The NACE International Institute has awarded a contract to DNV GL of Dublin, Ohio and APQC of Houston, Texas for data management of the forthcoming International Measures of Prevention, Application, and Economics of Corrosion Technologies study (IMPACT).

Under the contract DNV GL and APQC will manage the compilation, analysis and integration of research and data for the IMPACT study. Previous studies on corrosion costs have focused only on costs in the U.S. in a few industry sectors. The IMPACT study will provide a broader range of information by including global data, and by taking a corrosion management practice approach. In addition to analyzing the cost of corrosion, this study will compare global practices in an effort to identify best corrosion management practices globally.

“The combined expertise of DNV GL and APQC is well suited for this study,” said Helena Seelinger, executive director of the NACE International Institute. “This is the first time such a comprehensive study of corrosion costs has been done. The amount and scope of data we are collecting requires masterful analysis and I am certain we’ve selected the right firms to get the information our industry needs.”

Managed by former NACE International president and longtime corrosion industry advocate, Elaine Bowman, the IMPACT study will examine the direct and indirect costs of corrosion on several industry sectors worldwide. With the global cost of corrosion estimated at more than $2 trillion — $500 billion in the U.S. alone — the study will also identify opportunities, strategies and techniques to cut corrosion costs by as much as 30 percent.

“We recognize what an extraordinary opportunity this project presents,” said Neil Thomson, Vice President Pipeline Services, North America at DNV GL. “Contributing our expertise to something of such value and global importance to the corrosion industry is something we’re proud to do. The IMPACT study has the potential to be a game-changer for the way corrosion control is handled worldwide based on its focus on corrosion management practices.”

Global in scope, the study will focus primarily on information collected from Australia, Canada, Europe, India, Japan, Latin America, the Middle East, the U.K., and the U.S. There are also several industry advocates worldwide who have committed to providing support and data to the study or have committed to serving as technology contributors.

“The widespread support for this study is remarkable,” said Lisa Higgins, President and Chief Operating Officer at APQC. “The cooperation of so many groups is resulting in an unprecedented amount of information on this topic. We are pleased to be partnering with NACE International and DNV GL to analyze and synthesize this data and develop a study that will be of value to corrosion industry leaders and policymakers worldwide for years to come.”