Corrosion Behavior of API 5L X80 Steel in the Produced Water of Onshore Oil Recovery Facilities

High-strength low-alloy steel is used in pipelines, which transport oil/gas and also produced water in the process of the secondary recovery of oil. This paper investigates the corrosion of X80 steel after immersion in static systems (biotic and abiotic). The corrosion rate, the corrosion morphology and the hardness of the coupons were investigated. The corrosion products were determined by SEM/EDS and XRD. The corrosion rates of the coupons in the biotic system were moderate and had an agressive pit morphology, while those of the coupons in the abiotic system were low with less aggressive pit. The hardness of the coupons after exposure to the systems of produced water was not changed compared with that of the control coupons. The corrosion products formed in the biotic system were Fe(OH)3, Fe(OH)2, FeOOH, Fe3O4, FeS2, FeCl3, and in the abiotic system, NaCl, CaCl2 and SrSO4. BaSO4 and CaCO3 were identified in both systems.