FAQ: The Science and History of Oil Spills

Interesting information about oil spills in a FAQ format at livescience.com.

Opposing Group Says Nuclear Reactor Design Has Corrosion Risks

An anti-nuclear coalition says design flaws in Westinghouse’s AP1000 reactor could allow radiation leaks during an accident, and it is calling on federal authorities to suspend licensing and loan guarantees for plants that use it.

The AP1000 Oversight Group (PDF, 12k), made up of 11 environmental organizations, released a report (PDF, 4.46M) Wednesday detailing what it calls a serious safety issue that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has not addressed on the AP1000 reactor.

The report contends Westinghouse designed the reactor without a corrosion-proof backup to protect against leaks from the containment vessel. In a reactor accident, the reactor’s safety systems would allow any radioactive material that had leaked over time to be released into the air and spread to nearby populated areas, the group contends.

From the Charlotte Business Journal (links added).

PHMSA Cased Pipe Workshop – April 28, 2010 - Baltimore, MD

PHMSA is holding a Workshop on the newly developed Guidelines for Integrity Assessment of Cased Pipe (PDF, 752k) at the Sheraton Inner Harbor, 300 South Charles Street, Baltimore, MD on April 28, 2010. The workshop focus will be for the public, pipeline operators, trade associations, and others to address ideas and concerns with successfully using External Corrosion Direct Assessment integrity evaluation methods and use of other technologies to assess pipelines in casings located within High Consequence Areas. The workshop is intended to discuss the PHMSA guidance "Guidelines for Integrity Assessment of Cased Pipe in Gas Transmission Pipelines" and related FAQs. The latest guidelines and FAQs are available online here.

More information on the workshop here. Register for free here.

See previous posts on casings and ECDA here and here.

Flash Rust

The SSPC/JPCL are sponsoring a free webinar on Applying Coatings over Flash Rust in a Marine Environment here. The webinar will be presented by Pete Ault of Elzly Technologies and will describe a study in which coatings were applied over varying degrees of flash rust and then inspected periodically for 6 years. The performance of coatings over light, moderate, and heavy flash rust will be presented and discussed.

Participation in the webinar is free, but for those who wish to receive continuing education credits from SSPC, a test is available after the webinar. Cost of the test service is $25. All participants, however, will receive a free certificate of completion.

Some examples of flash rust here. Flash rust can be a problem with ultra-high pressure water blasting but also with other surface preparation methods, such as sand blasting with salt contamination (such as in a marine environment).

The Corrosive Properties of Coca-Cola

1. In many states the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days.
3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl . . . Let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean.
4. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.
5. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a crumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
6. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.
7. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
8. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan; wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.
9. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, And run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

FYI:
1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. It's pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days.
2. To carry Coca Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for Highly Corrosive materials.
3. The distributors of coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years! Drink up! No joke. Think what coke and other soft drinks do to your teeth on a daily basis. A tooth will dissolve in a cup of coke in 24-48 hours.

For more discussion, see here.

p.s. Today is the first day in April

Drunk History: Nikola Tesla



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla

Alyeska tests clamp to repair bullet holes

From Energy Pipeline News:

ANCHORAGE - Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. is planning a field exercise this year to test a hydraulically powered clamp designed to stop oil from spewing out of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline through a bullet hole. The bullet-hole exercise is planned for a site at the Chatanika River. A test piece of 48-inch mainline pipe will be placed at the scene and pressurized with water to simulate a high-pressure oil spray through a bullet hole, an exercise description says.

From Wikipedia:

On October 4, 2001, a drunken gunman named Daniel Carson Lewis shot a hole into a weld near Livengood, causing the second-largest mainline oil spill in pipeline history. Approximately 258,000 US gallons (980 m3) leaked from the pipeline; 178,000 US gallons (670 m3) were recovered and reinjected into the pipeline. Nearly 2 acres (8,100 m2) of tundra were soiled and were removed in the cleanup. The pipeline was repaired and was restarted more than 60 hours later. Lewis was found guilty in December 2002 of criminal mischief, assault, drunken driving, oil pollution, and misconduct. He was sentenced to 16 years in jail and ordered to repay the $17 million cleanup costs.

Photo from BBC.

Assessing the need for CO2 pipelines

A recent study commissioned by the INGAA Foundation focused on the pipeline infrastructure requirements for carbon capture and sequestration in connection with compliance with mandatory greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The major conclusion of the study was that, while CCS technologies are relatively well defined, there remain technological challenges in the carbon capture and sequestration phases. There are fewer technological challenges in connection with the transportation of captured carbon. The study forecasts that between 15,000 and 66,000 miles will be needed by 2030.

