Strengthening the Sustainability of Concrete Oil and Gas Structures by Using MCI®

Strengthening the sustainability of concrete oil and gas structures is vital as the world is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels.

People are more likely to continue being dependent on fossil fuels despite governments and some private companies’ efforts to encourage people to go green.

Cortec are known the world over for their VpCI Vapour Phase Corrosion Inhibitor products. However Cortec MCI® (Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors) is the lesser well known brother, and of the most remarkable solutions for strengthening critical concrete infrastructures . Cortec MCI® strengthens oil and gas structures and extends the infrastructure’s service life.


Which Concrete Oil and Gas Structures are Mostly Affected by Corrosion?
Some concrete infrastructures corrode faster than others due to their location and, more importantly, their environmental conditions. Concrete oil and gas structures in harsh coastal regions will corrode faster than terminals in different ecological conditions, for example, in a desert.

Corrosive agents such as seawater with concentrated chloride content, soil minerals, excessive coastal heat, airborne chlorides, and microbiological activity weaken these structures.

These corrosive agents affect the strength and, by extension, the lifespan of these oil and gas structures. Eventually, renovating and strengthening these critical infrastructures might consume time, energy, and money.

One of the most efficient ways of repairing and maintaining these concrete structures is using Cortec MCI®.

How MCI® Enhances the Sustainability of Concrete Oil and Gas Structures
Indeed, the production of cement and structural metals used to build concrete oil and gas infrastructure requires a lot of energy. In addition, regular repairs and maintenance also require a lot of money and power and consume a lot of time.

Both fixed and floating oil and gas infrastructures use using cement and rebars – reinforcing metals. They make the structure more robust and durable. Corrosion is one of the main issues that affect buildings and structures during construction and into it’s lifespan.

Corroded concrete tends to have big cracks which eventually spall, leaving the embedded metal naked, thus weakening the entire structure. That’s where Cortec MCI® comes into the picture – it enhances the sustainability of concrete structures by mitigating corrosion.

How to Correctly Use Cortec MCI®
First things first – before using any Cortec MCI® products, it would be best to know how different products interact with concrete.

Use Cortec MCI® as a concrete admixture when constructing new structures in harsh coastal environments. Cortec MCI® is usable in precast concrete and new cast-in-place oil and gas structures.

The best Cortec MCI® to use in a concrete admixture are the MCI®-2005 NS and the MCI®-2005. These two Cortec MCI® products strengthen concrete structures by forming a protective layer on the structures’ reinforcing metal.

They, therefore, significantly reduce the rate of corrosion and consequently enhance the sustainability of these essential and expensive structures.

The best part of using MCI® is that it can still be applied in existing oil and gas concrete structures. CorrVerter® MCI® Rust Primer is used mainly during concrete repairs to prepare rusted reinforcement metals (rebars).

During regular maintenance, concrete oil and gas structures can be repaired using MCI®-2019 which is primarily a surface-applied corrosion inhibitor (SACI). The MCI®-2019 contains both MCI® and water repellent that helps prevent corrosion when concrete is in contact with seawater with a high chloride concentration.

In addition, MCI®-2020 is also good in periodic maintenance.

Surface applied corrosion inhibitors enhance the sustainability of existing concrete oil and gas structures by moving (migrating) through the concrete’s pores. They then reach the concrete reinforcing rebars and form a protective layer that significantly reduces corrosion rates.

It would, however, be best to get rid of microbiological activity that prevents the penetration of SACI into the concrete’s pores first. The best Cortec MCI® to use is the MCI®-2061.

It is biodegradable and removes oil stains and other preventive elements such as microorganisms.

Making Sense of it All
The world is still heavily dependent on oil and gas. Therefore, taking care of concrete oil and gas structures is essential. One of the most remarkable ways of strengthening concrete oil and gas infrastructure sustainability is using Cortec MCI®.

There are different types of Cortec MCI® products:

• MCI®-2005 NS and the MCI®-2005 – used on both new cast-in-place and precast structures.
• CorrVerter® MCI® Rust Primer – used during concrete repairs to prepare rusted rebars.
• MCI®-2019 and MCI®-2020 – primarily a surface applied corrosion inhibitor (SACI). MCI®-2019 contains MCI® and water repellant, while MCI®-2020 contains MCI® only.
• MCI®-2061 – 100% biodegradable and removes oil stains and other preventive elements such as microorganisms.

Still not sure on which MCI® to use? Reach out to Cortec MCI® to help you decide the best MCI® to use on concrete oil and gas structures.