In-situ hydrogen production from petroleum reservoirs and the associated high temperature hydrogen attack: A review
Qing Hu, Yan Li, Y. Frank Cheng
Abstract
The oilsands gasification and electromagnetic assisted catalytic heating techniques provide promising avenues for in-situ hydrogen production from petroleum reservoirs . A multitude of chemical reactions, such as pyrolysis , aqua-thermolysis, and low-temperature, medium-temperature and high-temperature oxidizations , occur during hydrogen production . The combustion of hydrocarbons, coke gasification, and the water-gas shift reaction are the primary mechanisms for producing hydrogen . The temperature and pressure conditions within the oilsands reservoir vary from 210–250 °C and 2.5–3 MPa to 350–990 °C and 3–10 MPa. Steel facilities subjected to prolonged exposure to high-temperature and high-pressure hydrogen (H 2 ) gas environments are susceptible to high-temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA). In these environments, hydrogen (H) atoms can be produced from molecular H 2 through an adsorptive dissociation mechanism. HTHA is the primary form of damage to steels upon permeation of H atoms. It can result in decarburization of the steels, a decrease in their strength and toughness, and accelerated creep crack growth . While multiple factors affect the HTHA occurrence, a variety of methods can be used to address the problem. Particularly, alloying treatment of carbon steel by elements such as W, Zr, Cr, Mo, V, Ti and Nb can form stable carbides and improve resistance of the steels to HTHA, offering a viable strategy to mitigate the risks associated with HTHA while ensuring cost-effectiveness effectiveness. High-alloy steels with enhanced stability of carbides are recommended for in-situ hydrogen production in petroleum reservoirs, although the steels’ long-term performance in the varying and extreme environments is to be further investigated and modeled.