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The Corrosion Technology department aims to be world leading within corrosion in oil and gas pipelines and pipelines for CO2 transport.
IFE has a strong position internationally within CO2 and H2S corrosion of oil and gas pipelines. IFE has conducted large international Joint Industry Projects on corrosion in oil and gas wells and pipelines for 35 years. IFE has also performed several projects on corrosion control for oil and gas fields all over the world. IFE has specialized in evaluation and testing of the pH stabilization technique for corrosion control in gas pipelines. IFE has extensive custom made laboratory equipment and can offer a wide range of corrosion tests in both CO2 and H2S environments, including testing with very high H2S content.
Corrosion in flexible pipes has become a large activity over the last few years. A large part of offshore oil and gas production goes through flexible pipelines and risers. Corrosion in flexible pipes has become a large problem since water, CO2 and H2S diffuses through the layers of the flexible pipes and causes corrosion of the armour wires that carry the strength of the flexible pipes. IFE studies this type of corrosion in detail and helps the operators to ensure safe operation of flexible pipes. IFE is together with 4Subsea and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro conducting a large project to improve the safety of flexible pipes used in deep water fields in Brazil.
The knowledge from research on CO2 corrosion in oil and gas production over many years is now used in studies of corrosion in pipelines for transport of CO2 from carbon capture facilities and injection wells for CO2 storage. This acitivity is focused on studies of the effect of impurities in CO2 captured from fossile fired power plants and industry, like SO2, NOx, water and other impurities. IFE has developed an advanced laboratory for studies of effects of small amounts of impurities in dense phase CO2. IFE has performed several industry financed projects in this area, and is now conducting two CLIMIT funded projects with industry participation, with the aim to determine a safe operation window for transport of dense phase CO2 with impurities in ships and carbon steel pipelines.
IFE has a large activity on chemical treatment and salt and scale precipitation in systems where glycol is used to prevent hydrate formation in gas pipelines. This activity is focused on improving the operation of glycol regeneration and reclamation systems in order to remove salts in a controlled and efficient way. IFE has built dedicated laboratories with pilot units for glycol regeneration, and conducts evaluation and testing projects in this area for gas fields all over the world. The projects are performed for oil companies and glycol regeneration unit suppliers. IFE has performed JIPs in this field since 2005.
IFE is now taking the knowledge from corrosion control in the petroleum industry in use in other areas, in particular for corrosion in systems for geothermal energy and in units for hydrogen production.
Almost half of the department’s project income is from abroad, mainly from international oil companies with projects for fields all over the world. The most important customers are Shell, Total, Chevron and Equinor.