A mechanical joint and method for controlling stray current in a buried or submerged pipeline made of ductile iron, cast iron and/or steel that includes a gasket arrangement having an annular gasket body with a radially inward and outward edge portions and first and second longitudinal edge portions, the radially outward edge portion and the radially inner edge portion being generally coaxial with a gasket axis, the radially inner edge portion having an inner engagement surface and the radially outer edge portion having an outer engagement surface, when in an installed condition, the outer surface directly engaging a first pipe and the inner engagement surface directly engaging a second pipe wherein the gasket forms a seal between the first and second pipes, the annular gasket includes an intrinsically conductive polymer material having a resistivity below 700 ohm-cm wherein the gasket provides the seal and electrical conductivity between the pipes thereby allowing stray current to freely pass through the polymer material and between the first and second pipes to reduce and/or eliminate corrosion-induced holes.

A system implementing fiber optics to monitor pipeline cathodic protection systems includes a cathodic protection system coupled to a hydrocarbon pipeline and a fiber optic system connected to the cathodic protection system. The cathodic protection system passes a current through the hydrocarbon pipeline to control corrosion of the hydrocarbon pipeline. The fiber optic system measures the current flowing through the hydrocarbon pipeline over time and provides the measured current.

An anode slurry for cathodic protection to underground metallic structures, preferably for casings of hydrocarbon producing wells or water injecting/producing wells, comprising a granulated electrical conducting material as anode and optionally a granulated filler with high electrical conductivity (backfill). There is also disclosed a method for providing cathodic protection to underground metallic structures by injecting an anode slurry into the underground formation containing the metallic structures.

Galvanic anodes and barrier corrosion control for metal pipelines, tanks, and equipment under thermal insulation includes the use of pure aluminum and aluminum alloys in fresh water at high temperatures to protect steel elements in hot water without sufficient chlorides. Sacrificial aluminum and sacrificial zinc-aluminum powders in a mixed primer provide long-term, effective corrosion control of steel under thermal insulation can be achieved in all water temperature ranges regardless of the presence of sufficient chlorides. At temperatures below 75 C., the zinc particles in the primer act to protect the substrate steel. At temperatures above 75 C., the aluminum particles in the primer, and galvanic aluminum tape protect the substrate steel in chloride free neutral pH water and also reduce the consumption of zinc particles in the primer. When the electrolyte water for CUI is sufficiently contaminated with chlorides, the aluminum particles in the primer and the galvanic aluminum become active.

A method for assessing a structure arranged in an electrolyte may include connecting an electric source between the structure and an earth, and imposing, on the structure, a primary current with at least three frequencies including a first frequency of a duration and an amplitude, a second frequency of a duration and an amplitude, and a third frequency of a duration and an amplitude, a series of currents with the first and second frequency being separated by a time gap. Fields of electric fields may be measured with an instrument having first, second, and third sensors and a positioning system. Each sensor May be configured to measure a field of an electromagnetic field along the structure for each of the frequencies. A primary field resulting from an electric current within the structure based on the measured field may be computed.

The portable cathodic protection current interrupter is a programmable, portable current interrupter for selectively controlling current interruption to a cathodic protection system. A processor and a voltage regulator are disposed within a portable housing and are in communication with one another. The voltage regulator is adapted for communication with an external power source. A display and a user interface are each mounted on the portable housing. An onboard clock is in communication with the processor for controlling the frequency and duration of current interruption signals. A global navigation satellite system receiver is provided for synchronizing a time signal of the onboard clock. At least one on-board relay is provided for communication with the cathodic protection current source for selectively interrupting current thereto. The portable cathodic protection current interrupter provides selective switching of the relay(s) between a main interruption channel, a testing interruption channel, and an external interruption channel.

A pipeline comprising one or more pipes, the pipeline having: one or more sacrificial anodes to provide cathodic protection; one or more pre-formed one-piece integral metallic rings around at least one pipe; and one or more electrical connectors attached to the or each metallic ring and to at least one sacrificial anode to allow an electrical current to flow between the pipeline and one or more of the sacrificial anodes. Each metallic ring has a one-piece form and can be fitted to the pipe without welding.

A cathodic protection device enclosing a reference cell and a conductive media and having two coupon assemblies mounted, facing opposing direction, on an exterior surface thereof is disclosed. The coupon assemblies each have a disc-shaped coupon seated in a jacket and are electrically coupled to a wire. The jacket is generally patch-sized and defines a pocket in a first surface and a groove in a second, opposing surface thereof. The disc-shaped coupon is seated in the pocket and the wire is seated in the groove with the electrical junction therebetween aligned with an aperture connecting the pocket to the groove. A sealing material is used to form a watertight seal between the disc-shaped coupon and the pocket and fills the groove. The device includes a hydrophilic porous member having a first surface in communication with the conductive media and a second surface in communication with an external environment.

A method for eliminating hydrocarbon fouling and reducing pumping power during hydrocarbon transportation. A dielectric layer covers the inner surface of a pipeline for transporting a water-hydrocarbon mixture. A proximity electrode is immersed in the water-hydrocarbon mixture, and an electrical voltage is applied across the dielectric layer. A buffer layer of water is formed on the dielectric layer since water is electrically attracted from the water-hydrocarbon mixture. This water layer, located between the dielectric layer and the water-hydrocarbon mixture, eliminates hydrocarbon fouling on the inner surface of the pipeline or any other internal surface that needs fouling protection. Alternatively, the dielectric layer covers an outer surface of the pipeline and is covered by an external conducting layer. Applying a potential difference between the proximity electrode and the external conducting layer still forms a water buffer layer between the inner surface and the water-hydrocarbon mixture, which eliminates hydrocarbon fouling.

A delimitation unit (18) for a pipe section (24), in particular a pipe section (24) of a pipeline (12), comprises at least one protective component (46), a control unit (48) for controlling the protective component (46), and a communication unit (50) for communicating with a remote monitoring station (14). The communication unit (50) is arranged to receive at least one control command from the monitoring station (14). The control unit (48) is arranged to operate the protective components (46) in different operating modes to maintain the voltage of the pipe section (24) below at least one limit value, and to change the operating modes due to the control command received by the communication unit (50). Furthermore, a pipeline system (10) and a method of operating a pipeline system (10) are shown.