Effect of Hydrogen Sulfide and Chloride on the Passive Film Structures of Stainless Steel Type 316L

• Published in: Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering
• Main Author: Shah M.; Ayob M.T.M.; Yaakob N.; Embong Z.; Othman N.K.
• Format: Conference paper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH 2023
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85134190410&doi=10.1007%2f978-981-19-1851-3_20&partnerID=40&md5=2867f62b5225ca4316cdad8866819f6e

The presence of hydrogen sulfide and chloride in oil and gas production environments can induce deterioration of the passive film, leading to pitting corrosion of stainless steel. In this research, the localized behavior of stainless steel type 316L was studied in a high hydrogen sulfide and chloride environment. The environmental condition was set up using NACE TM0177 Solution A at different partial pressures of 0 bar, 3 bar, and 15 bar of hydrogen sulfide, respectively. The results indicated that the presence of sulfides and chloride ions in the test solution can decrease its corrosion resistance due to pitting corrosion attacking and promoting passive layer breakdown. Deterioration of passive film was analyzed using weight loss calculation, pit penetration analyses were done by Infinite focus microscopy, and surface morphology with the corrosion products was investigated by Scanning electron microscope after 7 days of immersion in the test solution. Energy dispersive X-ray results show the presence of sulfur on the passive oxide layer at 3 bar and 15 bar conditions. Thus, the protection for these steels is undermined by hydrogen sulfide corrosion that affects the passive films and alters their structure. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.