As anyone who has lived near the ocean can attest, corrosive substances do not coexist well with metallic surfaces. Briny, salty water is one byproduct of oil and gas exploration and production, but that’s just the beginning.

Equipment and instrumentation used in oil and gas production encounter a veritable witches’ brew of corrosive chemicals, including chlorine, sulfur, sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and hydrogen sulfide, to name just a few.

Whether you’re drilling for oil or natural gas or operating a refinery, you need to invest in equipment that can withstand corrosion. That includes everything from the enormous tanks and machinery used in these processes to the gauges and instruments that monitor them.  In fact, corrosion is one of the chief reasons why gauges fail in a production environment.

Not taking such precautions means facilities must constantly replace broken gauges and instruments, diverting maintenance resources and increasing costs. In fact, more than 250 instrument audits conducted by WIKA has shown that having the right gauge in place for the application can decrease maintenance time by 25% and improve reliability by 20%.

Solutions to Consider

The best solution is to plan ahead, purchasing and installing only those gauges and instruments that are appropriate for your operating conditions.

WIKA, the world’s leader in the design and production of gauges, conducts instrument audits in refineries, chemical and petrochemical plants. Typically, 40% of gauges have failed or are about to fail, which prevents you from identifying issues before costly repairs or downtime happen. Consider the following when choosing a gauge for corrosive environments:

Contact WIKA for more information about the right gauges and instrumentation for your plant’s requirements.
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