STEEL PIPE FOR LINE PIPE WITH HIGH HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT RESISTANCE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND STEEL MATERIAL FOR LINE PIPE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

- JFE STEEL CORPORATION

Provided are a steel plate and a steel pipe that have excellent hydrogen-induced cracking resistance. Also provided are a steel plate and a steel pipe for which the HIC resistance thereof can be evaluated from the internal quality of a cast piece, without performing HIC tests. The steel plate having excellent hydrogen-induced cracking resistance fulfils prescribed C, Si, Mn, P, S, Al, Ca, N, and O content and comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of a prescribed REM and Zr, with the remainder being iron and unavoidable impurities. The steel plate is characterized by: the Ca and S ratio (Ca/S) being at least 2.0; Ca, S, and O fulfilling (Ca—1.25S)/O≤1.80; and horizontal cracking not being present at the slab stage or the maximum opening thickness of horizontal cracking being no more than a threshold 10 and the threshold the being the maximum opening thickness of horizontal cracking at which hydrogen-induced cracking does not occur in a steel plate obtained by rolling the slab.

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Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a national stage application of PCT Application No. PCT/JP2023/035554, which was filed Sep. 28, 2023, and which claims foreign priority to JP2022-157170, filed Sep. 29, 2022. These prior applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to a steel pipe for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance, a method for producing the steel pipe, a steel material for a line pipe, and a method for producing the steel material, suitable for applications, such as a line pipe for transporting hydrogen gas.

BACKGROUND

There is a line pipe for transporting natural gas as an existing energy infrastructure. Such a steel material has been required to suppress the occurrence of hydrogen-induced cracking in a sour environment. On the other hand, in recent years, hydrogen has attracted a great deal of attention worldwide as a clean energy source for the development of a decarbonizing society. Thus, for the purpose of transporting a large amount of hydrogen gas, construction of a hydrogen gas transportation network that pressure-feeds natural gas partially mixed with hydrogen or hydrogen gas as an alternative through a natural gas line pipe has been studied. The transport pressure in such a pipeline operation is assumed to be a high pressure of 1 to 40 MPa, and line pipes are placed in a high-pressure hydrogen gas exposure environment. A steel material used in such an environment has a concern about the occurrence of “hydrogen embrittlement” in which hydrogen enters the steel and degrades its characteristics. Thus, it is desirable to have not only high toughness and sour resistance required for conventional line pipes but also hydrogen embrittlement resistance required in a hydrogen gas environment.

An austenite stainless steel, such as SUS 316L, which is more resistant to hydrogen embrittlement than low-alloy steels, has been used for a steel structure used in a high-pressure hydrogen gas environment. However, an austenite stainless steel, such as SUS 316L, is high in steel material cost and has low strength, and when designed to withstand a high hydrogen pressure, has a large wall thickness and results in an increased price of a structure for hydrogen itself. Thus, there has been a strong demand for a low-alloy steel material that can withstand a high-pressure hydrogen gas environment at a lower cost for a steel structure for hydrogen.

In response to such a demand, for example, a steel for a high-pressure hydrogen environment described in Patent Literature 1 is a steel used in a high-pressure hydrogen environment, in which Ca/S is less than 1.5 or 11 or more to reduce a relative concentration of diffusible hydrogen and suppress embrittlement due to diffusible hydrogen.

Patent Literature 2 discloses a technique of finding that a low-alloy high-strength steel adjusted to have a specific chemical composition has, within the tensile strength range of 900 to 950 MPa in the atmosphere, increased drawing and elongation as compared with JIS G 3128 SHY685NS in a 45-MPa hydrogen atmosphere and improve high-pressure hydrogen environment embrittlement resistance.

A Cr—Mo high-strength low-alloy steel described in Patent Literature 3 is a low-alloy high-strength steel with good elongation and drawing characteristics even in a 45-MPa hydrogen atmosphere and with high high-pressure hydrogen environment embrittlement resistance provided by tempering at a relatively high temperature of 560 °C to 580 °C to adjust the grain size number after tempering to 8.4 or more and the tensile strength in a very narrow range of 900 to 950 MPa.

In a low-alloy steel for a high-pressure hydrogen gas environment proposed in Patent Literature 4, adding V, increasing the Mo content as compared with existing steels, increasing the tempering temperature, and utilizing a V—Mo carbide improve the carbide form at a grain boundary and greatly improve hydrogen environment embrittlement resistance.

Patent Literature 5 proposes a steel for a high-pressure hydrogen gas storage container with high hydrogen resistance. According to the technique described in Patent Literature 5, stress relief annealing for an extended period after normalizing treatment in the production of a steel sheet finely and densely disperses and precipitates an MC carbide (Mo, V) C and improves the hydrogen resistance, such as hydrogen embrittlement resistance, of the steel.

Patent Literature 6 proposes a steel material with a metallic microstructure composed of 90% or more by area of a bainite-based microstructure in which cementite with an average grain size of 50 nm or less and an average aspect ratio of 3 or less is dispersedly precipitated in the bainite.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

  • PTL 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-2386
  • PTL 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-46737
  • PTL 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-275249
  • PTL 4: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-74122
  • PTL 5: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-37655
  • PTL 6: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-107332

Non Patent Literature

  • NPL 1: Matsunaga et al., Int J Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 40 (2015), pp. 5739-5748
  • NPL 2: (written by) The Japan Society for Heat Treatment, Introduction: Microstructure and Properties of Metallic Materials—Heat Treatment and Microstructure Controlling for Materials, 2004

SUMMARY Technical Problem

Because the pressure in a line pipe fluctuates during operation or periodical shutdowns, a repeated stress is applied to the structure. Thus, when designing a steel structure, such as a line pipe, it is essential to consider fatigue fracture. However, as described in Non Patent Literature 1, it is known that the fatigue life of a material decreases in a high-pressure hydrogen environment. This means that the service life of a line pipe material decreases when the line pipe material is designed on the basis of a conventional natural gas line pipe. The related art described above can suppress the occurrence of hydrogen-induced cracking in a sour environment but cannot sufficiently increase the fatigue strength in hydrogen gas. Therefore, there is a problem in that it is difficult to achieve both the suppression of the occurrence of hydrogen-induced cracking in a sour environment and high fatigue strength in hydrogen gas.

In view of the problems of the related art, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a steel pipe for a line pipe with high strength and high hydrogen embrittlement resistance in a high-pressure hydrogen gas environment, a method for producing the steel pipe, a steel material for a line pipe, and a method for producing the steel material, suitable for a steel structure used in a high-pressure hydrogen gas environment, such as a line pipe for 100% hydrogen gas or a natural gas containing hydrogen at a hydrogen partial pressure of 1 MPa or more (natural gas is a gas containing hydrocarbons, such as methane and ethane, as main components).

The phrase “high hydrogen embrittlement resistance in a high-pressure hydrogen gas environment”, as used herein, means that the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at which no fracture occurs at a number of repetitions of 2,000,000 is 200 MPa or more and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen/fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment is 0.90 or more, as determined by a fatigue test in accordance with ASTM E466, Fatigue Testing, at a frequency of 1 Hz, a repetitive waveform of a sine wave, a control method of load control, a load condition of uniaxial tension and compression, and a stress ratio of R=−1.0, at room temperature (20 °C±10 °C) in both environments of hydrogen gas with a pressure of 1 MPa or more and a natural gas (the main components are hydrocarbons, such as methane and ethane) mixed atmosphere containing hydrogen at a hydrogen partial pressure of 1 MPa or more. The natural gas containing hydrogen at a hydrogen partial pressure of 1 MPa or more, for example, has a hydrogen concentration of 30% or less by volume and a pressure of the entire gas of 30 MPa or less.

When the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen in the above environment is 200 MPa or more and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen of a steel material in the above environment/fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment is 0.90 or more, it is possible to design a steel structure for hydrogen, such as a long-life line pipe, within a thickness range that is available by a process of producing a steel pipe, such as a seamless steel pipe or UOE.

The term “steel material”, as used herein, includes a steel sheet, a steel plate, a seamless steel pipe, an electric-resistance-welded steel pipe, a shaped steel, a steel bar, and the like.

