Ball valves, gate valves, globe valves, butterfly valves, check valves, and valve assemblies: all are common and critical components in the oil and gas industry. Their job of regulating hazardous fluid flow in pipelines and piping systems underscores the importance of keeping them in peak operating condition. Unfortunately, one of the most common enemies of valve integrity is rust, which can attack and deteriorate valves during hydrotesting, shipping, and layup. The following tips from Cortec® Corporation make it easy to achieve successful preservation during the three main phases of a valve’s non-operational life-cycle.
Before a pipeline or plant starts operating, thousands of components must be fabricated, assembled, and shipped to the construction site. Valves must be hydrostatically tested by the valve manufacturer to ensure no leaks. Hydrotesting of valves and components may also be done at coastal fabrication yards where components are assembled into modules and often shipped overseas halfway around the world. Adding VpCI®-649 to the hydrotest water does dual duty by protecting against flash rust from the hydrotest water and leaving behind a thin film of corrosion inhibitors that provide both contact and vapor-phase protection. This offers comprehensive coverage that is typically difficult to achieve due to valve intricacies. A higher dose can be used for an extended period of preservation. Another approach is to fog valve internals with CorroLogic® VpCI®-339 Fogging Fluid, a 100% vapor-phase inhibitor for void space protection. After internal protection, the entire valve can be enclosed in VpCI® Film (available in multiple grades for different atmospheric exposure conditions) to keep the Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors from escaping and to protect the external surface without cumbersome coating or liquid rust preventative application.
