Studies on corrosion Characteristics of API 5Lx60 Steel In Oil and Gas

Related Enviroment.
M.A. Bodude.
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, University of
Lagos,Akoka, Yaba, Nigeria
E-mail: muideenbodude @ yahoo.com.

ABSTRACT
Due to the incessant explosion of oil and gas pipelines attributed to corrosion of
the pipeline material and the environmental problems associated with such
explosion, this work investigates the corrosion behaviours of API 5LX60 steel
used in oil and gas transportation pipelines in chloride, sulfide and carbonate
ions media. API 5LX60 steel samples were immersed completely in different
concentrations of these media and their electrode potentials were measured.
Also, weight loss measurements were recorded. The results obtained showed
that the chloride ion was the most aggressive while the least corrosion occurred
in the sulfide environment.
Keywords: Corrosion, API5Lx60 Steel, Oil and gas pipelines, electrode
potential

INTRODUCTION
The American petroleum Institute (API) 5L steel specification is used in
pipeline production (Materials Engineer, 2005). The steels are made into pipes
with appropriate thickness that established the pressure in the line and on the
allowable hoop stress levels, which vary for oil, and gas pipelines based on the
location of the pipeline. The pipelines are pressure tested in addition to various
non-destructive testing, carried out prior to being put into service.
Despite the above, in the last 10 years, there were about 2241 major
pipeline accidents in the United Kingdom, which resulted in about 226 deaths,
$700 million in property damage and damage to the environment (branch law
firm Com,2005). According to the report, in year 2000 alone, there were six
pipelines accidents which occurred in Knoxville, Tennessee, Bellingham,
Washington, Winchester, Kentucky, Greenville, Texas, Chalk point, Maryland
and Carlsbad, New Mexico. In Nigeria, petroleum pipeline explosion occur
regularly resulting in loss of human life and environmental pollution. In 1998,
there was a report of pipeline explosion in Idherhe (Jesse), hundreds of human
lives were lost (SOMIFON, 1998). Also, Trevo (2005) reported that more than
250 Nigerians died in petroleum pipeline explosion which occurred in Adeje
village near Warri (The Punch 14th Dec. 2005). These show that pipeline
degradation and failure by corrosion can occur anywhere in the world and at
anytime.

Major corrosion problems are encountered in the production/processing,

transportation and storage of crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products.
According to Rolf (2003), the presence of carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and
free water are responsible for severe corrosion problems in oil and gas
pipelines. He noted that internal corrosion is positively influenced by
temperature. External corrosion of pipeline used for oil and gas transportation
occurred in the buried structures as a result of its interaction with the
environment. Internal corrosions of crude oil and natural gas pipeline are due to
gases and water. In pipeline handling of refined products, the potential corrosion
agent is oxygen from air.
Cathodic protection is usually used in conjuction with coating to prevent
external corrosion of pipelines while inhibitors and improved production
techniques are used to minimize internal corrosion of oil and gas pipelines. This
work specifically investigates the corrosion rates of API 5LX 60 steel in NaCl,
Na2S and Na2Co3 environments maintained at different concentrations with a
view to determining the most aggressive environment that should be avoided or
deserved highly protected pipeline.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The API 5LX 60 steel pipes,with dimmension 40mm external diameter and
6.35mm thickness used for this work was obtained from Pipeline and Product
Marketing Company (PPMC) Warri. The reagents used for Corrosion test are
NaCl, Na2S and Na2Co3/ NaHCo3. Concentrations 0.5M, 1.0M and 1.5M of
these reagents were prepared and used as corrosion enviroment. Equipment
used are Metal Analyser (spectrometer), high impedance digital voltmeter,
weighing balance, dessicator and zinc rod.
The steel pipe was sectioned (cut) into samples. A sample was subjected
to chemical analysis using the metal analyzer. This was done by exposing the
well-polished surface of the sample to light emission from the spectrometer. The
elements contained and their proportions in the sample were revealed on the
digital processor attached to the spectrometer (see Table 1). The corrosion test
was conducted by immersing the steel samples in the prepared corrosion media.
The experiment was set up in accordance with the standard. The electrode
potentials of the samples were measured at five days interval using the high
impedance voltmeter and zinc rod used as reference electrode. The electrode
potentials obtained were converted to saturated calomel electrode (SCE) using
the relation proposed by Hibbert (1984). Also, the corrosion rates of the samples
were determined using Mattson (1996) corrosion rate measurement procedure.
This method involved removing at regular interval samples immersed in the

