The effect of the partial pressure of H2S on the permeation of hydrogen in low carbon pipeline steel

The effect of different partial pressures of H2S (P-H2S) on the hydrogen permeation behaviour of API-X52 pipeline carbon steel was investigated in a high-temperature and high-presure hydrogen permeation device. The results showed that the peak value of the hydrogen permeation curves, the corrosion rates, the susceptibility to hydrogen induced cracking and the amount of diffusible hydrogen significantly increased with increasing P-H2S. Hydrogen permeation rate was affected by both P-H2S and corrosion product films. The dense and incrassated corrosion product films provided significant protective properties and suppressed the production of hydrogen atoms. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.