Corrosion Assessment in Amine Systems using Modeling and Software Tools

Characterization of rich amine corrosion and the development of a software modeling tool using corrosion rate data obtained from simulated laboratory conditions was presented in Corrosion 2010 (Paper No 10183). This paper evaluates the typical corrosion problems faced in amine systems (mono-ethanolamine (MEA), di-ethanolamine (DEA) and di-glycolamine (DGA)). It presents critical issues faced in both rich and lean amine circuits and identifies key parameters such as acid gas loadings (H₂S and CO₂), heat stable amine salt (HSAS) concentration, flow velocity/shear stress and temperature in assessing corrosion. Case studies are presented to assess typical gas processing scenarios and predicted corrosion rates and trends in rich amine systems. Sensitivity analyses studies based on key parameters are evaluated to address the issues of process creep and availability of accurate operating conditions. The paper addresses the utilization of modeling tools to simulate process conditions and predict corrosion rates and discusses the benefits of such simulation studies in designing inspection plans and understanding asset integrity.