSIBLE CONTROL MEASURES

Abstract

Localised corrosion such as pitting is the main limiting factor in determining the service life of pipelines. Pipelines in marine environment are often treated with an out of sight, out of mind attitude until leaks occur and this can render a pipeline useless. The pipe sample investigation in this work was cut from pipeline that failed in service, carrying crude oil from a manifold to flow station in the cone of the Niger Delta Creeks. Visual observation/examination shows that failure occurred along the lower interior surface of the pipeline (6 o’clock position), with the failure path being rough with visible pits overlapping each other. The study shows that a total of 66 failures occurred in the marine environment within the period of five years investigated (1995 - 2000). Out of this number, 42 failures were corrosion induced, which is about 64% of the total.

S.A. AMADI

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