As a new corrosion resistant alloy (CRA), high strength 15Cr martensitic stainless steel (0.03C-
15Cr-6Ni-2Mo-1Cu) offers an OCTG material for the completion of HTHP deep water wells and
large bore gas wells, due to a combination of high specified minimum yield strength (SMYS) of 125
ksi (862 MPa) without cold drawing, good notch toughness, and superior CO2 corrosion resistance.
This paper describes an investigation of the resistance of 15Cr steel to localized corrosion in
simulated sour oil and gas well environments at three different temperatures including 75°F (24°C),
200°F (93°C), and 400°F (204°C). The localized corrosion resistance was evaluated using short-term
electrochemical potentiostatic polarization tests and long-term (90-day) exposure tests. The longterm
exposure test results correlated well with the short-term electrochemical results in terms of
localized corrosion susceptibility.
Keywords: OCTG, martensitic, stainless steel, electrochemical polarization, localized corrosion, and
hydrogen sulfide (H2S).