English -- Guidelines for Avoiding Sulfidation (Sulfidic) Corrosion Failures in Oil Refineries - SECOND EDITION

Abstract

Scope: This recommended practice (RP) is applicable to hydrocarbon process streams with sulfur-containing compounds, without the presence of hydrogen (H2), which operate at temperatures above approximately 500 °F (260 °C) up to about 1000 °F (540 °C). There is considerable debate in the industry as to the correct threshold temperature for H2-free sulfidation, and in a change in this edition, the API 571 threshold of 500 °F (260 °C) is adopted herein. Experience has shown that little significant corrosion will occur at operating temperatures below 500 °F (260 °C) for H2-free sulfidation services without the influence of naphthenic acid corrosion. Mercaptan corrosion, particularly in condensate service, has been reported below this temperature but is not explicitly covered in the Second Edition of API 939-C. For H2-containing services, the threshold temperature is set at 450 °F (230 °C). A lower threshold limit for sulfur content is not provided because significant corrosion has occurred in the reboiler/fractionator sections of some hydroprocessing units (which do not contain H2) at measured sulfur or hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels as low as 1 ppm. Corrosion of nickel (Ni) base alloys in hot H2S environments is excluded from the scope of this document. In addition, while sulfidation can be a problem in some sulfur recovery units, sulfur plant combustion sections and external corrosion of heater tubes due to firing sulfur-containing fuels in heaters are specifically excluded from the scope of this document.