Solution to Problem

The present inventors have extensively studied conditions to be satisfied by a steel material for producing a steel pipe for a line pipe and a steel material for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance and have developed a new steel pipe for a line pipe and a new steel material for a line pipe. A steel pipe and a steel material according to the present disclosure have high strength. The term “high strength”, as used herein, refers to a tensile strength of 520 MPa or more.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are as follow:

[1] A steel pipe for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance, the steel pipe having a chemical composition containing:

on a mass percent basis,

    • C: 0.10% to 0.45%,
    • Si: 0.01% to 2.0%,
    • Mn: 0.5% to 1.5%,
    • P: 0.0001% to 0.015%,
    • S: 0.0002% to 0.0015%,
    • Al: 0.005% to 0.15%,
    • O: 0.01% or less,
    • N: 0.010% or less, and
    • H: 0.0010% or less, and
    • at least one selected from Nb: 0% to 0.10%,
    • Ti: 0% to 0.1%,
    • Ca: 0% to 0.005%,
    • Ni: 0% to 2.0%,
    • Cu: 0% to 1.0%,
    • Cr: 0% to 1.0%,
    • Mo: 0% to 0.60%,
    • W: 0% to 1.0%,
    • V: 0% to 0.10%,
    • Zr: 0% to 0.050%,
    • REM: 0% to 0.050%,
    • Mg: 0% to 0.050%,
    • B: 0% to 0.0020%,
    • Hf: 0% to 0.2%,
    • Ta: 0% to 0.2%,
    • Re: 0% to 0.005%,
    • Sn: 0% to 0.3%, and
    • Sb: 0% to 0.3%,
    • the remainder being Fe and an incidental impurity element,
    • wherein an area fraction of retained austenite in the steel pipe is 0% to 3%, bainite or martensite presents at a quarter thickness position from an inner surface of the steel pipe with an area fraction of the bainite of 90% or more or an area fraction of the martensite of 90% or more, fatigue limit stress of the steel pipe in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more is 200 MPa or more, and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more/fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment is 0.90 or more. [2] The steel pipe for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance according to [1], wherein the chemical composition contains, on a mass percent basis,
    • Nb: 0.001% to 0.10%,
    • Ti: 0.005% to 0.1%,
    • Ca: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
    • Ni: 0.01% to 2.0%,
    • Cu: 0.01% to 1.0%,
    • Cr: 0.01% to 1.0%,
    • Mo: 0.01% to 0.60%,
    • W: 0.01% to 1.0%,
    • V: 0.01% to 0.10%,
    • Zr: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
    • rare-earth metals: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
    • Mg: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
    • B: 0.0001% to 0.0020%,
    • Hf: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
    • Ta: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
    • Re: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
    • Sn: 0.0001% to 0.3%, and
    • Sb: 0.0001% to 0.3%.

[3] A method for producing a steel pipe for a line pipe, the method including:

    • a casting step of casting a steel raw material having the chemical composition according to [1] or [2] at a casting speed of 1.8 m/min or less;
    • a heating step of heating the steel raw material at 1350 °C or less;
    • a hot rolling step of rolling the steel raw material heated in the heating step with a finish rolling temperature of 820 °C or more to form a steel pipe shape;
    • a cooling step of, after holding a steel pipe produced in the hot rolling step at a temperature of an Ac3 point or higher and 1000 °C or less, cooling the steel pipe wherein a cooling condition is the following Group A or Group B; and
    • a tempering step of tempering the steel pipe produced in the cooling step at 400 °C or more and an Ac1 point or lower,

Group A:

    • cooling the steel pipe to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 550 °C in terms of a temperature at a quarter thickness position from an inner surface of the steel pipe and at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe, and

Group B:

    • cooling the steel pipe to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 10 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 300 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe and at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe.

[4] The method for producing a steel pipe for a line pipe according to [3], including, before the tempering step, a quenching step of reheating the steel pipe to an Ac3 point or higher and 1000 °C or less, and cooling the steel pipe wherein a cooling condition is the following Group A or Group B,

Group A:

    • cooling the steel pipe to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 550 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe and at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe, and

Group B:

    • cooling the steel pipe to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 10 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 300 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe and at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe.

[5] The method for producing a steel pipe for a line pipe according to [3] or [4], wherein the casting speed is 1.0 m/min or less.

[6] A steel material for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance, the steel material having a chemical composition containing:

    • on a mass percent basis,
    • C: 0.10% to 0.45%,
    • Si: 0.01% to 2.0%,
    • Mn: 0.5% to 1.5%,
    • P: 0.0001% to 0.015%,
    • S: 0.0002% to 0.0015%,
    • Al: 0.005% to 0.15%,
    • O: 0.01% or less,
    • N: 0.010% or less, and
    • H: 0.0010% or less, and
    • at least one selected from Nb: 0% to 0.10%,
    • Ti: 0% to 0.1%,
    • Ca: 0% to 0.005%,
    • Ni: 0% to 2.0%,
    • Cu: 0% to 1.0%,
    • Cr: 0% to 1.0%,
    • Mo: 0% to 0.60%,
    • W: 0% to 1.0%,
    • V: 0% to 0.10%,
    • Zr: 0% to 0.050%,
    • REM: 0% to 0.050%,
    • Mg: 0% to 0.050%,
    • B: 0% to 0.0020%,
    • Hf: 0% to 0.2%,
    • Ta: 0% to 0.2%,
    • Re: 0% to 0.005%,
    • Sn: 0% to 0.3%, and
    • Sb: 0% to 0.3%,
    • the remainder being Fe and an incidental impurity element,
    • wherein an area fraction of retained austenite in the steel material is 0% to 3%, bainite or martensite presents at a quarter thickness position of the steel material with an area fraction of the bainite of 90% or more or an area fraction of the martensite of 90% or more, fatigue limit stress of the steel material in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more is 200 MPa or more, and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more/fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment is 0.90 or more.

[7] The steel material for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance according to [6], wherein the chemical composition contains, on a mass percent basis,

    • Nb: 0.001% to 0.10%,
    • Ti: 0.005% to 0.1%,
    • Ca: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
    • Ni: 0.01% to 2.0%,
    • Cu: 0.01% to 1.0%,
    • Cr: 0.01% to 1.0%,
    • Mo: 0.01% to 0.60%,
    • W: 0.01% to 1.0%,
    • V: 0.01% to 0.10%,
    • Zr: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
    • REM: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
    • Mg: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
    • B: 0.0001% to 0.0020%,
    • Hf: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
    • Ta: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
    • Re: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
    • Sn: 0.0001% to 0.3%, and
    • Sb: 0.0001% to 0.3%.

[8] A method for producing a steel material for a line pipe, the method including:

    • a casting step of casting a steel raw material having the chemical composition according to [6] or [7] at a casting speed of 1.8 m/min or less;
    • a heating step of heating the steel raw material at 1350 °C or less;
    • a hot rolling step of rolling the steel raw material heated in the heating step with a finish rolling temperature of 820 °C or more;
    • a cooling step of, after holding a steel material produced in the hot rolling step at a temperature of an Ac3 point or higher and 1000 °C or less, cooling the steel material wherein a cooling condition is the following Group A or Group B; and
    • a tempering step of tempering the steel material produced in the cooling step at 400 °C or more and an Ac1 point or lower,

Group A:

    • cooling the steel material to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 550 °C in terms of a temperature at a quarter thickness position from a surface of the steel material and at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material, and

Group B:

    • cooling the steel material to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 10 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 300 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material and at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material.

[9] The method for producing a steel material for a line pip according to [8], including, before the tempering step, a quenching step of reheating the steel material to an Ac3 point or higher and 1000 °C or less, and cooling the steel material wherein a cooling condition is the following Group A or Group B,

Group A:

cooling the steel material to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 550 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material and at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material, and

Group B:

cooling the steel material to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 10 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 300 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material and at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material.

[10] The method for producing a steel material for a line pipe according to [8] or [9], wherein the casting speed is 1.0 m/min or less.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure can easily and simply produce a steel pipe and a steel material with considerably improved hydrogen embrittlement resistance in a high-pressure hydrogen gas environment and exhibits industrially significant effects. The present disclosure can considerably improve the hydrogen embrittlement resistance of a steel structure, such as a high-pressure hydrogen gas line pipe, improve the fatigue resistance, and greatly contributes to the extension of the life of the steel structure.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Next, a method for implementing the present disclosure is more specifically described. The following description shows preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited by the following description.

An implementation method for a steel pipe is more specifically described as a first embodiment, and then an implementation method for a steel material is more specifically described as a second embodiment.

First Embodiment [Chemical Composition]

The reasons for limiting the component composition (chemical composition) of a steel pipe (including a steel material) according to the present disclosure are described below. Unless otherwise specified, “%” in the following description refers to “% by mass”.

C: 0.10% to 0.45%

C is an element that increases strength. Thus, the C content is 0.10% or more. The C content is preferably 0.13% or more. On the other hand, a C content of more than 0.45% may result in quenching crack during quenching, and the C content is therefore 0.45% or less. The C content is preferably 0.25% or less, more preferably 0.20% or less, still more preferably 0.17% or less.

