Qeeri Corrosion Centre gathers industry stakeholders to discuss challenges

Qeeri meeting discusses challenges in corrosion.

Reducing the impact of corrosion for the sake of the environment was the focus of discussions during an interactive webinar to mark Corrosion Awareness Day, that falls annually on April 24. The event was hosted by Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (Qeeri), part of Hamad Bin Khalifa University, in collaboration with the Qatar Association of Corrosion and Materials Engineers. The webinar featured international speakers from the oil and gas industry and experts from academic and research entities who presented the latest research on the challenges of corrosion management and protection. Attendees representing several key industrial sectors in Qatar exchanged insights on how to solve common corrosion issues that are faced in the country, which, according to the National Association of Corrosion Engineers is estimated to cost Qatar $7.8bn annually. “To date, corrosion is still a major issue in the Middle East that has been overlooked. The impact of corrosion is often under-estimated, and still, the approach is reactive rather than proactive in tackling the corrosion issues in the region. Raising awareness of the impact of corrosion on our economy, natural resources, life, and safety is crucial to ensure sustainability,” said Dr Hanan Farhat, senior research director of the Qeeri Corrosion Centre, and chairperson of the Qatar Association of Corrosion and Materials Engineers. Yasser Abou Elomrin, said, “Having a corrosion engineers association and a corrosion centre in Qatar has resulted in better focus and created a dialogue between industry and the research community that was much needed. The two parties have been able to join forces to solve the corrosion issues that we are facing in Qatar.”