Last call: Join HSE’s shared research project on corrosion under insulation

Corrosion under insulation (CUI) remains a significant challenge across industries, affecting both onshore and offshore facilities, including nuclear and chemical plants, oil refineries and offshore installations.

Despite advancements in coatings, insulation materials and cladding systems, CUI remains difficult to predict and detect. This unpredictability complicates integrity management and creates substantial safety hazards, as well as costly business continuity challenges.

Collaborate with us to tackle CUI

HSE recognises these challenges and is launching a collaborative shared research project to address them. By combining data and expertise from diverse industries, this project aims to provide innovative, actionable solutions for managing CUI effectively.

The project’s kick-off meeting is on 11 February 2025 at the HSE Science and Research Centre in Buxton, Derbyshire.

What will the project cover?

The project will explore CUI from a lifecycle perspective through distinct, interrelated work packages, including:

• Data insights and intelligence
• Lifecycle management – current approaches and practices
• Inspection and non-destructive testing (NDT) technique validation
• System performance evaluation
• Ensuring quality installation

The research will involve empirical studies aimed at developing critical insights to improve safety, reliability and operational efficiency.

Why join the project?

This shared research initiative offers a unique opportunity to influence the direction of CUI management and gain early access to cutting-edge findings. You’ll collaborate with industry leaders from sectors such as nuclear, oil and gas, chemical manufacturing and inspection organisations, ensuring the project’s impact is both comprehensive and far-reaching.

Explaining the background to the project, Matthew Blackburn, Operations Manager in HSE's Energy Division, explains:

"Over the years, HSE has seen too many CUI failures and near-misses in many industry sectors.

The idea for this project was conceived by HSE’s frontline specialist inspectors working in major hazards sectors, as well as our materials specialists within HSE’s Science Division, who collectively understand many of their causes and management system failings and wish to shape the current research and development landscape by working with a number of key stakeholders to address this hazard.

We want to tackle this issue in collaboration with representatives from a broad range of industry sectors, as we believe this will make the whole project both as unique and as impactful as possible."

Be part of the solution

4 organisations have already signed up to be part of the project, however there is still time to join. To help shape the project and benefit from its outcomes, contact Tim Plowright by 15 January 2025.

Let’s work together to make operations safer, more reliable, and efficient.