Getting the Most Out of Your Corrosion Control Documents

Inspectioneering Journal, May/June 2019 Issue 

Corrosion Control Documents (CCDs) are dynamic and critical components of well-maintained mechanical integrity (MI) programs. It is very important to devote the time and resources necessary to properly develop these highly informative documents.

While API’s (American Petroleum Institute) RP 970: Corrosion Control Documents goes into depth on the creation of CCDs, realizing the full value of this effort requires both dedication—to ensure proper engagement & buy-in from normally isolated groups during the creation phase—and drive—it is critical for all these groups to feed information back, to assist in maintaining the CCD.

The process of galvanizing so many different groups during CCD creation, with an extensive knowledge of a unit’s history and operation, makes this document a fantastic repository of insights and experiences. It has the potential to become a critical tool for Mechanical Integrity (MI) decision making and for integrating institutional knowledge back into a unit’s operational safety culture. A well-assembled CCD is an effective aide in improving reliability and preventing potential pressure boundary failures, which in turn, reduces unanticipated downtime and its associated costs. As such, when it comes time for turnaround and inspection planning, a stakeholder’s first question should be: “Where is the CCD for this unit?”