Si: 0.01% to 2.0%

Si is added for deoxidization, but the deoxidization effect is not sufficient at a Si content of less than 0.01%. Thus, the Si content is 0.01% or more. The Si content is preferably 0.08% or more, more preferably 0.1% or more. On the other hand, the effect becomes saturated at a Si content of more than 2.0%, and the Si content is therefore 2.0% or less. The Si content is preferably 1.8% or less, more preferably 1.0% or less. Furthermore, more than 0.5% results in lower toughness or weldability, and the Si content is still more preferably 0.5% or less.

Mn: 0.5% to 1.5%

Mn effectively contributes to the improvement of strength and toughness, but the effect of addition is insufficient at a content of less than 0.58. Thus, the Mn content is 0.5% or more. The Mn content is preferably 0.6% or more, more preferably 0.7% or more, still more preferably 0.8% or more. On the other hand, more than 1.5% results in a decrease in SSCC resistance (resistance to sulfide stress corrosion cracking) and HIC (hydrogen-induced cracking) resistance due to an increase in the hardness of a surface layer portion or a center segregation zone during controlled cooling. Furthermore, weldability also deteriorates. Thus, the Mn content is limited to 1.5% or less. The Mn content is preferably 1.4% or less, more preferably 1.3% or less.

P: 0.0001% to 0.015%

P is an incidental impurity element, reduces weldability, and reduces the HIC resistance due to an increase in the hardness of a center segregation zone. This tendency becomes remarkable at more than 0.015%, so that the upper limit of the P content is 0.015%. The P content is preferably 0.010% or less, more preferably 0.008% or less. Although a lower P content is better, from the perspective of refining costs, the P content is 0.0001% or more.

S: 0.0002% to 0.0015%

S is an incidental impurity element, forms a MnS inclusion in steel, and reduces the HIC resistance, so that a lower S content is preferred, but 0.0015% or less is allowable. Thus, the S content is 0.0015% or less. The S content is preferably 0.0010% or less, more preferably 0.0008% or less. Although a lower S content is better, from the perspective of refining costs, the S content is 0.0002% or more.

Al: 0.005% to 0.15%

Al is added as a deoxidizing agent, but there is no effect of addition at less than 0.005%. Thus, the Al content is 0.005% or more. The Al content is preferably 0.01% or more, more preferably 0.03% or more. On the other hand, more than 0.15% results in steel with lower cleanliness and toughness, so that the Al content is limited to 0.15% or less. The Al content is preferably 0.10% or less, more preferably 0.08% or less, still more preferably 0.05% or less.

O: 0.01% or Less

O can form an oxide inclusion, and a lower O content is more preferred, but an O content of 0.01% or less causes no problem. Thus, the O content is 0.01% or less. The O content is preferably 0.005% or less. The O content is more preferably less than 0.003%. Although the lower limit is not particularly limited, the O content is preferably 0.001% or more because reducing the oxygen content to 0% increases the cost.

N: 0.010% or Less

N has a small influence on the fatigue property of a steel pipe, and the advantages of the present disclosure are not impaired at a N content of 0.010% or less from the perspective of toughness. Thus, the N content is 0.010% or less. The N content is preferably 0.008% or less, more preferably 0.006% or less. The N content is still more preferably 0.004% or less. On the other hand, from the perspective of improving the toughness, a lower N content is desirable, but excessive reduction increases the steelmaking cost, so that the N content is preferably 0.00001% or more. The N content is preferably 0.001% or more.

H: 0.0010% or Less

H may be introduced into a steel material in various steps during production, and a large amount of H introduced increases the risk of cracking after solidification and accelerates fatigue crack growth. A large amount of H introduced also reduces the fatigue limit stress, and it is therefore important to decrease the amount of hydrogen in the steel pipe. Since these effects are not problematic at a H content of 0.0010% or less, the H content is 0.0010% or less. The H content is preferably 0.0005% or less, more preferably 0.0003% or less, still more preferably 0.0001% or less. On the other hand, a H content of less than 0.00001% causes an increase in cost, and the H content is therefore preferably 0.00001% or more. The amount of hydrogen is the amount of residual hydrogen after forming of a steel material, a steel pipe, UOE, or the like.

To further improve the strength and toughness of a steel pipe, the chemical composition in the present disclosure may contain at least one selected from Nb, Ti, Ca, Ni, Cu, Cr, Mo, W, V, Zr, REM, Mg, B, Hf, Ta, Re, Sn, and Sb in the following ranges.

Nb: 0% to 0.10% and Ti: 0% to 0.1%

Nb is an element effective in increasing the strength and toughness of a steel material, but more than 0.10% results in a weld with lower toughness, so that when Nb is contained the Nb content is 0.10% or less. The Nb content is preferably 0.08% or less. The Nb content is more preferably 0.06% or less. Although the Nb content may be 0% or more, the effects of containing Nb are difficult to obtain at a Nb content of less than 0.001%, so that when Nb is contained the Nb content is preferably 0.001% or more. The Nb content is more preferably 0.01% or more.

Ti is an element effective in increasing the strength and toughness of a steel material, but more than 0.1% results in a weld with lower toughness, so that when Ti is contained the Ti content is 0.1% or less. The Ti content is preferably 0.05% or less. The Ti content is more preferably 0.03% or less, still more preferably 0.02% or less. Although the Ti content may be 0% or more, the effects of containing Ti are difficult to obtain at a Ti content of less than 0.005%, so that when Ti is contained the Ti content is preferably 0.005% or more. The Ti content is more preferably 0.008% or more.

Ca: 0% to 0.005%

Although Ca is an element effective in improving the HIC resistance by the shape control of a sulfide inclusion, not only the effect is saturated but also the HIC resistance decreases due to a decrease in the cleanliness of steel, so that when Ca is contained the Ca content is limited to 0.005% or less. The Ca content is preferably 0.003% or less. The Ca content is more preferably 0.002% or less. Although the Ca content may be 0% or more, the effect of addition is difficult to obtain at less than 0.0001%, so that when Ca is contained the Ca content is preferably 0.0001% or more. The Ca content is more preferably 0.001% or more.

Ni: 0% to 2.0%

Ni is an element effective in improving the toughness and increasing the strength, but, for cost reduction, when Ni is contained the Ni content is 2.0% or less. The Ni content is preferably 1.5% or less. The Ni content is more preferably 1.2% or less, still more preferably 1.0% or less. The Ni content may be 0% or more and is preferably 0.01% or more to achieve the above effects.

Cu: 0% to 1.0%

Cu is an element effective in improving the toughness and increasing the strength, but an excessively high Cu content results in a decrease in weldability, so that when Cu is contained the Cu content is 1.0% or less. The Cu content is preferably 0.5% or less. The Cu content is more preferably 0.3% or less, still more preferably 0.2% or less. The Cu content may be 0% or more and is preferably 0.01% or more to achieve the above effects.

Cr: 0% to 1.0%

Like Mn, Cr is an element effective in obtaining sufficient strength even at a low C content, but an excessively high Cr content results in excessive hardenability and a decrease in the SSCC resistance. Furthermore, weldability also deteriorates. Thus, when Cr is contained, the Cr content is 1.0% or less. The Cr content is preferably 0.8% or less. The Cr content is more preferably 0.5% or less, still more preferably 0.1% or less. The Cr content may be 0% or more and is preferably 0.01% or more to achieve the effect. The Cr content is more preferably 0.02% or more.

Mo: 0% to 0.60%

Mo is an element effective in improving the toughness and increasing the strength and effective in improving the SSCC resistance regardless of the hydrogen sulfide partial pressure, but an excessively high Mo content results in excessive hardenability and a decrease in the SSCC resistance. Furthermore, weldability also deteriorates. Thus, when Mo is contained, the Mo content is 0.60% or less, more preferably 0.50% or less, still more preferably 0.40% or less. Most preferably, the Mo content is 0.03% or less. The Mo content may be 0% or more and is preferably 0.005% or more to achieve the above effects. The Mo content is more preferably 0.01% or more.

W: 0% to 1.0%

W contributes to an increase in the strength of a steel pipe, but a W content of more than 1.0% results in saturation of the effect and causes an increase in cost, so that when W is contained the W content is 1.0% or less. The W content is preferably 0.8% or less. To further reduce the cost, the W content is more preferably 0.5% or less. The W content is still more preferably 0.03% or less. The W content may be 0% or more and is preferably 0.01% or more to achieve the effect.

V: 0% to 0.10%

V is an element that can be present to increase the strength and toughness of a steel pipe, but a V content of more than 0.10% results in a weld with lower toughness, so that when V is contained the V content is 0.10% or less. The V content is preferably 0.08% or less. The V content is more preferably 0.06% or less, still more preferably 0.03% or less. The V content may be 0% or more, but the effects of containing V are difficult to obtain at a content of less than 0.01%, so that the V content is preferably 0.01% or more.

