304 stainless steel has been suffering from general corrosion in CO2 removal units using a high concentration DGA solution in a natural gas processing plant Deposits precipitated in the DGA units were sampled during annual inspections and analyzed for matallic ions and their compounds. It was found that Fe and Cr were rich in the deposits along the lean DGA lines and Ni was rich along the rich DGA lines. Fe and Cr
precipitated as oxides and Ni precipitated as sulfides. This uneven distribution of metallic ions in the units wee due to the differences in metal chelate stability with DGA and/or DGA carbamate and also due to the trace amount of H2S in the raw natural gas. There has not been a direct proof of carbamates playing some roles in an actual amine unit, this uneven distribution of metallic ions is one evidence that CGA carbamate really plays some roles in actual DGA units.
Keywords: corrosion of 304 stainless steel, diglycolamine, carbon dioxide, deposit, metallic ions, carbamate, chelate, hydrogen sulfide