Investigation of severe corrosion of mooring chain in West African waters

Emmanuel Fontaine; Andrew E. Potts; Robert E. Melchers; Alberto Arredondo; Kai-tung Ma

Investigation of severe corrosion of mooring chain in West African waters

Emmanuel Fontaine, Andrew E. Potts, Robert E. Melchers, Alberto Arredondo, Kai-tung Ma

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Recent detailed observations of the performance of mooring chains for a floating production unit in tropical West African waters have shown severe localized corrosion (pitting) of the steel chain after only seven years of use. This paper describes the investigation of this phenomenon as part of the Joint Industry Project (JIP) research program SCORCH (Seawater Corrosion of Rope and Chain) funded by the major oil companies, most Classification Societies and various offshore operators and manufacturers. It is shown that there is a high likelihood that the chain has been subject to microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) as a result of the elevated levels of water pollution in the operational area. However, despite the large localized loss of steel in corrosion pits, the breaking load shows only a relatively small reduction compared to the Minimum Breaking Load specified in design guidelines.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	The Proceedings of the Twenty-second (2012) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference
Subtitle of host publication	Rhodes, Greece, June 17-22, 2012
Editors	HyunWoo Jin, Wentao Cheng, Odd M. Akselsen
Place of Publication	Cupertino, California
Publisher	International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers
Pages	389-394
Number of pages	6
Volume	4
ISBN (Print)	9781880653944
Publication status	Published - 2012
Externally published	Yes
Event	22nd International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, ISOPE-2012 - Rhodes, Greece Duration: 17 Jun 2012 → 22 Jun 2012

Conference

Conference	22nd International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, ISOPE-2012
Country/Territory	Greece
City	Rhodes
Period	17/06/12 → 22/06/12

Keywords

Corrosion
MIC
Microbiological influences
Mooring chain
Mooring integrity
Pitting
Reliability

Access to Document

https://www.onepetro.org/conference-paper/ISOPE-I-12-563

Cite this

Fontaine, E., Potts, A. E., Melchers, R. E., Arredondo, A., & Ma, K. (2012). Investigation of severe corrosion of mooring chain in West African waters. In H. Jin, W. Cheng, & O. M. Akselsen (Eds.), The Proceedings of the Twenty-second (2012) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference: Rhodes, Greece, June 17-22, 2012 (Vol. 4, pp. 389-394). International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers. https://www.onepetro.org/conference-paper/ISOPE-I-12-563

Fontaine, Emmanuel ; Potts, Andrew E. ; Melchers, Robert E. et al. / Investigation of severe corrosion of mooring chain in West African waters. The Proceedings of the Twenty-second (2012) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference: Rhodes, Greece, June 17-22, 2012. editor / HyunWoo Jin ; Wentao Cheng ; Odd M. Akselsen. Vol. 4 Cupertino, California : International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers, 2012. pp. 389-394

@inproceedings{f9583fdaa5f343998c1ff2287e7302d2,

title = "Investigation of severe corrosion of mooring chain in West African waters",

abstract = "Recent detailed observations of the performance of mooring chains for a floating production unit in tropical West African waters have shown severe localized corrosion (pitting) of the steel chain after only seven years of use. This paper describes the investigation of this phenomenon as part of the Joint Industry Project (JIP) research program SCORCH (Seawater Corrosion of Rope and Chain) funded by the major oil companies, most Classification Societies and various offshore operators and manufacturers. It is shown that there is a high likelihood that the chain has been subject to microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) as a result of the elevated levels of water pollution in the operational area. However, despite the large localized loss of steel in corrosion pits, the breaking load shows only a relatively small reduction compared to the Minimum Breaking Load specified in design guidelines.",

keywords = "Corrosion, MIC, Microbiological influences, Mooring chain, Mooring integrity, Pitting, Reliability",

author = "Emmanuel Fontaine and Potts, {Andrew E.} and Melchers, {Robert E.} and Alberto Arredondo and Kai-tung Ma",

year = "2012",

language = "English",

isbn = "9781880653944",

volume = "4",

pages = "389--394",

editor = "HyunWoo Jin and Wentao Cheng and Akselsen, {Odd M.}",

booktitle = "The Proceedings of the Twenty-second (2012) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference",

publisher = "International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers",

note = "22nd International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, ISOPE-2012 ; Conference date: 17-06-2012 Through 22-06-2012",

