The infrastructure for hydrogen storage and transportation needs to be safely used for a carbon-neutral society. One of the most important issues for the integrity of a hydrogen system is material degradation caused by hydrogen. It is well understood that solute hydrogen in steel causes the degradation of material properties — so called hydrogen embrittlement.
The following list contains standards and specifications on steels for use in hydrogen systems.
Table: Standards and specifications for steel materials in hydrogen systems
| Standard/Specification | Titel | Scope/Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| API RP 941 | Steels for Hydrogen Service at Elevated Temperatures and Pressures in Petroleum Refinery | This recommended practice (RP) summarizes the results of experimental tests and actual data acquired from operating plants to establish practical operating limits for carbon and low alloy steels in hydrogen service at elevated temperatures and pressures. The effects on the resistance of steels to hydrogen at elevated temperature and pressure that result from high stress, heat treating, chemical composition, and cladding are discussed. This RP does not address the resistance of steels to hydrogen at lower temperatures [below about 400 °F (204 °C)], where atomic hydrogen enters the steel as a result of an electrochemical mechanism. This RP applies to equipment in refineries, petrochemical facilities, and chemical facilities in which hydrogen or hydrogen-containing fluids are processed at elevated temperature and pressure. The guidelines in this RP can also be applied to hydrogenation plants such as those that manufacture ammonia, methanol, edible oils, and higher alcohols. |
| ASME B31.3 | Process Piping | ASME B31.3 contains requirements for piping typically found in petroleum refineries; chemical, pharmaceutical, hydrogen, textile, paper and pulp, power generation, semiconductor, and cryogenic plants; and related processing plants and terminals. It covers materials and components, design, fabrication, assembly, erection, examination, inspection, and testing of piping. |
| ASME B31.12 | Hydrogen Piping and Pipelines | Standards on Hydrogen Piping and Pipelines contains requirements for piping in gaseous and liquid hydrogen service and pipelines in gaseous hydrogen service. The general requirements section covers materials, brazing, welding, heat treating, forming, testing, inspection, examination, operating, and maintenance. The industrial piping section covers requirements for components, design, fabrication, assembly, erection, inspection, examination, and testing of piping. This Code is applicable to piping in gaseous and liquid hydrogen service and to pipelines in gaseous hydrogen service. B31.12 is applicable up to and including the joint connecting the piping to associated pressure vessels and equipment but not to the vessels and equipment themselves. It is also applicable to the location and type of support elements, but not to the structure to which the support elements are attached. |
| ASME BPVC Section VIII Div. 3 | Alternative Rules for Construction of High Pressure Vessels | Article KD-10 Special Requirements for Vessels in Hydrogen Service |
| ASTM F-1459 | Test Method for Determination of the Susceptibility of Metallic Materials to Gaseous Hydrogen Embrittlement | This test method will provide a guide for the choice of metallic materials for applications in high pressure hydrogen gas. The value of the PHe/PH2 ratio will be a relative indication of the severity of degradation of the mechanical properties to be expected in hydrogen. This test method covers the quantitative determination of the susceptibility of metallic materials to hydrogen embrittlement, when exposed to high pressure gaseous hydrogen. |
| ASTM F-1624 | Standard Test Method for Measurement of Hydrogen Embrittlement Threshold in Steel by the Incremental Step Loading Technique | This test method establishes a procedure to measure the susceptibility of steel to a time-delayed failure such as that caused by hydrogen. It does so by measuring the threshold for the onset of subcritical crack growth using standard fracture mechanics specimens, irregular-shaped specimens such as notched round bars, or actual product such as fasteners. The effect of hydrogen introduced into the steel caused by external environmental sources of hydrogen, such as fluids and cleaners maintenance chemicals, petrochemical products, and galvanic coupling in an aqueous environment. |
| ASTM E-1681 | Standard Test Method for determining Threshold Stress Intensity Factor for Environment-Assisted Cracking of Metallic Materials | Refer in ASME B31.12 |
| ASTM F 2078 | Standard Terminology Relating to Hydrogen Embrittlement Testing | |
| ASTM G-142 | Standard Test Method for Determination of Susceptibility of Metals to Embrittlement in Hydrogen Containing Environments at High Pressure, High Temperature, or Both | This test method provides a reliable prediction of the resistance or susceptibility, or both, to loss of material strength and ductility as a result of exposure to hydrogen-containing gaseous environments. This test method is applicable over a broad range of pressures, temperatures, and gaseous environments. The results from this test method can be used to evaluate the effects of material composition, processing, and heat treatment as well as the effects of changes in environment composition, temperature, and pressure. These results may or may not correlate with service experience for particular applications. Furthermore, this test method may not be suitable for the evaluation of high temperature hydrogen attack in steels unless suitable exposure time at the test conditions has taken place prior to the initiation of tensile testing to allow for the development of internal blistering, decarburisation or cracking, or both. This test method covers a procedure for determination of tensile properties of metals in high pressure or high temperature, or both, gaseous hydrogen-containing environments. It includes accommodations for the testing of either smooth or notched specimens. |
