An Experimental Study on the Effect of Stray Currents Generated by Roads and Railways on the Corrosion of Oil Pipelines Using the Loss Weight Method and Remote Sensing Techniques

Abstract

Corrosion of oil pipelines is among the most critical phenomena that threaten the integrity of petroleum transport systems and directly affect the infrastructure, often resulting in severe economic losses. Given the location of oil pipelines beneath or near roadways and railways, the stray currents generated by the movement of vehicles and trains can significantly accelerate corrosion processes.

This study presents an experimental investigation of the influence of stray currents produced by roads and railways on the corrosion of oil pipelines. Samples were taken from oil transport pipeline connecting the Banias and Tartous oil estuaries, installed near roads and railway lines. The corrosion rate was calculated using the weight-loss method, due to the importance of geomatics and remote sensing techniques in the field, a digital spatial corrosion risk map was produced according to pipeline proximity to roads and railways. Results showed that samples buried near roads and railways corroded three times faster than those buried farther away. The generated digital map enables decision makers to identify critical pipeline sections, monitor them periodically, and taking preventive measures to avoid leakage incidents.