}

Fontaine, E, Potts, AE, Melchers, RE, Arredondo, A & Ma, K 2012, Investigation of severe corrosion of mooring chain in West African waters. in H Jin, W Cheng & OM Akselsen (eds), The Proceedings of the Twenty-second (2012) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference: Rhodes, Greece, June 17-22, 2012. vol. 4, International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers, Cupertino, California, pp. 389-394, 22nd International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, ISOPE-2012, Rhodes, Greece, 17/06/12. <https://www.onepetro.org/conference-paper/ISOPE-I-12-563>

Investigation of severe corrosion of mooring chain in West African waters. / Fontaine, Emmanuel; Potts, Andrew E.; Melchers, Robert E. et al.

The Proceedings of the Twenty-second (2012) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference: Rhodes, Greece, June 17-22, 2012. ed. / HyunWoo Jin; Wentao Cheng; Odd M. Akselsen. Vol. 4 Cupertino, California : International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers, 2012. p. 389-394.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Research › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Investigation of severe corrosion of mooring chain in West African waters

AU - Fontaine, Emmanuel

AU - Potts, Andrew E.

AU - Melchers, Robert E.

AU - Arredondo, Alberto

AU - Ma, Kai-tung

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Recent detailed observations of the performance of mooring chains for a floating production unit in tropical West African waters have shown severe localized corrosion (pitting) of the steel chain after only seven years of use. This paper describes the investigation of this phenomenon as part of the Joint Industry Project (JIP) research program SCORCH (Seawater Corrosion of Rope and Chain) funded by the major oil companies, most Classification Societies and various offshore operators and manufacturers. It is shown that there is a high likelihood that the chain has been subject to microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) as a result of the elevated levels of water pollution in the operational area. However, despite the large localized loss of steel in corrosion pits, the breaking load shows only a relatively small reduction compared to the Minimum Breaking Load specified in design guidelines.

AB - Recent detailed observations of the performance of mooring chains for a floating production unit in tropical West African waters have shown severe localized corrosion (pitting) of the steel chain after only seven years of use. This paper describes the investigation of this phenomenon as part of the Joint Industry Project (JIP) research program SCORCH (Seawater Corrosion of Rope and Chain) funded by the major oil companies, most Classification Societies and various offshore operators and manufacturers. It is shown that there is a high likelihood that the chain has been subject to microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) as a result of the elevated levels of water pollution in the operational area. However, despite the large localized loss of steel in corrosion pits, the breaking load shows only a relatively small reduction compared to the Minimum Breaking Load specified in design guidelines.

KW - Corrosion

KW - MIC

KW - Microbiological influences

KW - Mooring chain

KW - Mooring integrity

KW - Pitting

KW - Reliability

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84866066624&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Conference Paper

AN - SCOPUS:84866066624

SN - 9781880653944

VL - 4

SP - 389

EP - 394

BT - The Proceedings of the Twenty-second (2012) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference

A2 - Jin, HyunWoo

A2 - Cheng, Wentao

A2 - Akselsen, Odd M.

PB - International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers

CY - Cupertino, California

T2 - 22nd International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, ISOPE-2012

Y2 - 17 June 2012 through 22 June 2012

ER -

Fontaine E, Potts AE, Melchers RE, Arredondo A, Ma K. Investigation of severe corrosion of mooring chain in West African waters. In Jin H, Cheng W, Akselsen OM, editors, The Proceedings of the Twenty-second (2012) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference: Rhodes, Greece, June 17-22, 2012. Vol. 4. Cupertino, California: International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers. 2012. p. 389-394

Investigation of severe corrosion of mooring chain in West African waters

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Research output

Investigation of severe corrosion of mooring chain in West African waters

Cite this