Materials & Corrosion

Leadership in Materials Technologies

A key ingredient in both Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) and Fitness-For-Service (FFS) is an understanding of damage mechanisms, and the latest technology to address damage. The Equity Engineering Group pioneered the development of RBI and FFS, and maintains a full-time staff of materials experts who are dedicated to the Materials & Corrosion field.

Our materials engineers have hands-on working experience with owner-users and industry service companies. We know plant environments, and can offer practical advice and timely solutions you can trust. With a combined 200+ years of experience, there aren't many corrosion problems we haven't encountered. Our materials consultants can help you:

• Assess equipment damage, conduct failure analysis and develop repair programs
• Review and develop corrosion monitoring and/or management programs through our Materials Operating Envelope (MOE) approach
• Pinpoint damage mechanisms and potential areas of risk with our VCEDamage Mechanisms software
• Conduct materials, corrosion and inspection training courses for operations, maintenance, engineering and inspection personnel
• Develop specifications for heavy wall reactors, vessels and piping systems
• Select materials for grass roots, expansion, revamp and replacement projects
• Troubleshoot metallurgical and materials-related fabrication programs
• Develop proactive inspection programs
• Conduct reviews of inspection group performance
• Develop metallurgical/corrosion/materials safety and reliability programs

Equity engineers also play a key role in developing new technologies. We are active in API and NACE industry consensus group standards and recommended practice development. We were also the principal developers of the landmark API RP 571, Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry, and we teach the official API 571 course on damage mechanisms. Recently, Dave Osage led the team that completed the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, Division 2 re-write.

Our membership in the Materials Properties Council (MPC) gives us access to state-of-the-art technology for evaluating materials behavior for long service times at high temperatures, as well as materials behavior in hydrogen service. It also gives us access to the pre-eminent repository of materials properties information in the world.

We will continue to put significant effort and funding into uncovering future materials technologies that will benefit our clients.

A Full Range of Materials & Corrosion Experience

Our goal is to help our clients manage problems with corrosion, create safe operating environments and control risk. Our materials and metallurgical services include:

For Aging Equipment

• Corrosion Reviews - various levels
• Assistance in understanding effects of crude slate changes
• Materials Operating Envelopes (MOEs)
• High Temperature Remaining Life Assessments – e.g. creep testing and HTHA sample analysis through MPC
• HF acid unit process and damage reviews
• Environmental cracking reviews, including inspection advice for wet H2S cracking
• Failure Analysis (forensic and root cause)
• Turnaround scope reduction reviews
• Welding training, supervision, and oversight of field and shop repairs
• Inspection reviews and benchmarking evaluations for Mechanical Integrity compliance, and Best Practices for reliability (also software)
• Fire damage assessments
• Physical sample removal (Buckeye Sampler) and metallurgical and mechanical testing

For New Equipment

• Materials suitability reviews
• Materials selection and specifications
• Fabricator qualification and non-process quality-control
• Damage mechanism identification and inspection planning