Local Branch News – Aberdeen Branch

Local Branch News – Aberdeen Branch

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Presidents Visit to ICorr Aberdeen

Presidents Visit to ICorr Aberdeen

The 3rd Technical Meeting of the 2019/2020 Aberdeen Branch Session, was held on 29 October. This was a double header event with Dr Gareth Hinds, the current ICorr President speaking about “Growing the Institute Membership, and the ICorr Awards”, and later on, Matt...
The President Writes ….

The President Writes ….

Welcome to the latest edition of Corrosion Management. I have had a lot of positive feedback on the magazine from members recently, particularly regarding the quality of the technical articles, so congratulations to our Editor Brian Goldie on the improvements he has been making. He assures me there is more to come!

This is an exciting time for the Institute, with the recent move to the new Corrosion House at 5 St Peters Gardens in Northampton. Our dedicated office team of Denise, Gwynneth and Sue are now safely installed in the building and the final touches are being made to the furnishings under the watchful eye of Trevor Osborne. On the evening of Thursday 6th June we held a Grand Opening event to celebrate the move to our new home, and all members were warmly invited to attend.

I’m also delighted to announce that Bill Hedges has agreed to take up the vacant position of Vice President of the Institute, subject to a formal vote at the next Council meeting. Bill has been prominent in London Branch activities for many years now, most notably in the development of the Young Engineers Programme, and he brings a wealth of experience and insight from his role as Chief Engineer – Materials at BP. I’m excited about the contribution he can make, and the higher profile he will be able to bring to the Institute during his Presidency.

We have a number of important initiatives coming to the boil at the moment, including a new agreement for provision of ICorr training courses worldwide, a complete overhaul of the Institute brand, a position paper on recruitment and retention of student members, and a proposal for a discounted subscription scheme for retired members. You will be hearing more details about these over the coming months.

In other news, I would like to congratulate one of our members, Liane Smith, who has recently been elected an Honorary Fellow of the European Federation of Corrosion (EFC). This is a significant honour and recognises her impressive contribution to the establishment and continued success of EFC Working Party 13 – Corrosion in Oil & Gas Production. Liane will receive her award at the next EuroCorr conference, which will be held in Seville in September.

Finally, I was privileged to be invited to present the President’s talk at the London branch meeting at Imperial College in March. I chose to discuss the future of the Institute and how we might formulate a longer term strategy to adapt to external drivers, such as the transition to low carbon energy, the digital revolution, the growing generational gap and the UK Industrial Strategy. I was very encouraged by the level of audience engagement throughout the discussion and picked up a lot of great ideas from the members who were there. I plan to repeat the process at the other five branches over the rest of the year and would encourage you all to attend your local branch if you can. Your input is very important to the future of the Institute!

ICorr President, Gareth Hinds.

The President Writes

The President Writes

Even though the weather seems to want to slow us down in the UK, the Institute continues to move forward at a pace.  The last council meeting which was held at the end of February in Northampton, was very lively indeed, and shows the passion that is held by council members for the Institute.  Further development plans are in motion and I hope that members are starting to see increased activity.    New dates are planned for the “Fundamentals of Corrosion” course in locations around the UK.  Branch activity is very encouraging, the informative and dynamic report from Aberdeen was a highlight!

Our search for a new home for the Institute is ongoing, and we are investigating a potential site as I write this.

The route to Chartered Status is moving along and if anyone would like more details on how to get involved with this, as either a mentor or candidate, please contact David Mobbs.  The new season of the Young Engineers Programme is in full swing, with our great thanks to CB&I in Paddington for offering a venue for this excellent initiative, and also thanks to the sub-committee of George Winning, Trevor Osborne and David Mobbs, for putting in the effort to run this.

In May, the CEOCOR Congress will be coming to the UK, Brian Wyatt is the current President and together with an ICorr committee headed by Steve Barke, have organised what looks to be a fantastic event, and when I last checked looked like we will be soon reaching capacity.  This is an event well worth attending if you are involved in the pipeline protection field.  I will have the pleasure of being there and I hope to see ICorr being strongly represented.

As a final reminder to all, if you would like to progress your professional standing with the Institute, then we would welcome any applications, and if you have any questions on this process please contact the Northampton office.

Sarah Vasey, ICorr President

YEP 2024-2025 Lecture 5: Case Studies

YEP 2024-2025 Lecture 5: Case Studies

By Izabela Gajewska AMEI MICorr, ICorr NW Branch Vice Chair and YICorr Committee Member

Unveiling the YEP 2024 Case Study 

The long-awaited reveal of the Young Engineer Programme (YEP) 2024-2025 case study took place on 30th May, during the fifth session of the programme at the Wood Thilsted office in London. The meeting’s content remained as topical as ever, with Dr. Roger Francis, Director at RF Materials, presenting an intriguing and challenging case study to the six participating groups. This presentation provided plenty of food for thought ahead of their final presentations in November 2024.

