23.01.2011
Internal corrosion of steel pipelines is a major hazard in the oil and gas sector due to the high level of environmental costs and implications of spillage of oil or contaminated water. Regular replacement of the pipelines, however, leads to high costs for the operator.
Companies such as Kuwait Oil Corp. (KOC), which is suffering from an increasing presence of hydrogen sulphide in the crude oil it handles, are thus seeking more cost-effective solutions to internal corrosion. One option is to "close-fit" internal linings of polyethylene pipe, which significantly extends the life of the original pipeline. The process works equally well for flow lines and water injection lines....