Films Formed on Carbon Steel in Sweet Environments - A Review

Corrosion of carbon steel pipelines in sweet environments has been extensively researched on oil and natural gas exploration and production in order to obtain efficient corrosion mitigation methods. Although the consequences of corrosion are known, the cause and mechanism by which a certain phenomenon occurs are still not well understood. Sweet corrosion is mainly caused by the carbon dioxide dissolved in the water contained in the oil. It can manifest itself in different ways and one of which is the formation of a scale on the inner walls of the pipelines, which determines the evolution of corrosion process. This paper discusses the effects of partial pressure of carbon dioxide, dissolved hydrogen sulfide, dissolved oxygen and water chemistry on scale formation. Particular attention is paid to the nature and stability of the aqueous species formed during the corrosion process, as well as the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects lead to the scale formation on the carbon steel surface. The main objective is to enhance the understanding of the conditions of formation and precipitation of siderite and mackinawite and their effects on corrosion processes involving low carbon steels.