As the world embraces a new green era, one of the biggest inefficiencies remains unaddressed: corrosion. An estimated 40% of all new steel is to replace steel damaged or destroyed by corrosion. This equates to approximately 3.2% of the world’s CO2 emissions due to maintenance alone.
In the oil and gas (O&G) industry, corrosion is a primary cause of infrastructure failures. According to the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), the estimated annual cost of corrosion to the O&G industry in the U.S. alone is $27 billion. Some estimates suggest the global annual cost of corrosion to the industry exceeds $60 billion.
All metals are susceptible to corrosion, but crude oil’s harmful impurities, like naphthenic acid and sulfur, promote corrosion further. The issue worsens as 90% of the materials used within the O&G network are metals. Effective management of this natural phenomenon saves companies money and benefits the environment through resource conservation and reduced repair and replacement needs.
For decades, key industries such as marine, automotive, and O&G have relied on hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] for corrosion protection. While highly effective, Cr(VI) is also known to cause cancer in humans and animals. Since its phase-out, a popular alternative in the O&G industry has been zinc phosphate. Although somewhat effective, this inhibitor does not match the performance of chromate complexes. Despite extensive research since the 1980s, Cr(VI) remains the benchmark corrosion-preventative compound in most industries.
A Highly Effective, Sustainable Inhibitor
A new breed of inhibitor is currently driving innovation in the protective coatings market. Oceanit’s DragX, an omniphobic nanocomposite surface treatment, incorporates an active ingredient never effectively used within coatings, making it a unique innovation.
DragX creates a water and oil-repellent, low-friction surface, even on corroded, in-service pipelines. This surface treatment applies to long, in-situ pipelines and scales to any pipe diameter. DragX is effective at a fraction of the thickness of conventional pipeline epoxy coatings while reducing pipe wall drag resistance, preventing corrosion, and minimizing the adhesion and deposition of unwanted debris and impurities.
The energy industry has embraced the benefits of using factory-applied, flow-efficiency coatings like DragX. These benefits include increased efficiency and throughput, reduced pressure drop, lower power use for pumping, corrosion mitigation on internal pipe surfaces, reduced debris and paraffin adhesion, and decreased inspection, cleaning, and maintenance costs.
DragX Development
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) supported the development of DragX’s underlying surface-modification nanotechnology. DragX exhibits a pot life of more than 70 hours, is effective at thicknesses of only two mil, and cures in less than one hour. These attributes make DragX an ideal solution for in-service pipelines, reducing costs and minimizing pipeline downtime.
Independent Proof of Performance
Thanks to its unique approach, more than 40 coatings companies worldwide are formulating with DragX. Tests at the Colorado School of Mines and other independent labs have shown excellent performance in preventing microbiologically induced corrosion (MIC) and reducing surface roughness. DragX-treated pipes demonstrated significantly less material loss and corrosion compared to untreated samples.
In the O&G industry, maintaining the integrity of pipeline infrastructure is vital to avoid economic and environmental disasters. Innovations like Oceanit’s DragX are transforming the industry by providing advanced, efficient, and environmentally friendly solutions. As manufacturers continue to develop eco-friendly and effective solutions, the market meets the rising demands of various end-user industries, ensuring long-term sustainability and economic growth.
Reach out to our experts for more information on our nanocomposite corrosion inhibiting surface treatment.