From pipelineandgastechnology.com.

Shale Gas

Interesting video explaining the process of shale exploration here.

Shale gas has become an increasingly more important source of natural gas in the United States over the past decade. ... Although shale gas has been produced for more than 100 years in the Appalachian Basin and the Illinois Basin of the United States, the wells were often economically marginal. Higher natural gas prices in recent years and advances in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal completions have made shale gas wells more profitable. Shale gas tends to cost more to produce than gas from conventional wells, because of the expense of massive hydraulic fracturing treatments required to produce shale gas, and of horizontal drilling. However, this is often offset by the low risk of shale gas wells.

From Wikipedia.

PRCI and NACE Sign a Memorandum of Understanding

Building further on a long-standing relationship between PRCI (Pipeline Research Council, Inc.) and NACE International, the two organizations have executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to foster activities that will serve their common interests in developing and disseminating technical information related to corrosion on energy pipelines. THE MOU also provides a framework for working cooperatively to advance these goals for the mutual benefit of their memberships. The MOU formalizes this important relationship with one of the primary standards development organizations that utilizes and applies PRCI's corrosion research results in developing the standards for integrity management of pipeline systems.

From the PRCI Newsletter Throughput Volume 4, Issue 1

Hoax Email - Dial Before You Dig

There is an email going around, your Corrosion Blog editor has received it three times now, called Dial Before You Dig. The email is now discussed on the extremely useful and entertaining "fact-checking" urban legends website snopes.com here. Public awareness of the dangers of third-party damage to pipelines is beneficial but spreading false tales is not. If you receive this email, I suggest that you do not forward it and reply to the sender letting them know that the email is a hoax, with the link to the snopes site (or this post).

The email contains a Microsoft PowerPoint slideshow named Dial_Before_You_Dig.pps.

Dial Before You Dig
This happened in America. It’s a good reason why you should dial before you dig…… The following pictures are a result of a worker on a farm using a post hole digger - he hit an underground, high-pressure gas main. He took out 2 homes, associated sheds and vehicles. They never found the man.

The remainder of the slideshow is pictures showing the devastation of a pipeline explosion. The pictures are from an actual pipeline explosion that happened in "America", but not as the result of a man with a post hole digger. The photographs are actually from a natural gas transmission failure near Appomattox, Virginia in September 2008 caused by external corrosion. There were some minor injuries but fortunately no one was killed.

Corrosion Results in Electrocution on Navy Ship

The Navy has ordered the inspection all electrical enclosures aboard every ship in its fleet after the Nov. 28 electrocution of a sailor aboard the Rentz, a San Diego-based frigate currently deployed in the Persian Gulf. The order — issued jointly by the Virginia-based Naval Sea Systems and the San Diego-based Naval Surface Forces commands — suggests that hidden corrosion on a hinge attached to an electrical enclosure may have played a role.

From The San Diego Union-Tribune. Also, see the Navy Times.

Plans on Schedule for First New Refinery in U.S. since 1970's

From Energy Pipeline News:

The US currently has 150 existing refineries, 141 operating with nine idle. Hyperion Resources began construction of the nation's first new oil refinery since 1976 on 3,800 acres of farmland near Elk Point, South Dakota.

The Dallas-based developers say that they plan to get shovels into the ground in 2011, and that Hyperion will be refining Canadian tar sands crude into gasoline and diesel by 2015.

Opposition groups such as Save Union County and the Sierra Club plan to ask the Environmental Protection Agency to step in and review concerns about air permits.

CP and the World's Tallest Building

Burj Khalifa (formerly known as Burj Dubai), the recently opened skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is the tallest man-made structure ever built, at 828 m (2,717 ft).

The superstructure is supported by a large reinforced concrete mat, which is in turn supported by bored reinforced concrete piles. The design was based on extensive geotechnical and seismic studies. The mat is 3.7 meters thick, and was constructed in four separate pours totaling 12,500 cubic meters of concrete. The 1.5 meter diameter x 43 meter long piles represent the largest and longest piles conventionally available in the region. A high density, low permeability concrete was used in the foundations, as well as a cathodic protection system under the mat, to minimize any detrimental effects form corrosive chemicals in local ground water.

From the Burj Khalifa website.

Bridge Closed Permanently Because of Extensive Corrosion

The Cline Avenue bridge (in northwest Indiana) from Calumet Avenue in Hammond to Michigan Avenue in East Chicago that's been shut down since last month will remain closed permanently. The Indiana Department of Transportation announced today that the Cline Avenue bridge will not be repaired or re-built.

From ABC 7 News Chicago.

