Hidden Corrosion at Pipe Supports: The Cross-Industry Challenge
By Greg Drane, Commercial Director at Sutro Group
Pipe supports create perfect conditions for accelerated corrosion. Moisture accumulates at the hidden contact zone, airflow is restricted, and the precise location where structural integrity matters most becomes impossible to inspect without dismantling. The cruel irony—areas bearing greatest mechanical stress are exactly where corrosion strikes hardest and visibility is lowest.
Through years of delivering HOMC (Higher Order Mode Clusters) CUPS & TAPS inspection services across multiple industries, we’ve identified consistent patterns in how hidden corrosion manifests, regardless of sector.
Traditional methods can create the problems they’re trying to solve
Standard ultrasonic inspection requires lifting pipes from supports to access the hidden contact area. This creates a dangerous catch-22:
- If hidden corrosion has already weakened the support, lifting the pipe risks catastrophic failure
- The cost and disruption of dismantling drives facilities to defer inspection
- Hidden corrosion progresses unchecked until failure forces emergency response
Every sector faces this dilemma, though the specific consequences vary.
What this can look like across a range of sectors:
Oil & Gas:
Offshore platforms face marine atmosphere corrosion combined with limited access. Scaffolding costs and production deferment make traditional inspection prohibitively expensive. Onshore refineries handle corrosive process streams at elevated temperatures—hidden corrosion can remain undetected until hydrocarbon release occurs.
Common hotspots: Crude distillation units, amine systems, offshore topsides, hydrogen systems
Power Generation
Limited outage windows mean every day counts. Traditional scaffolding for pipe support inspection can consume six days of a 14-day maintenance window. CCGT facilities face thermal cycling stress, whilst biomass plants handle aggressive alkali deposits.
Common hotspots: HRSG supports, steam distribution, condensate returns, flue gas systems
Chemical Processing
Process streams containing acids, bases, and chlorides create rapid hidden corrosion. The diversity of conditions within single facilities means identical supports can perform very differently depending on service.
Common hotspots: Acid transfer lines, reactor outlets, chloride systems, brine services
Renewable Energy
Biomass and waste-to-energy facilities face more aggressive corrosion than many fossil fuel plants. Chloride-containing flue gases create highly corrosive condensates at supports. Relatively new facilities create false confidence—corrosion rates can be severe.
Common hotspots: Biomass boiler supports, flue gas systems, waste handling, biogas compression
Water & Utilities:
Pipe supports in service for 40+ years with limited documentation and tight budgets. Continuous operation requirements mean traditional inspection requiring shutdowns is impractical. Consequences of failure—service interruption to thousands of customers.
Common hotspots: Raw water intakes, pumping stations, chemical dosing, digester gas systems
Manufacturing
Just-in-time manufacturing means even short production interruptions have disproportionate impact. CIP systems in food and beverage expose supports to alternating caustic and acid. Distributed systems across large campuses receive limited inspection attention.
Common hotspots: CIP systems, steam distribution, compressed air, cooling water
One solution across all sectors
In partnership with Escon Dhvani, Sutro Group delivers HOMC inspection services that solve the hidden corrosion challenge across all sectors:
How HOMC works:
- Advanced ultrasonic guided waves inspect from accessible pipe sections
- Collection of modes unaffected by probe positioning
- Accurate wall loss quantification in hidden support zones
- No requirement to lift pipes from supports
Universal benefits regardless of sector:
- No operational disruption—inspection on live assets
- No scaffolding costs—rope access for elevated supports
- Quantified data—wall thickness measurements for evidence-based decisions
- Early detection—identify hidden corrosion before critical failure
Multi-discipline advantage:
- UAV thermal imaging identifies hidden corrosion hotspots
- HOMC provides accurate wall loss data
- Rope access enables elevated inspection
- Maintenance teams complete remedial works if required
- One provider, one mobilisation, complete solution
Common themes: what we’ve learned across industries
- Early detection prevents catastrophic failure
Hidden corrosion develops gradually but consequences are sudden. Planned maintenance beats emergency response every time. - Operational disruption is the hidden cost
Direct replacement cost of a corroded support may be modest, but production losses, emergency response, and business interruption far exceed material costs. - Quantified data supports better decisions
“Some corrosion present” doesn’t support engineering decisions. HOMC provides measured wall thickness that enables risk-based prioritisation. - Asset life extension requires accurate condition data
Whether extending offshore platform life, delaying power station replacement, or managing ageing water infrastructure—accurate hidden corrosion assessment is essential.
Cross-sector experience matters
Sutro Group’s breadth of experience across sectors provides advantages:
- Solutions developed for offshore platforms inform power generation work
- Lessons from chemical processing enhance water utilities approaches
- Cross-sector insights identify patterns single-industry providers miss
- 11+ years across oil & gas, power, renewables, water, chemical, and manufacturing
- UK, Europe, and Middle East experience—onshore and offshore
Technical credentials supporting all sectors:
- PCN Level 3 Ultrasonic Testing
- IRATA Level 3 Rope Access
- BINDT Membership
- ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 certified
- CAA Certified Drone Operations
Your sector, your Challenges, our solution
Hidden corrosion manifests differently across industries, but the solution is universal: accurate detection without dismantling, minimal disruption, and quantified data for confident decisions.
Whether you’re managing offshore platforms approaching end of field life, power stations balancing availability demands, chemical facilities with aggressive conditions, renewable energy plants with unexpected corrosion rates, water infrastructure serving essential services, or manufacturing facilities requiring continuous operation—HOMC CUPS & TAPS provides the solution.
Contact our technical specialists to discuss your sector-specific hidden corrosion challenges.
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