Corrosion Prevention: 6 Essential Ways to Pipe Systems Life and Durability
Corrosion is one of the most persistent and costly threats to oil and gas infrastructure. Left unchecked, it compromises pipeline integrity, disrupts operations, and exposes operators to environmental, financial, and reputational risk. The cost of inaction isn’t just theoretical—it’s well-documented and rising.
🛢️ The High Cost of Corrosion in Oil & Gas: Why Proactive Protection Pays
💸 The Financial Toll of Corrosion
According to the Oil & Gas News (OGN), corrosion costs the global oil and gas industry approximately $1.372 billion annually, with surface pipelines and downhole tubing among the most affected assets. These costs include not only repairs and replacements but also lost production, emergency response, and regulatory penalties (OGN).
The Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) further emphasizes that corrosion-related failures are responsible for a significant portion of unplanned downtime and environmental incidents in upstream and midstream operations (AMPP).
🌧️ Environmental Exposure Accelerates Degradation
Pipelines exposed to harsh environments—coastal air, high humidity, acidic soils, or temperature swings—are especially vulnerable. These conditions accelerate:
- Atmospheric corrosion on above-ground lines and risers
- Soil-side corrosion on buried pipelines, especially in poorly drained or saline soils
- Internal corrosion from water, CO₂, H₂S, and microbial activity in production fluids
⚠️ Real-World Consequences
The Excellence Integrity Management blog highlights case studies like the Prudhoe Bay spill, where corrosion led to a 267,000-gallon crude oil release and over $2 billion in cleanup and lost production costs. The root cause? Deferred maintenance and inadequate corrosion monitoring (Excellence Integrity).
🛠️ Prevention Is Cheaper Than Repair
Proactive corrosion control can reduce lifecycle costs by up to 30%, according to AMPP. Effective strategies include:
- Internal coatings and chemical inhibitors for flowlines and gathering systems
- Cathodic protection for buried and submerged assets
- Smart pigging and ultrasonic inspections to detect wall loss early
- Material upgrades, such as CRA-lined pipe or duplex stainless, in high-risk zones
📊 Strategic Takeaway
Corrosion Prevention isn’t just a maintenance concern—it’s a strategic imperative. Left unchecked, corrosion can lead to catastrophic failures, unplanned shutdowns, regulatory penalties, and long-term reputational damage. Operators who prioritize corrosion prevention not only extend asset life but also protect business continuity and stakeholder trust. The data is clear: the cost of doing nothing far exceeds the investment in doing it right.
Proven Strategies to Corrosion Prevention
Wear Pad & Flat Plates
ProTek Composite Wear Pads and Flat Plates provide a reliable barrier against metal-to-metal contact in piping systems, effectively isolating pipes from I-beams, guides, and concrete supports. These high-risk areas are particularly vulnerable to corrosion, leading to costly repairs and maintenance. Engineered for durability, ProTek wear pads offer a cost-effective solution to minimize corrosion damage and extend the lifespan of your piping infrastructure.
Benefits Include:
- Low cost of installation: no welding, hot work permits or highly skilled personnel required
- Product minimizes maintenance and operational costs throughout the lifetime of the piping system
- Wear Pad inside diameter (ID) precisely matches outer diameter of pipe
- Wear Pad ID is pre-roughened for exceptionally high
epoxy-towear pad bonding strengths as verified by ASTM D5528-01
Protek Coated U-Bolts
ProTek U-Bolts merge the durability of traditional u-bolts with advanced polymer technology to provide superior pipe restraint. Designed to prevent metal-to-metal contact and minimize abrasion from pipe movement, the ProTek coating offers exceptional strength, withstanding high compressive loads and harsh environmental conditions. Its low coefficient of friction ensures a secure yet smooth cradle for the pipe, enhancing long-term reliability and protection.
Benefits Include:
- Eliminates metal to metal contact that could damage
pipe coatings and lead to corrosion - Coating has a low coefficient of friction to allow
pipe movement - Low cost of installation
- Product helps minimizes maintenance and operational
costs throughout the lifetime of the piping system - Can be used on any type of pipe.
