Hydrogen permeation behavior of X70 pipeline steel simultaneously affected by tensile stress and sulfate-reducing bacteria

The hydrogen permeation behavior of submarine pipelines buried in anoxic sea mud and protected by cathodic potential is affected by both sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and tensile stress. In this study, the individual and simultaneous effects of SRB and tensile stress on hydrogen permeation parameters were investigated using an electrochemical hydrogen permeation method together with mechanical tensile tests. Cathodic potentiodynamic polarization and surface morphology investigations were also conducted. Both elastic and plastic stresses were considered. Results showed that SRB enhanced the sub-surface hydrogen concentration significantly but had little influence on the diffusion coefficient. Elastic stress had a minimal effect on the hydrogen permeation behavior of X70 steel. Plastic stress reduced the diffusion coefficient and increased the sub-surface hydrogen concentration. The lattice trap produced by plastic deformation was responsible for the impact of plastic stress on hydrogen permeation. SRB and plastic stress not only enhanced the sub-surface hydrogen concentration independently, but also had synergistic effects accelerating the hydrogen accumulation on a steel surface.     

Hydrogen related degradation in pipeline steel: A review

To support our increasing energy demand, steel pipelines are deployed in transporting oil and natural gas resources for long distances. However, numerous steel structures experience catastrophic failures due to the evolution of hydrogen from their service environments initiated by corrosion reactions and/or cathodic protection. This process results in deleterious effect on the mechanical strength of these ferrous steel structures and their principal components. The major sources of hydrogen in offshore/subsea pipeline installations are moisture as well as molecular water reduction resulting from cathodic protection. Hydrogen induced cracking comes into effect as a synergy of hydrogen concentration and stress level on susceptible steel materials, leading to severe hydrogen embrittlement (HE) scenarios. This usually manifests in the form of induced-crack episodes, e.g., hydrogen induced cracking (HIC), stress-oriented hydrogen induced cracking (SOHIC) and sulfide stress corrosion cracking (SSCC). In this work, we have outlined sources of hydrogen attack as well as their induced failure mechanisms. Several past and recent studies supporting them have also been highlighted in line with understanding of the effect of hydrogen on pipeline steel failure. Different experimental techniques such as Devanathan–Stachurski method, thermal desorption spectrometry, hydrogen microprint technique, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and electrochemical noise have proven to be useful in investigating hydrogen damage in pipeline steels. This has also necessitated our coverage of relatively comprehensive assessments of the effect of hydrogen on contemporary high-strength pipeline steel processed by thermomechanical controlled rolling. The effect of HE on cleavage planes and/or grain boundaries has prompted in depth crystallographic texture analysis within this work as a very important parameter influencing the corrosion behavior of pipeline steels. More information regarding microstructure and grain boundary interaction effects have been presented as well as the mechanisms of crack interaction with microstructure. Since hydrogen degradation is accompanied by other corrosion-related causes, this review also addresses key corrosion causes affecting offshore pipeline structures fabricated from steel. We have enlisted and extensively discussed several recent corrosion mitigation trials and performance tests in various media at different thermal and pressure conditions.     

Experimental study and numerical simulation on the SSCC in FV520B stainless steel exposed to H2S+Cl− Environment

Constant displacement loading tests using wedge opening loading specimens were carried out in aqueous hydrogen sulfide solution containing sodium chloride to investigate the susceptibility of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of FV520B precipitation hardening martensitic stainless steel. Results of the SCC tests indicated that the stress corrosion critical stress intensity factor (K_ISCC) dramatically decreased in the corrosion medium investigated and decreased with the increasing of H₂S concentration. Microstructures of fracture surfaces were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The fracture surface was typical of sulfide stress corrosion fracture. In addition, large amount of intermittent arc-crack on the side surfaces around the tip of main crack formed even no main crack propagated.A sequentially coupling finite element analysis (FEA) program was utilized to simulate the stress field and calculate the diffused hydrogen concentration distribution of specimen exposed to the corrosion medium investigated. The FEA results indicated that corrosion pit affected the stress and diffusion hydrogen distribution around the corrosion pit where large stress gradients formed. Side surface cracks initiated from those corrosion pits and propagated under the synergy of stress and hydrogen. The effect of the corrosion pit on hydrostatic stress distribution was limited in superficial zone near the side surface, thus side surface cracks propagated along the hoop direction rather than along the direction of specimen thickness. Based on the morphology observation and FEA results, it can be concluded that the SCC mechanism of FV520B steel was hydrogen embrittlement mainly and combination of anodic dissolution. Simultaneously, corrosion pitting was the precondition of side surface crack formation while the stress induced hydrogen diffusion was the dominant factor.     

