ICorr London Updates February 2026

Institute News, London Branch

For the second branch technical meeting of 2026, Nick Bander of GPT Industries presented “Critical Service Isolation: Why Yesterday’s Designs Fail Today” on 12th February 2026.

Nick Bander is the director of engineering and product management at GPT Industries https://www.gptindustries.com/ with over 15 years of experience in mechanical engineering, corrosion mitigation, and pipeline integrity. Nick has supported domestic and international energy projects across more than a dozen countries and has played a key role in the development and launch of multiple isolation and sealing technologies. A named inventor on several patents, he focuses on translating engineering rigour into practical, field-proven corrosion control solutions.

Nick began by explaining how pipeline operating conditions are becoming increasingly more severe, with higher pressures and temperatures, more sour and conductive media, stricter safety requirements, and reduced tolerance for downtime. These changes are placing new demands on electrical isolation systems used for corrosion mitigation on critical service pipelines. The designs that were once adequate are now being pushed beyond their intended limits.

The presentation then examined why isolation design and specification are more important than ever, and Nick reviewed the evolution of isolation technologies and highlighted common failure mechanisms observed in laboratory and field conditions, including GRE permeation, chemical incompatibility, hydrolysis, loss of bolt load, fire exposure, and conductive media bridging. The key design factors such as material selection, gasket geometry, and inside-diameter sealing strategies were discussed in detail

In conclusion, the lessons learned were highlighted to help improve the reliability, safety, and long-term performance of pipeline isolation systems operating in today’s demanding environments, and Nick gave some practical design guidance.

This was an interesting talk which generated a lively discussion, and as is usual, Nick was presented with an ICorr pen as thanks for his presentation by Ashokan Gopal, the branch vice chair.

For more information about London branch events, please see the ICorr website: https://www.icorr.org/ and https://www.icorr.org/events/ For London Branch updates and enquiries contact: londonchaire@icorr.org

London Branch AGM

The branch held its AGM on 12th March, when the current chair, Paul Brooks, gave an overview of the branch’s activities for the last year. The accounts were presented by the treasurer, Jim Glynn, which showed the branch had a very successful year and that more than £6k (£1k more than the allocation) was returned to Head Office. These were proposed and agreed.

Paul stood down as chair, and Ashokan Gobal was proposed as chair, together with the existing committee, which was accepted by the meeting. The committee is now:

Chair: Ashokan Gopal
Vice Chair: Berenyka Syrek-Gesterkornf
Treasure: Jim Glynn
Secretary: Anthony Setiadi
Committee members: Brian Goldie, Ennery Leon, Chiara Sorrentino, Alejandra Fernandez-Vinas and Paul Brooks

There was a discussion about members attending the technical talks and whether to go to a hybrid event or do more events rather than talks. The committee agreed to look into these suggestions at their next meeting.

The AGM was followed by a talk from the ICorr president. Yunnan
described the current set-up and operation of the institute and its
various operations, including the national and international growth,
developments across the Photo: Dr Yunnan Gao. events programme, and the institute’s newly awarded licence status with the Engineering Council – an important milestone in strengthening ICorr’s professional framework. He then outlined the upcoming events in which the institute was playing a major part, for example, the 2nd China-UK Corrosion Summit in Beijing, China, hosted by the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB). For more information about London branch events, please see the ICorr website or contact the branch at, londonchaire@icorr.org

 

 

ICorr India Updates

ICorr India Updates

Institute News

The ICorr India Branch has continued its programme of technical activities and knowledge sharing during the early part of 2026. The branch remains committed to promoting professional engagement, technical learning, and collaboration within the corrosion community.

On Tuesday, 20th January 2026, the branch organised an online webinar titled “Advances in the Technology of Corrosion Inhibitors.” The presentation was delivered by Dr Shweta Goyal, Professor and Head of the Civil Engineering Department at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, and Vice-Chair of the ICorr India Branch. The talk provided a detailed overview of the development of corrosion inhibitor technology for reinforced concrete.

