Health and Safety

Executive

Offshore external
corrosion guide
Corrosion policy
Regulation 5 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 requires that Every employer shall
ensure that work equipment is maintained in good repair. To achieve this requirement, the associated guidance to
the Regulations provides further information on three maintenance management options.
OSDs preferred option is that dutyholders use planned preventive maintenance, thereby precluding deterioration.
However, where a dutyholder allows components to degrade and/or corrode as part of a condition-based option,
performance standards must exist which define the point at which the component needs to be repaired or
replaced. Such performance standards should be quantifiable and capable of being measured effectively and
consistently.
The performance standards need to be supported by sound engineering justification and should be consistent with
the basis of design, taking account of any changes to service conditions. This should include the necessary safetyrelated strength and/or serviceability requirements of the component necessary to define the quantitative
performance standard.
Where such components are part of Safety Critical Elements, the components should be verified by an Independent
Competent Person. Such verification should include both the justification for and ongoing compliance with the
performance standard.

Purpose
This guide is intended to enable OSD inspectors to make consistent judgement on the extent of external
corrosion related to the installations hydrocarbon systems. The guide identifies a sample of six common forms
of external corrosion and provides information on:
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where to look; and

what to look for.

The six areas of concern are:

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corrosion under insulation (CUI);

firewater mains and deluge system;
flanges and plant bolting;
valves;
pipe supports and pipe coatings; and
threaded plugs.

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Corrosion under insulation

Where to look
General target areas

Cladding condition

Penetrations
(eg branches, supports,
structural members)

Joints

Damaged insulation

Corrosion
management

What to look for

Water traps, eg low points,
brackets, penetrations,
support rings
I Areas of personnel traffic
I Insulation terminations
I Rusty surface/corrosion holes?
I Joint sealant condition?
I External condensation/icing?
I Sealed/sealant in good
condition?
I Signs of water ingress/wet
insulation?
I Salt encrustations around
penetrations?
I Are the joints generally in
good condition?
I Insulation visible through joints?
I Deformed/poor fit?
I Deformed?
I Signs of being walked on?
I Impact damage?
I CUI inspection programme?
I Personnel protection replaced
by cages?
I CUI problems/failures?
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Firewater mains and deluge systems

What to look for
I Mixed metals, non-metallic?
I Spray and monitor nozzles
I Temporary repairs
I Valves
I Flanges
Spray and monitor
I Blocked?
nozzles
I Salt encrustations?
I Corrosion products?
Temporary repairs
I Number?
I Leaking?
I Repair type?
Flanges
I Leaks?
I Dissimilar metals?
Valves
I Leaks?
I Dissimilar metals?
Non-metallic piping
I Leaks?
I Joint condition?
I Local colour changes?
Corrosion management I Is it a wet or dry system?
I What is the inspection programme?
I How often is the deluge system
tested?
I What is the corrosion
management programme?
I What is the failure history?
Where to look
General target areas

Offshore external corrosion guide

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Bolts and nuts

Where to look
General target areas

What to look for

Mixed metals
I Valves
I Flanges
I Pumps
I Xmas trees
I Corroded bolts/threads
I Fractured bolts
I Nuts grossly enlarged by
corrosion product
Corrosion protection
I Unprotected
I Grease
I Denso tape
I Galvanised
I Nickel-plated
I Corrosion-resistant alloy
Corrosion management I What is the inspection
programme?
I What is the failure history?
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Valves
What to look for
I ESDVs
I Xmas trees
I Choke valves
I Pressure relief valves
I Drain valves
I Block valves
What to look/ask for
I Corroded handles/wheels?
I Corroded valve stems?
I Leaking stems?
I Leaking flanges?
I Leaking valve bleed plugs?
I Are valves properly supported?
I Paint condition?
I Corrosion-resistant materials?
Corrosion management I What is the valve test
programme?
I What is the inspection
programme?
I What is the failure history?
Where to look
General target areas

Offshore external corrosion guide

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Pipe supports and pipe coatings

Where to look
General target areas

What to look/ask for

Corrosion
management

What to look for

Piping
I Pipe supports
I Spring supports
I Fretting surfaces
I Paint condition?
I Thick corrosion deposits?
I What are the paint and fabric
maintenance programmes?
I What action is taken to ensure
areas around pipe supports are
painted?
I What external corrosion
problems have there been?
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Threaded plugs
What to look for
I Valve bodies
I Xmas trees
I Piping usually low and high
locations on pipe work
I Are pipe plugs rare or
What to look/ask for
numerous?
I Are there dissimilar metal
issues?
I Condition of threads?
I Leaking pipe plugs?
I Rust stains?
Corrosion management I Replacement by non-threaded
equipment
I No dissimilar metals
I Replacement and thread
inspection programme
I What failures have there been?
Where to look
General target areas

Offshore external corrosion guide

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This booklet is not available from HSE Books. It can be downloaded from the HSE website at:
www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/index.htm
Crown copyright This publication may be freely reproduced, except for advertising, endorsement or commercial purposes.
First published 09/06. Please acknowledge the source as HSE.

Published by the Health and Safety Executive

09/06

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