Nov 21, 2016

A new ASTM International guide will help the petroleum, chemical, and water industries better monitor corrosion of equipment. The new standard (soon to be published as G217, Guide for Corrosion Monitoring for Field Structures and Plant Equipment and for Electrochemical Studies with Coupled Multielectrode Methods) was developed by ASTM’s committee on corrosion of metals (G01).
 
The standard outlines ways to monitor corrosion in laboratories and plants using a new technology called the coupled multielectrode array sensor (CMAS) method. According to ASTM member Lietai Yang, Corr Instruments, CMAS measures non-uniform, especially localized corrosion, for which there has not been a real time and quantitative method available.
 
“Localized corrosion is the most detrimental form of corrosion for plant equipment in industries related to oil and gas, chemical processing, and water treatment and distribution,” says Yang. “The standard provides guidance on how to use CMAS to monitor corrosion damage to metallic equipment in real time, so that effective remedies can immediately be taken to extend the life of the equipment.”
 
Operators of metal equipment such as pipes and vessels will benefit most from the guide, which can also be used to monitor structures with metal components, including bridges, buildings, and power transmission lines.
 
In addition, regulatory bodies might find the new standard helpful to help ensure safe operation of equipment. Laboratory researchers will also use the standard to study corrosion behavior in efforts to mitigate corrosion in simulated environments.