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Authors: Dr. Abdelmounam M. Sherik, Dr. Arnold L. Lewis and Dr. Sebastien Duval
ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION
Despite its common occurrence in the gas industry, black Black powder is a worldwide phenomenon experienced by
powder is a problem that is not well understood across the most, if not all, Sales Gas pipeline operators1-6. In the gas
industry, in terms of its chemical and physical properties, industry, the term “black powder” is a color-descriptive term
sources, formation mechanisms, prevention or management of loosely used to describe a grayish material that is generated
its impacts. To prevent or effectively manage the impacts of inside the gas pipelines. Black powder can be found in several
black powder, it is essential to have knowledge of its chemical forms, such as wet with a tar-like appearance, Fig. 1, or dry in
and physical properties, formation mechanisms and sources. the form of a very fine powder, Fig. 2. Black powder was
This article is a follow-up to an earlier article published in reported in recently commissioned as well as older Sales Gas
the Saudi Aramco Journal of Technology Fall 2007 issue. In transmission pipelines1-6. Black powder could have major
that issue, it was shown that black powder is regenerative,
adverse effects on customers by contaminating the customer
and is formed inside natural gas pipelines as a result of
Sales Gas supply leading to an interruption of the customer’s
corrosion of the internal walls of the pipeline. More
operations and/or poor quality of products in which the Sales
specifically, black powder forms through reactions of the
Gas is used as feedstock. It could also negatively affect gas
pipeline steel with condensed water containing oxygen (O2),
pipeline operations. For example, it can lead to instrument
hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and carbon dioxide (CO2).
scraping delays, reduced inline inspection accuracy, control
This article is divided into three parts. The first part of this
valve erosion as well as flow reduction. Finally, black powder
article is a synopsis of published literature including our
could present a major health and environmental hazard. This
earlier findings. New field evidence showing the presence of
excess moisture in the lines will be presented and discussed. is because some black powder is contaminated with mercury
The second part is a summary and short discussion of various and naturally occurring radioactive materials, such as
black powder management philosophies and methods. Finally, radioactive Lead-210 (Pb-210). Iron sulfides are also
the ongoing black powder research activities at the Saudi potentially pyrophoric. These hazardous substances require
Aramco Research and Development Center (R&DC) are special procedures for handling and disposal of the removed
briefly presented. black powder.
Fig. 1. Shows wet tar-like black powder collected at the scraper door Fig. 2. Dry fine black powder collected at the scraper door receiver of
receiver of a Sales Gas pipeline. a Sales Gas pipeline.
45.00 50.00
40.00
35.00
Average of Moisture 35.00
30.00
Contents during Upset Period 30.00
25.00 25 lb/mmscf
25.00
20.00 20.00
15.00 15.00
10.00 10.00 7 lb/mmscf
5.00 5.00
5.0 °C 25 °C
0.00
0.00
6/12 8/11 10/10 12/9 2/7 4/8 6/7 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Fig. 3. Actual reading of moisture content in the Sales Gas in plant A. Two Fig. 4. A variation of the dew point with moisture in the gas. The water content
extended upsets can also be seen. An average value of moisture content value experienced during process upset shown in Fig. 3 and corresponding dew
experienced during the latter upset is indicated. point are indicated14.
Alternatively, iron oxides may be formed due to microbio- result of internal corrosion of the pipeline, (2) black powder
logically induced corrosion (MIC) resulting from acid particles are jagged in shape and exhibit a high hardness,
producing bacteria (APB) or iron oxidizing bacteria (IOB)11. which makes it highly erosive to the currently used pipeline
Once again, condensed water is a prerequisite for these control valves, and (3) is mainly composed of the corrosion
bacteria to thrive and multiply, and as such, MIC cannot products Fe3O4 and FeO(OH), with fewer samples showing
occur in the absence of water. small amounts of FeCO3 in addition to the iron oxides. Table 1
Magnetite found in black powder can also come from other summarizes black powder compounds and their potential
sources, namely, (1) mill scale, which is expected to be a minor sources. In addition, we found that some black powder
and short-term (in new pipelines) black powder4 contributor, samples contained mercury.
and (2) conversion, by oxidation inside the pipeline, of FeCO3 Further, the reason for the internal corrosion was determined
and FeS corrosion products. The conversion of FeCO3 to to be condensed water containing H2S, CO2 and O2, with
Fe3O4 is sluggish and takes place during the dry cycles in oxygen being the most critical element. The source of the
accordance with the following reaction12: condensed moisture is the inefficient gas dehydration processes in
some of the gas treating plants. Inefficient dehydration causes the
3 FeCO3 + 1/2 O2 → Fe3O4 + 3CO2 (8) Sales Gas to contain high levels of moisture in excess of the
maximum allowable level of 7 lb/mmscf (7 pounds of water in a
The conversion of FeS is rapid and can occur during the million standard cubic feet of gas) as per Saudi Aramco Sales Gas
wet cycles according to the following reaction7: Product Specification (SA-120). Figure 3 shows levels of moisture
in the Sales Gas from one gas treating plant. It is clear from this
2Fe9S8 + 9H2O + 27/2 O2 → 18γ -FeO(OH) + 2S8 (9)
Figure that two deviations (upsets) from the 7 lb/mmscf standard
level have occurred for extended periods of time. Figure 414
The produced γ-FeO(OH) will quickly transform to Fe3O4
shows dew point variations vs. moisture content in the gas at a
in accordance with reaction (7)8.
line pressure of 900 psig. It can be seen from this Figure that
strict adherence to the Saudi Aramco specification of 7 lb/mmscf
SAUDI ARAMCO BLACK POWDER
(with a dew point of 5 °C) is sufficient, under typical ambient
Our recent findings13 have shown that black powder: (1) is temperatures in Saudi Arabia, to ensure no water condensation.
regenerative and is formed inside Sales Gas pipelines as a This Figure also shows that if excess moisture enters the gas grid
REFERENCES