Evaluation of the Performance of Inconel 718 Fasteners Subjected to Cathodic Protection Systems in Offshore and Subsea Applications Available to Purchase

Fasteners manufactured with Inconel 718 alloy are being widely used in offshore and subsea applications due to the material’s high strength, when compared to other nickel alloys, and its inherent corrosion resistance. However, concerns have been raised over its utilization in applications where cathodic protection or impressed current systems are in place. These concerns relate to the susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement that Inconel 718 alloy may present depending on its processing, microstructure, hardness and actuating stresses. Over the last few years, much has been discussed on the suitability of the alloy for subsea applications. The development of special thermal cycles for the ageing of the alloy has been necessary to provide a consistent material with a maximum hardness of 35 HRc, and a microstructure free of detrimental phases without jeopardizing the overall mechanical properties of the alloy. Wellstream has developed a test programme focused on the assessment of Inconel 718 behavior when subjected to cathodic protection systems. Through this programme, it was possible to demonstrate the suitability of Inconel 718 alloy in subsea applications when the resulting microstructure and hardness are properly controlled, and bolt loading is within normal working limits.