During the compression emission gasses in deep geological layers (Carbon Capture and Storage, CCS) CO2-corrosion will become a relevant safety issue. The reliability of the steels used at the geological onshore CCS-site at Ketzin, Germany, (heat treated steel 42CrMo4 (1.7225, AISI 4140) used for casing, and the martensitic stainless injection pipe steels X46Cr13 (1.4034, AISI 420 C), X20Cr13 (1.4021, AISI 420 J), X35CrMo17 (1.4122)) is demonstrated in 1 and 2 years laboratory experiments. Samples were kept in a synthetic aquifer environment similar to the geological CCS-site at Ketzin, Germany at T=60 °C. This corrosive environment is then saturated with technical CO2 at a flow rate of 3 l/h. Microstructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray, after a series of heat treatments (700 h to 2 years). Due to very slow mass loss at extended exposure times to CCS-environment one year is sufficient to predict stable surface corrosion rates from laboratory experiments. The non-linear isothermal surface corrosion behaviour of the steels reveals surface corrosion rates around 0.1 to 0.8 mm/year, when obtained by mass gain. The loss of the base material is higher when calculated from the corrosion layer magnitude due to the unpredictable local corrosion attacks. Severe pit corrosion (pit heights ca. 4.5 mm) are only located on the high chromium steels. Main phases of the continuous scales are siderite FeCO3 and goethite α-FeOOH. The formation of the non-protective layer is likely to form via a transient Fe(OH)2-phase.
The influence of heat treatment on pit corrosion needs to be considered to guarantee reliability and safety during the injection of compressed emission gasses – mainly containing CO2 – into deep geological layers (CCS-technology, Carbon Capture and Storage). In laboratory experiments different heat treated steels used as injection pipe with 13% Chromium and 0.46% Carbon (X46Cr13, 1.4034) as well as 0.2% Carbon (X20Cr13, 1.4021) were tested. Also X5CrNiCuNb16-4 (1.4542) was investigated as typical steel used for geothermal pumps. Keeping stable environmental conditions in laboratory experiments the samples were exposed to the distinct synthetic aquifer environment saturated with technical CO2 at a flow rate of 3 l/h for up to 6 months.
Independent of the exposure time the least amount of pits is found on hardened steels with martensitic microstructure where X5CrNiCuNb16-4 shows fewer pits than X46Cr13 and X20Cr13.
Regarding steels with similar Cr-content the higher Ccontent in 1.4034 results in fewer pits compared to 1.4021.
Samples of differently heat treated high alloyed stainless injection-pipe steels AISI 420 X46Cr13, AISI 420J X20Cr13 as well as X5CrNiCuNb16-4 AISI 630 were kept at T=60 °C and ambient pressure as well as p=100 bar for 700 h - 8000 h in a CO2- saturated synthetic aquifer environment similar to possible geological on-shore CCS-sites in the northern German Basin. Corrosion rates and scale growth are lowest after long term exposure for steels hardened and tempered at 600 to 670 °C and pits - indicating local corrosion- decrease in diameter but increase in number as a function of carbon content of the steel. Martensitic microstructure is preferred with respect to this particular CCS-site.
CO2-corrosion of injection pipe steels is a relevant safety issue when emission gasses are compressed in deep geological layers (CCS). The reliability of the steels used at the geological onshore CCS-site at Ketzin, Germany, is demonstrated in laboratory experiments under an equivalent corrosive environment (T=60 °C,p=1-60 bar, aquifer water, CO2-flow rate of 3 l/h, 700 h8000 h heat treatment). Corrosion kinetics and microstructures were characterized using samples of the heat treated steel 1.7225 (AISI 4140, 42CrMo4) used for casing, and samples of the martensitic stainless injection-pipe steel 1.4034 (AISI 420, X46Cr13).
With CO2 being one reason for climate change carbon capture and storage (CCS) is discussed to mitigate climate change. When emission gases are compressed into deep geological layers CO2-corrosion can easily cause failure of injection pipes. Different steels 42CrMo4, X46Cr13 and X20Cr13 were tested as well as X35CrMo17 and X5CrNiCuNb16-4 in a laboratory Environment similar to the conditions of the CCS engineering site at the Northern German Bassin. Samples were exposed to synthetic aquifer water saturated with technical CO2 at a flow rate of 3 NL/h.
Corrosion rates obtained via mass loss vary in a wide range (0,005 to 2.5 mm/year). The precipitations within the corrosion scale revealed a complicated multiphase layer containing siderite FeCO3, goethite α-FeOOH, lepidocrocite γ-FeOOH, mackinawite FeS and akaganeite Fe8O8(OH)8Cl1,34 and spinelphases of various compositions.
During carbon capture and storage (CCS) CO2-corrosion of pipe steels is a relevant safety issue when emission gasses are compressed in deep geological layers. The reliability of the steels 42CrMo4, X20Cr13, X46Cr13 and X35CrMo17 is demonstrated in long term laboratory experiments up to 2 years of exposure time. Testings were carried out at ambient pressure under an equivalent corrosive environment as found at the geological onshore CCS-site at Ketzin, Germany (T=60 °C, aquifer water).
When emission gasses are compressed into deep geological layers (CCS) CO2-corrosion of injection pipe steels is a relevant safety issue. The reliability of the steels used at the geological onshore CCS-site at Ketzin, Germany, is demonstrated in 2 years laboratory experiments under an equivalent corrosive environment at ambient pressure (T=60 °C, aquifer water, CO2-flow rate of 3 l/h). Corrosion kinetics and microstructures were characterized using samples of the heat treated steel 42CrMo4 (casing), and samples of the martensitic stainless steel X46Cr13 (injection).