MATCOR provides cathodic protection for refinery in Casper, Wyoming

A soil-to-freshwater river sheet pile barrier wall is now protected

Keywords: cathodic protection, external corrosion, corrosion engineering, anodes, cathodic protection system, marine anodes, sheet pile wall

Doylestown, PA and Houston, TX - MATCOR, Inc., which designs and manufactures corrosion protection systems, was awarded a cathodic protection contract with Trihydro Corporation for a former refinery on the North Platte River in Casper, Wyoming. Since 1996, Trihydro Corporation has handled engineering and environmental consulting for the refinery, focusing on recovery of free phase hydrocarbons, removal of source materials and protection of the river. The most significant stabilization activity was the installation of a steel sheet-pile barrier wall along the south bank of the North Platte River in 1999. Due to the nature of the soil and the proximity to the river, the barrier wall was at risk for external corrosion, posing the threat of impacted soils and groundwater entering into the river. In early 2008, MATCOR was invited to do an initial cathodic protection (CP) inspection to determine the feasibility of a CP system for the barrier wall.

MATCOR’s SPL^TM-HDP were placed along the rip-rap covered sheet pile wall facing the North Platte River in Wyoming to help keep the wall intact and protect the river.

MATCOR’s SPL^TM-HDP-Anode

After a preliminary visual inspection and site meeting, MATCOR recommended the installation of its impressed current CP system to prevent the corrosion of the steel sheet piling. Due to the presence of bedrock from 10 to 40 feet below the surface, the amount of current required for CP, and the physical properties and limitations of the site, MATCOR’s SPL^TM-FBR and SPL^TM-HDP linear anodes on both the land and water side of the barrier were ideal for the project.

Along the land side of the sheet pile barrier wall, MATCOR laid SPL^TM-FBR cable about 10 feet from the 3400-foot long wall to protect the wall from soil-based chlorides.

MATCOR’s SPL^TM-FBR-Anode

MATCORs SPL^TM-Anodes now protect the 3,400-foot long barrier wall, which has a surface area of 87,000 square feet. MATCOR engineers created a CP system designed for a minimum of 30 years of operation that was installed in October, 2008. Since the North Platte River drops in August, installation could only take place in September and October while the water level was at its lowest. A MATCOR corrosion engineer supervised the installation of the CP system by Trihydro personnel, and commissioned the CP system in October.

MATCOR teams placed the SPL^TM-HDP Anodes in the North Platte River by boat. The anodes were weighted down with concrete blocks, and placed in the deepest part of the river to assure constant moisture surrounded the anodes, even in the river’s dry season.

MATCOR provides corrosion engineering services and cathodic protection solutions worldwide. MATCOR manufactures, installs, commissions and tests corrosion protection materials for power plants, steel in concrete structures, oil and gas production facilities, refineries, marine structures, pipelines and transit tunnels. Offices are in Texas (Houston) and Pennsylvania.