An investigation was conducted to assess severrd options as alternative testing methodologies which could result in a reduction in the test duration required for sulfide stress cracking (SSC) qualification testing, The options included: (1) Acoustic emission monitoring of standard TM0177, Method A tests,(2) Slow strain rate testing at various extension rates, and (3) Re-analysis of API C-90 round robin SSC test results to define an alternative threshold stress criterion for a reduced testing period. Results of the program indicated that several options were viable methods of reducing the qualification time and still differentiate the behavior of sour versus non-sour service grades and which provided for more rapid evaluation than currently available.
Keywords: sulfide stress cracking, SSC, slow strain rate, low alloy steel, acoustic emission, AET, test methods, qualification testing, sour service, hydrogen sulfide, H2S