MPWT19-15032

Study of HIC Cracking and Raw Material Failure during Manufacturing of ERW
Pipes

Ahmed M. Al-Maghlouth1 Mohammed S. Al-Sultan

Saudi Aramco Saudi Aramco
Al-Midra Tower Al-Midra Tower
Dhahran, Eastern Province, 31311 Dhahran, Eastern Province,31311
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia

Yasser S. Al-Subhi Khalid M. Ba Bakri

Saudi Aramco Saudi Aramco
Al-Midra Tower Al-Midra Tower
Dhahran, Eastern Province, 31311 Dhahran, Eastern Province, 31311
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia

Abstract:
In this paper, a detailed analysis was performed on weld longitudinal cracks (Weld Bond Cracks
can be mistaken for Hydrogen Induced (HIC) cracks.) appeared after HIC testing of Electric
Resistance Weld pipes (ERW) 8”-16” NPS 0.375”-0.5” WT carbon steel grade X60 which was
welded using a 150-hertz induction heating has been studied in relation the development of
hydrogen induced cracking. A comprehensive experiment and testing was done to evaluate both
mechanical and microstructural properties of the cracks. The result of the study indicates that raw
material failure to meet HIC resistance requirements may appear on the ERW welded pipes due
to Steel re-oxidation, Low tundish level, and Double calcium treatment during steel making.

Key words: ERW pipes, Steel making, HIC cracking, Steel re-oxidation, Double calcium
treatment
 Introduction
Electric Resistance Induction Welded (ERIW) pipes are one of the heavily utilized pipes in the oil
and gas industry due to their competitive price and capability to serve well in low pressure
applications. In sour applications, pipes have to be HIC tested to assure their capability to
withstand wet hydrogen sulfide (H2S) environments and do not crack in service. One of the widely
utilized methods to test for HIC resistance is the one proposed in NACE TM 284 dedicated for
pipelines and pressure vessel steels.

NACE TM 284 describes the nature of HIC crack development as “One adverse effect observed
in pipeline and pressure vessel steels is the development of cracks along the rolling direction of
the steel. Cracks on one plane tend to link up with the cracks on adjacent planes to form steps
across the thickness.”[2]

Background
The objective of this technical paper is to study the HIC reported cracks found on Electric
Resistance Welded pipes (ERW) grade X60. The cracks were revealed after normal HIC testing
routine per the company frequency of testing (heats) utilizing method A of NACE TM 284 for
sample and test medium preparation. Initial assumption was that the steel was not capable of
resisting HIC cracking and all affected heats were rejected. Since doubt was raised to the material
that was intended to be HIC resistant, frequency was increased and all heats supplied by the
same supplier were tested and failures started to appear.

Figure 1. Sample microscopic photos of the observed weld cracks

Tests were performed at earlier stages of the production and according to the owner
requirements for testing frequency which is even more stringent than API 5L requirements (first
3 heats and every 5th heat) and all test results were satisfactory. At a later stage, some cracks
started to show up in the weld areas which were beyond the acceptable range which resulted in
a massive heat rejection.

Case Data Collection

Due to reported repeated failures in HIC testing, the company deemed it necessary to retest all
heats available at vendor storage yard and the results are as shown in the Table 1.
 Table 1: Summary of the results of the retested heats
Pipes Size 8.625 x 8.625 x 10.75 x 12.75 x 16 x Tota
6.35 9.53 11.3 12.70 9.53 l
Total Tested Heats 29 29 15 14 26 113
Failed with a classical HIC crack 4 0 1 0 2 7
Failed with non-classical HIC 6 7 5 0 2 20
crack
Passed 19 22 9 14 22 86

All the failed pipes were produced from mother coils supplied by a single steel supplier utilizing Electric
Arc furnace (EAF) steel making process to produce HIC resistant steel. The following are important
aspects of the production route:

● EAF of 150MT capacity is used for melting the DRI and Scrap (Generally, 100% of DRI is used for
production of API Sour quality steel grades.)
● The Liquid steel is transferred to Ladle Furnace for the alloying addition, De-oxidation/ de-
sulfurization and to achieve requisite temperature.
● Liquid Steels are fully killed with Aluminum as deoxidizer.
● Vacuum degassing is used for removing dissolved gases (e.g. hydrogen, oxygen & nitrogen) and
for slag-metal interaction to improve cleanliness of the steel.
● Molten steel is treated with calcium by injecting Calcium-Silicate (CaSi) wire in the liquid metal
to modify morphology of inclusions and to improve cleanliness.

