Hidden Corrosion Gets New Spotlight in Gulf Plants

Aramco’s new corrosion tracking tech lifts safety and trims costs across the region

14 Nov 2025

A quiet revolution is unfolding in the Middle East energy sector, and it’s taking place in a part of the industry most people never see: the insulated pipelines that carry the region's lifeblood. New predictive corrosion monitoring technology is beginning to redefine how operators safeguard critical assets, prevent failures, and modernize long-standing maintenance practices.

A key milestone in mid-2024 came when Aramco deployed an advanced monitoring system at the vast Juaymah natural gas liquids plant. First installed in June 2024, this system relies on discreet sensors that detect early-stage corrosion long before traditional inspections can reveal warning signs. Instead of depending on scheduled checks or costly manual interventions, engineers now receive continuous data from inside insulation layers, once thought impossible to monitor. For an industry balancing rising costs and stricter performance goals, this shift represents a significant leap forward.

Companies like CorrosionRADAR, whose sensors are installed at Juaymah, describe the movement as a transition to truly anticipatory maintenance. One industry analyst remarked that this new capability offers operators something long missing in real time: confidence. By identifying small anomalies early, companies can avoid equipment damage, unplanned outages, and the financial losses associated with hidden corrosion. While industry estimates suggest billions of dollars are lost annually to undetected corrosion, a specific figure was not verified.

This transformation fits within a broader regional push toward operational modernization, cost reduction, and ambitious sustainability commitments. Predictive systems help limit chemical consumption, extend asset life, and shrink maintenance budgets. They also make it easier to test new materials and environmentally improved corrosion control methods without undue risk, encouraging innovation across the value chain. Market observers note that the Gulf is emerging as one of the faster-moving regions in shifting from reactive maintenance to data-informed asset protection.

Challenges persist, especially for smaller operators who may struggle with upfront investment or the need for new technical skills. Yet the trajectory is unmistakable. Industry leaders believe predictive monitoring could inspire a wave of innovation that influences equipment design, chemical strategies, and long-term planning.

As adoption accelerates, this technology is set to become a core pillar of the region's energy infrastructure. What began as a focused deployment at Juaymah now appears poised to reshape the maintenance culture across the Middle East, signaling an industry that is not only producing energy but protecting its future with greater intelligence.