Vibratek Clamps
The VibraTek Hold Down Clamp is the ultimate solution for mitigating vibration-related issues in piping systems. Designed with proprietary VibraTek liner, it effectively absorbs vibration from compressors and reciprocating equipment, extending the lifespan of your piping infrastructure.
To further enhance performance, we integrate specialized fiber-backed Teflon into the VibraTek lining, reducing friction while maintaining superior vibration-dampening properties. Beyond the VibraTek series, we offer customizable clamp linings tailored to your needs, including urethane, neoprene, and sodium-etched Teflon—ensuring limitless flexibility in material selection.
Benefits Include:
- Prevents unwanted and unaccounted for stress
to piping and structural components - Liners are molded to the clamp’s inside diameter,
ensuring consistent thickness and secure bond - VibraTek does not harbor moisture due to its
hydrophobic and non-porous properties, significantly
reducing the occurrence of corrosion - HB-Teflon does not delaminate due to the strong
mechanical bond created by fibers infused
during manufacturing
Cyrotek Pipe Shoes
The CryoTek Pipe Shoe is a durable, non-metallic pipe support engineered for extreme temperature environments. Designed to deliver exceptional reliability between -320°F and +400°F, it is the ideal choice for elevated and cryogenic piping systems in applications such as gas liquefaction, LNG terminals and carriers, and ethylene plants.
Benefits Include:
- Composite VEFR technology does not promote
temperature transfer, preventing ice formation
and fluctuation in system temperature - Eliminates steel shoe multi-layer insulation requirement,
which can delaminate over time - Resin system is UV resistant, does not support heat combustion and can be combined with an intumescent
coating to resist temperatures of 2,000°F for up to two hours - Installation takes a fraction of the time of traditional pre-insulated metallic supports
- Lightweight. Can be installed and/or transported without the use of heavy-lift equipment
- Safely encapsulates the fragile insulation used in cryogenic piping systems, preventing costly repairs
Aerotek Cradles
The AeroTek Cradle provides a cost-effective solution for safeguarding pipe insulation against support point abrasion in both hot and cold service environments. Crafted from fiber-reinforced vinyl ester resin, it is precision-molded to fit the exact dimensions of the insulation system. The composite cradle is securely fastened to the piping assembly at support locations using stainless steel bands, which are recessed into grooves on the outer surface to eliminate direct contact with the underlying support. Rigorous full-scale laboratory testing has demonstrated minimal wear on the cradle, even after simulated multi-year service.
Benefits Include:
- Eliminates the need for pre-insulated pipe supports
- Does not require a break in insulation like traditional
welded or clamp on supports - Compatible with any type of load bearing insulation.
- Eliminates corrosion issues associated with traditional
metallic supports - Lightweight for ease of installation
Slide Plates
ProTek Slide Plates are designed to minimize friction and wear in structural components at expansion and contraction joints. They provide reliable support for heavy piping, equipment, bridges, and other structural elements. Available in various materials and sizes, ProTek Slide Plates can be tailored to meet specific application requirements, ensuring durability and efficiency in demanding environments.
Benefits Include:
- Product prolongs the life of your structural components
- The metallic and PTFE combination delivers robust support, while providing a low friction surface for
the object to move along - Sodium-etched PTFE is used for optimal adhesion, which prevents delamination
- Custom manufacturing to best meet your needs
Pipe Supports: Precision Modifications for Demanding Field Conditions
Custom-Engineered to Meet Your Pipeline Maintenance Requirements
When standard solutions fall short, our team delivers. Whether you’re dealing with non-standard mounting geometries, extended stroke requirements, or specialized hydraulic integration, we tailor PTM (Pipe Support & Travel Monitoring) systems to match your exact operational and environmental conditions.
Let’s engineer it right the first time. Contact us to discuss your application, and we’ll collaborate to deliver a support system that performs reliably—where it matters most.