Centralized dehydration requires aggressive pipeline corrosion control

D. Wint, Audubon Field Solutions, Tulsa, Oklahoma Dehydration plays an important role in proactively maintaining the integrity of oil, gas and multiphase pipelines. In addition to protecting the pipeline from internal corrosion caused by hydrogen sulfide, which is a byproduct of the metabolic processes of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), removing water from the product stream is essential to preventing the formation of hydrates. It also helps ensure the safe, efficient and cost-effective operation of pipelines throughout their design life. In traditional operations, dehydration takes place at the wellhead before raw gas enters the gathering line. Recently, however, an increasing number of