Title of Project A Case Study Approach to a Comprehensive Corrosion Management Framework for the West African Oil and Gas Industry.
Background Information
After several years of working in West Africa providing asset integrity services, I have received numerous MCDRs and inspection reports of badly corroded and leaking pipes both onshore and offshore from oil and gas companies. These reports are sent almost always requesting for an urgent composite repair solution (examples attached) often requiring an engineer to mobilize onsite within 24 hours of the request, because the damages have forced the client to shut down the line of concern for safety and environmental reasons, which in turn affects production capacity, hence creating economic losses. The increase in such urgent requirement and the delay in responding to them due to logistics challenges, lack of availability of material and sometimes personnel, has pushed the client to request that contractors have a minimum stock of composite material on their different platforms, and that they have one engineer on standby for their needs if the contractor wants to be qualified for such orders. Such measures and policies suggest the anticipated request from the client and clearly indicate that reactive maintenance is a primary strategy for mitigating corrosion and leak issues on piping systems and pipelines.
Rationale for Project Work
A more complete solution is needed for the enormous problem of corroded and leaky pipes in the West African oil and gas industry than only reactive maintenance and composite repair techniques. It is essential to take into account both technical and non-engineering integrity measures in a thorough corrosion management approach to handle this issue.
Aim:
With a focus on minimising the detrimental effects of corrosion and enhancing long-term viability and cost-effectiveness, the objective of this thesis is to develop and implement a comprehensive corrosion management framework for ageing piping systems and pipelines in the West African oil and gas industry.
Objectives
1. To examine the current corrosion management practices in the West African oil and gas industry, including the use of technical and non-engineering measures.
2. To identify the root causes of corrosion in pipes and their impact on the industry.
3. To develop a comprehensive corrosion management framework incorporating both technical and non-engineering measures.
4. To implement the framework in a case study in West Africa and evaluate its effectiveness in reducing the negative impact of corrosion and improving the long-term viability and cost-effectiveness of the industry.
5. To provide recommendations for the ongoing improvement of the corrosion management framework and its potential application as a framework for other companies in the region.
Methodology
1. Literature Review: Conduct a comprehensive review of the existing literature on corrosion management practices in the oil and gas industry, including technical and non-engineering integrity measures, to identify the current state of the art and best practices.
2. Data Collection: Collect data from relevant sources, including oil and gas companies in West Africa, industry reports, government regulations and standards, and academic research. This data will be used to support the analysis and development of the comprehensive corrosion management framework. The data collected will be analysed using both quantitative and qualitative methods, including statistical analysis, content analysis, and thematic analysis. The data analysis will help to identify patterns, trends, and relationships in the data, providing insights into the challenges faced by the oil and gas industry in managing corrosion in pipes and the potential impact of the comprehensive framework.
3. Case Study Analysis: Conduct a case study analysis of a selected oil and gas company in West Africa to examine the current corrosion management practices in place and identify the root causes of corrosion in pipes.
4. Framework Development: Based on the literature review and case study analysis, develop a comprehensive corrosion management framework incorporating both technical and non-engineering integrity measures.
5. Framework Implementation: Implement the developed framework in the selected case study company and monitor its effectiveness over a specified period of time.
6. Data Analysis: Analyze the data collected during the implementation phase to evaluate the effectiveness of the framework in reducing the negative impact of corrosion and improving the long-term viability and cost-effectiveness of the industry.
7. Recommendations: Based on the results of the analysis, provide recommendations for the continuous improvement of the comprehensive corrosion management framework and its potential application as a framework for other companies in the region.
Expected Contributions to Theory and Practice
I expect that this research will contribute to the following if well implemented:
– An opportunity to apply theory in a real-life challenge which can be used as a framework facing similar challenges.
– The comprehensive framework developed in this thesis will have practical implications for the oil and gas industry in West Africa and beyond.
– The framework will provide a roadmap for companies to manage corrosion in piping systems and pipelines more effectively, reducing the risk of unplanned shut-downs, production losses, and environmental incidents.
– Additionally, the framework will provide a basis for companies to develop their own corrosion management policies and procedures, and will help to improve the overall safety, reliability, and integrity of piping systems and pipelines.
References
1. API Recommended Practice RP 580 Risk Based Inspection, American Petroleum Institute (2002)
2. API Publication 581 Risk-Based Inspection Base Resource Document, American Petroleum Institute (2000)
3. Institute of Petroleum IP 12; Model Code of Practice, Pressure Vessel Examination, part 12 (1993)
4. Institute of Petroleum IP 13; Model Code of Practice, Pressure Piping System Examination, part 13 (1993)
5. ISO 9223 :1992, Corrosion of Metals and Alloys – Corrosivity of Atmospheres – Classification
6. ISO 9224 : 1992, Corrosion of Metals and Alloys – Corrosivity of Atmospheres Guiding Values for the corrosivity categories
7. Norsok M-506, CO2 corrosion rate calculation model (Rev. 2, June 2005)
8. NACE MR0175 / ISO15156, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Materials for use in H2S-containing environments in oil and gas production (2001)
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