The influence of H2S on hydrogen absorption and sulfide stress cracking resistance of high strength low alloy carbon steel C110

Abstract

The application of high strength low alloy carbon steel C110 in wet-H2S environment is limited by sulfide stress cracking (SSC). The objective of this research is to evaluate the effect of the environmental H2S content on the susceptibility to SSC. Since SSC is hydrogen induced fracture, the study focusses on: (1) evaluating the effect of H2S concentration on hydrogen absorption, (2) assessing SSC susceptibility by a novel slow strain rate tensile testing (n-NTSSRT) method under both sour and non-sour environments, (3) the correlation between absorbed hydrogen concentration and SSC susceptibility. The results show that with increasing H2S concentration, sub-surface hydrogen concentration C0 increases exponentially, while critical stress intensity factor KISSC decreases. The application of n-NTSSRT methodology criteria is determined to be 1 mol% H2S, which corresponding to a C0 value of 6.66 × 10−6 mol/cm3. When H2S concentration is higher than 1 mol%, the KISSC values should be calculated by assuming the fracture is linear elastic fracture. Otherwise, the elastoplastic fracture solution J-integral should be considered.