Zr: 0% to 0.050%, REM: 0% to 0.050%, Mg: 0% to 0.050%

Zr, REM, and Mg are elements that can be present to increase the toughness through grain refinement or to increase cracking resistance through the control of inclusion properties. On the other hand, the effects are saturated at more than 0.050%, so that when they are contained each content is 0.050% or less. More specifically, when Zr is contained, the Zr content is 0.050% or less. The Zr content is preferably 0.040% or less. The Zr content is more preferably 0.030% or less. The Zr content is still more preferably 0.010% or less, most preferably 0.005% or less. When REM is contained, the REM content is 0.050% or less. The REM content is preferably 0.040% or less. The REM content is more preferably 0.030% or less. When Mg is contained, the Mg content is 0.050% or less. The Mg content is preferably 0.040% or less. The Mg content is more preferably 0.030% or less. Each element content may be 0% or more, but the effects of containing these elements are difficult to obtain at a content of less than 0.0001%, so that each content is preferably 0.00018 or more. More specifically, the Zr content is preferably 0.0001% or more. The Zr content is more preferably 0.0005% or more. The REM content is preferably 0.0001% or more. The REM content is more preferably 0.0005% or more. The Mg content is preferably 0.0001% or more. The Mg content is more preferably 0.0005% or more.

B: 0% to 0.0020%

B is an element that improves hardenability, and contributes to an increase in the strength of a steel pipe, suppresses coarsening of prior-austenite grains, and improves various characteristics of the material. On the other hand, a B content of more than 0.0020% results in saturation of the effect and causes an increase in cost, so that when B is contained the B content is 0.0020% or less. The B content is preferably 0.0015% or less. The B content is more preferably 0.0012% or less. To reduce the cost, 0.0010% or less is still more preferred. The B content may be 0% or more and is preferably 0.0001% or more to achieve the effects. More preferably, the B content is 0.0005% or more.

Hf: 0% to 0.2%, Ta: 0% to 0.2%

These elements contribute to an increase in the strength of a steel pipe, but a content of more than 0.2% results in saturation of the effect and causes an increase in cost, so that when these elements are contained each content is 0.2% or less. More specifically, when Hf is contained, the Hf content is 0.2% or less. The Hf content is preferably 0.1% or less. The Hf content is more preferably 0.05% or less. When Ta is contained, the Ta content is 0.2% or less. The Ta content is preferably 0.1% or less. The Ta content is more preferably 0.05% or less. The Hf or Ta content may be 0% or more and is preferably 0.0001% or more to achieve the effect. Thus, the Hf content is preferably 0.0001% or more. More preferably, the Hf content is 0.0010% or more. The Ta content is preferably 0.0001% or more. More preferably, the Ta content is 0.0010% or more.

Re: 0% to 0.005%

Re contributes to an increase in the strength of a steel pipe, but a content of more than 0.005% results in saturation of the effect and causes an increase in cost, so that when Re is contained the Re content is 0.005% or less. The Re content is preferably 0.003% or less. The Re content is more preferably 0.002% or less. The Re content may be 0% or more and is preferably 0.0001% or more to achieve the effect. 0.001% or more is more preferred.

Sn: 0% to 0.3%, Sb: 0% to 0.3%

These elements contribute to an increase in the strength of a steel pipe and an improvement in the hardenability, but a content of more than 0.3% results in saturation of the effect and causes an increase in cost, so that when contained each content is 0.3% or less. More specifically, the Sn content is 0.3% or less. The Sn content is preferably 0.2% or less. The Sn content is more preferably 0.1% or less. To reduce the cost, the Sn content is still more preferably 0.01% or less. The Sb content is 0.3% or less. The Sb content is preferably 0.2% or less. The Sb content is more preferably 0.1% or less. To reduce the cost, the Sb content is still more preferably 0.01% or less. The Sn or Sb content may be 0% or more and is preferably 0.0001% or more to achieve the effects. Thus, the Sn content is preferably 0.0001% or more. More preferably, the Sn content is 0.0010% or more. The Sb content is preferably 0.0001% or more. More preferably, the Sb content is 0.0010% or more.

In the chemical composition of a steel pipe, the remainder other than these components (elements) is composed of Fe and an incidental impurity element.

The metallic microstructure of a steel pipe according to the present disclosure is described below.

Metallic Microstructure

Area fraction Retained austenite: 0% to 3% Austenite remaining in a steel pipe may increase the amount of hydrogen in the steel and increase hydrogen embrittlement sensitivity. Furthermore, when austenite is transformed into martensite by stress loading during use, hydrogen cracking is likely to occur because martensite is very hard, and cracking may occur from the martensite portion. In the present disclosure, area fraction of retained austenite is 3% or less to reduce the fatigue crack growth rate. Retained austenite is preferably 2% or less, more preferably 1% or less. The retained austenite may be 0%.

Bainite or martensite presents at a quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe (for a steel material, a quarter thickness position from a surface of the steel material), and area fraction of bainite is 90% or more or area fraction of martensite is 90% or more

To increase the tensile strength to 520 MPa or more, the steel microstructure should be a bainite or martensite microstructure. On the other hand, when a steel pipe has a soft phase and a hard phase, fatigue damage preferentially accumulates in the soft phase and is likely to cause cracking, thus reducing the fatigue limit stress. A hydrogen environment promotes local deformation, further accelerates fatigue damage to the soft phase, and reduces the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen. Consequently, the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen/fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment becomes less than 0.90. To address this, it is desirable to reduce the relative proportion of the soft phase. Thus, the metallic microstructure should be a single microstructure of bainite or martensite and, therefore, defined to be containing either one of bainite or martensite with an area fraction of the microstructure of 90% or more. Preferably, the area fraction of the bainite or martensite microstructure is 92% or more, more preferably 95% or more, still more preferably 98% or more. The upper limit may be, but is not limited to, 100%. Furthermore, because a fatigue crack is generated from the inner surface of a steel pipe, the uniformity of the microstructure of the inner surface of the steel pipe is important. Thus, the metallic microstructure at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe is defined, and for a steel material, the metallic microstructures at the quarter thickness positions are defined to achieve the above effects regardless of which surface is the inner surface side of a steel pipe.

The bainite microstructure includes bainitic ferrite or granular bainite that transforms during or after cooling (accelerated cooling or quenching) contributing to transformation strengthening, and also includes tempered bainite. A different microstructure, such as ferrite, martensite, pearlite, a martensite-austenite constituent (MA), or retained austenite, in the bainite microstructure reduces the strength or toughness, and the volume fraction of a microstructure other than the bainite phase is therefore preferably as small as possible. The martensite microstructure includes tempered martensite.

Furthermore, the bainite and martensite microstructures can be tempered to precipitate a carbide, such as cementite. A fine carbide can be precipitated to inhibit the straightness of a fatigue crack propagation path in hydrogen and further reduce the fatigue crack growth rate. Thus, a tempered bainite or tempered martensite microstructure is preferred. Furthermore, it is preferable to finely disperse and precipitate carbides. Thus, carbides preferably have an average size of 200 nm or less, more preferably 50 nm or less. The average size X of carbides is defined by X=√(a2+b2)/2, wherein a denotes the long side, and b denotes the short side.

The fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more is 200 MPa or more, and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more/fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment is 0.90 or more

To design a steel structure for hydrogen, such as a long-life line pipe, in a thickness range that is available by a process within the scope of the present disclosure, a steel pipe should have a fatigue limit stress of 200 MPa or more in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more. The fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more is preferably 220 MPa or more. The fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more is more preferably 250 MPa or more, still more preferably 270 MPa or more. Although the upper limit is not particularly limited, the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more is preferably 500 MPa or less. Furthermore, the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more/fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment in a steel pipe should be 0.90 or more. The fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more/fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment is preferably 0.92 or more. The fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more/fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment is more preferably 0.94 or more, still more preferably 0.96 or more. Although the upper limit is not particularly limited, the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more/fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment may be 1.10 or less. The term “inert gas”, as used herein, includes six elements of Group 0 of the periodic table, helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon, as well as air, and the term “inert gas environment” refers to an environment containing any one of these.

In the present disclosure, the chemical composition and metallic microstructure described above can suppress the toughness degradation in a high-pressure hydrogen atmosphere and can achieve a tensile strength of 520 MPa or more. Thus, the present disclosure can be applied to a hydrogen line pipe. The upper limit of the tensile strength is preferably, but not limited to, 950 MPa or less.

The sheet thickness is preferably 5 mm or more, preferably 30 mm or less.

[Production Method]

Next, a method for producing a steel pipe according to the present disclosure is described below. Although a production method in the following description is described by taking a seamless steel pipe as an example of the steel pipe, it is needless to say that an electric-resistance-welded pipe or a UOE steel pipe can be produced by performing the treatment so as to have the same thermal history.

A steel pipe according to the present disclosure can be produced by sequentially performing the following steps (1) to (3).

