Alkanolamine plants processing natural gas and gas liquids containing only carbon dioxide as the contaminant acid gas are often troubled by high corrosion rates. Capital constraints sometimes require the plant operator to use carbon steel in the construction of piping and vessels in locations where stainless steel might otherwise be employed. Rich amine acid gas loadhgs sometimes exceed recommended or design levels, increasing the cmrosivity of the system. Typical corrosion inhibitor
products and packages are sometime ineffective in controlling corrosion at desired levels when one or both of the above conditions are present. This paper presents a procedure used to test the effectiveness of corrosion inhibitors on-stream and demonstrates the effectiveness of a sulfur-containing inhibitor in controlling CO2 corrosion in gas/gas and gas/liquid amine plants.
Keywords: carbon dioxide, corrosive gas, amine plants, natural gas, natural gas liquids, corrosion inhibitor, corrosion inhibition