30, March 2026

Corrosion-Driven Reliabiliy Degradation in Utility and Process Pumps: A weibull, FMEA and Laboratory-Validated Assessment at Nigerian LNG Bonny

VOLUME-12; ISSUE-3; MAR-2026

Author(s): Nnorom Obinichi, Ifeanyi Uchegbulam

Authors Affiliations:

1Senior Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria.

2Production Technology, School of Science Laboratory Technology, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria.

DOIs:10.2015/IJIRMF/202603035     |     Paper ID: IJIRMF202603035


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 Abstract: Pump failures in liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities represent one of the most operationally and financially challenges in the oil and gas sector, yet the specific role of corrosion as the primary failure driver remains incompletely characterized in facility-level studies. This study investigates the effect of corrosion on the reliability of utility, process, and backup pumps at the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) facility in Bonny, an environment where marine exposure, saline humidity, and aggressive process fluids converge to create exceptional material degradation conditions. A combined methodology was employed, integrating systematic field inspections, weight-loss laboratory corrosion testing in 3.5% NaCl solution and advanced reliability modelling using Weibull probability distribution and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). Laboratory corrosion rate experiments established that duplex steel process pump components exhibit the highest degradation rate (0.292 mm/year), followed by stainless steel utility pump materials (0.196 mm/year) and carbon steel backup pump coupons (0.139 mm/year). Failure rate analysis from five years of operational records (2018–2023) revealed that process pumps carry the highest failure rate (λ = 0.000238 failures/hour, MTBF = 4,200 hours), driven predominantly by impeller pitting and cracking. Weibull modelling confirmed accelerated wear-out behavior in process pumps (β = 2.8, η = 3,822 hours), while backup pumps exhibited relatively distributed, random failure patterns (β = 1.8). FMEA-derived Risk Priority Numbers further validated process pump impeller pitting as the most critical failure mode (RPN = 432), with utility pump casing thinning rated moderately critical (RPN = 336). These findings provide a quantitative framework for prioritizing corrosion mitigation investments, optimizing predictive maintenance schedules, and extending pump service life at NLNG Bonny and comparable LNG facilities globally.

Keywords: Corrosion; LNG; Weibull; FMEA; Modelling, MTBF; Pumps.

Nnorom Obinichi, Ifeanyi Uchegbulam (2025); Corrosion-Driven Reliability Degradation in Utility and Process Pumps: A Weibull, FMEA, and Laboratory-Validated Assessment at Nigerian LNG Bonny, International Journal for Innovative Research in Multidisciplinary Field, ISSN(O): 2455-0620, Vol-12, Issue-3, Available on –   https://www.ijirmf.com/

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