AMPP Corrosion Specialist study plan

Explain the thermodynamic driving force for corrosion using half-cell potentials, the EMF series, and the practical galvanic series.

Construct and interpret mixed-potential (Evans) diagrams to predict corrosion potential, anodic dissolution rate, and the effect of cathodic reactants.

Differentiate uniform, galvanic, crevice, pitting, intergranular, selective leaching, erosion-corrosion, and SCC by mechanism and physical appearance.

Calculate corrosion rate from mass loss and convert among mpy, mm/y, and current density using Faraday's law.

Identify how pH, dissolved oxygen, chloride, temperature, and flow velocity shift corrosion behavior in aqueous and buried systems.

Read polarization curves to locate active-passive transitions, passivation, transpassivation, and pitting potentials for carbon steel, stainless steels, and nickel alloys.

Analyze galvanic couples using potential difference, anode-to-cathode area ratio, and polarization behavior to rank severity.

Explain the metallurgical and environmental conditions that produce chloride SCC, sulfide stress cracking, and hydrogen embrittlement.

Match standard test methods to the degradation mode each one screens, including ferric-chloride pitting tests, electrochemical critical pitting temperature, potentiodynamic polarization, and sour-service SSC testing.

Select candidate alloys for specified service environments using pitting resistance equivalent number, published corrosion-resistance data, and temperature limits.

Design for drainage, air release, and elimination of crevices and stagnant zones in piping, tanks, and structural details.

Assess fabrication effects, including weld sensitization, heat-affected zone behavior, residual stress, and dissimilar-metal joints.

Compare nonmetallic options such as FRP, thermoplastics, and elastomeric linings against metallic alternatives on performance, installation, and life-cycle cost.

Compute cathodic protection current demand, anode-to-electrolyte resistance, anode count, and anode life for galvanic and impressed-current systems.

Size protective coating systems by corrosivity category and specify surface preparation and application requirements for each service environment.

Justify galvanic versus impressed-current CP from soil resistivity, current demand, structure isolation, and power availability.

Explain how coating quality, holiday frequency, and shielding affect CP current density requirements and attenuation along a pipeline.

Apply established cathodic protection criteria to field structures, stating which criterion governs and what measurement conditions make it valid.

Diagnose stray-current interference, telluric effects, and foreign-structure bonding needs from potential and current data.

Select inhibitor chemistry for a produced-water or closed-loop system and define the monitoring that proves it is working.

Structure a corrosion control program with risk ranking, mitigation planning, key performance indicators, and budget justification.

Interpret close-interval survey, direct-current voltage gradient, and coating conductance data to rank coating defects by severity and prioritize digs.

Calculate metal loss, remaining life, and reassessment intervals from in-line inspection, ultrasonic thickness, and corrosion-rate data.

Apply management-of-change discipline when revising an inspection plan after coating or CP degradation is found.

Write defensible recommendations that separate immediate action from monitoring and long-term mitigation.

Design a corrosion monitoring program that selects coupons, electrical resistance probes, linear polarization resistance, or biological monitoring by environment and objective.

Apply root-cause analysis methods such as five-why, fishbone, and fault tree to a corrosion failure and organize the findings into a failure-report structure.

Lead a multi-disciplinary review by assigning roles, setting the agenda, and documenting decisions, actions, and dissent.

Build a business case comparing the cost of corrosion against mitigation cost using life-cycle cost and risk-weighted assumptions.

Complete timed full-length practice sets and classify every error by domain and by cause (knowledge gap, misread, or calculation slip).

Recall key threshold values, criteria, and standard references without notes.

Explain design trade-offs between materials selection, coating, and cathodic protection in written responses that justify a decision rather than list options.

Consolidate the weakest two subtopics into a final targeted review based on the error log.