On the role of hydrogen in the stress corrosion cracking behavior of Q345R steel in HF vapor environment

The stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of Q345R steel in hydrofluoric acid (HF) vapor environment was investigated. It is shown that Q345R has a high susceptibility to SCC in HF vapor environment, which is negatively correlated with the strain rate. Several different crack morphologies and cracking factors are verified: flat cracks in ferrite are associated with anodic dissolution triggered by micro-galvanic corrosion, and porous cracks at the pearlite and pearlite-ferrite interfaces are mainly influenced by hydrogen. The results of hydrogen charging tests show that pre-charging has little effect on the hydrogen embrittlement of Q345R steel, while in-situ charging leads to severe brittle fracture of the material, because hydrogen interacts with large number of moving dislocations generated by in-situ stretching process and penetrates more readily into the material. The synergistic relationship between hydrogen and dislocation motion is found to be the main mechanism for the transition from ductile to brittle fracture.     

Hydrogen permeation and distribution at a high-strength X80 steel weld under stressing conditions and the implication on pipeline failure

Hydrogen permeation and distribution at pipeline welds is critical to integrity maintenance of the pipelines, especially for those made of high-strength steels. The situation becomes even more important under stressing conditions. In this work, metallographic characterization and micro-hardness measurements were conducted at an X80 steel weld. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical hydrogen permeation testing were performance at various zones at the weld, along with numerical modeling of hydrogen distribution at the zones. The X80 steel contains a microstructure of bainite bundles and polygonal ferrite. There are more polygonal ferrite, fewer bainite and some segregated cementite at heat-affected zone (HAZ). The weld metal is featured with acicular ferrite and some grain boundary ferrite. HAZ softening occurs at the weld. The hardness of the weld metal, HAZ and base steel is about 290, 248 and 261 HV_0.2, respectively. There is the greatest corrosion current density, i.e., corrosion rate, at HAZ under both elastic and plastic stresses. An applied stress further increases the corrosion current density. Under the plastic stress of 1.1σ_ys (σ_ys is yield strength), the corrosion current densities of HAZ, base steel and weld metal are 41.04, 17.03 and 25.49 μA/cm², respectively. There are always the greatest hydrogen trapping density and the smallest hydrogen diffusivity at HAZ. Hydrogen, once penetrating the welded steel, tends to accumulate at the HAZ, compared with other two zones. When the welded steel is under stresses, especially a plastic stress (i.e., 1.1σ_ys), the hydrogen diffusivity and permeability decrease, while the subsurface hydrogen concentration and hydrogen trapping density increase remarkably. Plastic deformation favors the hydrogen permeation and trapping at weld, especially the HAZ, to elevate the susceptibility to hydrogen damage. The hydrogen distribution at different welding zones can be evaluated and determined by a developed modeling method.     

Monitoring of stress corrosion cracking of sensitised 304H stainless steel in nuclear applications by electrochemical methods and acoustic emission

Abstract

A hybrid monitoring technique for stress corrosion cracking (SCC) has been developed that employs simultaneously localised corrosion monitoring, electrochemical noise and acoustic emission (AE) techniques. The application of the hybrid technique for detection of SCC initiation and propagation in sensitised 304H stainless steel in dilute tetrathionate solutions at ambient temperature is reported. Initial result shows that SCC initiation and its early stage propagation can be detected by the localised corrosion monitoring and electrochemical noise methods. The dimensions of the crack can be estimated from the charge values derived from the detected transients. The locations of AE events determined using two sensors are in good agreement with the locations of cracks observed in the specimen. The AE technique is sensitive to rapid crack propagation, but does not appear to be sensitive to SCC initiation and early stage propagation for the present material environment load combination. It is postulated that AE is sensitive to SCC propagation involving a relatively large volume of plastic deformation. On the basis of test results and on information from the literature, it is suggested that in this material environment system SCC cracks initiate via slow anodic dissolution at the chromium depleted grain boundaries. Subsequently, elemental sulphur adsorbed on the surface around the crack tip catalyses the entry of hydrogen atoms produced by the hydrogen reduction reaction into the steel matrix ahead of the crack tip; this hydrogen accumulates gradually over a relatively long period of time and preferentially at carbide/matrix interfaces, eventually causing hydrogen induced brittle fracture along grain boundaries.     

