Correlation of the Results Obtained With Corrosion Inhibitors in the Laboratory and in the Field★
Abstract One of the responsibilities of the oil field corrosion engineer is to correlate laboratory and field test data. With this in mind the principle factors which influence internal corrosion in oil wells (factors which the corrosion engineer must consider) are reviewed here. A laboratory corrosion test method is discussed. Corrosion rate data obtained in the laboratory with three West Texas crude oil and brine systems and the corrosion inhibition obtained in these systems with two organic inhibitors are analyzed and compared. Field corrosion test data for the same three fields are presented. The correlation of laboratory and field test data is discussed in relation to the many variables encountered. It is concluded that the evaluation of the use of inhibitors in some cases may be difficult and may require considerable experience and judgment on the part of the corrosion engineer.