    • (1) A step of casting a steel raw material after component adjustment
    • (2) A hot rolling step of heating and rolling a cast material into a steel pipe
    • (3) A step of cooling (accelerated cooling) and tempering the steel pipe produced in the hot rolling step (including reheating and quenching before the tempering step)

Each of the steps is described below. Unless otherwise specified, the temperature in the following description is the temperature at the middle of the sheet thickness of a steel raw material or a steel pipe. The average cooling rate means the average cooling rate of the temperature at a quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe. The temperature at the middle of the sheet thickness and the temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe are estimated from the surface temperature of the steel pipe measured with a radiation thermometer using heat-transfer calculation or the like in consideration of the heat transfer coefficient of the steel material.

[Casting Step]

Casting Speed: 1.8 m/Min or Less

A lower casting speed results in a decrease in the hydrogen concentration and inclusions in the steel, and the effects are remarkable at 1.8 m/min or less. Thus, the casting speed is 1.8 m/min or less, preferably 1.5 m/min or less, more preferably 1.0/min or less, still more preferably 0.5 m/min or less, most preferably 0.1 m/min or less. Although the lower limit is not particularly limited, the casting speed may be more than 0 m/min.

[Heating Step]

To perform hot rolling, a steel raw material with the chemical composition described above is heated. The steel raw material can be, for example, but is not limited to, a billet or the like produced by an ordinary continuous casting method.

Heating to Temperature of 1350 °C or Less

A heating temperature of more than 1350 °C in the heating step results in prior austenite grains with an excessively large average grain size and a degradation of various characteristics. Thus, the heating temperature is 1350 °C or less. The heating temperature is preferably 1300 °C or less, more preferably 1250 °C or less, most preferably 1200 °C or less. On the other hand, the heating temperature is preferably lowered to reduce the amount of hydrogen in the steel, but an excessively low heating temperature results in a decrease in the finish rolling temperature and makes rolling difficult. Thus, the heating temperature is preferably 950 °C or more. The heating temperature is more preferably 1000 °C or more. Although the heating time is not particularly specified, an excessively long heating time increases the risk of increasing the amount of hydrogen introduced into a steel pipe, so that 180 minutes or less is preferred. The heating time is more preferably 150 minutes or less, still more preferably 120 minutes or less. Although the lower limit is not particularly limited, the heating time is preferably 30 minutes or more, more preferably 60 minutes or more.

[Rolling Step]

Next, the steel raw material heated in the heating step is rolled into a steel pipe shape. The rolling can be hot rolling including piercing and rolling of an ordinary Mannesmann-plug mill process or Mannesmann-mandrel mill process.

Finish Rolling Temperature: 820 °C or More

A finish rolling temperature of less than 820 °C results in excessively large rolling force and a higher risk of occurrence of rolling trouble. Thus, the finish rolling temperature is 820 °C or more. The finish rolling temperature is preferably 850 °C or more, more preferably 900 °C or more. On the other hand, although the upper limit of the finish rolling temperature is not particularly limited, an excessively high temperature tends to result in a nonuniform metallic microstructure. Thus, the finish rolling temperature is preferably 1200 °C or less. The finish rolling temperature is more preferably 1150 °C or less, still more preferably 1100 °C or less.

[Cooling Step (Accelerated Cooling Step)]

In the cooling step, a steel material with the chemical composition described above is heated and held at a temperature of the Ac3 point or higher and 1000 °C or less as it is or after being processed into a steel pipe, and is cooled under the cooling conditions of the following Group A or Group B. The temperature is preferably held for 10 minutes or more, more preferably 15 minutes or more, still more preferably 20 minutes or more. Although the upper limit is not particularly limited, the temperature is preferably held for 60 minutes or less, more preferably 45 minutes or less.

Heating Temperature after Processing into Steel Pipe: Ac3 Point or Higher and 1000 °C or Less

A heating temperature lower than the Ac3 point in the cooling step results in ferrite remaining in the steel after cooling, a decrease in the strength of a steel pipe, and a decrease in the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen. Thus, the heating temperature is the Ac3 point or higher. The heating temperature is preferably the Ac3 point+30 °C or more, more preferably the Ac3 point+50 °C or more. However, the Ac3 point+30 °C or more or the Ac3 point+50 °C or more is not applied to a composition system in which the Ac3 point+30 °C or the Ac3 point+50 °C exceeds 1000 °C. On the other hand, a heating temperature of more than 1000 °C may result in coarse austenite grains and a decrease in the impact absorbed energy and toughness of the material after heat treatment. Thus, the heating temperature is 1000 °C or less. The heating temperature is preferably 950 °C or less, more preferably 900 °C or less. However, 950 °C or less or 900 °C or less described above is not applied to a composition system in which 950 °C or 900 °C is lower than the Ac3 point.

In the cooling process, when the temperature after the completion of rolling satisfies the heating conditions, cooling may be performed as it is, or the completion of rolling may be followed by reheating again and cooling. When a steel sheet is cooled by natural cooling once, the steel sheet may be heated again to a temperature of the Ac3 point or higher and 1000 °C or less and may be cooled under the cooling conditions of the following Group A or Group B. In the present disclosure, the Ac3 point (°C) is calculated using the following formula.


Ac3(°C)=910-203[C]1/2-30[M]+44.7[Si]+700[P]+100[Al]+31.5[Mo]−11[Cr]−15.2[Ni]−20[Cu]+104[V]

In the formula, [M] denotes the element M content (% by mass).

Average Cooling Rate

Group A: cooling to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 550 °C and at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe

When the average cooling rate from 800 °C to 550 °C at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe is less than 15 °C/s, a bainite microstructure with an area fraction of 90% or more cannot be formed, and the strength decreases. Thus, the average cooling rate at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe is 15 °C/s or more. From the perspective of reducing variations in microstructure, the average cooling rate is preferably 17 °C/s or more. The average cooling rate from 800 °C to 550 °C is more preferably 20 °C/s or more, most preferably 22 °C/s or more. On the other hand, to reduce variations in grain size, the average cooling rate is preferably 50 °C/s or less, more preferably 45 °C/s or less, still more preferably 40 °C/s or less. Furthermore, cooling to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C can decrease retained austenite and reduce the amount of hydrogen in the steel. Thus, the average cooling rate from 550 °C to 50 °C is 15 °C/s or less. The average cooling rate from 550 °C to 50 °C is preferably 12 °C/s or less, more preferably 10 °C/s or less. Although the lower limit is not particularly limited, the average cooling rate from 550 °C to 50 °C is preferably 1 °C/s or more. The cooling method is not particularly limited, and an arbitrary method, such as water cooling, oil cooling, or natural cooling, can be used alone or in combination, but water cooling or oil cooling is preferred from 800 °C to 550 °C, and natural cooling is preferred from 550 °C to 50 °C.

Group B: cooling to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 10 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 300 °C and at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe

When the average cooling rate from 800 °C to 300 °C at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe is less than 10 °C/s, 90% or more of a martensite microstructure cannot be formed, mixing with a bainite microstructure occurs, and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen decreases. Thus, the average cooling rate at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe is 10 °C/s or more. From the perspective of reducing variations in microstructure, the average cooling rate from 800 °C to 300 °C is preferably 12 °C/s or more, more preferably 15 °C/s or more, still more preferably 17 °C/s or more. Although the upper limit is not particularly limited, the average cooling rate is preferably 60 °C/s or less. Furthermore, cooling to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C can reduce the amount of hydrogen in the steel. Thus, the average cooling rate from 300 °C to 50 °C is 5 °C/s or less. The average cooling rate from 300 °C to 50 °C is preferably 1 °C/s or less. The lower limit is preferably, but not limited to, 0.1 °C/s or more. The cooling method is not particularly limited, and an arbitrary method, such as water cooling, oil cooling, or natural cooling, can be used alone or in combination, but water cooling or oil cooling is preferred from 800 °C to 300 °C, and natural cooling is preferred from 300 °C to 50 °C.

[Reheating and Quenching Step (Suitable Conditions)] Reheating Temperature Before Tempering: Ac3 Point or Higher and 1000 °C or Less

When the temperature at the middle of the sheet thickness is lower than the Ac3 point, non-transformed austenite partially remains, and a desired steel microstructure cannot be formed after hot rolling, quenching, and tempering described later. Thus, the heating temperature before quenching at the time of reheating is preferably the Ac3 point or higher, preferably higher than the Ac3 point. To suppress an excessive increase in the initial austenite grain size and improve the production efficiency, the heating temperature before quenching is preferably 1000 °C or less, more preferably 980 °C or less, still more preferably 960 °C or less, most preferably 950 °C or less. A reheating temperature before quenching on the low temperature side in the range of the Ac3 point or higher can result in a decrease in the initial austenite grain size and a decrease in the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen.

