En el presente trabajo se evaluó la resistencia a la corrosión por CO2 de tres aceros utilizados en la fabricación de tubulares de producción de crudo y gas: dos aceros con 3% Cr y variaciones en los contenidos de elementos como Mn, V y Cu (designados como 3CrA y 3CrB) y un acero al carbono convencional correspondiente a un tubular grado N80 (designado como N80). El estudio se abordó utilizando técnicas electroquímicas (Cronopotenciometría, Voltamperometría, Espectroscopía de Impedancia Electroquímica y Resistencia a la Polarización Lineal) controlando la hidrodinámica del sistema empleando un electrodo de disco rotatorio. Los experimentos se realizaron en una solución salina 3,5 % de NaCl previamente desaireada y saturada con CO2 a una temperatura de 80 °C durante 72 h de inmersión. Los ensayos electroquímicos se realizaron a presión atmosférica y a una velocidad de rotación constante e igual a 1000 rpm. Se encontró que la resistencia a la corrosión de los aceros aleados con cromo es superior a la del acero al carbono convencional y disminuye en el siguiente orden 3CrB > 3CrA > N80. Este resultado se atribuyó a las diferencias existentes en la metalurgia de estos tres aceros: composición química y microestructura. Adicionalmente, las mediciones electroquímicas revelaron que, independientemente del material, la resistencia a la corrosión de estos aceros aumenta con el tiempo de inmersión. La formación de una película de productos de corrosión, que bloquea parcialmente la superficie metálica, permite explicar la reducción de la cinética de disolución del metal puesta en evidencia mediante técnicas electroquímicas.

The present work was carried out to evaluate the CO2 corrosion resistance of carbon steels used for tubing in oil and gas industries. Two low alloy steels containing 3% Cr, identified as 3CrA and 3CrB, were studied by electrochemical techniques (Chronopotentiometry, Voltamperometry, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Linear Polarisation Resistance) coupled with a rotating disk electrode in order to control the hydrodynamic conditions of the system. Results obtained for 3% Cr steels were compared with those obtained for the conventional carbon steel, obtained from a N80 grade pipe, to evaluate the advantages of these new materials in terms of their CO2 corrosion resistance. Electrochemical tests were performed in a 3.5% NaCl solution previously deaereated and saturated with CO2 at 80 °C up to 72 h of immersion at 1000 rpm. Electrochemical measurements revealed that the corrosion resistance of low Cr steels is higher than that obtained for the carbon steel and decrease in the following order: 3CrB > 3CrA > N80. It is thought that these results might be explained by the differences found in the metallurgical characteristics of the steels (chemical composition and microstructure). In addition, it was found that the CO2 corrosion resistances of the steels increase with the immersion time, regardless of their chemical composition. This behavior was attributed to the formation of a corrosion product layer on the metal surface when the immersion time increases, mainly blocking the metal dissolution reaction.

Activated (AS) and carboxymethylated (CMS0.24) cassava starch derivatives were studied as corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel XC35 in a 200 mgL-1 NaCl solution. They were characterized by back titration and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Electrochemical techniques were used to evaluate the inhibitive properties of starches at room temperature and the chemical composition of the protective films was determined by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Electrochemical measurements revealed that AS acts as mixed inhibitor, whereas CMS0.24 mainly inhibits the anodic reaction. In both cases, the protection increased with the inhibitor concentration; nevertheless, after 24 hours of immersion, the CMS0.24 loses its properties, while AS molecules still maintains them. XPS analyses show that the inhibitive films are composed of an iron oxide/hydroxide mixture in which starch molecules are incorporated. Results were explained taking into consideration the hydrophilicity and the strength of the ionic interaction of the starches with the metal surface.

Se evaluó el efecto de las condiciones hidrodinámicas sobre la inhibición de la corrosión de un acero al carbono en una solución de 200 mg/L de NaCl en presencia de aminas grasas (AG) y de sales de ácido fosfonocarboxílico (SAFC). Estas especies son empleadas como inhibidores de corrosión en circuitos de enfriamiento; su principal ventaja es su ausencia de toxicidad y su biodegradabilidad. El estudio se abordó utilizando cronopotenciometría, espectroscopia de impedancia electroquímica (EIS) y espectroscopia de fotoelectrones (XPS). Las mediciones electroquímicas revelaron que el mecanismo de inhibición de las AG es poco afectado por las condiciones hidrodinámicas del sistema. Por el contrario, en presencia de SAFC, la formación de la película inhibidora es fuertemente afectada por la velocidad de rotación del electrodo. Los resultados obtenidos por XPS demuestran que el incremento en la velocidad de rotación favorece la formación de un complejo insoluble entre las moléculas de SAFC y los cationes ferrosos. Por otra parte, a partir de los diagramas de impedancia obtenidos en presencia de SAFC para diferentes tiempos de inmersión, se obtuvo que los valores de resistencia de polarización permanecieron constantes y elevados cuando la película inhibidora se formó a altas velocidades de rotación.

In the present work, the effect of flow on the formation of inhibitive films on carbon steel was investigated in a 200 mg/L NaCl solution in the presence of fatty amines (FA) and phosphonocarboxylic acid salts (PCAS). These compounds are used as corrosion inhibitors in cooling water systems and their principal advantages are the absence of toxicity and their biodegradability. The study was carried out using chronopotentiometric curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Electrochemical measurements revealed that the inhibition mechanism in the presence of FA was slightly affected by the hydrodynamic conditions; in contrast, the effect of the electrode rotation rate was significant in the presence of PCAS. XPS analysis showed that the formation of a chelate between the PCAS molecules and the iron cations was enhanced by the increase of the rotation rate. Impedance diagrams were also obtained to investigate the influence of the immersion time on the inhibitive properties of films formed at different electrode rotation rates in the presence of PCAS. The polarisation resistance values remained high and constant when the inhibitive layer is formed at the higher rotation rates.