Erosion-corrosion can be defined as accelerated corrosion due to relative motion between a metal

surface and an aggressive environment. For system where mechanical damage occurs at a fast rate,
the importance of corrosion is relatively diminished. Conversely, chemical reactions predominate
in situations where failure is less rapid. Erosion testing is frequently conducted in minutes or hours,
while corrosion exposures often take weeks or longer. While the idea of erosion-corrosion has
been generally recognized in the corrosion control community since the 1940s, important questions
still exist as to the chemical versus mechanical aspects of this phenomenon. Ellison and Wen
proposed the following classifications of the effects of velocity on corrosion:

Connective Mass Transfer Controlled Corrosion: a slightly soluble species near the metal surface
is rate controlling. Arrival or removal of the species from the metal surface determines the
corrosion rate.

Phase Transport Controlled Corrosion: in multi-phase liquid flow, the presence or absence of the
more corrosive liquid controls the corrosion rate.

Corrosion-Erosion: corrosion rates are determined by mechanical erosion of a protective corrosion

product film.

Erosion: mechanical damage occurs so fast that no chemical component of the material damage
rate can be measured.

API Recommended Practice 14E

Briefly stated, API AP 14E suggests the following formula for limiting erosion

VE = Cp-1/2

Where:

VE = the maximum allowable velocity in ft/sec

p = the density of the fluid in lb/ft3 at flowing temperature and pressure conditions, and
C = a constant recommended as 100 for continuous flow, 150 for intermittent flow, and an
unspecified lower number if entrained sand can be expected to increase the erosion rate.

The standard provides a formula for calculating the average density of a fluid and provides a chart
which shows limiting velocities for typical Gulf Coast conditions. It also cautions that a minimum
velocity of 10 ft/sec is recommended to prevent slugging.

The guidelines contained in RP 14E were adapted from petroleum refinery practice. Velocities
much above these defined by RP 14E are seldom encountered in refinery practice, because
pumping requirements become prohibitively expensive at high flow velocities. The recent
development of deep, hot gas wells, where no pumping is necessary to obtain high pressure and
fluid velocities, has caused a number of operator to question the advisability of following RP 14E
recommendations. Limiting fluid velocities to those recommended by RP 14E means reduced
production rate and could affect the economic viability of some wells. These considerations are
especially important offshore, where the capital costs of field development are higher and the
incentives for quick return of investment are higher.

Analysis of the API RP 14E erosion velocity recommendations reveal the following points:

1. API 14E is titled “Design and Installation of Offshore Production Piping Systems”. In other
words, it is intended for use above the wellhead where geometry constraints on pipe sizing
are minimal.
2. It refers to materials in API 5L. API 5L is titled “Line Pipe Specifications”
3. Downhole tubular goods are specified in API Specification 4A. These steels are generally
stronger and harder than the line pipe steels covered in API 5L
4. No mention is made of corrosion in RP 14E. Supposedly this specification covers erosion
(mechanical damage)

The erosion literature shows that the erosion resistance of metals depends on hardness. Thus a hard
material supposedly could withstand a higher erosion velocity than a soft material.

A review of erosion-corrosion literature and conversations with representative of operating

companies produced the following information.

1. Conoco has questioned the validity of API RP 14E and published the paper “Evaluation of
API RP 14E Erosional Velocity Limitations for Offshore Gas Wells”