Minimising the risk of hydrogen embrittlement (HE) and hydrogen assisted stress cracking (HASC) within steel lifting products used in the marine environment*
Ben BurgessWilliam Hackett Lifting Products, Oak Drive, Lionheart Enterprise Park, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 2EU, United Kingdom. Email: benb@williamhackett.co.uk
The APPEA Journal 61(1) 77-82 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ20162
Submitted: 18 December 2020 Accepted: 15 January 2021 Published: 2 July 2021
Abstract
Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) and hydrogen assisted stress cracking (HASC) are processes that detrimentally affect certain steels. These processes are understood and well documented. In recent years there has been an accumulation of product failures involving steel lifting components in the offshore industry. These failures have individually been investigated and confirmed as the result of HE and HASC. There continues to be an assumption that steel lifting components that comply with international standards are suitable for use offshore; however, the corrosive environment and effects of dynamic load amplification on lifting components in the offshore environment significantly increase their susceptibility to HE and HASC. Our intention is to provide the offshore industry with technical guidance on the correct material selection in steel lifting components, over and above the requirements of international standards, to mitigate the risk of failure caused by HE and HASC. The definition of toughness in metallurgy and lifting is the ability of the material to absorb energy and to plastically ‘deform’ without fracturing. Our research highlights that a high-grade steel’s hardness and toughness is critical.
Keywords: dynamic load amplification, hardness, hydrogen assisted stress cracking, hydrogen embrittlement, international standards, lifting safety, marine lifting, offshore, offshore lifting, onshore, rigging, risk prevention, shock loading, steel, technical guidance, toughness.
Ben Burgess is a director of William Hackett, with a global responsibility for client engagement, profit and client satisfaction. During his eight years at William Hackett, Ben has transformed William Hackett’s client engagement model, successfully delivering growth in the UK and establishing an export business that delivers 35% of the company’s revenue. Prior to William Hackett, more than 20 years of Ben’s business leadership experience focused on financial services where he progressed his career from individual account management to a full profit and loss responsibility for BT’s global financial services market, including retail, investment, trading floors and corporate banking, with annualised revenues in excess of £550 M. Ben is influencing the global offshore lifting and rigging market through a technically led industry research initiative. He is providing advisory services to operators, contractors, and class and certification organisations on the importance of correct material selection for use in offshore lifting applications. |
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William Hackett (2020). Guidelines for Materials for Offshore Lifting Appliances to Minimise the Risk of Hydrogen Embrittlement (HE) and Hydrogen Assisted Stress Cracking (HASC) (William Hackett Lifting Products Limited: Northumberland, UK)