Experimental determination of stress corrosion crack rates and service lives in a buried ERW pipeline

Threshold stresses and crack growth rates for in-service stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of two electrical resistance weld (ERW) seam welded pipes from two 45-year-old oil pipelines were experimentally assessed. Seventeen high-pH SCC tests were carried out, in both base and ERW weld metals, at two temperatures (73 and 45 °C). Tapered specimens were used for base metal, and constant section specimens were developed for ERW tests, in which original surface conditions were preserved. It was found that susceptibility of the ERW seam welds is much higher than for base materials, so that the welds define the length of the pipe that is susceptible to SCC. Threshold pressure estimates for SCC initiation were defined from tests at elevated temperature, service temperature, and literature correlations. Fabrication residual stresses were also measured and taken into consideration. SCC threshold pressures for these lines are controlled by the ERW welds; the pipe tracts that are considered to be susceptible to SCC are those that undergo a service pressure of at least 2.4 MPa. For the case under study, this represents about 70% of the length of the pipeline.     

The synergistic effects of hydrogen embrittlement and transient gas flow conditions on integrity assessment of a precracked steel pipeline

We are reporting in this study the hydrogen permeation in the lattice structure of a steel pipeline designed for natural gas transportation by investigating the influence of blending gaseous hydrogen into natural gas flow and resulted internal pressure values on the structural integrity of cracked pipes. The presence of cracks may provoke pipeline failure and hydrogen leakage. The auto-ignition of hydrogen leaks, although been small, leads to a flame difficult to be seen. The latter makes such a phenomenon extremely dangerous as explosions became very likely to happen. In this paper, a reliable method is presented that can be used to predict the acceptable defect in order to reduce risks caused by pipe failure due to hydrogen embrittlement. The presented model takes into account the synergistic effects of transient gas flow conditions in pipelines and hydrogen embrittlement of steel material due to pressurized hydrogen gas permeation. It is found that blending hydrogen gas into natural gas pipelines increases the internal load on the pipeline walls due to overpressure values that may be reached in a transient gas flow regime. Also, the interaction between transient hydrogen gas flow and embrittlement of API 5L X52 steel pipeline was investigated using Failure Assessment Diagram (FAD) and the results have shown that transient flow enhances pipeline failure due to hydrogen permeation. It was shown that hydrogen embrittlement of steel pipelines in contact with the hydrogen environment, together with the transient gas flow and significantly increased transient pressure values, also increases the probability of failure of a cracked pipeline. Such a situation threatens the integrity of high stress pipelines, especially under the real working conditions of hydrogen gas transportation.     

Effects of Nb on stress corrosion cracking of high-strength low-alloy steel in simulated seawater

In this study, simulated heat-affected zone (HAZ) of Nb-free and Nb-bearing steel were obtained, and SEM, TEM, and slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) tests were performed to investigate the effect of Nb on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of high-strength low-alloy (HLSA) steel in simulated seawater with or without hydrogen charging. The addition of Nb significantly refined the grains and uniformed the microstructure of HLSA. Nb hardly affected the SCC susceptibility of BM and HAZ without hydrogen-charging. However, after charging with 10 mA cm⁻², the SCC resistance of Nb-bearing steel, especially the coarse grain HAZ (CGHAZ) improved drastically, and the process of crack initiation and propagation was inhibited owing to the hydrogen trap function of NbC precipitates.     

Allowable defect sizes in a sour crude oil pipeline for corrosion fatigue conditions

A fracture mechanics treatment of corrosion fatigue crack growth rates is used to estimate corrosion fatigue life and allowable defect depths for specified lives of sour crude oil pipelines.The present study is based on a case history of a major Canadian crude oil pipeline that experienced five fatigue failures during its first 10 years of operation. Characteristic pressure fluctuation spectra have been derived from pump stations' pressure records. Fatigue crack growth rates for various crack configurations and orientations, and the effects of environment (crude oil with hydrogen sulphide content from zero to saturation) on these have been measured in the laboratory.Calculated fatigue lives have been verified by full-scale pipe tests pressurized with crude oil containing 100 ppm of hydrogen sulphide, using the characteristic pressure spectrum simulating operating conditions.     

Effects of hydrogen-charging on the susceptibility of X100 pipeline steel to hydrogen-induced cracking

In this work, the hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC) behavior of X100 pipeline steel was investigated by a combination of tensile test, electrochemical hydrogen permeation measurement and surface characterization techniques. The effect of inclusions in the steel on the crack initiation was analyzed. Results demonstrated that the amount of hydrogen-charging into the X100 steel specimen increases with the charging time and charging current density. Hydrogen-charging will enhance the susceptibility of the steel to HIC. The cracks initiate primarily at inclusions, such as aluminum oxides, titanium oxides and ferric carbides, in the steel. The diffusivity of hydrogen at room temperature in X100 steel is determined to be 1.04 × 10⁻⁸ cm²/s.     

