Time tested and proven methods to control corrosion are use of appropriate materials coating cathodic protection (CP) and corrosion inhibitors. All these methods must of selected based on rigorous and quantitative evaluation in the laboratory i.e. laboratory evaluation is the first step and it includes:<ol><li>Establishment of appropriate laboratory methodologies </li><li>Establishment of step by step procedures to conduct evaluation using the appropriate laboratory methodologies identified</li><li>Comparison of the test results obtained with standard reference test results (published by Standards making organizations such as NACE International ASTM International and CSA International based on inter-laboratory tests carried out under standard conditions)</li></ol>The above three steps are religiously and routinely carried out in the evaluation of materials coatings and CP and such requirements are incorporated in the regulations. Some common standards used for this purpose are:<ul><li>ISO15151/NACE MRO175 “Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries – Materials for Use in H2S-Containing Environments in Oil and Gas Production”</li><li>NACE SP169 “Control of External Corrosion on Underground or Submerged Metallic Piping Systems” – See Criteria for CP (On-potential OFF-potential and 100-mV criteria)</li><li>CSA Z245.30 “Field-Applied External Coatings for Steel Pipeline Systems” – See for example one acceptance criteria: of cathodic disbondment: 24-hour cathodic disbondment test at 65oC producing less than 6.5 mm radius disbondment.</li></ul>The operators (e.g. laboratory technicians or field technologists) equipment and materials are qualified based on these criteria and these criteria are used as regulatory requirements in various countries. However such quantitative fundamental first step was not religiously followed in the evaluation corrosion inhibitors for oil field application. To address this several standards have been published over the past decade including ASTM G170 G184 G185 G202 G205 and G208 and NACE Technical Report 31215 (Laboratory Evaluation of Corrosion Inhibitors Used in Oil and Gas Industry) and some standards are being developed including NACE TG 550 “Standard Recommended Practice on Corrosion Inhibition Management for Oil and Gas Fields”.This paper:<ul><li>Presents tools techniques and data currently available to establish quantitative evaluation of corrosion inhibitors in the laboratory</li><li>Deliberates the responsibilities of oil and gas owners/operators tool developers inhibitor supplying companies inhibitor testing laboratories and regulatory body in establishing quantitative evaluation of corrosion inhibitors in the laboratory</li><li>Presents steps to effective and economically control internal corrosion using corrosion inhibitors in the oil and gas production transmission storage and distribution environments.</li></ul>