corrosion media followed by washing, drying and weighing. The samples

weight loss was then determined and the corrosion rate calculated.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The result of the chemical analysis of the API 5LX60 steel is shown in
Table 1. The carbon content of the steel is 0.18%, which falls within the low
carbon range while the manganese content is 0.65%. Other elements such as
molybdenum, vanadium and tungsten which are carbide former are present in
the steel. Chromium and Nickel, which improve corrosion resistance of steel,
are also observed to be present in the API 5Lx 60 steel.
The electrode potentials versus exposure time of the API 5LX 60 steel at
different concentrations in NaCl, Na2Co3 /NaHCo3 and Na2S solutions are
plotted and shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 respectively. In all the plots, the activepassive corrosion behaviours were demonstrated by the steel samples. However,
active behaviour was more pronounced by steel samples immersed in NaCl
solutions while pronounced passivity was observed in steel samples immersed
in Na2S solutions. These behaviours showed that NaCl environment was more
aggressive and would corrode the steel faster while least corrosion occurred in
samples exposed to Na2S environment. Figures 4, 5 and 6 showed the
relationship between the corrosion rate and medium concentrations of the API
5LX60 steel in NaCl, Na2Co3 /NaHCo3 and Na2S respectively. As it was
observed, corrosion rates of samples increase with increase in concentration of

media. Comparing these results with those of electrode potential results, it was
observed that the highest corrosion rates occurred in NaCl while the least
corrosion rate was observed in Na2S solution. Thus there is good agreement
between the resuls of the electrode potential and those obtained through weight
loss.

Table 1: Chemical Composition of API 5L x 60 steel

C

Si

Mn

Cu

Ni

0.1829
Cr

0.1371
Mo

0.6544
V

0.0123
W

0.0187
As

0.0053
Sn

0.0175
Co

0.0004

0.0173

0.0003

0.0035

0.0015

0.0015

0.0005

Al

Pb

Ca

Zn

Fe

0.0116

0.0002

0.0001

0.0039

98.9310

-100

x 0.5 M

-200

- 1.0M

-300

- 1.5M

-400
-500
-600
-700
-800
-900
-1000
0

10

15

20

Exposure Time (Days)

Figure 1: Electrode Potential Versus Exposure time of API 5L x 60 steel at
different NaCl concentrations at 400C.

Electrode Potentials mV (SCE)

0
-100

0.5 M

-200

- 1.0M

-300

- 1.5M

-400
-500
-600
-700
-800
-900
-1

- 1000
- 1100
Exposure Time (Days)

Figure 2: Electrode Potential Versus Exposure time of API 5L x 60 steel

at different Na2CO3/Na2HCO3 concentrations at 400C.

Electrode Potentials mV (SCE)

Y-Axis

X-Axis

-100

0.5 M

-200

- 1.0M

-300

- 1.5M

-400
-500
-600
-700
-800
-900
-1

- 1000
- 1100
Exposure Time (Days)

Figure 3: Electrode Potential Versus Exposure time of API 5L x 60 steel at

different Na2S concentrations at 400C.

Y-Axis

= Stress level (20% UTS)

0.9

= Stress level (0 % UTS)

0.8

= Stress level (10 % UTS)

0.7

= Stress level (15% UTS)

0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1

Media Concentration (M)

Figure 4: Corrosion Rate Versus Media Concentration in NaCl of API 5L x 60
steel at different stress level at 400C.For 20 days exposure.

Y-Axis

= Stress level (20% UTS)

0.9

= Stress level (0 % UTS)

0.8

= Stress level (10 % UTS)

0.7

= Stress level (15% UTS)

0.6

= Stress level (5% UTS)

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1

Media Concentration (M)

Figure5: Corrosion Rate Versus Media Concentration in Na 2CO3/Na2HCO3 of
API 5L x 60 steel at different stress level at 400C.For 20 days exposure.

= Stress level (0 % UTS)

Y-Axis

= Stress level (10 % UTS)

= Stress level (15% UTS)

0.3

= Stress level (20% UTS)

0.2

0.1

X-Axis
Media Concentration (M)
Figure 6: Corrosion Rate Versus Media Concentration in Na 2S of API 5L x 60
steel at different stress level at 400C.For 20 days exposure.

CONCLUSION
API 5LX60 steel is a low carbon steel. The steel possessed reasonable corrosion
rates in NaCl, Na2Co3 /NaHCo3 and Na2S solutions, which constitute the natural
environment often confronted in oil and gas prospecting and transportation
areas. The corrosion rates of this material increase with increase in media
concentration and highest corrosion rate occurred in chloride environment
(found in marine or seawater) followed by in Na2Co3 /NaHCo3 (formed by
cathodic over-protection) while the lowest corrosion occurred in Na 2S medium
(contained in oil and gas fluid). The above indicate that internal corrosion of
API 5LX60 steel pipeline would be minimal while the external corrosion of the
steel pipeline that passes through or buried near sea would be appreciable hence
adequate corrosion protection would be needed while pipeline with cathodic
protection may experience corrosion if the protection current or voltage is in
appropriate.

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