Swagelok and NACE Standards
The Importance of Sour Service Standards (NACE) Compliance
According to the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), formerly known as the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE), corrosion costs industries worldwide $2.5 trillion annually—a problem Swagelok tackles head-on with sour service (NACE)-compliant solutions. Sour service refers to applications where sulfide stress cracking and similar environmentally assisted cracking mechanisms occur in oil and gas production and refining operations.
With unmatched depth of engineering expertise in corrosion protection, Swagelok produces fittings and valves that meet rigorous sour service (NACE) standards, including MR0175 and MR0103, promoting safety and durability in both upstream and downstream sour oil and gas environments.
But, Swagelok isn’t simply a provider of NACE fittings and NACE valves.
Our commitment to fulfilling NACE requirements extends beyond our lineup of high-quality products. Swagelok’s product engineers and materials science experts work with our customers to fully understand where and how NACE compliance can be most effectively and efficiently achieved within their particular applications. Rather than approach these important standards with a one-size-fits-all philosophy, Swagelok addresses compliance concerns with considered regard for our customers’ specific needs, whether localized or operation-wide.
What is NACE?
Swagelok’s support for NACE standards mirrors the importance and origin of the standards themselves.
In the 1930s, when NACE was established to address growing concerns about corrosion in pipeline operations, industry-wide recognition of costly corrosion damage from sulfides was rapidly advancing in stride with aggressive petroleum exploration. Within a few short years, as sour environments—those with heightened quantities of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) — became more prolific.
As the oil and gas production industry evolved, a range of stress-assisted corrosion cracking modes were identified. When several of these modes act in conjunction, the term environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) is often used. Stress assisted corrosion cracking modes include:
- Sulfide stress cracking (SSC) – Cracking accelerated by the corrosion from H2S and the evolution of hydrogen during the H2S corrosion process
- Chloride stress corrosion cracking (SCC) – Cracking that commonly initiates from pitting corrosion, again with hydrogen evolution near the crack tip associated with the Cl- corrosion process
- Hydrogen stress cracking (HSC) – Crack initiation and accelerated growth due to hydrogen uptake in the alloy
What does it mean to be NACE compliant?
The NACE MR0175/ISO 15156 standard for oil and gas production provides environmental limits for a range of applications and alloys based on the partial pressure of H2S, the Cl- concentration, the pH, and operating temperature. In the refinery environment Cl-’s are low or eliminated, and pH tends to be near neutral or basic which affects the sulfide species. The NACE MR0103/ISO 17845 standard for refinery operations provides acceptable material conditions that must be met to be considered NACE compliant.
Swagelok Understands NACE Compliance
Swagelok’s materials science and manufacturing expertise allows us to produce components that withstand stress assisted corrosion in upstream and downstream operations using structural material that conforms to NACE requirements. Oil and gas OEMs and refiners worldwide depend on our valves and fittings to achieve peak levels of dependability and operational efficiency—even in the harshest of environments.
Beyond trusting our fluid system components, our customers rely on us to help analyze and evaluate their NACE compliance needs. We apply our knowledge of these critical standards in ways that directly address their safety and efficiency concerns while also providing guidance that helps them reduce costs and achieve a strong ROI.
Have questions about NACE compliance? Contact one of nearly 200 authorized Swagelok sales and service center locations to connect with specialists who can help you maximize the efficiency, safety, and success of your operations.