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The Effect of CO2 Injection On Corrosion and Integrity of Facilities

This document discusses CO2 injection and corrosion. It describes how CO2 corrosion occurs when dissolved in water and can impact pipes and facilities. It outlines different corrosion mechanisms for sweet and sour environments. Key factors that affect CO2 corrosion rates are also examined, such as temperature, pH, flow regime, and the presence of H2S. The document concludes with discussing corrosion assessment and mitigation strategies for CO2 injection systems, pipelines, and downhole equipment.

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Vlassis Sarantinos
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203 views

The Effect of CO2 Injection On Corrosion and Integrity of Facilities

This document discusses CO2 injection and corrosion. It describes how CO2 corrosion occurs when dissolved in water and can impact pipes and facilities. It outlines different corrosion mechanisms for sweet and sour environments. Key factors that affect CO2 corrosion rates are also examined, such as temperature, pH, flow regime, and the presence of H2S. The document concludes with discussing corrosion assessment and mitigation strategies for CO2 injection systems, pipelines, and downhole equipment.

Uploaded by

Vlassis Sarantinos
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CO2 Injection

The Effect of CO2 Injection on Corrosion and Integrity of Facilities

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 1


CO2 Injection

CO2 Corrosion

Along with the benefits of injection of CO2 comes the risk of internal
corrosion.
Dry CO2 gas is not itself corrosive, but is so when dissolved in an aqueous
phase (water is required for corrosion to occur).
CO2 is extremely soluble in water and brine and has even greater solubility in
hydrocarbons.
CO2 dissolves into the crude oil and follows the production and
transportation process, and it can dissolve in water and react with iron in
carbon steel pipes.

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 2


CO2 Injection

CO2 Corrosion

Sweet and Sour Corrosion Mechanisms.


Corrosion primarily caused by dissolved CO2 is commonly called “sweet”
corrosion, whereas corrosion caused by the combined presence of dissolved
CO2 and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is referred to as “sour” corrosion.

For CO2/H2S ratios of less than 20, the corrosion is fully governed by H2S.
For carbon steels, the primary corrosion product is iron sulphide.
For high CO2/H2S ratios, the corrosion rate is fully governed by CO2. The
primary corrosion product is FeCO3.
For intermediate ratios, the corrosion regime is complex and difficult to
anticipate.

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 3


CO2 Injection

Factors Affecting CO2 Corrosion

 Water Wettability. For CO2 corrosion to occur there must be water present and it


must wet the steel structure. The greater the water wettability, the more likely
corrosion is to occur.
 In oil/water systems, emulsions can form.
 If a water-in-oil emulsion is formed, then water may be held in emulsion and water
wetting of steel surfaces may be prevented or greatly reduced, leading to a reduction
in the corrosion rate.

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 4


CO2 Injection

Factors Affecting CO2 Corrosion

CO2 Partial Pressure. 
An increase in the partial pressure of CO2 leads to an increase in the corrosion rate.
CO2 corrosion results from reaction of steel surface with carbonic acid.
An increase in the partial pressure of CO2 would mean that more carbonic acid could
be formed with a greater concentration of cathodic ions to carry out the reduction
reaction; thus, the corrosion rate would rise.

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 5


CO2 Injection

Factors Affecting CO2 Corrosion

Temperature.
It is expected that the rate of a chemical reaction increases with temperature. Because
more energy is available at higher temperatures, more iron can be oxidized.
For CO2 corrosion where water is a dependent factor there is an exception.
At higher temperatures, where water is above the dew point, it does not condense.
Without the presence of the condensed water, there is a decrease in the rate of
corrosion.

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 6


CO2 Injection

Factors Affecting CO2 Corrosion

pH. 
pH has a strong influence on the corrosion rate because of its effect on the cathodic
reaction as well as its indirect effect on the forming of protective scales.
The solubility of released corrosion products is reduced by just five times when the pH
is increased from 4 to 5.
When the pH is increased from 5 to 6, the solubility of corrosion products is increased
one hundred-fold.
 A high pH reduces the solubility of the ions in water, which leads to a high
precipitation rate, thus reducing corrosivity.

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 7


CO2 Injection

Factors Affecting CO2 Corrosion

 Flow Regime and Velocity. 


 The flowing velocity of the fluid affects corrosion in two ways: destruction of
protective films and reduction of ion concentrations near the pipe wall.
 Flow regime of the fluid is very important because it strongly affects the formation
of protective films.
 When the flow is laminar, films can form without being stripped off. However,
when the flow regime becomes transient or turbulent, the protective film is removed
and any further formation of a protective layer is prevented.

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 8


CO2 Injection

Factors Affecting CO2 Corrosion

Effect of H2S.
Apart from the cracking and corrosion problems associated with sour service, H2S can
have a beneficial effect on wet hydrocarbon CO2 corrosion because sulphide scales can
provide protection for the underlying steel.
The effect is not quantified, but it does mean that facilities exposed to gas containing
low levels of H2S may often corrode at a lower rate than completely sweet systems.

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 9


CO2 Injection

Corrosion Assessment and Mitigation

 CO2 Injection System. 
 It is imperative to ensure that the amount of H2O present in the CO2 composition
does not form free water.
 Regular pigging and proper drying of the line after a hydrotest ensures that there is
no water settlement in the pipeline.
 Pipelines transporting the CO2 for injection will need to be studied for longitudinal
ductile fractures, which can occur in high-pressure pipelines.

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 10


CO2 Injection

Phase behaviour of CO2 in a pressure-enthalpy diagram

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 11


CO2 Injection

Corrosion Assessment and Mitigation


 Increasing wall thickness helps by reducing stress at the tip of the fracture, and
increasing toughness helps by enabling the steel to absorb more energy before it
tears.
 Increasing wall thickness can be economically viable because doing so allows the
operating pressure to be increased, reducing the number of pump stations and the
pipe diameter.

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 12


CO2 Injection

Corrosion Assessment and Mitigation

 Downhole Equipment
 Oil producers use carbon steel with corrosion inhibition above the packer. The
downhole completion material of CO2 injector was Super 13 Cr.
 High corrosion rates in the producer tubing because of the carbonic acid from the
CO2.
 Corrosion was confined to the uninhibited tubing section in the reservoir zone. On
the basis of these findings, it was recommended to replace the tubing section below
the packer with a corrosion-resistant alloy (CRA) and continue with corrosion-
inhibition injection for the carbon steel section above the packer of the oil producer.
Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 13
CO2 Injection

Corrosion Assessment and Mitigation

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 14


CO2 Injection

Section 1a Haward Technology Middle East 15

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