Hydrogen absorption and resultant long-term embrittlement can be a potential problem for titanium alloy offshore components which contact adjoining steel structures that are cathodically protected in seawater. Calculated potential profiles for typical uncoated titanium alloy deep-water production and drilling risers and subsea flowlines reveal that impressed CP potentials will be cathodic(negative) to the assumed safe limit of -
800 mV vs Ag/AgCl along the entire titanium component length. Two practical strategies for preventing hydrogen damage were identified as 1) electrical isolation of titanium alloys at terminal cxmneclions, and 2) application of robust, seawater-resistant polymeric OD surface coatings. Drilling risers may or may not require OD coatings depending on service requirements, whereas subsea titanium alloy tube-bundle umbilical
lines are not susceptible to hydrogen damage if short end sections are coated.
Keywords: Titanium, offshore applications, subsea service, cathodic protection, computer modeling, hydrogen embrittlement, mitigation.