Dr Goyal discussed the evolution of inhibitors from traditional inorganic compounds, such as nitrites, to modern organic
and environmentally friendly alternatives. Organic inhibitors containing amine,aldehyde and carboxylic functional groups were highlighted for their ability to form protective films on steel reinforcement and reduce corrosion during both the initiation and propagation stages. She also emphasised the importance of two-stage testing, beginning with pore solution studies followed by testing within concrete systems to confirm effectiveness and compatibility. Advanced techniques such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarisation (PDP), FTIR and XPS were presented as valuable tools for understanding inhibitor mechanisms.

The talk also highlighted recent developments in sustainable corrosion protection. Amino acid–based inhibitors were discussed as promising eco-friendly solutions capable of mitigating corrosion in chloride and carbonation environments. In addition, smart corrosion inhibitors and microencapsulation technologies were presented as emerging approaches that allow inhibitors to be released only when corrosion or cracking occurs. The Bidirectional Electromigration (BIEM) technique was also introduced as a hybrid method combining chloride extraction with inhibitor injection for improved durability of reinforced concrete structures.

On Tuesday 17th February 2026, the branch hosted another technical presentation titled “Beyond Monitoring: Leveraging AI and Digital Twins for Predictive Corrosion Resilience,” delivered by Dr G. H. Thanki https://shethgroupofindustries.com/dr-g-h-thanki/

The presentation explored how artificial intelligence and digital twin technologies are transforming corrosion management by moving from reactive maintenance to predictive and data-driven strategies.

Dr Thanki explained how the integration of IoT sensors, physics-based models and advanced analytics can create digital twins that simulate asset behaviour and predict corrosion risks. These technologies allow asset owners to anticipate degradation and take preventive action before failures occur. 

He noted that corrosion costs the global economy an estimated USD 2.5 trillion annually, while also contributing significantly to environmental impacts due to the need to replace damaged infrastructure and materials.

The presentation highlighted the benefits of digital twin–based corrosion management, including potential reductions of 30–40% in maintenance costs, 25% extension of asset life, and significantly faster inspection processes.

Dr Thanki also discussed future developments such as multimodal AI combining sensor, imaging and documentation data, intelligent coatings with embedded inhibitors, and advanced simulations for designing corrosion-resistant materials.

Stay Connected

To stay informed about ICorr India Branch activities and technical programmes, follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/institute-of-corrosion-india-branch-india-branch-ab3003379/ For branch-related queries, please contact: INDIAchair@icorr.org

ICorr Central Scotland Branch Updates

ICorr Central Scotland Branch Updates

Institute News

ICorr Central Scotland Branch continued its 2025 / 2026 Technical Events Programme in January and February 2026, with presentations from Dr Reza Javaherdashti of the Netherlands and Dr Prafull Sharma of CorrosionRADAR UK, in two hybrid events which were held on 28th January and 25th February 2026, respectively.

January Event

Speaking on the topic “Infrastructure Weakening by Microbial Attack (MIC/MID): Feasibility of post-mortem Analyses, Artificial Intelligence and TRIZ” in January, Dr Reza elucidated the complexity of microbial attack and highlighted the differences between Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) and Microbiologically Influenced Deterioration (MID). He explained why MIC occurs rapidly on metallic materials and discussed the timescale of microbial proliferation. Case studies of catastrophic failures were presented to illustrate the insidious nature of microbial attack.

February

Event In February, Dr Prafull Sharma delivered a presentation on the topic “Enhancing Integrity Management through Predictive Analytics – Case Studies on Corrosion under Insulation”. This hybrid event was very well attended, with attendees joining online from North America, Asia and Australia, while in-person attendees networked and followed the presentation at the venue at INEOS Grangemouth. Dr Sharma explained the principles of the CUI monitoring technology, delving into the physics of moisture detection and how corrosion rates are determined from what he dubbed “the world’s longest corrosion coupon (up to 100m for a single sensor)”. He also demonstrated how the technology has been successfully utilised to identify water ingress concerns following insulation application, as well as identifying locations with corrosion under insulation challenges during operations and enabling proactive planning to manage CUI related risks.

