Monagas, Venezuela - In a recent inspection carried out by Tractopipe company on October 2024, the condition of the cathodic protection system of the crude oil storage tank, located Monagas state, was evaluated. The study concluded that, the system installed by more than three decades ago, is still operational and is expected to extend its useful life.
The tank, which was equipped with galvanic anodes of aluminum alloy to prevent internal or product-side corrosion, was subjected to a thorough inspection to determine the wear of the anodes and their protection capacity. Through precise calculations and protection current analysis distributed by the anodes, it was possible to confirm that, the system is still highly efficient, despite the passage of time.
A Long-Term Efficient System
Engineers Yorvy Vargas and Jorge Goldin, responsible for the study, reported that the tank has an oversized design in terms of the number of anodes, which has allowed a uniform distribution of the protection current in all vulnerable areas. The results indicated that the anodes, although showing some wear, can continue to protect the tank for more than half a century without the need for replacement.
“It's amazing to see how the system has stood the test of time,” Vargas said. “Thanks to the original design, which called for a larger number of anodes, the tank still has protection for many years to come.”
Results
- The review included the measurement of the anodes to verify the material consumption and its current condition.
- Calculations revealed that the anodes in use can continue to operate efficiently.
- The wear of each anode was photographically recorded to document its current condition.
Wear of Anodes: Detailed photography of condition of the anodes at bottom and ring of the tank.
With this assessment, Tractopipe guarantees the operational continuity of the tank, ensuring protection against corrosion and extending the useful life of the infrastructure, which represents significant savings in maintenance and replacement costs.
