ABSTRACT
The East-West (EW) Pipeline crude oil pipeline system consists of two large-diameter parallel pipelines running from “A” plants in the Eastern province to the “Y” crude oil terminal on the seacoast. The EW pipelines span 1204 kilometers between “A” and “Y” and are served by 11 pump stations distributed according to the hydraulic requirements of the AY pipeline system. External corrosion coupons were installed at a few locations along EW pipeline section. Corrosion was severe at the valleys or low-elevation areas where stormwater gathers, accumulates, and infiltrates to the buried pipe surface, completing the corrosion cell. This 173 km of EW pipelines from KM-154 to KM-327 is protected by eight Cathodic protection (CP) systems located approximately every 30 km with total current output of 284 amperes. There are two sections of low potential, as follows: KM-164 to KM-184 with minimum CP potential of -720 mV at KM-174 and KM-261 to KM-322 with minimum CP potential of -443 mV at KM-310.