Other Central Scotland Branch News

The branch also recently welcomed a new financial secretary, Dr Reza Emad. Reza has been an active member of the branch and brings experience in financial management to the team.

The branch now has five regular event sponsors, boosting its ability to sustain technical events. New sponsors will be appreciated and are welcome.

Following the success of the 2025 technical exhibition (refer to: CMJ issue 186, July/August 2025), a 2nd exhibition is being planned for later in 2026.

The event’s details will be published in the Corrosion Management Journal, and a call for exhibitors will be issued in Q2, 2026.

Future Events

Speakers for future events are welcome – please contact the branch with your abstract and presentation topic via cschair@icorr.org

ICorr Aberdeen Updates

ICorr Aberdeen Updates

Aberdeen Branch, Institute News

On Tuesday, 27th January 2026, the Aberdeen Branch held an in-person event at the Palm Court Hotel, with a presentation by Mike Westwood, technical sales engineer at Sand Monitoring Services (SMS).

This successful annual joint event with the Energy Institute (EI) focused on ‘Integrated Non-Intrusive Instrumentation for Real-Time Erosion/Corrosion Monitoring and Management.’This occasion marked Stephanie Okoye’s first event as chair of the ICorr Aberdeen Branch, and despite the ‘less-than-kind’ weather, we were pleased to see a strong and committed turnout. There were 40 registrants and 27 attendees on the night.

About the New ICorr

Chair Stephanie, the newly appointed ICorr Aberdeen Branch chair, is a Chartered Senior Corrosion Engineer with almost 20 years of extensive experience in the oil and gas industry. Her professional expertise encompasses corrosion and integrity management of North Sea oil and gas assets, as well as gas and chemical processing facilities, where she has consistently supported safe, reliable, and efficient operations.

She holds professional certification as a Senior Corrosion Technologist with AMPP (formerly NACE International) and has recently been elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Corrosion (FICorr), reflecting her significant contribution to the corrosion engineering profession and industry leadership.In addition to her technical expertise, Stephanie is a qualified project management professional with a strong track record of successfully leading multidisciplinary teams and delivering complex projects from concept through execution. Her leadership experience, technical depth, and commitment to professional excellence position her well to advance the objectives of the ICorr Aberdeen branch and support the continued development of its members and industry engagement initiatives.

Introduction form the Energy Institute

Dan Byrne from EI enthusiastically spoke about the new structure
and work of the Highlands and Islands Branch and their forthcoming programmes. He also stressed the need for institutes to work together to share their knowledge during a difficult period for the UK oil and gas sector. Further details of their activities may be found at:
https://www.energyinst.org/ei-near-me/uk/aberdeen

About the Presenter

Mike Westwood is Technical Sales Engineer at Sand Monitoring Services, with over 29 years’ experience in the upstream Oil & Gas industry, Mike’s current role at SMS includes specialising in real-time non-intrusive erosion / corrosion monitoring instrumentation solutions for asset integrity in challenging environments. With extensive experience supporting operators in corrosion management and erosion monitoring, he advocated for advanced, real-time data systems that enhance decision-making and reduce unplanned downtime. Mike’s insights on digital corrosion monitoring underscore his company’s transformational role in safety, efficiency, and lifecycle extension of critical infrastructure over the past four decades.

Synopsis

Across the upstream oil and gas sector, non-intrusive Acoustic Sand Monitoring (ASM) and Real Time Ultrasonic (RT-UT) wall-thickness instrumentation are enabling a step-change in how operators manage corrosion, erosion and overall asset integrity. ASM utilises clamp-on acoustic sensors to quantify sand impact on the pipe wall, defining maximum sand-free or acceptable sand rates so production can be safely optimised while limiting erosion damage at chokes, flowlines and topside equipment. Complementing this, RT-UT provides continuous wall-thickness data at critical locations, delivering early detection of metal loss driven by erosive solids and corrosive service conditions.