Average Cooling Rate During Quenching: The Following Group A or Group B

Group A: cooling to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 550 °C and at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe

When the average cooling rate from 800 °C to 550 °C at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe is less than 15 °C/s, a bainite microstructure with an area fraction of 90% or more cannot be formed, and the strength decreases. Thus, the average cooling rate at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe is 15 °C/s or more. From the perspective of reducing variations in microstructure, the average cooling rate is preferably 17 °C/s or more, more preferably 20 °C/s or more, still more preferably 22 °C/s or more. On the other hand, to reduce variations in grain size, the average cooling rate is preferably 50 °C/s or less, more preferably 47 °C/s or less, still more preferably 45 °C/s or less. Furthermore, cooling to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C can decrease retained austenite and reduce the amount of hydrogen in the steel. Thus, the average cooling rate from 550 °C to 50 °C is 15 °C/s or less. The average cooling rate from 550 °C to 50 °C is preferably 12 °C/s or less, more preferably 10 °C/s or less. Although the lower limit is not particularly limited, the average cooling rate from 550 °C to 50 °C is preferably 1 °C/s or more. The cooling method is not particularly limited, and an arbitrary method, such as water cooling, oil cooling, or natural cooling, can be used alone or in combination, but water cooling or oil cooling is preferred from 800 °C to 550 °C, and natural cooling is preferred from 550 °C to 50 °C.

Group B: cooling to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 10 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 300 °C and at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe

When the average cooling rate from 800 °C to 300 °C at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe is less than 10 °C/s, 90% or more of a martensite microstructure cannot be formed, mixing with a bainite microstructure occurs, and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen decreases. Thus, the average cooling rate at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of a steel pipe is 10 °C/s or more. From the perspective of reducing variations in microstructure, the average cooling rate is preferably 17 °C/s or more, more preferably 20 °C/s or more, still more preferably 25 °C/s or more. On the other hand, although the average cooling rate may have any upper limit, when the average cooling rate is more than 60 °C/s, a large amount of hard microstructure is formed on the surface of a steel sheet, a steel microstructure with the microstructure intended in the present disclosure is not formed, and the fatigue property in hydrogen deteriorates. Thus, the average cooling rate is preferably 60 °C/s or less. Furthermore, cooling to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C can reduce the amount of hydrogen in the steel. Thus, the average cooling rate from 300 °C to 50 °C is 5 °C/s or less. The average cooling rate is preferably 3 °C/s or less, more preferably 1 °C/s or less. The lower limit is preferably, but not limited to, 0.1 °C/s or more. The cooling method is not particularly limited, and an arbitrary method, such as water cooling, oil cooling, or natural cooling, can be used alone or in combination, but water cooling or oil cooling is preferred from 800 °C to 300 °C, and natural cooling is preferred from 300 °C to 50 °C.

Cooling Stop Temperature During Quenching: 50 °C or Less

When the cooling stop temperature is more than 50 °C, the transformation is not completed, and a desired steel microstructure cannot be formed after tempering. Thus, quenching is performed to a temperature of 50 °C or less. The cooling stop temperature is preferably 45 °C or less, more preferably 40 °C or less. Although the lower limit is not particularly limited, the cooling stop temperature is preferably 25 °C or more.

[Tempering Step] Heating to 400 °C or More and Ac1 Point or Lower

A tempering temperature of 400 °C or more can result in a decrease in retained austenite and a decrease in hydrogen in the steel. The tempering temperature is preferably 450 °C or more, more preferably 500 °C or more. On the other hand, heating to a temperature higher than the Ac1 point may result in an increase in retained austenite and an increase in hydrogen in the steel. Thus, the tempering temperature is the Ac1 point or lower, preferably, (Ac1—30) °C or less. The upper limit of the average heating rate during tempering is preferably, but not limited to, 1 °C/s or less. The tempering time is preferably, but not limited to, 60 minutes or more because retained austenite and hydrogen in a steel pipe decreases as the tempering time increases. The tempering time is more preferably 80 minutes or more, still more preferably 100 minutes or more. An excessively long tempering time results in an excessive decrease in the material strength and saturation of the effects. Thus, the tempering time is preferably 180 minutes or less.

In the present disclosure, the Ac1 point (°C) is calculated using the following formula.


Ac1=723−14Mn+22Si−14.4Ni+23.3Cr

Each element symbol in the formula represents the element content (% by mass) of the steel and is 0 for an element not contained.

[Dehydrogenation Treatment Step]

Hydrogen originally present in a steel material increases the acceleration of fatigue crack growth and decreases the fatigue life and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen. Thus, dehydrogenation treatment may be performed to release hydrogen remaining after production. In the dehydrogenation treatment, holding a product at a high temperature for a certain period before use can reduce the amount of hydrogen in the steel, and a steel sheet with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance in a high-pressure hydrogen gas environment can be produced. The holding time R (h) is preferably determined from the sheet thickness or the wall thickness t (mm) of a steel pipe and the hydrogen diffusion coefficient D (mm·s−2) in the steel at room temperature using the following formula (A).


R≥t2/D  (A)

The hydrogen diffusion coefficient varies depending on a component contained and the metallic microstructure and may range from, for example, 1×10−11 to 5×10−9 m2/s, more preferably 5×10−10 m2/s or less.

The dehydrogenation treatment step is performed before pipe production or welding for connecting steel pipes. The dehydrogenation treatment is preferably performed at a high temperature because the hydrogen diffusion coefficient D at a high temperature is small and hydrogen is released quickly. At a high temperature, the calculation may be performed using a diffusion coefficient D′ (diffusion coefficient at each temperature) at a temperature at which the value of D in the formula (A) is held. On the other hand, an excessively high temperature in the dehydrogenation step results in a significant decrease in the material strength, and the dehydrogenation treatment temperature is preferably 550 °C or less. The dehydrogenation treatment temperature T is more preferably 500 °C or less. The dehydrogenation treatment temperature T is still more preferably 400 °C or less, most preferably 300 °C or less. Furthermore, the dehydrogenation treatment temperature T is preferably room temperature or higher for the reason that the dehydrogenation treatment at a temperature lower than room temperature increases the treatment time and cost. The dehydrogenation treatment temperature T is more preferably 50 °C or more. The dehydrogenation treatment temperature T is still more preferably 100 °C or more, most preferably 150 °C or more. The dehydrogenation treatment temperature T herein is the temperature of the ambient in the dehydrogenation treatment step. The room temperature refers to 20 °C±10 °C.

In particular, when heating, it takes time for the temperature Tc at the middle of the sheet thickness of a steel material or a steel pipe to reach the temperature of the ambient in the dehydrogenation treatment step (dehydrogenation treatment temperature T). Therefore, even if the holding time R (s) is satisfied at the ambient temperature, the dehydrogenation treatment may be insufficient if the dehydrogenation treatment temperature T (ambient temperature) has not been reached at the middle of the sheet thickness. Thus, it is preferable to hold for R (s) or more after the temperature Tc at the middle of the sheet thickness reaches a target dehydrogenation treatment temperature T. Furthermore, to achieve a predetermined crack growth rate in hydrogen gas, it is desirable to appropriately adjust the amount of hydrogen in a steel material in a surface layer portion and at the middle of the sheet thickness. For this purpose, it is preferable to hold the steel material at the dehydrogenation treatment temperature T for R (s) or more defined by the formula (A), and it is further preferable to hold the steel material for the holding time R (s) or more after the temperature Tc at the middle of the sheet thickness reaches the target dehydrogenation treatment temperature T. In other words, at least the former can appropriately control the amount of hydrogen in the steel material in the surface layer portion of the steel material or the steel pipe, and when the latter is also performed, the amount of hydrogen in the steel material from the surface layer portion to the middle of the sheet thickness of the steel material or the steel pipe can be appropriately controlled. The temperature Tc at the middle of the sheet thickness may be actually measured with a thermocouple or the like or may be predicted using a finite element method or the like.

Furthermore, the scale on the steel surface inhibits dehydrogenation and is therefore preferably removed before the dehydrogenation treatment. The scale removal method may be, for example, but is not limited to, physical cleaning by high-pressure cleaning or a chemical method using a scale remover. Although the thickness of scale to be removed is not particularly limited, the scale removal effect can be obtained when the scale is removed by approximately 100 μm.

Second Embodiment

A steel material according to the present disclosure is more specifically described below. The chemical composition, metallic microstructure, and fatigue limit stress of the steel material are the same as those described for the steel pipe, and the steps other than the rolling step and the cooling step (the casting step, the heating step, the reheating and quenching step, the tempering step, and the dehydrogenation treatment step) in the production method are performed in the same manner as described for the steel pipe. The rolling step and the cooling step are performed as described below.

