How to Prevent Natural Gas Leaks Using Corrosion Protection?

You are likely involved in transmission or distribution. This is because corrosion protection of pipelines is essential to prevent natural gas from leaking. It is also a smart decision to extend the life of your pipeline so your plan can work seamlessly. This article will show you how to protect your natural gas pipeline from three major causes of corrosion using the various pipe wrapping and coating. 

Why are you requiring multiple layers of corrosion-proofing?

The soil and rock can cause pipe corrosion. Each cause of corrosion is different and requires a unique protection method. Protective coatings protect against chemical corrosion, while cathodic protection prevents electrochemical corrosion. Wraps, tapes, and Zinc Rich primer protect your pipeline from corrosion.

These regulations are necessary because pipeline corrosion poses a serious safety risk. You must protect your pipeline against corrosion to prevent natural gas leaks.

1. Protect chemical corrosion by applying coatings

Paints and epoxies can be used to protect pipelines from chemical corrosion. Pipe wrapping and coating can be applied at the factory or painted on pipe in the field as a sealant. Fusion-bonded epoxies (FBE) are one of the most commonly applied coatings for underground steel pipe. They are generally light-colored. FBE is a very soft coating. It should be protected with other coatings or wraps to prevent damage from boring or backfilling.

FBE can also be damaged by UV radiations. It is not recommended that above-ground pipes are built without coatings. For pipelines that are exposed, specially coated paints are the best choice.

2. Protect yourself from cathodic corrosion in order to prevent electrochemical corrosion

Cathodic protection is an electrical current that replenishes the electrons lost to protect against electrochemical corrosion. You can generate the current naturally using anodes and sacrificial anodes, or you could use rectifiers to create an imprinted current. Cathodic protection is essential. The corrosion rate will increase dramatically if a fault occurs in the coating that is being used as the primary.

3. To avoid scratches, use tapes, masktics, or wraps

In conjunction with the prevention of corrosion, abrasion prevention should be taken into consideration. The coating could be damaged if the ground around the pipeline settles. This could lead to an oxidation pathway that can cause leaks. While fusion-bonded epoxyes can be used to cover most carbon steel, mastics or tapes are usually used for fittings and joints. Mastics wrap the pipe with a sealant to protect it from scratches and insulation.

Abrasive wraps protect the coating from being scratched by ground shifting or settling. It is important to protect the pipeline from abrasion when it is installed horizontally (HDD).

Endnotes 

These are corrosion protections for pipelines, especially those that transport natural gas. You can also use Zinc Rich primer to protect your pipelines.