European Federation of Corrosion Publications

NUMBER 16Third Edition

A Working Party Report on

Guidelines on Materials Requirements for Carbon and

Low Alloy Steels For H2S-Containing Environments in Oil and

Gas Production

Published for the European Federation of Corrosion by CRC Press on behalf of The Institute of Materials

Published by CRC Press for the European Federation of Corrosion-, on behalf of The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining

© 2009, Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining The author has asserted his moral rights.

This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reprinted material is quoted with permission, and sources are indicated. Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and the publishers cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all materials. Neither the author nor the publishers, nor anyone else associated with this publication, shall be liable for any loss, damage or liability directly or indirectly caused or alleged to be caused by this book.

First published in 2009 by Maney Publishing

2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017, USA CRC Press is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, including photocopying, recordings, fax or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identifi cation and explanation, without intent to infringe.

ISBN-13: 978-1-90654-033-3 (pbk)

ISSN 1354-5116

Contents

Series Introduction vi

Preface vii

Second Edition Note viii

1. Defi nitions, Abbreviations & Symbols 1

2. Standards Referred to in this Document 7

3. Introduction 9

4. Scope 10

5. Objective 11

6. Types of Cracking in Wet H,S-containing Environments 12

6.1. General 6.2 Sulphide Stress Cracking (SSC) 6.3 Stepwise Cracking (SWC) 6.4 Stress Oriented Hydrogen Induced Cracking SOHIC) and

Soft Zone Cracking (SZC)

7. Environmental Factors Affecting Cracking in H2S-Containing Environments 15

7.1. General 7.2. Environmental Conditions Infl uencing SSC 7.2.1 Sulphide stress corrosion cracking domains 7.2.2 Infl uence of temperature

8. Guidelines to Avoid Cracking 18

8.1 General 8.2 Guidelines to Avoid SSC 8.2.1 Materials requirements 8.2.2 Cold deformation requirements 8.2.3 Free machining steels 8.2.4 Qualifi cation tests 8.3 Guidelines to Avoid SWC 8.3.1 General 8.3.2 Seamless pipes, castings and forgings 8.3.3 Rolled steel 8.4. Guidelines to Avoid SOHIC and SZC

iv Contents

ANNEX A

Procedures and Guidance for Sulphide Stress Cracking Testing 23

A.1. Scope A.2. Applicable Test Methods A.3. Test Solutions A.4. Test Temperature A.5. Reagents A.6. Acidic Gases A.7. Specimen Geometry A.8. Test Vessels and Solution Volume A.9. Suggested Acceptance Criteria for the Various Test Methods

Appendix 1

Preparation and Use of Smooth Uniaxial Tensile Test Specimens (SSC Test Method A) 27

1.1. Method 1.2. Test Time 1.3 Applied Stress 1.4 Specimens 1.5 Failure Appraisal

Appendix 2

Preparation and Use of Four Point Bend Test and C-Ring Test Specimens (SSC Test Methods B and C) 29

2.1 General 2.2 Method 2.3 Applied Defl ection 2.4 Reporting

Appendix 3

Preparation and Use of Pre-Cracked Double Cantilever Beam Test Specimens (SSC Test Method D) 31

3.1 General 3.2 Method 3.3 Fatigue Pre-Cracking 3.4 Specimen Loading 3.5 Stress Intensity Factor 3.6 Test Duration

vContents

Appendix 4

Preparation and Use of Smooth Slow Strain Rate Tensile Test Specimens (SSC Test method E) 33

4.1 General 4.2 Method 4.3 Test Apparatus 4.4 Specimens 4.5 Extension Rate 4.3 Failure Appraisal

ANNEX B

Procedures and Guidance on Test Methods for Stepwise Cracking 35 B.1. Scope B.2. Test Method B.3. Test Solution B.4. Test Temperature B.5. Number of Test Specimens B.6. Position of Test Specimens B.7. Evaluation B.8. Acceptance Criteria

ANNEX C

Guidelines for Determination of pH 38

ANNEX D

Hardness Testing of Components and Weld Zones for Service in H2S-Containing Environments 41

D.1. Scope D.2. Signifi cance of Welds D.3. Hardness Testing Techniques D.4. Location of Hardness Impressions

References 47

European Federation of Corrosion (EFC) publications: Series introduction

The EFC, incorporated in Belgium, was founded in 1955 with the purpose of promoting European co-operation in the fi elds of research into corrosion and corrosion prevention.

Membership of the EFC is based upon participation by corrosion societies and committees in technical Working Parties. Member societies appoint delegates to Working Parties, whose membership is expanded by personal corresponding membership.

The activities of the Working Parties cover corrosion topics associated with inhibition, education, reinforcement in concrete, microbial effects, hot gases and combustion products, environment-sensitive fracture, drinking water environments, marine environments, refi neries, surface science, physico-chemical methods of measurement, the nuclear industry, the automotive industry, computer-based information systems, coatings, tribo-corrosion, polymeric materials and the oil and gas industry. Working Parties and Task Forces on other topics are established as required.