[Rolling Step]

Finish rolling temperature: 820 °C or more A finish rolling temperature of less than 820 °C results in excessively large rolling force and a higher risk of occurrence of rolling trouble. Thus, the finish rolling temperature is 820 °C or more. The finish rolling temperature is preferably 850 °C or more, more preferably 900 °C or more. On the other hand, although the upper limit of the finish rolling temperature is not particularly limited, an excessively high temperature tends to result in a nonuniform metallic microstructure, so that the finish rolling temperature is preferably 1200 °C or less. The finish rolling temperature is more preferably 1150 °C or less, still more preferably 1100 °C or less.

[Cooling Step (Accelerated Cooling Step)]

In the cooling step, after the hot-rolling, the hot-rolled steel material with the chemical composition described above is heated, and held at a temperature of the Ac3 point or higher and 1000 °C or less, and is cooled under the cooling conditions of the following Group A or Group B. The temperature is preferably held for 10 minutes or more, more preferably 15 minutes or more, still more preferably 20 minutes or more. Although the upper limit is not particularly limited, the temperature is preferably held for 60 minutes or less, more preferably 45 minutes or less.

Heating Temperature after Hot Rolling: Ac3 Point or Higher and 1000 °C or Less

A heating temperature lower than the Ac3 point in the cooling step results in ferrite remaining in the steel after cooling, a decrease in the strength of a steel material, and a decrease in the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen. Thus, the heating temperature is the Ac3 point or higher. The heating temperature is preferably the Ac3 point+30 °C or more, more preferably the Ac3 point+50 °C or more. However, the Ac3 point+30 °C or more or the Ac3 point+50 °C or more is not applied to a composition system in which the Ac3 point+30 °C or the Ac3 point+50 °C exceeds 1000 °C. On the other hand, a heating temperature of more than 1000 °C may result in coarse austenite grains and a decrease in the impact absorbed energy and toughness of the material after heat treatment. Thus, the heating temperature is 1000 °C or less, preferably 950 °C or less, more preferably 900 °C or less. However, 950 °C or less or 900 °C or less described above is not applied to a composition system in which 950 °C or 900 °C is lower than the Ac3 point.

In the cooling process, when the temperature after the completion of rolling satisfies the heating conditions, cooling may be performed as it is, or the completion of rolling may be followed by reheating again and cooling. When a steel sheet is cooled by natural cooling once, the steel sheet may be heated again to a temperature of the Ac3 point or higher and 1000 °C or less and may be cooled under the cooling conditions of the following Group A or Group B (in this case, referred to as quenching). In the present disclosure, the Ac3 point (°C) is calculated using the following formula.


Ac3(°C)=910−203[C]1/2−30[Mm]+44.7[Si]+700[P]+100[Al]+31.5[Mo]−11[Cr]−15.2[Ni]−20[Cu]+104[V]

In the formula, [M] denotes the element M content (% by mass).

Average Cooling Rate

Group A: cooling to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 550 °C and at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C at the quarter thickness position from a surface of a steel material

When the average cooling rate from 800 °C to 550 °C at the quarter thickness position from a surface of a steel material is less than 15 °C/s, a bainite microstructure with an area fraction of 90% or more cannot be formed, and the strength decreases. Thus, the average cooling rate at the quarter thickness position from the surface of a steel material is 15 °C/s or more. From the perspective of reducing variations in microstructure, the average cooling rate is preferably 17 °C/s or more, more preferably 20 °C/s or more, still more preferably 22 °C/s or more. On the other hand, to suppress variations in grain size, the average cooling rate is 50 °C/s or less, preferably 47 °C/s or less, more preferably 45 °C/s or less. Furthermore, cooling to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C can decrease retained austenite and reduce the amount of hydrogen in the steel. Thus, the average cooling rate from 550 °C to 50 °C is 15 °C/s or less. Although the lower limit is not particularly limited, the average cooling rate from 550 °C to 50 °C is preferably 1 °C/s or more. The cooling method is not particularly limited, and an arbitrary method, such as water cooling, oil cooling, or natural cooling, can be used alone or in combination, but water cooling or oil cooling is preferred from 800 °C to 550 °C, and natural cooling is preferred from 550 °C to 50 °C.

Group B: cooling to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 10 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 300 °C and at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C at the quarter thickness position from a surface of a steel material

When the average cooling rate from 800 °C to 300 °C at the quarter thickness position from a surface of a steel material is less than 10 °C/s, 90% or more of a martensite microstructure cannot be formed, mixing with a bainite microstructure occurs, and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen decreases. Thus, the average cooling rate at the quarter thickness position from a surface of a steel material is 10 °C/s or more. From the perspective of reducing variations in microstructure, 12 °C/s or more is more preferred. The average cooling rate is still more preferably 15 °C/s or more, still more preferably 17 °C/s or more. On the other hand, although the average cooling rate may have any upper limit, when the average cooling rate is more than 60 °C/s, a large amount of hard microstructure is formed on the surface of a steel sheet, a steel microstructure with the microstructure intended in the present disclosure is not formed, and the fatigue property in hydrogen deteriorates. Thus, the average cooling rate is preferably 60 °C/s or less. Furthermore, cooling to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C can reduce the amount of hydrogen in the steel. Thus, the average cooling rate from 300 °C to 50 °C is 5 °C/s or less. The average cooling rate is preferably 1 °C/s or less, more preferably 0.8 °C/s or less. The lower limit is preferably, but not limited to, 0.1 °C/s or more. The cooling method is not particularly limited, and an arbitrary method, such as water cooling, oil cooling, or natural cooling, can be used alone or in combination, but water cooling or oil cooling is preferred from 800 °C to 300 °C, and natural cooling is preferred from 300 °C to 50 °C.

After the cooling, a steel sheet is preferably coiled, although it is not necessary for a thick sheet.

Example 1

Next, the present disclosure is more specifically described in the following examples. The examples are preferred examples of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to these examples.

Steel pipes made of steel materials with the chemical compositions shown in Tables 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-1, and 2-2 were produced. The production procedure is described below. First, billets with the chemical compositions shown in Tables 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-1, and 2-2 were produced. The billets shown in Tables 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, and 2-1 were produced at a casting speed in the range of 0.05 to 0.2 m/min. The billets shown in Table 2-2 were cast at a casting speed in the range of 1.1 to 1.5 m/min. The billets were heated to 1000 °C to 1100 °C and were hot-rolled. The product was expanded by a Mannesmann-plug mill process or a Mannesmann-mandrel mill process to produce a seamless steel pipe with a finish rolling temperature of 850 °C or more. The seamless steel pipe was then slowly cooled by natural cooling. The steel pipes produced by the above method were heated and held at 950 °C for steel pipes with an Ac3 point of 950 °C or less or at 1000 °C for steel pipes with an Ac3 point of more than 950 °C and were then cooled to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate shown in Tables 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 4-1, and 4-2. Tempering was then performed, the steel pipes Nos. 16, 29, 35, 37, and 39 were subjected to dehydrogenation treatment, and the metallic microstructure and mechanical properties were evaluated. The tempering temperature was adjusted in the range of 400 °C to 680 °C so that the tensile strength of the material ranged from 520 MPa to 700 MPa. In the dehydrogenation treatment of Example 1, after it was confirmed that the temperature Tc at the middle of the sheet thickness reached room temperature as the target temperature, held for R(s) to satisfy the formula (A). Tables 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 4-1, and 4-2 show evaluation results. The evaluation method is described below. A steel material taken from a central portion in the longitudinal direction of a steel pipe was treated as a steel material of the present disclosure.

Retained Austenite Measurement

A sample for metallic microstructure observation was taken from a central portion of the sheet width in a central portion in the longitudinal direction of each of the steel materials and the steel pipes thus produced. A cross section parallel to the longitudinal direction was buffed as an observation surface. The surface layer was then removed by chemical polishing using picric acid etching, and X-ray diffractometry was performed. More specifically, a Co-Kα radiation source was used for an incident X-ray, and the area fraction of retained austenite was calculated from the intensity ratios of the (200), (211), and (220) planes of ferrite to the (200), (220), and (311) planes of austenite.

Measurement of Area Fraction of Bainite and Martensite

The metallic microstructure at a quarter thickness position on the inner side of each steel pipe was evaluated as described below. A test specimen was taken from the steel pipe such that the quarter thickness position on the inner side and the center position of the wall thickness in the center in the longitudinal direction of the steel pipe were observation positions. A cross section of the taken test specimen was etched using a 3% by volume nital solution. A scanning electron microscope photograph was taken at an appropriate magnification in the range of 1000 to 5000 times, and tempered martensite, ferrite, bainite, and pearlite were observed. Martensite, ferrite, bainite, and pearlite were visually identified by comparison with microstructure photographs of Non Patent Literature 2. The microstructure fractions were determined as area fractions of respection phases from an image obtained by dividing the SEM photograph into regions based on the above identification by image analysis (for example, to calculate the fraction of bainite, the bainite and the other region were binarized to determine the fraction of bainite).

