Ohio University is home to one of the largest research institutes in the world that studies corrosion— particularly in oil and gas pipelines.

It’s a big problem, as corrosion costs society between 3 and 5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In the United States, that’s a few hundred billion dollars per year, according to Srdjan Nesic, director of the Institute of Corrosion and Multiphase Technology in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology.

Ohio University established the institute in 1993 to examine how oil and gas pipelines corrode and what techniques can be used to stop the deterioration of this infrastructure. The institute’s facility contains specialized equipment that allows researchers to mimic conditions in the field, Nesic explains.

The institute is funded by industry partnerships with major oil and gas, chemical and engineering companies.

In addition, the institute offers research opportunities for Ohio University students, many of whom go on to work for industry, Nesic says.

“Research Moment” is a video series produced by the Office of Research Communications and University Communications and Marketing.