The Working Parties function in various ways, e.g. by preparing reports, organising symposia, conducting intensive courses and producing instructional material, including fi lms. The activities of Working Parties are co-ordinated, through a Science and Technology Advisory Committee, by the Scientifi c Secretary. The administration of the EFC is handled by three Secretariats: DECHEMA e.V. in Germany, Fédération Française pour les sciences de la Chimie in France, and the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining in the UK. These three Secretariats meet at the Board of Administrators of the EFC. There is an annual General Assembly at which delegates from all member societies meet to determine and approve EFC policy. News of EFC activities, forthcoming conferences, courses, etc., is published in a range of accredited corrosion and certain journals throughout Europe. More detailed descriptions of activities are given in a Newsletter prepared by the Scientifi c Secretary.

The output of the EFC takes various forms. Papers on particular topics, e.g. reviews or results of experimental work, may be published in scientifi c and technical journals in one or more countries in Europe. Conference proceedings are often published by the organisation responsible for the conference.

In 1987 the then Institute of Metals was appointed as the offi cial EFC publisher. Although the arrangement is non-exclusive and other routes for publication are still available, it is expected that the Working Parties of the EFC will use The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining for publication of reports, proceedings, etc., wherever possible.

The name of The Institute of Metals was changed to The Institute of Materials on 1 January 1992 and to the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining with effect from 26 June 2002. The series is now published by CRC Press on behalf of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.

P. McIntyreEFC Series Editor, the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, London, UK

EFC Secretariats are located at:

Dr B. A. RickinsonEuropean Federation of Corrosion, the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, 1 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5DB, UK

Dr J. P. BergeFédération Européenne de la Corrosion, Fédération Française pour les sciences de la Chimie, 28 rue Saint-Dominique, F-75007 Paris, FRANCE

Professor Dr G. KreysaEuropäische Föderation Korrosion, DECHEMA e. V., Theodor-Heuss Allee 25, D-60486, Frankfurt, GERMANY

PrefaceThe presence of H2S in oil and gas production poses its own specifi c threat to the integrity of the production system Many materials suffer from cracking of various forms when exposed to H2S which may result in the catastrophic failure of equipment with the attendant risk of releasing the contents into the environment. Besides the general risks associated with release of hydrocarbons in terms of pollution and fi re, the release of H2S exposes persons in the vicinity to the risks of poisoning and death.

For these reasons the materials engineer is mindful of the need to select materials of proven resistance to cracking in H2S-containing environments.

This guideline document is specifi cally concerned with the material requirements for carbon and low alloy steels for H2S-containing oil and gas fi eld service. It aims to be comprehensive in considering all possible types of cracking which may result from exposure of such steels to H2S, the conditions under which they may occur and appropriate materials requirements to prevent such cracks. In addition, the document recommends test methods for evaluating materials performance and par-ticularly focuses on a fi tness-for-purpose approach whereby the test conditions are selected to refl ect the realistic service conditions.

Thus, this guideline document is believed to be a practical, industry-oriented guide to the subject. It incorporates much of the recent developments in knowledge on the way in which the detailed environmental conditions affects risk of cracking. It also recognises conditions in which some relaxation of strict requirements may be made which can result in considerable cost saving without any increase in risk. Furthermore, it is believed to be the fi rst document which tackles, in one volume, all the H2S-related cracking problems of all items of equipment used in the oilfi eld – from the well to the export pipelines.

It is hoped that this guideline document will prove to be a key reference document for materials engineers and product suppliers working in the oil and gas industry.

Svein Eliassen Liane SmithChairman (1993-1998) Chairman (1993–1998)Carbon and Low Alloy Steels Working Party on CorrosionWorking Group of the Working Party in Oil and Gas ProductionEuropean Federation of Corrosion European Federation of Corrosion

Second Edition NoteAfter the fi rst publication of EFC16 in 1995, two joint industry sponsored projects were established to investigate safe hardness limits for welds in carbon and low alloy steels in H2S-containing environments.1,.2 This edition incorporates the results of those projects, following the guidance of ISO 15156, in section 8.2.1., Table 8.1. Other changes to the text are mostly editorial.

Liane Smith Phil JackmanChairman (1998–2001) Chairman (1998–2001)Carbon and Low Alloy Steels Working Party on CorrosionWorking Group of the Working Party in Oil and Gas ProductionEuropean Federation of Corrosion European Federation of Corrosion

Third Edition NoteSince the previous edition, experience has highlighted improvements which could be made to the guidance given in this document, particularly for test methods. Specifi cally it was found that the test solution was diffi cult to maintain within the pH range over the full time. Frequent adjustments to the pH resulted in the risk of air entering the test chamber. Other aspects which lacked clarity concerned the evaluation of HIC and C-ring and four-point bend test samples. Improvements to the text on these matters, plus minor editorial improvements, are incorporated in this third edition.

Liane Smith Stein Olsen Chairman (1998–2008) Chairman (2001–2008)Carbon and Low Alloy Steels Working Party on CorrosionWorking Group of the Working Party in Oil and Gas ProductionEuropean Federation of Corrosion European Federation of Corrosion

1

1

Defi nitions, Abbreviations and Symbols

Acidising : Well treatment using acid, usually to improve well production rate.

