Wet H2S corrosion

Medina Eldes
Wet Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) Damage

common problem in the oil & gas and

petrochemical/chemical manufacturing
industries

can occur when carbon-steel equipment

becomes exposed to wet H2S service
environments, and it can come in several
different forms

wet H2S corrosion can be a particularly dangerous

form of corrosion because damage caused by it
takes place on the interior of vessels, it can occur
without warning, and it can only be detected using
complicated inspection methods
Hydrogen Sulfide

a colorless, flammable, and extremely hazardous gas

with a strong "rotten egg" odor

hydrogen sulfide is particularly dangerous to equipment

when moisture is present.

H2S damage can lead to rapid and extensive damage to

metals, including uniform corrosion, pitting, and
stepwise cracking
Causes of Wet H2S Damage

Wet H2S Damage occurs due to the effects of aqueous hydrogen charging of steel
in wet H2S process environments. This process can happen at relatively low
temperatures, largely as a result of atomic hydrogen from wet H2S corrosion
reactions which enter the steel and collect at inclusions or impurities within the
steel. This happens because the H2S prevents the hydrogen recombination
reaction that would normally occur, forcing the hydrogen atoms into the metal
structure, leading to corrosion and weakness.

Wet H2S damage primarily occurs under acidic conditions, which are present in
most oil refining environments. Any equipment that runs in conditions that are
both above 50 ppm of H2S content and below 180F temperature in aqueous sour
waters is likely susceptible to wet H2S cracking.
H2S in aqueous solution
Hydrogen sulfide which is a weakly acidic when dissolved in water, is involved in a series of chemical reactions
in the pipeline
H2S corrosion mechanism
The poorly known mechanism of H2S corrosion makes it difficult to quantify the kinetics of iron sulfide scale
formation. A probable mechanism for iron dissolution in aqueous solutions containing H2S based on the formation
of mackinawite film
Corrosion mechanism and reactions
Factors affecting corrosion
The protective nature and composition of the corrosion product depend
greatly on the pH of the solution. At lower values of pH (<2), iron is dissolved
and iron sulfide is not precipitated on the surface of the metal due to a very
high solubility of iron sulfide phases at pH values less than 2. In this case, H2S
exhibits only the accelerating effect on the dissolution of iron. At pH values
from 3 to 5, inhibitive effect of H2S is seen due to the formation of ferrous
sulfide (FeS) protective film on the electrode surface

H2S concentration has an immense influence on the protective

ability of the sulfide film formed. As the concentration of H2S
increases, the film formed is rather loose even at pH 3‐5 and
does not contribute to the corrosion inhibiting effect

The temperature dependence of H2S corrosion is very weak for

short term exposure and does not seems to have an effect at
longer exposure times. This suggest that the corrosion rate is
predominantly controlled by the presence of iron sulfide scale
CO2/H2S Corrosion
The internal corrosion of mild steel in the presence of both CO2 and H2S represents a significant problem for oil and gas
industries. Although the interaction of H2S with low carbon steels have been published by various authors, the
understanding of the effect of H2S on CO2 corrosion is still limited because the nature of the interaction with carbon steel is
complicated. In the presence of H2S, additional chemical reactions occurring in the bulk of the solution include:
Methods of Hydrogen Sulfide Corrosion Prevention

Cathodic Protection

Galvanization

Chemical Inhibitors
Conclusion

➔ The hydrogen sulfide corrosion is one of the most common problems in oil and gas industry

➔ The corrosion rate in general was high for lower pH levels and higher concentration of sulfides

➔ The corrosion rate is higher for the CO2 /H2S system than in the presence of only H2S

➔ The corrosion can be protected by cathodic protection, galvanization and chemical inhibitors
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