Unlock up to 65% ROI with CorrosionRADAR's CUI Monitoring: Mitigate Risk and Boost Business Success

CorrosionRADAR’s CUI Monitoring technology can help your business achieve a return on investment (ROI) of up to 65% whilst reducing the risk associated with your CUI strategy.

Setting the CUI scene…

It is estimated that 60% of pipe failures are due to CUI (Power Therm 2021).[1] However, CorrosionRADAR’s market insight reveals that in some regions, CUI accounts for up to 90% of all-maintenance issues, whilst the estimated cost of the impact of Corrosion Under Insulation is $2.4 trillion per annum globally.

How does CUI occur?

Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) is a widespread issue that can result in substantial damage to equipment. This type of corrosion occurs when moisture becomes trapped between the insulation and the metal surface, leading to the gradual corrosion of the metal over time. The presence of certain chemicals or gases in the environment can also contribute to the development of CUI. However, the corrosion often goes undetected due to its location under the insulation, which makes it difficult to identify. To prevent any detrimental effects, it is imperative to assess the risk of CUI regularly and take appropriate measures to minimise its impact.

Currently, CUI is managed by manual & visual inspection - stripping the insulation and inspecting. However, as we are regularly told by our customers, 100% reliability needs a 100% insulation strip – this is not feasible or practical. At a large site, there can be up to 1500km of piping and up to 6000 asset. Inspecting these pipes and assets will be impossible using traditional methods. Therefore, a new approach is needed.

How CorrosionRADAR’s CUI Monitoring can help:

CorrosionRADAR’s CUI Monitoring system consists of moisture and corrosion sensors. These sensors are wrapped around the pipe or asset and connected to the electronics. By monitoring your pipe or asset with our sensors, a customer will have 24/7 coverage of any moisture ingress, the wetting cycles as well as the corrosivity rate on your monitored asset.

Return on Investment:

One of the key benefits of using CorrosionRADAR’s services is the potential for a high return on investment. Corrosion is a major problem for many industries, costing billions of dollars in damages and downtime each year. By detecting and predicting corrosion early, companies can take proactive steps to prevent or mitigate damage, which can significantly reduce their overall costs.

For example, consider a company that operates a large oil and gas facility with a network of pipelines and other metal structures. If corrosion is not detected and addressed promptly, it can lead to leaks and other hazards that can result in costly repairs and lost production. By using CorrosionRADAR’s services to monitor the corrosion rate of these structures, the company can identify areas of concern and take action to prevent or repair the damage. This can save the company significant sums of money in the long run, as well as protect the safety of its employees and the environment.

In addition to the cost savings, CorrosionRADAR’s services can also help companies improve their efficiency and productivity. Using advanced sensor technologies and artificial intelligence, we can provide real-time data on the corrosion rate of different structures and components, allowing companies to optimise their maintenance schedules and prioritise repairs as needed. This can help reduce downtime and increase overall productivity.

Sitech Services, a customer of CorrosionRADAR since 2019, recently discussed how they used CorrosionRADAR to optimise their inspection. Peter Janssen, Senior Mechanical Engineer Corrosion & Materials, commented due to CorrosionRADAR's solution being installed at their AnQore site, "We already determined that there is water in the insulation. Apparently, there is an aluminium cladding open somewhere. We can now draw up a targeted plan of action because thanks to the measurements we know 1 meter where the moisture is and where intervention is necessary. So we don't have to spend tons on erecting scaffolding, but can use 'rope access' to restore the location in a targeted way."

Through continuous monitoring for CUI, CorrosionRADAR’s CUI Monitoring technology is designed to provide a leading indicator as opposed to a lagging indicator (currently the industry norm). By providing a leading indicator, customers who have deployed CorrosionRADAR’s CUI Monitoring technology can optimise their inspection costs by knowing when and where to inspect, but equally as important, knowing where not to inspect. By optimising your inspection schedule, CorrosionRADAR can generate a significant return on investment for your organisation. At CorrosionRADAR, we understand that without a financial business case, new technology will always be a “nice to have” rather than a “must have”. Therefore, we have a dedicated team to support your business case and return on investment calculations.

5 Key Factors in the Business Case

Early Detection and Prevention of Corrosion:

Corrosion is a major problem for industrial assets, and it can be difficult to detect until it has caused significant damage. CorrosionRADAR's technology uses sensors to detect corrosion at an early stage, allowing maintenance teams to take action before significant damage occurs. By catching corrosion early, maintenance costs can be reduced, and the lifespan of assets can be extended.

Reduced Downtime:

When assets fail due to corrosion, downtime can be costly. CorrosionRADAR's technology can help to reduce downtime by providing real-time data on the condition of assets. This data can be used to schedule maintenance during planned downtime, rather than waiting for an unexpected failure that can cause significant downtime and cost.

Improved Safety:

Corrosion can compromise the safety of assets and the people who work with them. By monitoring the condition of assets, CorrosionRADAR's technology can help to prevent accidents and improve safety.

Lower Maintenance Costs:

By detecting corrosion early and scheduling maintenance during planned downtime, CorrosionRADAR's technology can help to reduce maintenance costs. Instead of waiting for significant damage to occur and then paying for expensive repairs, maintenance can be scheduled at a time that is more convenient and cost-effective.

Longer Asset Lifespan:

By detecting corrosion early and taking action to prevent further damage, CorrosionRADAR's technology can help to extend the lifespan of assets. This can reduce the need for costly replacements and provide a significant return on investment over the long term.

Conclusion:

Through continuous monitoring for CUI, CorrosionRADAR can provide a leading & proactive indicator of CUI whilst also giving an overview of the corrosivity rate. In our business case methodology, we include cost savings associated with reducing the CUI inspection scope such as a decrease in scaffolding costs, reducing loss of production through CUI causing an unplanned shutdown as well as reducing the overall risk of CUI.

About the Author:

Freddie Talbot is a Country Manager here at CorrosionRADAR. If you would like to learn more about our approach to generating business cases for customers, please email f.talbot@corrosionradar.com

[1] Power Therm. 2021. Power Therm. https://www.powertherm.co.uk/cui-corrosion-under-insulation-expertise/