Cathodic Protection Services

Cathodic protection is an electrochemical process that mitigates corrosion on pipelines, storage tanks, structural piles, and other buried or submerged metallic structures. Cathodic protection works by introducing a sacrificial metal that is electrically connected to another structure on which you wish to prevent corrosion. The anode is more anodic (more reactive) than the structure, and an electrochemical cell is formed where corrosion is significantly reduced on the structure, at the expense of corrosion on the anode.

Corrosion and cathodic protection are electrochemical processes. In a corrosion cell, the structure where metal loss (corrosion) occurs is always defined as the anode, and the structure that does not suffer from corrosion is defined as the cathode. In cathodic protection, a sacrificial metal is introduced, connected directly to another more valuable structure on which you wish to prevent corrosion.

Corrosion prevention and control is a combination of technologies and techniques that mitigate corrosion risk on valuable steel infrastructure. This could include selection and application of coatings, cathodic protection, AC interference Mitigation, DC stray current interference Mitigation, and corrosion monitoring systems.

Cathodic protection systems offer an immediate and long-term solution to mitigate corrosion risk for buried and submerged steel structures. This translates directly to reduced maintenance requirements, lower operating costs, and improved asset longevity. It also makes operations more sustainable and environmentally friendly by utilizing fewer resources, since reducing corrosion through cathodic protection means that valuable infrastructure will last longer and need to be replaced less frequently.

There are two commonly implemented means of cathodic protection. These formats are known as impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) and sacrificial or galvanic cathodic protection.

Cathodic protection is essential in preventing corrosion failures of valuable infrastructure. It is also a legislated requirement in most countries for the operation of oil and gas pipelines and storage tanks. Cathodic protection, combined with proper selection and application of coatings, provides a reliable method of mitigating corrosion risk and extending asset service life.

Galvanization is the process of plating zinc onto a steel. The difference between cathodic protection and galvanization is that galvanization is applied to a structure at the factory and is not replaceable, and is only commonly available to certain materials. Cathodic protection is field-installed, and can be used on any buried or submerged metallic structure. When a cathodic protection anode is consumed, it is simply replaced, and the structure continues to have its corrosion mitigated.