There is significant interest within the pipeline industry in transporting fuel-grade ethanol (FGE) as a
result of the increased usage of ethanol as an oxygenating agent for gasoline and interest in ethanol as
an alternative fuel. Currently, FGE is transported primarily by railroad tanker cars, tanker trucks, and
barges. Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) has been observed in carbon steels in contact with FGE
ethanol in user terminals, storage tanks, and loading/unloading racks. This paper summarizes the
results of recent research, funded by the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI), in which
methods for prevention of internal SCC in ethanol pipelines were evaluated. These methods included
the addition of inhibitors and oxygen scavengers to the ethanol and other methods of deaeration.