Galvanic Corrosion of Steel
Coupled to Liquid Elemental Mercury in Pipelines
S. M. Wilhelm
Mercury
Technology Services, 23014 Lutheran Church Rd., Tomball, TX 77377 USA.
smw@HgTech.com
ABSTRACT
Galvanic interactions between steel
and liquid mercury were examined in aqueous environments that simulate waters
found in pipelines used in oil and natural gas transportation. Liquid elemental
mercury is a poor cathode for hydrogen ion reduction and thus provides little
galvanic influence to corrosion of steel in anaerobic aqueous systems containing
either hydrogen sulphide or carbon dioxide. The measurements confirm industry
experience that liquid mercury on steel in pipelines poses little risk to
accelerate corrosion reactions and thus to compromise structural integrity, at
least as far as galvanic corrosion is concerned. The measurements extend the
conventional view of elemental mercury as a metal with low electrocatalytic
efficiency for hydrogen ion reduction to environments containing mostly HS-
and HCO3-.
Keywords:
mercury, galvanic corrosion, steel, pipelines.
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