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CORROSION REVIEW, A CASE OF STUDY ON A PEMEX 14” PIPELINE IN NORTHERN MEXICO. Jorge Cantó, Lorenzo Martinez Martinez Javier Godoy Simon Lorenzo Martinez-Gomez ABSTRACT. Great industrial complexes allocated in northern Mexico require a vast supply of oil products. Pipelines running thousands of kilometers through out the country, from refineries to industrial complexes are representing the main column of the fuel transportation infrastructure. The 14” pipeline studied, that runs almost 320 km from Satélite, Nuevo León to Gómez Palacio Durango in México, is one of the main fuel transportation in use today at northern Mexico. To assure a continuous hydrocarbons supply a key factor to be consider is corrosion. Thereby PEMEX performed a whole set of inline inspections at this pipeline; those reports prove that internal corrosion is a major central problem. Corrosion distribution is found at the bottom of the internal wall of the pipeline. With loses of wall thickness pipe up to 92 % in few cases and many reports of pitting that lower the maximum operating pressure to less than 25% of the design pressure. Some of the most common types of corrosion are found in this study, such as Hydrogen pitting, reducing sulfur bacteria and stress corrosion cracking. Finding the source of this problem and designing a strategy of control, represents a key factor at the integrity of the pipeline and the economy of the region.

1.- Introduction This work details the study of 20 segments recovered directly from the pipeline. This study includes the analysis of the corrosion samples using Scanning Electron Microscope and Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (SEM/EDS). Evidence of Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) was found and characterized. Sulfate reducing bacteria was found, the genus and specie is established thru genomic characterization methods Transported products were retrieved from the pipeline and storage tanks. Product corrosion reactivity was analyzed both at the field and in specialized laboratories. Analyses of fuel sediments allowed the recover of scales of iron oxides and hydroxides. Actual internal corrosion inhibitor is evaluated by using electrochemical techniques and results presented. The design of the control strategy is presented as a conclusion; based in the mentioned analysis and prior integrity reports. 2.-Pipeline integrity overview. Along the near 320 Km. that shape this pipeline very different landscapes are found.


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