AMPP Paper 16352-2021 PDF

Full title and description

St AMPP Paper 16352-2021 — "Corrosion Control Experiences Associated with Flare Gas Recovery Units in a Gas Plant". This is a conference paper published in the AMPP/CORROSION 2021 proceedings that documents field and engineering experiences addressing corrosion challenges and mitigation strategies for Flare Gas Recovery Units (FGRUs) in hydrocarbon processing facilities.

Abstract

This paper presents a case-study style account of corrosion control experiences associated with Flare Gas Recovery Units (FGRUs). It describes the operational context where FGRU feeds contain a wide range of contaminant species, discusses unique process and corrosion interactions (including amine sweetening and H2S exposure), and summarizes inspection, monitoring and mitigation measures implemented to achieve acceptable service life. The paper also highlights lessons learned for materials selection, process control and maintenance planning.

General information

• Status: Active (conference paper / proceedings entry).
• Publication date: 2021 (published in the AMPP / CORROSION 2021 proceedings).
• Publisher: AMPP (Association for Materials Protection and Performance) — published as part of the CORROSION 2021 conference proceedings.
• ICS / categories: Corrosion protection; materials performance; oil & gas process equipment; industrial plant integrity.
• Edition / version: First (2021) — conference paper version.
• Number of pages: Approx. 4–8 pages (typical conference-paper length; exact page count depends on the proceedings format).

Scope

Describes practical corrosion control issues encountered in Flare Gas Recovery Units (FGRUs) at a gas-processing facility and the engineering responses used to manage those risks. Topics include feed composition and variability, amine sweetening interactions, material degradation modes, inspection and monitoring approaches, case-specific mitigation measures, and implications for design and maintenance of FGRUs and associated piping and equipment. The paper is intended to inform practitioners responsible for plant integrity and corrosion mitigation in hydrocarbon processing environments.

Key topics and requirements

• Characterization of FGRU feed streams and identification of corrosive species (H2S, CO2, water, contaminants).
• Assessment of common corrosion mechanisms in FGRUs (general corrosion, sulfide stress cracking, localized attack associated with amine systems).
• Recommendations for materials selection and corrosion-resistant alloys for FGRU service.
• Inspection, monitoring and sampling techniques relevant to FGRU integrity management.
• Operational and process-control measures to reduce corrosion risk (amine management, dehydration, pH control, inhibitors).
• Case-study lessons learned and practical maintenance / mitigation strategies.

Typical use and users

Used by corrosion engineers, plant integrity managers, materials engineers, process engineers, operations leads and maintenance planners in oil & gas and petrochemical facilities. The paper is especially relevant to teams responsible for flare-gas-recovery projects, amine-treatment systems, and plant corrosion-control programs seeking real-world case examples and actionable mitigation approaches.

Related standards

Related guidance and standards include AMPP (formerly NACE/SSPC) corrosion standards and recommended practices covering inspection, materials selection and corrosion control for sour and wet hydrocarbon environments, plus industry design and integrity standards from API and ASTM that address materials, testing and inspection for oil & gas process equipment. This paper supplements those documents with field case experience from CORROSION 2021.

Keywords

Flare Gas Recovery Unit (FGRU), corrosion control, amine sweetening, H2S, sour service, materials selection, inspection, monitoring, CORROSION 2021, AMPP.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: This is not a formal consensus standard; it is a technical conference paper published in the AMPP / CORROSION 2021 proceedings (paper number 16352) documenting corrosion-control experiences and recommendations for Flare Gas Recovery Units.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers field and engineering experiences with corrosion in FGRUs, including feed characterization, corrosion mechanisms, monitoring and inspection practices, materials and mitigation measures, and lessons learned for operations and maintenance teams.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Corrosion and materials engineers, operations and maintenance personnel, integrity managers, and consultants in oil & gas and petrochemical sectors who need practical, case-based guidance for managing corrosion in FGRUs and associated systems.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The paper was published in 2021 as part of the CORROSION 2021 proceedings. As a conference paper it represents the authors' findings at that time; it is "active" as a published proceedings item but not a formal AMPP consensus standard subject to revision cycles. Users should check for more recent AMPP standards or follow‑on publications for updates.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It is part of the CORROSION 2021 technical-proceedings collection published by AMPP (papers from the CORROSION conference are cataloged within the AMPP proceedings).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Flare Gas Recovery Unit, FGRU, corrosion control, amine sweetening, H2S, sour service, materials selection, inspection, monitoring, AMPP, CORROSION 2021.