Corrosion management: A case study on South African oil and gas company

Corrosion as a major environmental deterioration phenomenon affect material infrastructures and pipes. The associated risks, impacts, and failures affect production and reduces return of investments globally, which consequence despite the commitments of Oil and gas industries results to spillage, injury, waste, hazard environmental degradation and damage evolution. A South African Oil and Gas company X in this case study is explored to highlight the risks associated with asset failures; its management due to corrosion and how to contend this mishap in the storage and distribution of refined oil, gas and allied products. Using a mixed research approach, preliminary results indicate a below average asset availability, an indication that corrosion management techniques existing in the company does not achieve the protection intent due to poor preventive and mitigative activities in use. Therefore, more desperate aggressive approach with approved corrosion policy, strategy, control standards and checks, plans, procedures and processes, structures, resources and professionals are required to manage corrosion in petrochemical industries.