| DVGW G 464 | Fracture-Mechanical Assessment Concept for Steel Pipelines with a Design Pressure of more than 16 bar for the Transport of Hydrogen | |
| DVGW G 407 | Conversion of Gas Pipelines made of Steel Pipes for the Distribution of Hydrogen-containing High-Methane Gases and Hydrogen up to 16 bar Operating Pressure | Conversion of Gas Pipelines made of Steel Pipes for the Distribution of Hydrogen-containing High-Methane Gases and Hydrogen up to 16 bar Operating Pressure |
| DVGW G 409 | Conversion of Gas Pipelines made of Steel Pipes for the Distribution of Hydrogen-containing High-Methane Gases and Hydrogen up to 16 bar Operating Pressure | Conversion of Gas Pipelines made of Steel Pipes for the Distribution of Hydrogen-containing High-Methane Gases and Hydrogen up to 16 bar Operating Pressure |
| EIGA Doc 243/22 | Guideline on remedial actions for HYCO Plant components subject to high temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA) | Risk of the HTHA mechanism will be determined for the components that are exposed to hydrogen-containing gas at a temperature above 205 °C (400 °F) (with some margin below 205 °C (400 °F) to allow for uncertainties). |
| EN 1594 | Gas infrastructure – Pipelines for maximum operating pressure over 16 bar – Functional requirements | |
| EN 10229 | Evaluation of resistance of steel products to hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) | |
| EN 12732 | Gas infrastructure – Welding steel pipework – Functional requirements | Contains requirements for the fabrication and testing of welded joints for the installation, construction and modification, including in-service welding, of land-based steel pipelines and equipment used in gas infrastructure. |
| EN ISO 7539-11 | Corrosion of metals and alloys Stress corrosion testing Part 11: Guidelines for testing the resistance of metals and alloys to hydrogen embrittlement and hydrogen-assisted cracking | This part of ISO 7539 gives guidance on the key features that should be accounted for in designing and conducting tests to evaluate the resistance of a metal or its alloy to hydrogen embrittlement and hydrogen-assisted cracking. |
| EN ISO 11114-4 | Transportable gas cylinders – Compatibility of cylinder and valve materials with gas contents – Part 4: Test methods for selecting steels resistant to hydrogen embrittlement | |
| ISO 16573-1 | Measurement method for the evaluation of hydrogen embrittlement resistance of high strength steels Part 1: Constant load test | This document provides a method for the evaluation of the resistance to hydrogen embrittlement (i.e. hydrogen delayed fracture) using constant loading test with hydrogen pre-charged specimens. The amount of hydrogen content absorbed in the specimens is analysed quantitatively by thermal desorption analysis such as gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and so on. In the case of hydrogen continuous charging such as hydrogen absorption in aqueous solution at free corrosion potential, hydrogen absorption in atmospheric corrosion environments and hydrogen absorption in high pressure hydrogen gas, the evaluation method is also briefly described. This method is mainly applicable to the evaluation of hydrogen embrittlement resistance of high strength steel bolts. |
| ISO 16573-2 | Measurement method for the evaluation of hydrogen embrittlement resistance of high-strength steels Part 2: Slow strain rate test | This document provides an evaluation method of the resistance of high-strength steels to hydrogen embrittlement (i.e. hydrogen delayed fracture) using slow strain rate test with hydrogen pre-charged specimens. The amount of hydrogen absorbed in the specimens is analysed quantitatively by thermal desorption analysis such as gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and so on. This document includes testing methods for either smooth or notched specimens. It is applicable to ferritic base steels. |
| CEN ISO/TR 20491 | Fundamentals of hydrogen embrittlement in steel fasteners | High strength mechanical steel fasteners are broadly characterized by tensile strengths (Rm) above 1000 MPa and are often used in critical applications such as in bridges, engines, aircraft, where a fastener failure can have catastrophic consequences. Preventing failures and managing the risk of hydrogen embrittlement (HE) is a fundamental consideration implicating the entire fastener supply chain, including: the steel mill, the fastener manufacturer, the coater, the application engineer, the joint designer, all the way to the end user. Hydrogen embrittlement has been studied for decades, yet the complex nature of HE phenomena and the many variables make the occurrence of fastener failures unpredictable. Researches are typically conducted under simplified and/or idealized conditions that cannot be effectively translated into know-how prescribed in fastener industry standards and practices. Circumstances are further complicated by specifications or standards that are sometimes inadequate and/or unnecessarily alarmist. Inconsistencies and even contradictions in fastener industry standards have led to much confusion and many preventable fastener failures. The fact that HE is very often mistakenly determined to be the root cause of failure as opposed to a mechanism of failure reflects the confusion. |
| NACE MR0103/ISO 17945 | Petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas industries – Metallic materials resistant to sulfide stress cracking (SSC) in corrosive petroleum refining environments | Defines material requirements for resistance to sulfide stress cracking (SSC) in sour refinery process environments (i.e., environments that contain wet hydrogen sulfide [H2S]). The term “wet H2S cracking” as used in the refining industry covers a range of damage mechanisms that can occur due to the effects of hydrogen charging in wet H2S refinery or gas plant process environments. One of the types of material damage that can occur as a result of hydrogen charging is sulfide stress cracking (SSC) of hard weldments and microstructures, which is addressed by this standard. This standard is intended to be utilized by refineries, equipment manufacturers, engineering contractors, and construction contractors. |
| NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156-1 | Petroleum and natural gas industries — Materials for use in H2S – containing environments in oil and gas production Part 1: General principles for selection of cracking-resistant materials | This standard gives requirements and recommendations for the selection and qualification of carbon and low-alloy steels, corrosion-resistant alloys, and other alloys for service in equipment used in oil and natural gas production and natural gas treatment plants in H2S-containing environments, whose failure could pose a risk to the health and safety of the public and personnel or to the equipment itself. |
| NACE MR175/ISO 15156-2 | Petroleum and natural gas industries — Materials for use in H2S-containing environments in oil and gas production — Part 2: Cracking-resistant carbon and low-alloy steels, and the use of cast irons | This document gives requirements and recommendations for the selection and qualification of carbon and low-alloy steels for service in equipment used in oil and natural gas production and natural gas treatment plants in H2S-containing environments, whose failure can pose a risk to the health and safety of the public and personnel or to the environment. It can be applied to help to avoid costly corrosion damage to the equipment itself. It supplements, but does not replace, the materials requirements of the appropriate design codes, standards or regulations. This document addresses the resistance of these steels to damage that can be caused by sulfide stress cracking (SSC) and the related phenomena of stress-oriented hydrogen-induced cracking (SOHIC) and soft-zone cracking (SZC). This document also addresses the resistance of these steels to hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC) and its possible development into stepwise cracking (SWC). This document is concerned only with cracking. Loss of material by general (mass loss) or localized corrosion is not addressed. Table 1 provides a non-exhaustive list of equipment to which this document is applicable, including exclusions. This document applies to the qualification and selection of materials for equipment designed and constructed using load controlled design methods. For design utilizing strain-based design methods, see ISO 15156-1, Clause 5. Annex A lists SSC-resistant carbon and low alloy steels, and A.2.4 includes requirements for the use of cast irons. |
| NACE MR175/ISO 15156-3 | Petroleum and natural gas industries Materials for use in H2S-containing environments in oil and gas production Part 3: Cracking-resistant CRAs (corrosion-resistant alloys) and other alloys | This document gives requirements and recommendations for the selection and qualification of CRAs (corrosion-resistant alloys) and other alloys for service in equipment used in oil and natural gas production and natural gas treatment plants in H2S-containing environments whose failure can pose a risk to the health and safety of the public and personnel or to the environment. It can be applied to help avoid costly corrosion damage to the equipment itself. It supplements, but does not replace, the materials requirements of the appropriate design codes, standards, or regulations. This document addresses the resistance of these materials to damage that can be caused by sulfide stress cracking (SSC), stress corrosion cracking (SCC), and galvanically induced hydrogen stress cracking (GHSC). This document is concerned only with cracking. Loss of material by general (mass loss) or localized corrosion is not addressed. Table 1 provides a non-exhaustive list of equipment to which this document is applicable, including exclusions. This document applies to the qualification and selection of materials for equipment designed and constructed using load controlled design methods. For design utilizing strain-based design methods, see ISO 15156‑1, Clause 5. This document is not necessarily suitable for application to equipment used in refining or downstream processes and equipment. |
| NACE TM0177 | Laboratory Testing of Metals for Resistance to Sulfide Stress Cracking (SSC) and Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC)in H2S Environments | This standard addresses the testing of metals for resistance to cracking failure under the combined action of tensile stress and corrosion in aqueous environments containing hydrogen sulfide (H2S). This phenomenon is generally termed sulfide stress cracking (SSC) when operating at room temperature and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) when operating at higher temperatures. In recognition of the variation with temperature and with different materials this phenomenon is herein called environmental cracking (EC). For the purposes of this standard, EC includes only SSC, SCC, and hydrogen stress cracking (HSC). Mainly used for SSC test in acc. to NACE MR0103/ISO 17945 |
| NACE TM0284 | Petroleum and natural gas industries Materials for use in H2S-containing environments in oil and gas production Part 3: Cracking-resistant CRAs (corrosion-resistant alloys) and other alloys | Provides a standard set of test conditions for consistent evaluation of pipeline and pressure vessel steels and compares test results from different laboratories pertaining to the results of the absorption of hydrogen generated by corrosion of steel in wet H2S. Describes two test solutions, Solution A and Solution B, and includes special procedures for testing small-diameter, thin-wall, electric-resistance welded and seamless line pipe. Test is intended to evaluate resistance to hydrogen-induced (stepwise) cracking (HIC)only, and not other adverse effects of sour environments such as sulfide stress cracking, pitting, or weight loss from corrosion. |