Deployed together, ASM and RT-UT provide permanent monitoring of both the “cause” (solids production) and the “effect” (resulting wall loss), enabling direct correlation between sand events and measured erosion rates, refinement of predictive models and more robust risk ranking of vulnerable systems. Integrated into a wider sand and erosion management strategy and connected to control systems, these technologies support alarm-driven and automated responses, allowing operators to control sand rates before damage occurs, adopt condition-based intervention planning, defer replacements and minimise loss-of-containment incidents. Their fully non-intrusive, retrofit-friendly design allows installation without process interruption, making them particularly attractive for brownfield assets at risk due to age-related degradation or facing increased solids production due to diminished downhole sand control. This was a fascinating presentation generating many questions from the joint ICorr/EI audience. Mike highlighted in-service risks and preferred automated solutions to avoid loss of containment and loss of production.

Future Events

Please contact: icorrabz@gmail.com if you wish to join the Aberdeen branch mailing list or contact: ABZchair@icorr.org
if you wish to join its committee or to make a technical presentation. All Aberdeen presentations are uploaded at:
https://www.icorr.org/aberdeen/ See local technical programme.

Correx Updates

Correx Updates

Institute News, Latest News

It is with sadness and pride that I announce my resignation as CORREX managing director, a role I have held for the last 5 years plus. This is due to the role changing and evolving and taking much more time than it originally did. What with that and being the senior trainer for CORREX, added to that of my normal role as Paintel Technical Director, it has all become too much.

There is good news, however. A new managing director has been chosen and is already in the post, and many of you will know him. He is Mr. Paul Brooks, a fellow member of ICorr and current chair of the London Branch.

Paul comes with huge experience and is a specialist in cathodic protection. Paul and I have been working together these last few weeks to assist in the transition, and he is already proving to be a successful MD. I will continue to support Paul as needed in the new role.

Plus, you don’t get rid of me that easily. I will remain the senior trainer for CORREX, so you still have access to me and my knowledge of all things paint and other related topics, even developing new courses as you read this.

Paul and I have already developed a strong working bond, and I look forward to working with him and all of you going into the future.

I would also like to add that we finally have a fully working new card system database directly linked to CSCS. This will keep us compliant for years to come, so our affiliation with CSCS is stronger than ever. 

 

 

ICorr Welcomes New Sustaining Member: OneGarnet

ICorr Welcomes New Sustaining Member: OneGarnet

Institute News, Latest News

ICorr is pleased to announce that OneGarnet has joined the Institute as a new Sustaining Member.

With more than 17 years of specialised experience in garnet mining and processing, the OneGarnet Group has established itself as a global leader in the industry, particularly in garnet resource reserves, processing plant capacity, and automation levels. Its mineral processing technology has received national-level awards and has also been selected for China’s 2025 National Science & Technology Major Project – a top-tier national initiative focused on the mineral processing of complex resources. This achievement highlights the recognised technological expertise and innovation within the company.

Supported by high-grade raw ore resources, internationally advanced beneficiation processes, fully automated intelligent production lines, and a rigorous full-cycle quality control system, the OneGarnet product range is widely regarded as industry-leading.

The company has also been very active recently, including the establishment of OneGarnet’s subsidiary in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, alongside progressing supplier certification approvals with major oil companies, including Saudi Aramco, ADNOC,
and QatarEnergy.

OneGarnet is committed to providing high-grade garnet abrasives and delivering safer, more efficient, and environmentally responsible surface preparation solutions for corrosion protection projects worldwide.

The company also intends to actively support and promote ICorr activities while contributing to the Institute’s continued development and growth. On Tuesday 28th April 2026, Mr Nan Yang and Ms Lily You of OneGarnet will present to the ICorr Aberdeen Branch, including a practical demonstration of their blasting products.