Storage Facility Protection

Storage Facility Corrosion

The material used for pipeline construction is affected by both internal and external factors. These factors may be of chemical, physically chemical or biological nature and they cause material corrosion.

The internal medium is represented by the crude oil containing water, salts, oxygen and sulphate-reducing bacteria as corrosion-causing environment.

External corrosion-causing environment is the soil electrolyte including bacteria, terrestrial direct currents, induced alternating current and interference effects.

The same applies adequately for the tanks for crude oil storing. Their material is moreover affected by weather effects including hydrocarbon gas.

Causes and consequences of storage facilities corrosion
Corrosion may generally be defined as material deterioration caused namely by chemical or physical and chemical effects of the environment. In specific cases, the notion of corrosion may also include processes resulting from physical dissolution (such as corrosion caused by molten metals) or evaporation. Corrosion causes significant damage. Losses include cost of corrosion prevention, its maintenance and renewal, repairs of equipment damaged prematurely by corrosion and namely cost of rectifying indirect losses.

Methods of the Storage Facilities Protection against Corrosion

Corrosion prevention is aimed at minimizing losses caused by corrosion and increasing safety of pipeline operation. For some storage pipelines, it is appropriate to pay attention to the issues of inner surface corrosion.

Inspection, Protection and Repairs

At present MERO ČR, a. s. has been carrying out the following types of inspections and repairs:

• inspections and repairs of insulating coatings
• inspections and repairs of coatings
• cathodic protection
• remote inspections of cathodic protection and stations of cathodic protection
• corrosion surveys