A recently released study sponsored by NACE International estimates the annual direct cost of corrosion in the USA to be USD 276 billion. The annual cost of corrosion consists of both direct costs and indirect costs. Corrosion affects homes (especially water heaters and furnaces), water and sewage, automotive, and oil industries sectors, and the airline and defence industries. Drinking water and sewage infrastructure is the most badly affected of all these sectors, but very little is being done to prevent corrosion in the water and sewage industry. The automotive industry illustrates that proper design and material selection can control and even prevent corrosion, thereby lowering the costs to the consumer. However, less progress is evident in the aircraft industry, primarily as a result of the ageing of the fleets. Both civilian and defence aircraft are not affected. Corrosion also continues to be a problem in the oil and gas industry. Corrosion costs range from added costs for new construction, to maintenance costs on ageing/corroding equipment, the costs of inspections and structural integrity evaluations, to the costs associated with corrosion-related failures and outages.
Gerry Koch, the corrosion project manager, feels that too many industries have a lopsided focus, viewing corrosion as a maintenance issue rather than a preventative one. Preventative measures can reduce costs significantly. Large amounts of money can be saved with proper planning and application of existing corrosion control technology.
