How to Achieve Predictive Corrosion Management: The Role of Technology and IIoT for Predictive Analytics

Introduction

One of the largest threats to operations in asset and process-intensive industries (such as oil and gas, petrochemical, and power generation) is corrosion. If insufficiently monitored, corrosion damage will lead to the degradation of assets, at various rates – creating cause for leaks, cracks, reduced reliability, and even complete equipment failure or other catastrophic events. The safety, environmental, equipment repair and replacement and production loss costs of such events are documented in industry.

According to the “International Measures of Prevention, Application, and Economics of Corrosion Technology (IMPACT)” study released by NACE, the estimated global cost of corrosion is US$2.5 trillion annually, equivalent to roughly 3.4% of the Global Domestic Product (GDP). The study notes that “through near misses, incidents, forced shutdowns (outages), accidents, etc., several industries have come to realize that lack of corrosion management can be very costly and that, through proper corrosion management, significant cost savings can be achieved over the lifetime of an asset [1].”

An effective corrosion management system (CMS) is a critical component of any asset integrity management (AIM) strategy to mitigate the consequences of corrosion – and, ideally, to predict or prevent them.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has brought the advent of advanced technologies that, when leveraged properly, can heighten the efficacy of CMS. When bridged in a centralized database – for example, an AIM software – these technologies provide continuous remote monitoring and heightened levels of asset intelligence. Over time, they enable predictive analytics, making it possible for operators of process-intensive industries to elevate their CMS practices from simple mitigation to true predictive corrosion management (PCM).

Let’s examine how.

Corrosion Management System Requirements

According to NACE, an effective CMS should include a holistic approach that ensures effectiveness and consistency of corrosion management practices. It should structure the principles and requirements that are used to manage the threat of corrosion over an asset’s lifecycle. The pyramid of an effective CMS includes both corrosion-specific elements (the plans, procedures, and working practices) and management system elements (policy, strategy, objectives, controls, and measures).