Page 240 - Challenges in Corrosion Costs Causes Consequences and Control(2015)

218 CORROSION CONTROL AND PREVENTION

prices are high enough to justify the costs of construction and operation. As domes-
tic oil exploration and production move farther offshore and to more remote areas
without an existing pipeline infrastructure, the need for new pipelines will continue,
provided the oil prices remain high enough to sustain the increased operating costs
far offshore.

4.4.2 Pulp and Paper

The major amount of corrosion in the pulp and paper industry is in the paper-making
process, which uses large amounts of process water. The amount of corrosion
inhibitors consumed in the pulp and paper industry from 1996 to 1998 increased an
average of 2%/year. About $198 million was spent on corrosion inhibitors in 1998.
During the past 35 years, the pulp and paper industry had moved from open-water
systems to closed-loop systems, thereby increasing the severity of the environment.
These “white liquors” are acidic and very corrosive, and severe crevice corrosion
problems may occur whenever the process flow is halted.
The paper industry in the United States is a mature industry but is expected to
maintain steady growth in the upcoming years.
The demand for paper products is closely related to the economic growth and
disposal income. Most paper is consumed by packaging, printing, publishing, and
business communications, which are directly tied to business expansions. Similarly,
consumption of cardboard and paper shipping containers is tied to the demand for
industrial production.
Competitive materials and technologies such as plastics for packaging and elec-
tronic publications/communications are encroaching on traditional markets for paper
products. These are not realistically expected to replace paper but will curtail the
growth in view of the expected paperless society in the future.

4.4.3 Iron and Steel

It can be stated that on average, nearly 100 million tons of raw steel are produced.
The inhibitors used in 1998 amounted to $50 million, and inhibitors used in steel
production are expected to increase only slightly (1–1.5%) in the future. Like most
systems requiring inhibition, the water treatment piping and vessels in both cooling
and boiler water systems are the most affected.

4.4.4 Additives

The applications of corrosion inhibitor additives are primarily for petroleum products
such as gasoline, motor oil, and grease. Other inhibiting additives are antifreeze and
coolants, brake fluids, fuel additives, and plant cleaning and metalworking fluids.
Of the $120 million market for corrosion-inhibiting additives, $90 million is spent
on an additive that is used for 560 billion liters (150 billion gallons) of motor fuel
(both gasoline and diesel). The consumption of gasoline is growing at a slow rate
because of a steady increase in fuel-efficiency of automobiles since the early 1980s.