In this paper, the premature failure of a carbon steel pipe carrying bitumen froth (60 to 90°C; 1,040 kg/m³ density) from oil sands primary extraction is analyzed. The leak developed at approximately 1,000 m downstream the pumps' discharge on an underground sloped section of the pipeline and was due to the thinning of the pipe wall. An extensive investigation was conducted including detailed visual and microscopic examination, mechanical testing, froth and solids abrasivity characterization, and hydraulics analysis. Various laboratory tests were performed to simulate different wear and corrosive­ wear conditions in order to replicate and better understand the failure. Results showed that despite slurry erosion to be the expected damage mechanism, the failure was actually caused by a slurry abrasion process. This can create thickness loss rates much more aggressive than those expected by an erosive process under similar conditions. A new wear
mechanism is proposed to explain the observed results.