Mapping erosion–corrosion of carbon steel in oil–water solutions: Effects of velocity and applied potential

In this study, the erosion–corrosion performance of carbon steel was investigated in crude oil, reservoir water, and a mixture of both solutions at a range of applied potentials, velocities and impact angle. The application of such work is to upstream and downstream oilfield conditions, where the proportions of hydrocarbon and water may vary during the extraction process over time. Following exposure of the carbon steel in the crude oil, the extent of erosion was greater than that of corrosion, whilst in the reservoir water, the erosion and corrosion contributions were similar. Regimes of erosion–corrosion were proposed based on the variation in erosion behaviour at various impact angles and applied potentials in the environments studied. Mechanistic changes were identified on erosion–corrosion maps as a function of velocity and applied potential at various impact angles, indicating important transitions in erosion–corrosion processes in the oil/water environments.