By introducing high-performance, injection-based inhibitors, the company aims to bypass the prohibitive costs and logistical nightmares traditionally associated with inspecting and protecting insulated assets.
The international corrosion mitigation supplier Cortec® Corporation is challenging the oil and gas industry to rethink its approach to Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI).
CUI remains one of the most aggressive threats to infrastructure integrity in the energy sector. While advanced monitoring technologies are evolving, the physical and financial barriers to stripping insulation for inspection often leave critical surfaces vulnerable. Cortec’s latest strategy focuses on proactive corrosion protection without the costly, invasive removal and replacement of existing materials.
The core of this initiative lies in two specialised CorroLogic™ technologies. These inhibitors are designed to be injected directly through existing insulation, where they migrate to the metal surface to form a molecular protective layer. This barrier shields the substrate against moisture, condensation, and chloride-induced attack.
The two primary solutions cater to a wide range of operational environments:
- CorroLogic™ CUI Inhibitor: a solvent-based Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitor (VpCI®) suitable for equipment operating at temperatures up to 170°C (338°F).
- CorroLogic™ CUI Inhibitor Injection: a sustainable, 100% USDA-certified biobased formula capable of protecting systems reaching temperatures as high as 316°C (600°F).
By shifting the focus from detect and repair to inject and protect, maintenance teams can achieve several key benefits:
- Zero Disruption: Apply treatments to live, operating systems without interrupting process flows.
- Cost Efficiency: Eliminate the massive expenditure of removing and replacing insulation materials.
- Versatility: Effective on metals undergoing aggressive wet/dry cycles and thermal fluctuations.
- Chloride Resistance: Provides a robust defence even in the presence of harsh salts and contaminants.
“Removing insulation can be cost-prohibitive and may interrupt process operations. Injecting CorroLogic™ through the insulation provides immediate corrosion protection, while allowing for operations to continue as normal,” has commented Eric Uutala, Technical Sales Manager for CorroLogic™.
While these inhibitors provide an essential safety net for unseen surfaces, Cortec® emphasises that they are not a replacement for inspection. Instead, they serve as “excellent companions” to precision monitoring tools. By treating an area and then monitoring it, facilities can build a comprehensive data set to prove the efficacy of their maintenance spend and extend the service life of their assets.