What is Pipeline Isolation?

In metallic pipelines, corrosion is the constant attempt by nature to reduce pipelines to their original oxide state.  It is an electrochemical reaction that has four parts: anode, cathode, metallic path and electrolyte.  Flange isolation and joint isolation are a means of preventing electrochemical reactions from occurring between two dissimilar metals by breaking the metallic path, or preventing the current in a cathodic protection (CP) from traveling beyond the area intended to be protected by the CP system.