Understanding Pitting Corrosion Behaviour of X-65 Carbon Steel in CO2 Saturated Environments: The Temperature Effect

Abstract

A systematic study examining the pitting corrosion behavior of X65 carbon steel (UNS K03014) in CO2-saturated 10 wt% NaCl brine is presented. This paper examines the impact of changes in a key environmental parameter (temperature) on the pitting corrosion processes of carbon steel. Pit propagation studies were conducted in static conditions at different operational temperatures. The evolution of corrosion products on carbon steel was followed over 168 h of immersion and their characteristics were related to initiation and growth of pits on the steel surface. The developed corrosion products were studied through the use of x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The extent of pitting was evaluated through the implementation of surface interferometry to study discrete pit geometry, namely, the size and depth, while the general corrosion rate was evaluated using linear polarization resistance measurements. The results indicate that pitting corrosion dominates the general thickness loss of the mat...