What is the true cost of a rusty spare valve or pump in the oil and gas industry? It could be hundreds of thousands of dollars if the lack of a ready replacement part brings production to a standstill—even for a few hours. That is why Cortec® has repeatedly delivered corrosion solutions to help oil and gas facilities around the world reclaim thousands of dollars’ worth of warehoused assets from the grip of corrosion and keep spares at the ready. For those who are ready to scrap their rusted spares and start over, these strategies may prove to be the best kept secret they need to reclaim asset value and maximize uptime.
Image Credit: Cortec® Corporation
Corrosion Challenges for Warehoused Spares
At first glance, an oil and gas facility may appear well-equipped for emergency repairs, with hundreds or thousands of spares stored on warehouse shelves. A closer look may reveal that corrosion has formed over months or years of inadequate protection in a fluctuating warehouse climate of humidity and temperature swings. Worse yet, many facilities have run out of warehouse space and reverted to storing piping, pumps, pulleys, and other parts on outdoor racks exposed to rain and sea spray. If a key pump or valve fails in production, maintenance will find it difficult to replace with a spare whose integrity is in question due to rust. Without an immediate backup, the costs of lost production can add up quickly, with just one hour of unexpected downtime registering a loss as high as an estimated $200,000-600,000, depending on current market prices.
Reclaiming the Value of Rusted Spares
Fortunately, warehouses full of rusty spares can be reclaimed and kept in ready-to-use condition through the simple method of “Clean, Protect, Preserve” that Cortec® representatives have implemented around the globe. Hundreds of parts can be restored by setting up rust removal stations and following the same basic steps.
- Clean and degrease the part, if needed.
- Immerse the part in a solution of VpCI®-422 and periodically check rust removal progress.
- Rinse the parts in plain water to avoid contamination from one solution to another.
- Neutralize/clean the parts in a solution of VpCI®-414 (or a similar alkaline cleaner).
- Dry the parts and preserve.
Smart Storage and Warehousing
Once the parts are cleaned and restored to usable condition, they can be preserved in ready-to-use condition using a variety of Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitor materials. Some of the basics include VpCI®-126 HP UV Shrink Film or MilCorr® VpCI® Shrink Film for wrapping small and large inventory, supplemented internally by VpCI® emitters or VpCI® fogging fluid as needed. The durability of these materials may even make it possible to turn outdoor storage racks into safe storage areas for spares, protecting them against both UV damage and corrosion. Each preservation process should be carefully documented for integrity insurance, allowing maintenance to go directly to the proper shelf with the confidence that the spare is ready to unwrap and immediately install for minimal downtime.
Take Advantage of This Warehousing ‘Best Kept Secret’!
The losses from one hour of unplanned downtime or scrapping an entire warehouse of corroded oil and gas spares are no joke. That’s why understanding the secret of a sound restoration preservation and warehousing plan can lend so much value to a facility’s bottom line. Contact Cortec® to learn more about implementing one of the best kept secrets for preserving asset worth and maximizing oil and gas uptime through rust prevention on warehoused spares.