Investigation and Data Analysis:

Initial Microscopic Analysis
Samples were collected initially from 13 different heats - as per the availability at vendor
storage yards – and HIC tested for verification. The cracks revealed from the initial test shown
longitudinal cracks on the weld area –as shown in Figure 1 - where it was included in the
calculations of crack length ratio (CLR) and ended up exceeding the acceptance criteria and
failing the test.
Additional samples were taken from each heat to verify the initial results, and conflict in test
results was reported as shown in Table 2.
 Table 2: Summary of HIC Test Results from the initial 13 Samples.
Heat No Initial HIC Test HIC Re-test Comments
from HIC
CTR* CLR** CSR*** Failure Remarks CTR CLR Remarks evaluation
Location
1603240 7.22 7.75 1.5 E+W+C Fail 2.36 1.42 Pass Fail in
HIC
1609213 1.41 19.26 0.28 E+W+C Fail 9.59 0.17 Weld Fail in
Bond HIC
cracking
1604212 1.4 5.1 0.21 Edge Pass 7.57 0.25 Weld (NOT
Bond HIC)
cracking
1604217 5.05 5.9 0.45 Edge Fail 15.69 1.45 Weld Fail in
Bond HIC
cracking
1541255 0.41 0.14 0.002 Edge Pass 0 0 Pass Pass
+W
1541260 0 0 0 No HIC Pass NA NA NA Pass
1550254 1.424 14.563 0.337 Edge Fail 25.61 0.65 Weld Fail in
Bond HIC
cracking
1550250 0.07 0.75 0.002 Edge Pass 1.34 0.046 Pass Pass
1550252 0.474 7.66 0.11 Edge Pass 14.17 0.31 Weld (NOT
Bond HIC)
cracking
1604236 0.061 0.087 0 Center Pass NA NA NA Pass
1607206 0.57 7 0.061 Edge+ Pass 15.46 0.5 Weld (NOT
W Bond HIC)
cracking
1609315 0.48 3.98 0.057 Edge Pass 23.61 0.4 Weld (NOT
Bond HIC)
cracking
1607208 0.013 0.257 0 Edge Pass 0 0 Pass Pass
* Crack Thickness Ratio **Crack Length Ratio ***Crack Sensitivity Ratio

As shown in Table 2, some samples have actually passed the HIC test perfectly without
reporting any crack, and others have been interpreted as a weld bond cracking. Or as
identified in this paper by non-classical crack.
Non-classical crack: A crack that is vertical in form instead of in a horizontal manner. Their
direction is stepwise and is mostly located on the middle of the material thickness which makes
them different from the normal weld crack*.
 Figure 2. 100x Magnification of a non- Figure 3. 50x Magnification of a non- Figure 4. 200x Magnification of a non-
classical crack taken Heat no. 1706223 classical crack taken on Section 2 of classical crack taken on Section 2 of Sample
Sample A (Heat no. 1650202) C (Heat no. 1702218)

Additional microstructural analysis

Selected samples have been sent to a third party laboratory for analyses. Samples details are
as shown in Table 3. Sample location are on weld part and base metal. The third party lab
analyses includes:
1. Image analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
2. Elemental analysis by Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS)
3. Inclusion rating
4. Microstructural analysis

Table 3: Information of samples utilized for the additional testing.

Pipe 12.75” Dia. x 12.70mm 16.00” Dia. x 9.53mm WT

size: WT

Tube 170430A003007 170518A009014 170523A008008

no.:

Coil no.: 1117030003 1116521256 1116521424

Heat no.: 1702218 1650202 1651324

Sample Transverse 0o Weld part Transverse 0o Weld Transverse 0o Weld

direction: and Base metal part and Base metal part
Sample LP011154 LP011193 LP011215
no.:

Remarks Sample C Sample A Sample B

Weld and HAZ analysis:

 1. Samples A, B and C are mostly containing globular inclusions that are comparative to
Type D of ASTM E45 as revealed on the SEM analysis. One stringer-like inclusion is also
observed on Sample C. (Refer to Figures 5-8)
2. The inclusions were observed to be in frequent distribution and are mostly composed of
the following principal elements: Calcium, Magnesium, Aluminum, Iron, Sulphur, Silicon
and Oxygen identified through EDS.
3. Using Method A of ASTM E45, the inclusion rating for all the samples under the Type D
category were found to be acceptable at a range of 0.5 to 1.0. However, oversized
inclusions which are >13m were also measured.
4. The microstructural analysis utilizing different levels of magnification revealed that the
three samples are made up mainly of ferrite structure with isolated pearlites.