Dr. Francis, the esteemed recipient of the 2023 Paul McIntyre Award from the Institute of Corrosion (ICorr) for his long-term work in standards and education, has been a corrosion engineer for over 45 years. His extensive experience spans marine corrosion, desalination, sour oil and gas corrosion, mineral processing, and the chemical and process industries.

A Glimpse into the 2024 Case Study

The 2024 YEP case study is based around a series of failures at a power station in Australia, which experienced multiple stainless-steel dump condenser head failures. The young engineers, whose specialties include mechanical, structural, corrosion and materials engineering, welding, and more, were put to the test as they delved into these failures. The fossil-fuelled power station in question operated on a two-shifting schedule, necessitating shutdowns every 16 hours. This standard practice involved quenching high-pressure superheated steam with high-purity water in a series of dump condensers, so the water could be reused as boiler feed water upon restart.

Rising to the Challenge

The YEP 2024-2025 committee members and organisers, Izabela Gajewska and Danny Burkle, were genuinely impressed with the participants and their early approach when divided into their teams. “It is clear that we are going to have an exciting and competitive year, with some great insights and presentations later in November!” said Danny. The initial discussions showcased the engineers’ analytical skills and collaborative spirit, promising a series of insightful findings and innovative solutions.

Enhancing Presentation Skills

In the second part of the meeting, Danny provided valuable tips to improve presentation skills and create effective presentations. This guidance is set to be instrumental as the young engineers prepare to present their findings at the YEP finale in November.

YEP 2024-2025 Lecture 6: Coatings and Linings

The sixth session of the Young Engineer Programme (YEP) 
2024-2025, held online via Zoom on 27th May, featured a 
highly engaging and insightful lecture on coatings and linings by David Mobbs, Technical Director at Corrosion Integrity Management Ltd.

David, an esteemed practitioner in the field of Corrosion and Protective Coatings, brings nearly 45 years of industry experience, having worked on corrosion and coating failures 
worldwide. His vast experience has given him a unique perspective on the best and worst practices within the 
Corrosion Control industry.

One of David’s key observations is the shift in workforce dynamics: there are fewer dedicated Corrosion Specialists in engineering roles, an increase in multi-skilled operatives on-site, and a reduction in technical supervision staff among paint manufacturers. David firmly believes that “the training we offer needs to be even better, and specifications need to be extremely robust to narrow down poor workmanship.”

David’s commitment to advancing industry standards is evident through his significant involvement in developing new training programmes for the Institute of Corrosion. As one of the founding members of the Young Engineer Programme, his dedication to nurturing the next generation of engineers is unwavering.

During the two-hour lecture, David provided a comprehensive overview of coatings and linings, highlighting common applications and the intricacies of coating system selection based on the new update of ISO 12944, the industry standard for corrosion protection of steel structures by protective paint systems, originally released in 1998. He covered essential topics such as the qualification of systems, surface preparation, application processes, and adherence to specifications, also delving into potential pitfalls in coating application. His expertise and engaging delivery made the session both informative and memorable, sparking a flurry of questions from the enthusiastic YEP participants. David’s lecture reinforced the importance of rigorous training and robust specifications in achieving excellence in corrosion control.

Looking Forward

As the YEP 2024-2025 progresses, the young engineers will continue to investigate and address the complexities of the case study supported by their mentors, applying their diverse expertise to develop robust solutions. Their journey epitomises the spirit of innovation and collaboration that the Young Engineer Programme aims to foster, ensuring the next generation of engineers is well-equipped to tackle future challenges in the field of Corrosion and Materials Engineering 
as well as in Energy Sector.

Stay tuned for updates as these talented young professionals bring their unique perspectives to the forefront, culminating in what promises to be an engaging and competitive finale on 21st November 2024.

Upcoming Event

We are excited to announce that the next session will be held on the 22nd August and will feature the presentation by Andy Czainski, Global Category Manager – Hydrocarbon Fire at Jotun (an ICorr Corporate sponsor), on Corrosion Under Insulation and Fire Protection.

Join the Young ICorr Committee

Young ICorr is currently looking for new committee members and a new chairperson for the 2024-205 session. This is a fantastic opportunity for early career engineers, scientists, and researchers in the field of corrosion to get involved, gain experience, and make valuable connections. If you are interested and need more information, please do not hesitate to contact Izabela or Danny from the Young ICorr Committee at icorryep@gmail.com

Dr. Danny Burkle Delivering His Lecture to Improve Presentation Skills and

Create Effective Presentations.

David Mobbs of Corrosion Integrity Management Ltd.

A Few Slides from David Mobbs Presentation.