Corrosion, Materials & Coatings

Challenges

Corrosion and material degradation can amount to significant costs over the lifetime of an asset. It can undermine efforts to ensure structural and environmental sustainability, too. As well as serious safety risks, eroding and failing assets can put operations in jeopardy. The resulting downtime for repairs can cost asset owners millions of dollars a day, which can quickly and decidedly affect stakeholders' confidence and an organization's bottom line.

Well-designed, constructed, and carefully inspected materials that consider the effects of corrosion need to be incorporated into new-build projects. Moreover, advanced corrosion-resistant and protection technologies that consider the unique needs of the environment are now readily available and rigorous. It's a matter of picking the optimal one and implementing it properly to help prevent structural failures and maximize asset lifespans.

Capabilities

Corrosion risk review and protection design

Corrosion risks need to be identified and evaluated by experienced corrosion experts.There are a variety of protection options, including cathodic protection, coating systems, and recirculated corrosion inhibitors. After the risks are identified, the appropriate protection method can be selected and designed, depending on the severity of the expected corrosion, the environment, and the required life.

Corrosion testing, monitoring, and inspection

When used effectively, ongoing corrosion monitoring programs can provide valuable information on an asset's design life. Based on the process and exposures, a variety of monitoring systems and inspection and testing strategies can be implemented along with continuous support from our corrosion experts.

Materials selection

It's critical to select the right material for any particular task in order to avoid premature equipment failure and optimize process performance. We consider corrosion, high-temperature resistance, and mechanical properties, as well as material availability, economics, and safety to identify the best materials for any specific function.

Equipment fabrication specifications

Failures often occur because of a missing or incorrect step in the fabrication process. Following material selection, the preparation of suitable specifications is vital for reliably purchased equipment. We're familiar with equipment design and manufacturing codes for pressure vessels, tanks, process piping, linings and coatings, and more.

Quality assurance in fabrication

Our expertise in critical fabrication ensures that welding, coating, lining installation, forming, and heat treatment are performed in a controlled environment. With strong, comprehensive understandings of processes and dimensional control, we can help you identify potential quality issues before they lead to lost time or revenue. We provide supplier auditing as well as the qualification of manufacturers around the globe.

Root-cause failure analysis

The main element of a failure analysis is a forensic inquiry of the failed component. This is conducted using scientific analytical methods, such as chemical and mechanical measurements, and optical and electron microscopy. Ultimately, the cause of failures must be determined to both prevent future occurrences and improve the performance of the component.