See here for original blog post on The Corrosion Blog.

http://sga.informz.net/SGA/data/images/how_rules_are_made.pdf

The Case of the Failing Floor Coating

Interesting article about the failure analysis of a concrete floor coating. Who Reads Instructions Anyway? The Case of the Failing Floor Coating (PDF) from the Journal of Protective Coatings and Linings.


Spoiler alert (highlight next paragraph to see results):
It was improper mixing of the polyurethane topcoat.

ECDA For Cased Pipelines

From Pipeline and Gas Journal article "Mears Hosts Workshop On ECDA For Cased Pipelines":

Fifty-six integrity representatives from pipeline and gas utility companies across North America attended the day-long event at Mears headquarters in Rosebush, MI. Speakers included Max Kieba, Central Engineer, Office of Pipeline Safety, who gave directions to attendees on the upcoming PHMSA cased-pipe guidelines. Demonstrations included field indirect and direct inspections of coated and uncoated cased pipe, and a demonstration of wax filling a casing by Royston.

Casings are a common historical practice to prevent overburden stresses and mechanical damage to pipelines, typically at crossings, but they cause some unique problems with cathodic protection and corrosion surveys. Uncased crossings are usually preferable to cased crossings from a corrosion point-of-view. The NACE Standard SP0200 "Steel-Cased Pipeline Practices" (PDF, 833k, free to NACE members $35 for non-members) says:

1.2 Use of cased crossings should be avoided unless required by load considerations, unstable soil conditions, or when their use is dictated by sound engineering practices.

The issue has become critical in the gas transmission industry with the requirements of the Gas IMP rule and the limitations of performing ECDA on cased crossings. There was a PHMSA public meeting in July 2008 to address all the issues of cased crossings. There is more information on the PHMSA meeting website. In particular, this presentation from a liquid operator gives an overall perspective on the issues of casings.

The author also recently participated in an article in the March 2009 Pipeline and Gas Journal titled "Protecting Pipelines At Crossings: Are Casings Obsolete?".

Also, see previous post on the Pipeline Cased Crossings Casing Quality Action Team (CASQAT) here.

Current and Future Corrosion Challenges

The chemical, refinery, and petrochemical industries are facing new challenges in order to develop more environment friendly processes and to manufacture "green" products. Corrosion management is an essential element for the development of a sustainable industrial society, including issues such as the selection and development of corrosion resistant materials, coatings, and environmentally friendly inhibitors.

From MaterialsViews.com.

Deadline Approaching for CORROSION 2010 Scholarships

Preparing the New Generation of Corrosion Professionals Scholarship application deadline January 1, 2010

NACE Foundation to give $40,000 in scholarships and travel assistance at CORROSION 2010   Submit your scholarship application by January 1, 2010   Through the generous support of NACE Sections and Areas, individual members, and corporate partners, the NACE Foundation will distribute the following scholarships, awards, and travel assistance at CORROSION 2010.   Scholarships $1,000 Melvin C. Miller Scholarship-New for 2010 $5,000 NACE Foundation Academic Scholarship $1,000 NACE Foundation Book Scholarships (graduate)-two available $6,100 Hans Schmoldt Scholarship in Cathodic Protection on behalf of the Schmoldt Foundation for Education $3,000 Academic Scholarship on behalf of the NACE Eastern Area $1,000 Academic Scholarship on behalf of the NACE Sandia Mountain Section $1,000 Melvin J. Schiff Fellowship Fund on behalf of the NACE Los Angeles Section $10,000 MTI-Bert Krisher Memorial Scholarship $1,000 Liberty Bell Academic Scholarship on behalf of the NACE Philadelphia Section Travel Assistance $10,000 in travel assistance to the NACE Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas, USA has been allocated to assist NACE Foundation scholarship recipients and university students participating in the Student Poster Session at CORROSION 2010. Apply today! Applications for scholarships are due January 1, 2010, and applications for Travel Assistance are due February 1, 2010. Visit the NACE Foundation's web site at www.nace-foundation.org for a complete list of available scholarships and eligibility requirements.

Learn the latest on distribution integrity management plans (DIMP)

As part of Pipeline Integrity Month in January 2010, NACE International is bringing the Data and Integrity Management Workshop to Houston.  This half day event will cover topics on external corrosion direct assessment (ECDA) and data integration management plans. The Data and Integrity Management Workshop is being held in conjunction with PIMS Houston 2010: Investigating the 80% Rule. The combined events allow you to save on travel costs while learning how to reduce the risk of corrosion and other defects impacting pipeline integrity and safety in one location.   With registration to the Data & Integrity Management Workshop the Pipeline Integrity Web Series in January 2010 is FREE (a $200 value).   Technical Program Highlights: -   Integrated Engineering with Guided Wave and Other        Advanced Assessment Techniques -   Quality Data Collection Recognition -   ECDA: Direct Examination - Data Collection        During Excavations -   ECDA and Data Integration -   Gas Distribution Integrity Management Plan (DIMP) -   Cased Crossing Monitoring and Criteria When: January 25, 2009 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Where: JW Marriott Houston 5150 Westheimer Houston, Texas 77056  Quick Links: Travel Hotel Events Event Sponsor:                               Register Today! Register by January 5th and save $75!

