Corrosion Protection for Pipelines: 3 Steps to Prevent Natural Gas Leaks

If you're involved in the distribution or transmission industry then you already know the corrosion protection of pipelines is vital to prevent natural gas leaks. It's also a smart choice to prolong the lifespan of your pipeline. If your pipeline is corroding then you'll need to deal with security concerns and you need pipe wrapping and coating. This article will help you find out the steps to guard your pipeline for natural gas from the three main causes of corrosion.



Why do you require multiple layers of corrosion-proofing

Pipe corrosion is caused by electrochemical, chemical reactions, or abrasions caused by the soil or rock. Every cause of corrosion has a problem and needs a distinct way of protection. Coatings shield against chemical corrosion and cathodic protection protects from electrochemical corrosion. Wraps, tapes, and Zinc Rich primer safeguard fittings and stop scratches that can make your pipeline more susceptible to different types of corrosion.


The reason these regulations are needed is that pipeline corrosion is a significant safety risk. If you do not protect your pipeline from corrosion, it's likely to create weak points that could result in natural gas leaks.


1. Apply coatings to help prevent chemical corrosion

Pipeline coatings, which include paints and epoxies are the main method to shield pipelines from chemical corrosion. Pipe wrapping and coating can be applied at the factory or painted on a pipe in the field as a sealant. Fusion-bonded epoxies (FBE) are one of the most commonly applied coatings for underground steel pipe. They're generally light green in appearance. FBE is an extremely soft coating, which is why it should be protected by other wraps or coatings to avoid damage due to boring or backfilling.



FBE is also susceptible to damage by ultraviolet (UV) radiations, which is why it's not recommended to build above-ground pipes without the addition of coatings. Specially coated paints that protect against UV are the best option for pipelines that are exposed.


Abrasion-resistant coating (ARO) is typically black and can be put on top of FBE in the factory to give it superior resistance to scratches. Additional coatings can be added to further insulate the pipe and shield it from moisture, which can oxidize the steel and cause rust.


2. Make sure you protect yourself against cathodic corrosion to prevent electrochemical corrosion

Cathodic protection protects against electrochemical corrosion employing an electric current to replenish the electrons that have been lost. The current can be generated naturally through the use of sacrificial and anodes or it could be assisted by an imprinted current generated by rectifiers. It is crucial to have cathodic protection. Without it the corrosion rate will accelerate dramatically when a fault-like event occurs within the coating that is used as the primary.


3. Include tapes, masktics, and wraps to avoid scratches

Abrasion prevention is essential to be considered in conjunction with corrosion prevention. If the ground surrounding the pipeline changes and settles it may create damage to the coating. This could create an oxidation path that could result in leaks. Although fusion-bonded epoxies cover the majority of carbon steel, mastics and tapes are generally used for fittings or joints. Mastics are a kind of sealant wrapped around the pipe to provide insulation and protection against scratches.


Abrasion-resistant wraps guard from scratches to the coating due to the shifting of ground or settling. When the pipeline is installed using the horizontal direction of drilling (HDD) it is essential to safeguard against abrasion using a non-shielding wrap.


Endnotes

These are the corrosion protection for pipelines, especially for which transfer of natural gases. However, you can also use Zinc Rich primer as one of the best ways.

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