Blistering : See SWC.

Bubble Point Pressure : The pressure under which gas bubbles will form in a liquid at a particular operating temperature.

Carbon Steel : An alloy of carbon and iron containing up to 0.8% carbon and up to 1.65% manganese and residual quantities of other elements, except those intentionally added in specifi c quantities for deoxidation (usually silicon and/or aluminium).

Cementite : A microstructural constitutent of steels composed principally of iron carbide.

Cold Forging : See Cold Working

Cold Reducing : See Cold Working

Cold Working : Deforming metal plastically under conditions of temperature and strain rate that induce strain hardening, usually, but not necessarily, conducted at room temperature. Contrast with hot working.

CLR* : Crack Length Ratio.

CTR* : Crack Thickness Ratio.

CR : C-ring testing.

CSR* : Crack Surface Ratio (also referred to in some documents as Crack Sensitivity Ratio).

DCB : Double cantilever beam testing.

∗ For defi nitions of these parameters see NACE TM0284.

2 Guidelines on Materials Requirements for Carbon & Low Alloy Steels in H2S-Containing Environments

eair : Strain to failure in air.

en : Normalised strain to failure = es/eair.

es : Strain to failure in the solution.

EI : Embrittlement index = 1-RAs/RAair.

Fabrication : Metal joining by the use of welding processes.

Ferrite : A body-centred cubic crystalline phase of iron base alloys.

Ferritic Steel : A steel whose microstructure at room tempera-ture consists predominantly of ferrite.

Ferrous Metal : A metal in which the major constituent is iron.

Fitness-For-Purpose : Suitability for use under the expected service conditions.

FPB : Four point bend testing.

Free-Machining Steel : Steel to which elements such as sulphur, selenium, or lead have been added intentionally to improve machinability.

Hardness : Resistance of metal to plastic deformation, usually by indentation.

Heat Treatment : Heating and cooling a solid metal or alloy in such a way as to obtain desired properties. Heating for the sole purpose of hot working is not considered heat treatment.

Heat-Affected Zone (HAZ) : That portion of the base metal that was not melted during brazing, cutting, or welding, but whose microstructure and properties were altered by the heat of these processes.

HIC : Hydrogen induced cracking – also called stepwise cracking (SWC).

HSLA : High Strength Low Alloy Steel.

References M. B. Kermani et al., Limits of Linepipe Weld Hardness for Domains of Sour Service in Oil and Gas Production,Corrosion 2000, Paper No.157, NACE, Houston, TX, U.S.A. R. J. Pargeter , The Effect of Low H2S Concentration on Welded Steels, Corrosion 2000, Paper No.143, NACE,Houston, TX, U.S.A. EFC Publication 17 , A Working Party Report on Corrosion Resistant Alloys for Oil and Gas Production: Guidance onGeneral Requirements and Test Methods for H2S Service, 2 nd Edn. 2002, The Institute of Materials, London, U.K. W. Bruckhoff et al., Rupture of a Sour Gas Line Due to Stress Oriented Hydrogen Induced Cracking, Corrosion ‘85,Paper No. 389, NACE, Houston, TX., USA. M. G. Hay and M. D. Stead, The Hydrogen Induced Cracking Failure of a Seamless Sour Gas Pipeline, NACE CanadaRegion Western Conference, 7–10 February, 1994, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. M. B. Kermani , D. Harrop , M. L. R. Truchon and J.-L. Crolet , Experimental Limits of Sour Service for Tubular Steels,Corrosion ‘91, Paper No. 21, NACE, Houston, TX, USA. J-L. Crolet and M. R. Bonis, pH Measurements under High Pressures of CO2 and H2S, Mat. Perform., 1984, 23, 3542. J-L. Crolet and M. R. Bonis, An Optimized Procedure for Corrosion Testing under CO2 and H2S Gas Pressure,Corrosion, 1990, 46, 81–86. M. Bonis and J-L. Crolet , Practical Aspects of the Influence of in situ pH on H2S Induced Cracking, Corros. Sci., 1987,27, 1059–1070. NACE standard MR0175 , Materials for use in H2S-containing Environments in Oil and Gas Production, NACE,Houston, TX, USA. M. Watkins and R. Ayer , Microstructure – The Critical Variable Controlling the SSC Resistance of Low Alloy Steels,Corrosion ‘95, Paper No. 50, NACE, Houston, TX, USA. T. G. Gooch , SCC of Ferritic Steel Weld Metal — The Effect of Nickel, Metal Construction, 1982, 14 (1), 29–33; 14 (2),73–79. D. Sourdillon , G. Guntz and A. Sulmont , Susceptibility of Seamless and Welded Line Pipe to HIC, Vallourec ResearchCentre, 1979 S. Y. Gayan and A. El-Amari , Failure of a Gas/Condensate Line, Mat. Perform., 1992, 31 (10), 55. BS 7910:2005 Guide to methods for assessing the acceptability of flaws in metallic structures.