Massive Oil Spill Results in Improved Wildlife Viscosity

More here.

ASM, ASTM and NACE launch Corrosion Solutions Center

Corrosion Solutions Center is the world's most comprehensive and authoritative resource for researching, understanding, preventing, and solving corrosion-related problems.

This robust product is brought to you by a partnership between the leading corrosion engineering society, NACE International, the leading materials information society, ASM International and one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world, ASTM International. Corrosion Solutions Center allows us to bring more value to you, eliminating the need for multiple site-searches.

By partnering and bringing together content from each organization, we're able to provide a single resource for corrosion-related materials information including:

Journal articles - content from leading materials industry journals, including Corrosion journal
Book chapters- articles from the most relevant technical books
Handbook articles - articles from the ASM Handbook collection
Standards - NACE International standards covering subjects such as laboratory corrosion testing, corrosion prevention and blast cleaning
Magazine articles – ASM's Advanced Materials & Processes and NACE's Materials Performance magazine articles
Conference Papers – papers from leading industry conferences
Technical Papers – white papers and reports from government and industry research


http://content.asminternational.org/portal/site/corrosioncenter/

Corrosion Solutions provides authoritative, peer-reviewed information from leading organizations serving the materials performance community.

University of Utah General Chemistry lecture on Corrosion

At the recent PGMSC conference held by Plymouth Tube Co., owner of a Metals and Materials Consulting Engineers, explains various methods which will help metals achieve corrosion resistance.

Corrosion-Resistant Turkey

This steel turkey weathervane is zinc plated and then powder coated with a satin black top coat and baked on in an oven. Happy Thanksgiving!

Preventing Corrosion in Dissimilar Water Pipes by Electrical Isolation

Connecting copper and galvanized water pipes can cause corrosion due to dissimilar metals, or galvanic corrosion. A solution is to use a fitting called a dielectric nipple (bottom photo). A plastic liner (3 in. long) inside the fitting increases the resistance between the pipes and reduces the corrosion rate.


From The Family Handyman.

Preventing corrosion on buses by treating wash water

To save expensive low-floor buses from corrosion, the Delhi Transport department is going to install reverse osmosis (RO) plants for washing the new buses with treated water. Delhi Transport Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely said the water used for cleaning the low-floor buses in DTC depots is hard and saline and it causes corrosion. Therefore, the Government has decided to install RO plants at depots. RO plants remove salts and other impurities and improve water quality. To cleaning one bus, approximately 25 gallons of water is needed. At present, the DTC uses re-cycled water for washing its fleet of 3,200 buses.

From the New Delhi Pioneer.

Bridge inspection prompts closure due to corrosion

Indiana Department of Transportation closed the Cline Avenue bridge in East Chicago due to corrosion found on a bridge inspection. Cline carries almost 36,000 vehicles a day at that spot. An inspection found the combination of the region's weather, air pollution and extensive use of road salt hastened the corrosion. In July 2008, an Indiana Associated Press review of structurally deficient bridges in the state named Cline Avenue over the Indiana Harbor canal -- the same spot were the worst corrosion has been found.


The photo shows a portion of the Cline Avenue Bridge that collapsed during construction, as the concrete deck was being placed on one span. See the Wikipedia page for the Cline Bridge here.

The bridge on Indiana 912 (Cline Avenue) is closed to all traffic between U.S. 41 (Calumet Avenue) in Hammond and Michigan Avenue in East Chicago.

From the Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana.

Corrosion to blame for LA water pipeline ruptures

A panel of experts reported Tuesday that corrosion was to blame for an increase in water pipeline failures. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power released a report developed by experts from the University of Southern California, Cornell University and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory which blamed the breaks on corroded portions of the aging system. See the full report here (PDF, 215k).

The city has seen a spate of major water breaks this year, several highly publicized ruptures, including one in Valley Village that opened a sinkhole that engulfed a firetruck. DWP officials said the panel determined that the city's conservation program, which limits lawn watering to Mondays and Thursdays, was not to blame for the pipeline problems. Some experts had theorized that the watering restrictions overburdened the system on the allowed days and may have contributed to the breaks.

From Contra Costa Times and NACEtweet.