Stress corrosion cracking of oil and gas pipelines in near neutral pH environment: review of recent research

Abstract

Since the discovery of transgranular stress corrosion cracking (SCC) on a Canadian gas transmission line in 1985, much research has been conducted in the past 20 years. Findings of the effects of operating conditions, metallurgical and the environmental factors have been useful in preventing and mitigating failures. Several overviews of this problem can be found in the literature and the purpose of this update is to review the research results produced since the turn of the century. The recent report of SCC under static stressing conditions confirms that the cracking is indeed a true SCC process, although the rate of which is low without dynamic loading. In contrast to the high pH pipeline stress corrosion cracking in the carbonate–bicarbonate solution, this forms of cracking in dilute near neutral environment takes much longer time to initiate. Once initiated, the crack growth rate is highly sensitive to the loading rate of the applied mechanical force.     

The role of hydrogen in microbiologically influenced corrosion and stress corrosion cracking

The phenomenon known as “microbiologically influenced corrosion” (MIC), is very closely related to hydrogen embrittlement of different metallic systems, since microorganims are also a source of hydrogen, by decatalyzing the hydrogen recombination reaction at metal surface, H_ads+H_ads→H₂. On the other hand, “stress corrosion cracking”, (SCC), refers to the synergic action of a specific aggresive environment and the stress condition, which lead to the deterioration or loss of the mechanical properties of a metallic material, linked to the presence of hydrogen. This paper summarizes the role of hydrogen in both phenomena, since the environment supports and justifies the corrosion reactions, being able to change the inside crack chemical conditions, related to the bulk solution. In this way, tensile stresses in SCC, and biological activity in MIC, must be responsible for producing a distribution of embrittlement source, generally hydrogen, with a synergic effect between both phenomena. Certain “metallurgical conditions” of the material with different strength levels associated with diverse values of hydrogen solubility and diffusivity are specially susceptible to MIC and SCC. In addition to this, the principal morphologies of attack and cracking are described.     

Influence of low tensile stress on the kinetics of hydrogen permeation and evolution behavior in alkaline environment

The hydrogen behavior the surface of X70 pipeline steel in alkaline environment after applying low tensile stress was investigated by electrochemical tests. It is found by hydrogen permeation tests that the steady-state hydrogen permeation current density (i_∞) and sub-surface hydrogen concentration (C₀) greatly increased, whereas apparent diffusivity (D) was almost unchanged after applying low tensile stress. LSV and EIS measurements indicated that the activity of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was improved by elastic tensile stress. The mechanism of stress enhanced the hydrogen embrittlement sensitivity was conducted by Iyer-Pickering-Zamanzadeh (IPZ) and surface effect model. The results demonstrated that the Volmer reaction was facilitated, and the Tafel reaction was restricted by the application of tensile stress. The activation energy obtained by the Arrhenius equation indicated that when the specimen suffered from tensile stress, the adsorption activation energy decreased, and the desorption activation energy increased, leading to the remarkable increase of C₀.     

Effect of ball-burnishing on hydrogen-assisted cracking of a martensitic stainless steel

Slow strain rate tensile tests under hydrogen cathodic charging are conducted on 17-4 PH steel with two surface conditions: mirror polished and ball-burnished. In both cases, significant subcritical cracking initiating at the surface is observed leading to considerable reduction in elongation to fracture. However, ball-burnished specimens show better elongation and much less secondary cracking than the polished ones. Ball-burnishing introduces high compressive residual stresses in the specimen sub-surface. However, EBSD showed a very limited impact of ball-burnishing on the microstructure, so little effect on hydrogen trapping is expected. The beneficial effect of ball-burnishing on the resistance of the hydrogen assisted cracking is mainly explained by the high compressive longitudinal stress at the specimen surface, which makes crack initiation more difficult and hence delays specimen failure. In addition, it is estimated that the amount of hydrogen introduced at the specimen surface is decreased by approximately 30% due to the high compressive hydrostatic stress.     

