Innovative inspection method for HIC/SOHIC

Hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) and Stress-Oriented Hydrogen-induced Cracking (SOHIC) are failure mechanisms which are commonly found in oil and gas production, refining industry. This condition occurs e.g. where steel equipment is exposed to Wet Hydrogen Sulfide (H₂S) environments. The defects are caused when hydrogen blisters form, in turn causing cracks that link these blisters together into larger defects. Since the blisters form at various depths, the cracking will appear as a stair-step appearance, called “stepwise cracking” , eventually leading to surface breaking cracks.