This technical article describes the development of a Smart Corrosion Coupon designed to detect under-deposit corrosion in sour-service gas pipelines — one of the most dangerous and hardest-to-detect corrosion mechanisms. Developed through collaboration between Qatar Shell, Qatar University, and Imperial College London, the smart coupon embeds sensors and simulated deposits to replicate real pipeline conditions. It enables early detection of corrosion and pitting, improving integrity management and reducing failure risk. Field trials at Qatar’s Pearl gas-to-liquids plant demonstrate how real-time monitoring and predictive diagnostics can dramatically improve pipeline safety, reduce downtime, and prevent catastrophic failures.

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