Finite element modeling of HIC propagation in pipeline steel with regard to experimental observations

In this research, hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) phenomenon in pipeline steel has been investigated by finite element modeling (FEM) with the help of experimental observations. Abaqus software has been utilized to model the crack. To this, first an API 5L X70 pipeline steel was electrochemically charged by hydrogen for 8 h to create different types of HIC cracks. Then, SEM was used to observe different types of hydrogen cracks. Based on the observations, most of HIC cracks were observed at the center of cross section where center segregation of some elements occurred. The results showed that HIC cracks propagated in stepwise, sinusoidal, straight and disordered manner. Moreover, HIC crack nucleated from a point with high stress concentration factor which was between non-metallic inclusion or void and metal matrix. The initiated micro-cracks from two neighbor inclusions link together to form a long HIC crack. Based on the experimental observations and FEM modeling, it was concluded that the driving force for the HIC crack propagation is the presence of hydrogen at the crack tip after it is initiated. Crack tip usually acts as a very small void and the combination of hydrogen atoms makes a high pressure which propel the crack forward. Moreover, the HIC crack propagation path was predicted by fracture mechanics approach showing that the J-integral had its maximum amount when the HIC crack tended to propagate horizontally.     

Hydrogen permeation in a Cr–Mo–V medium-carbon steel: Effect of the quenching medium and tempering temperature

Hydrogen permeation tests are carried out to evaluate the effect of the quenching medium and tempering temperature on the permeation parameters and density of hydrogen traps, of a Cr–Mo–V low-alloy medium-carbon steel. Three types of steel membranes are tested: 1) in the as-quenched condition, 2) tempered at 235 °C and 3) tempered at 530 °C; each one quenched in two different media: oil or brine. From the as-quenched condition, the apparent concentration of hydrogen and hydrogen flux, tend to decrease as the tempering temperature increases. The membranes in the as-quenched condition and tempered at 530 °C, show lower hydrogen diffusivity and higher density of hydrogen traps than membranes tempered at 235 °C. It is concluded that tempering at 235 °C, promotes hydrogen induced cracking, which is contrary to what has been previously determined. The cracking is related to a higher hydrogen diffusivity and lower density of hydrogen traps.     

A mechanistic study on the hydrogen trapping property and the subsequent electrochemical corrosion behavior of quenched and tempered steel

The hydrogen-facilitated anodic dissolution of steel is an interesting experimental phenomenon, but the persistent gaps in this knowledge area are great. The changes in the Tafel slopes and the reaction rates of steel that has been cathodically charged with hydrogen are interpreted mainly in the context of hydrogen trapping and de-trapping behaviors of steel using a variety of electrochemical methods. This study reveals that the increase in the anodic current density and the decrease in the polarization resistance are attributed primarily to the hydrogen-induced lattice expansion. Based on the Tafel-slope change, the oxidation of hydrogen cation partly contributed to the increase in the total anodic current density together with the dominant anodic reaction of the steel dissolution. The electrochemical permeation measurements showed much slower effusion kinetics of the hydrogen that has been trapped at the ε-carbide particles, and the trapping and de-trapping behavior at the fine particles are one of the controlling factors of the hydrogen-enhanced anodic dissolution of steel. From an engineering aspect, it is believed that the current study will provide an important insight into future perspectives on stress corrosion cracking failure occurring in various high-strength steels.     

Evaluation of electrochemical hydrogen absorption in welded pipe with steel API X52

The assessment of ability to absorb hydrogen by welds components of API grade pipeline steel X52 has been done. The factors of cathodic hydrogen charging, time of exposure on hydrogen concentration in base metal, heat affected zone and metal of weld were taken into account. It has been shown that all components of weld demonstrate the sensitivity to hydrogenating in deoxygenated, near-neutral pH NS4 solution under relatively “soft” cathodic polarisation, although the efficiency of hydrogen permeation in metal is relatively low and depends on time of exposure. The ability to absorb hydrogen decreases in the following sequence: heat affected zone – base metal – weld. The sensitivity to hydrogenation is higher for heat affected zone in comparison with base metal and weld.     

SCC behaviours of austenitic stainless steel Z3CN20-09M in high temperature water

Abstract

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behaviours of Z3CN20-09M stainless steel in high temperature water containing Cl^? were studied. The results indicated that SCC sensitivity was inconsistent with test temperature. The minimum and maximum of SCC sensitivity occurred at 320 and 290°C respectively, and SCC sensitivity at 250°C fell between them. SCC crack initiated preferentially at bottom of corrosion pit or along phase boundary between austenite and ferrite, and its propagation depended on relative orientation to the phase boundary. SCC crack parallel to the phase boundary propagated along the phase boundary, while that perpendicular to the phase boundary was hindered to propagate.