Figure 5. SEM Image and Figure 6. SEM Image and Figure 7. SEM Image and Figure 8. SEM Image and EDS
EDS Analysis of Sample A. EDS Analysis of Sample B. EDS Analysis of Sample C - Analysis of Sample C –
Globular Inclusion. Stringer-like Inclusion.

Table 4: Inclusions Details of Sample C.

Inclusion Type Amount Size Identified principal elements
Globular few 2 – 8 um Calcium, Magnesium, Aluminum,
Iron, Sulphur and Oxygen
Stringer-like Only one 20 – 60 um Manganese, Silicon, and Oxygen
with small amounts of Titanium and
Vanadium

Base metal analysis:

1. Sample C was subjected for SEM, inclusion rating and microstructural analyses:
a. Sample C has duplex grain size (Figure 9) and contains inclusions comparative to
Type B (stringer-like) and Type D (globular) of ASTM E45 (Figure 10).
b. The inclusion rating for thin series are high on both the Type B and Type D
inclusions. Type B-Thin series of 3.0 and Type D-Thin series of 1.5. Maximum.

Inclusions details of Sample C can be found in Table 4.

2. Sample A was subjected for inclusion rating following Method D of ASTM E45
a. Applying Method D of ASTM E45, at severity level of 0.5 the inclusion rating for
thin and heavy series is high with counts of 79 and 25, respectively. This indicates
a cluster of inclusions observed at a 0.50 mm2 field of view.
Figure 9. Duplex grain size. Figure 10. Stringer-like (Type B). Figure 11. Globular (Type D).

Analysis by steel supplier:

Table 5: HIC testing results by steel supplier.

Remarks from process

No. Heat No Comments from HIC evaluation
deviation

1 1603240 Fail in HIC Re-oxidation

2 1609213 Fail in HIC Double CaSi

3 1604217 Fail in HIC Double CaSi

4 1550254 Fail in HIC Re-oxidation

5 1550252 Vertical crack Re-oxidation + High Ca/S

6 1607206 Vertical crack High Ca/S

7 1609315 Vertical crack High Ca/S

8 1629214 Fail in HIC Double CaSi

9 1637307 Fail in HIC Low tundish

10 1604212 Acceptable Crack

11 1541255 Acceptable Crack

12 1541260 No HIC at all

No deviation
13 1550250 Acceptable Crack

14 1604236 Acceptable Crack

15 1607208 Acceptable Crack

From the above Table 5, the weld bond cracks may have been caused due to High Ca/S ratio (>
7) when, S < 5ppm. Which may have been caused by one of the following process deviations by
steel maker:
1. Double calcium treatment.
2. Steel re-oxidation.
3. Low tundish level during process.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Several steps have been done to minimize confusion between anomalies and actual cracks, the
following precautions have been recommended:
1. All HIC test specimens taken from pipes manufactured using mother coils from the same
steel supplier shall be re-examined and treated as follows.
a. All specimens indicating similar crack-like indications (artifacts or anomalies) at 0
degree position, shall be re-polished without applying etching.
b. If the crack-like indications disappear subsequent to the polishing process of the
tested specimens, the pipes are not considered susceptible to HIC damage, hence
acceptable for wet sour applications.
c. If the above action item confirmed disappearance of the anomalies, all pipes
related to the tested heats shall be accepted.
2. Pipe manufacturers were informed to avoid etching HIC specimens of future purchase
orders to avoid confusion and potential delays of pipe delivery.

Corrective measures taken by steel supplier:

1. The objective of Ca treatment shall be emphasized from not only aiming the proper range
of Ca content (10~50ppm) but also facilitating floatation of modified inclusions through soft
rinsing.
2. Improve reliability of existing ladle slag detection system through upgrading to eddy
current based AMEPA slag detection system.
3. Ladle switch operation to be conducted with tundish levels greater than 15 tons.
4. Enhance S, Ca, and Ca/S control as shown in Table 6.

Table 6: S, Ca, and Ca/S Enhancements.

Current Future

S < 15 ppm < 15 ppm

Ca 10 ~ 50 ppm 10 ~ 50 ppm

Ca/S > 1.5 1.5 ~ 7 when S < 5ppm

 Acknowledgments
I would like to express my sincere gratitude Yasser Al-Subhi for his continues outstanding
dedication toward this case and his major role in the development and completion of this paper.

References
[1] Khalid Ali Babakri, 2010, Improvements in flattening test performance in high frequency
induction welded steel pipe mill
[2] NACE TM-284 Evaluation of Pipeline and Pressure Vessel Steels for Resistance to Hydrogen-
Induced Cracking
[3] ASTM E45 Standard Test Methods for Determining the Inclusion Content of Steel
[4] API 5L, Specification for Line Pipe, 46th Edition.