StandardTestMethodEvaluationofPipelineandPressureVesselSteelsforResistancetoHydrogen-InducedCrackingThisNACEInternationalstandardrepresentsaconsensusofthoseindividualmemberswhohavereviewedthisdocument,itsscope,andprovisions.Itsacceptancedoesnotinanyrespectprecludeanyone,whetherhehasadoptedthestandardornot,frommanufacturing,marketing,purchasing,orusingproducts,processes,orproceduresnotinconformancewiththisstandard.NothingcontainedinthisNACEInternationalstandardistobeconstruedasgrantinganyright,byimplicationorotherwise,tomanufacture,sell,oruseinconnectionwithanymethod,apparatus,orproductcoveredbyLettersPatent,orasindemnifyingorprotectinganyoneagainstliabilityforinfringementofLettersPatent.Thisstandardrepresentsminimumrequirementsandshouldinnowaybeinterpretedasarestrictionontheuseofbetterproceduresormaterials.Neitheristhisstandardintendedtoapplyinallcasesrelatingtothesubject.Unpredictablecircumstancesmaynegatetheusefulnessofthisstandardinspecificinstances.NACEInternationalassumesnoresponsibilityfortheinterpretationoruseofthisstandardbyotherpartiesandacceptsresponsibilityforonlythoseofficialNACEInternationalinterpretationsissuedbyNACEInternationalinaccordancewithitsgoverningproceduresandpolicieswhichprecludetheissuanceofinterpretationsbyindividualvolunteers.UsersofthisNACEInternationalstandardareresponsibleforreviewingappropriatehealth,safety,environmental,andregulatorydocumentsandfordeterminingtheirapplicabilityinrelationtothisstandardpriortoitsuse.ThisNACEInternationalstandardmaynotnecessarilyaddressallpotentialhealthandsafetyproblemsorenvironmentalhazardsassociatedwiththeuseofmaterials,equipment,and/oroperationsdetailedorreferredtowithinthisstandard.UsersofthisNACEInternationalstandardarealsoresponsibleforestablishingappropriatehealth,safety,andenvironmentalprotectionpractices,inconsultationwithappropriateregulatoryauthoritiesifnecessary,toachievecompliancewithanyexistingapplicableregulatoryrequirementspriortotheuseofthisstandard.CAUTIONARYNOTICE:NACEInternationalstandardsaresubjecttoperiodicreview,andmayberevisedorwithdrawnatanytimewithoutpriornotice.NACEInternationalrequiresthatactionbetakentoreaffirm,revise,orwithdrawthisstandardnolaterthanfiveyearsfromthedateofinitialpublication.Theuseriscautionedtoobtainthelatestedition.PurchasersofNACEInternationalstandardsmayreceivecurrentinformationonallstandardsandotherNACEInternationalpublicationsbycontactingtheNACEInternationalMembershipServicesDepartment,1440SouthCreekDrive,Houston,Texas77084-4906(telephone+1281/228-6200).Revised2003-01-17Revised1996-Mar-30Reaffirmed1987-MarApproved1984-FebNACEInternational1440SouthCreekDriveHouston,Texas77084-4906+1281/228-6200ISBN1-57590-163-32003,NACEInternationalNACEStandardTM0284-2003ItemNo.21215COPYRIGHT2003;NACEInternationalDocumentprovidedbyIHSLicensee=FluorCorporation/2110503105,User=,05/27/200302:17:21MDTQuestionsorcommentsaboutthismessage:pleasecalltheDocumentPolicyManagementGroupat1-800-451-1584.--`,,,,``,`,,````,`,```,,```,,`-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---TM0284-2003NACEInternationali________________________________________________________________________ForewordAbsorptionofhydrogengeneratedbycorrosionofsteelinawethydrogensulfide(H2S)environmentcanhaveseveraleffectsthatdependonthepropertiesofthesteel,thecharacteristicsoftheenvironment,andothervariables.Oneadverseeffectobservedinpipelineandpressurevesselsteelsisthedevelopmentofcracksalongtherollingdirectionofthesteel.Cracksononeplanetendtolinkupwiththecracksonadjacentplanestoformstepsacrossthethickness.Thecrackscanreducetheeffectivewallthicknessuntilthepipeorpressurevesselbecomesoverstressedandruptures.Crackingissometimesaccompaniedbysurfaceblistering.Severalservicefailuresattributedtosuchcrackinghavebeenreported.1,2Thetermsstepwisecracking(SWC),hydrogenpressurecracking,blistercracking,andhydrogen-inducedstepwisecrackinghavebeenusedinthepasttodescribecrackingofthistypeinpipelineandpressurevesselsteels,butarenowconsideredobsolete.Thetermhydrogen-inducedcracking(HIC)hasbeenwidelyusedfordescribingcrackingofthistype,andhasbeenadoptedbyNACEInternational.Therefore,itisusedthroughoutthisstandardtestmethod.HICisrelatedtohydrogenblistering,whichhasbeenrecognizedsincethe1940sasaprobleminvesselshandlingsourproducts.3Itwasnotuntilmuchlater,however,thatHICgainedwiderecognitionasapotentialprobleminpipelines.Asaresultofpipelinefailuresexperiencedbytwocompaniesintheearly1970s,severalcompaniesbeganinvestigatingthecrackingandpublishingresultsoftestsonvarioussteels.Manyinvestigatorsfound,however,thattheycouldnotreproducepublishedtestresults.Itwaseventuallydeterminedthatlackofreproducibilityresultedlargelyfromdifferencesintestprocedures.Consequently,NACEUnitCommitteeT-1FonMetallurgyofOilfieldEquipmentestablishedTaskGroupT-1F-20tostudytheproblemandprepareastandardtestmethod.Thisstandardwasoriginallypreparedin1984toprovideastandardsetoftestconditionsforconsistentevaluationofpipelinesteelsandforcomparisonoftestresultsfromdifferentlaboratories.Morerecently,theconcernforHICdamagehasturnedtoplatesteelsfor