HIC Steel Plate

• Manufactured in compliance with ASME/ASTM SA/A 516 grades 60, 65, and 70 standards.  
• Thicknesses available up to 200mm and plate dimensions up to 12,000mm x 4,000mm.  
• Immediate availability from Europe’s most comprehensive inventory of HIC-grade steel plates ensures reduced procurement times.

Our plates can be prepared to exact specifications with cutting-edge processing technologies, including precision cutting, bevelling, and profiling. This ensures components are delivered assembly-ready, reducing lead times and guaranteeing dimensional accuracy and consistency.

Uncompromising Quality Assurance  

Brown McFarlane’s HIC steel plates are produced using advanced manufacturing techniques, including vacuum degassing and electric arc furnace processes. Strict quality control measures result in ultra-clean, homogeneous steel, meeting the most rigorous industry standards to ensure reliability and performance.

Speak to our team for tailored steel plate solutions.

What is HIC in steel?  

HIC, or Hydrogen-Induced Cracking, is a phenomenon where hydrogen atoms penetrate steel, causing cracking along the grain boundaries. It typically occurs in environments containing hydrogen sulfide, which makes it a primary concern for materials used in sour service conditions.

What is HIC used for?  

HIC-resistant steel is specifically designed for applications in sour service environments where exposure to hydrogen sulfide may occur. These materials are commonly used in industries like oil and gas, particularly in pipelines, pressure vessels and storage tanks to prevent cracking and ensure safety.

What grades of HIC plates are available?  

We stock ASME/ASTM SA/A 516 grades 60, 65, 70, and premium CarElso HIC Premium+ steel plates.  

Are your plates certified?  

Yes, all our HIC plates are tested to NACE TM 0284-03 Solution A and certified to EN 10204 3.2 standards for ultimate assurance in performance and reliability.  

Can you assist with custom requirements?  

We offer project management services to manage bespoke requirements, including additional testing and complex processing needs.

Steel in contact with water containing H2S will corrode, producing hydrogen at its surface. H2S not only inhibits the formation of hydrogen gas, reducing the opportunity for it to escape, but promotes its absorption into the steel. At typical working temperatures below 200 degrees Celsius hydrogen atoms can become trapped causing embrittlement and ultimately cracking.

What is HIC Steel Plate Used For?

The industries commonly affected by hydrogen induced cracking are oil, gas and petrochemical. As more fields rich in H2S are exploited, and this is increasingly the case, the problem is increasingly significant for equipment fabricated in potentially sensitive carbon-manganese (C-Mn) steels. Brown McFarlane supplies HIC steel platesplate tested to combat this common problem.

The use of steel pressure vessels in these industries requires a robust steel plate which is resilient to the long term corrosive effects of hydrogen sulphide in sour service applications. In order to provide better H2S resistance the properties of C-Mn steels have been progressively developed to improve chemistry, cleanliness, homogeneity and microstructure.

CarElso HIC Premium+ steel plate, manufactured by Industeel, and supplied from stock by Brown McFarlane represents the pinnacle of that development. Homogenous, ultra-clean steel suitable for use in sour service applications is produced with the use of an electric arc furnace, ladle refining and vacuum degassing.

About CarElso HIC Premium+
Brown McFarlane provides a complete range of CarElso HIC Premium+ plate tested for its resistance to hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) in wet H2S (sour service) environments. The plate is manufactured by Industeel (part of the Arcelor Mittal Group) and is guaranteed by them to have the following minimum properties:
o Crack Length Ratio (CLR) less than 5 %
o Crack Thickness Ratio (CTR) less than 1.5%
o Crack Sensitivity Ratio (CSR) less than 0.5%
The plate is tested to NACE TM 0284-03 Solution A and certified to EN 10204 3.2 (Lloyds). It is compatible with many of the world’s most stringent proprietary specifications including Petrobras N1706, Saudi Aramco 01-SAMSS-016, EEMUA 179, Axens IN-43, Shell MESC 74/125, and Shell DEP 31.22.10.32.

• Technical Specifications of HIC Steel Plate Available.
Chemical Analysis.
Max Ceq 0.41% <= 50mm, 0.43% > 50mm
Max S 0.001%, P 0.008%, Nb 0.015%, V 0.005%, O 0.002%
All material is made with an Electric Arc Furnace, fully killed, vacuum degassed and has fine grain structure.
Mechanical Properties.
Mechanical and HIC tests after simulated PWHT at 610°C (2 min/mm).
Ambient tensile properties as per standard.
Charpy impact test longitudinal and transverse direction
o At -51°C for thickness <= 25mm (20J average /16J individual)
o At -46°C for thickness >25mm (41J average /34J individual)
NDT
Ultrasonic testing control as per SA 578 level C with +75mm pitch scanning and +100mm² max defect area.
General Supply Conditions.
Normalised 920°C. The material surface is shot blasted to SA 2.5, with low-stress die stamping at two locations: head and foot of plate. In addition, material has identification paint markings on one end and shipping marks. Plates have continuous brand marked on the two long edges.
Additional Testing.
We are able to offer supplementary testing to meet particular oil company specifications; this will be carried out by an independent test laboratory. Please enquire below for more information.