Tensile Strength (TS)

JIS No. 14 proportional test pieces (parallel portion diameter: 7 mm, gauge length: 35 mm) were taken in accordance with JIS Z 2201 from the steel pipes and the steel materials thus produced, and the tensile strength was measured.

Hydrogen Temperature-Programmed Analysis

The amount of hydrogen remaining in the steel was measured by thermal desorption spectrometry using a low-temperature programmed hydrogen analyzer <gas chromatograph type> (JTF-20AL). The thermal desorption spectrometry was performed in the temperature range of room temperature to 400 °C at a heating rate of 200 °C/h, and the sum total thereof was taken as the amount of hydrogen. The specimen has a cylindrical shape with 30 mm in length and 7Φ in diameter in the longitudinal direction of the steel pipe at the quarter thickness position of the steel sheet and at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe. The amount of hydrogen is the amount of H shown in Tables 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-1, and 2-2 before being subjected to a high-pressure hydrogen fatigue test as explained in the item described later.

Fatigue Test

A fatigue test was conducted at room temperature (20 °C±10 °C) in a high-pressure gas mixture atmosphere in the atmosphere in accordance with ASTM E466, Fatigue Testing, at a frequency in the range of 1 to 15 Hz, a repetitive waveform of a sine wave, a control method of load control, a load condition of uniaxial tension and compression, and a stress ratio of R=−1.0. The stress at which no fracture occurred at a number of repetitions of 10,000,000 was defined as the fatigue limit strength in the atmosphere.

High-Pressure Hydrogen Fatigue Test

A fatigue test was conducted at room temperature (20 °C±10 °C) in hydrogen gas (100% gas) with a pressure of 40 MPa, in hydrogen gas with a pressure of 1 MPa or more, or in a natural gas (the main components are hydrocarbons, such as methane and ethane) mixed atmosphere containing hydrogen at a hydrogen partial pressure of 1 MPa or more in accordance with ASTM E466, Fatigue Testing, at a frequency of 1 Hz, a repetitive waveform of a sine wave, a control method of load control, a load condition of uniaxial tension and compression, and a stress ratio of R=−1.0. The stress at which no fracture occurred at a number of repetitions of 2,000,000 was defined as the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen. Passing was judged when the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen in this test was 200 MPa or more, and its ratio to the fatigue limit strength in an inert gas atmosphere, that is, the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen/fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment, was 0.90 or more.

In all of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in Tables 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 4-1, and 4-2, the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen was 200 MPa or more, its ratio to the fatigue limit strength in the inert gas atmosphere, that is, the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen/fatigue limit stress in the inert gas environment, was 0.90 or more, the tensile strength was 520 MPa or more, and high hydrogen embrittlement resistance was satisfied.

TABLE 1-1 Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 No. C Si Mn P S Al O N H Nb  1 0.28 1.49 1.4 0.00160 0.0003 0.037 0.008 0.003 0.00083  2 0.10 1.73 1.2 0.01480 0.0005 0.060 0.003 0.001 0.00069  3 0.45 1.97 1.0 0.01290 0.0011 0.146 0.008 0.001 0.00041  4 0.12 0.73 1.2 0.00560 0.0010 0.121 0.007 0.004 0.00200  5 0.40 1.01 1.4 0.00230 0.0003 0.131 0.008 0.006 0.00032  6 0.40 0.10 0.9 0.01330 0.0011 0.095 0.003 0.004 0.00092  7 0.35 2.00 1.0 0.00780 0.0012 0.042 0.008 0.003 0.00034  8 0.10 1.01 0.9 0.00680 0.0012 0.128 0.003 0.004 0.04360  9 0.24 0.48 1.2 0.00890 0.0004 0.029 0.008 0.004 0.00044 10 0.26 0.59 0.5 0.00980 0.0012 0.126 0.006 0.004 0.00050 11 0.29 1.54 1.3 0.00700 0.0005 0.058 0.005 0.004 0.00035 12 0.13 1.73 0.5 0.00200 0.0011 0.045 0.008 0.006 0.00079 13 0.38 0.25 0.6 0.00755 0.0007 0.035 0.008 0.002 0.00039 14 0.15 0.53 1.6 0.00010 0.0009 0.094 0.003 0.005 0.00097 15 0.20 0.53 0.6 0.01500 0.0008 0.050 0.006 0.006 0.00072 16 0.20 1.50 1.0 0.00670 0.0009 0.059 0.008 0.005 0.00003 17 0.40 0.42 1.3 0.00030 0.0002 0.080 0.002 0.001 0.00026 18 0.41 0.08 1.2 0.00440 0.0015 0.047 0.009 0.005 0.00021 19 0.26 1.20 0.9 0.01470 0.0003 0.078 0.010 0.005 0.00041 20 0.39 0.44 0.5 0.00040 0.0004 0.005 0.003 0.006 0.00033 21 0.20 0.52 1.3 0.00780 0.0003 0.150 0.009 0.004 0.00029 22 0.23 0.38 0.8 0.00580 0.0012 0.048 0.006 0.005 0.00045 23 0.36 0.81 1.4 0.00790 0.0010 0.081 0.003 0.002 0.00031 24 0.16 0.43 0.8 0.01270 0.0011 0.098 0.008 0.002 0.00057 25 0.10 1.93 1.0 0.00550 0.0004 0.100 0.004 0.003 0.00053 26 0.27 0.21 1.1 0.00270 0.0006 0.006 0.005 0.001 0.00093 27 0.14 0.28 0.9 0.01320 0.0011 0.137 0.002 0.005 0.00058 28 0.23 1.39 1.5 0.00700 0.0012 0.034 0.003 0.003 0.00051 29 0.15 0.56 1.1 0.00390 0.0008 0.070 0.006 0.002 0.00001 30 0.43 1.77 1.2 0.00950 0.0007 0.073 0.009 0.002 0.00100 Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 No. Ti Ca Ni Cu Cr Mo W V Zr REM  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 Ac3 point Ac1 point No. Mg B Hf Ta Rel Sn Sb (°C) (°C) Notes  1 912 736 Conforming steel  2 958 744 Conforming steel  3 946 752 Conforming steel  4 910 722 Comparative steel  5 887 726 Conforming steel  6 866 713 Conforming steel  7 944 753 Conforming steel  8 935 733 Comparative steel  9 882 717 Conforming steel 10 914 729 Conforming steel 11 921 739 Conforming steel 12 965 754 Conforming steel 13 873 720 Conforming steel 14 880 712 Conforming steel 15 911 726 Conforming steel 16 937 742 Conforming steel 17 857 714 Conforming steel 18 844 708 Conforming steel 19 928 737 Conforming steel 20 876 726 Conforming steel 21 894 716 Conforming steel 22 889 720 Conforming steel 23 881 721 Conforming steel 24 908 721 Conforming steel 25 970 751 Conforming steel 26 861 712 Conforming steel 27 904 717 Conforming steel 28 912 733 Conforming steel 29 897 720 Conforming steel 30 923 745 Conforming steel *1 The remainder is composed of Fe and incidental impurities Blank: no intended addition Bold: outside the scope of the present disclosure.

TABLE 1-2 Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 No. C Si Mn P S Al O N H Nb 31 0.24 0.64 1.1 0.00540 0.0009 0.011 0.008 0.002 0.00074 0.051 32 0.39 0.90 0.6 0.01470 0.0003 0.066 0.005 0.002 0.00064 0.001 33 0.45 1.54 1.6 0.01160 0.0010 0.133 0.008 0.003 0.00089 0.100 34 0.28 1.99 0.8 0.00400 0.0012 0.123 0.002 0.003 0.00025 0.055 35 0.17 1.30 1.2 0.00390 0.0006 0.128 0.003 0.002 0.00007 0.044 36 0.15 0.38 0.6 0.00880 0.0007 0.098 0.007 0.002 0.00060 0.079 37 0.31 0.42 1.0 0.00380 0.0007 0.083 0.007 0.002 0.00004 0.075 38 0.42 1.74 1.1 0.01080 0.0002 0.142 0.007 0.003 0.00053 0.094 39 0.28 0.68 1.1 0.01170 0.0014 0.073 0.002 0.002 0.00009 0.098 40 0.30 1.50 0.8 0.00560 0.0013 0.074 0.004 0.001 0.00023 0.013 41 0.40 0.14 0.6 0.01430 0.0015 0.021 0.006 0.002 0.00081 0.035 42 0.37 1.25 0.7 0.00620 0.0010 0.103 0.010 0.003 0.00096 0.014 43 0.21 0.49 0.9 0.00150 0.0006 0.042 0.010 0.004 0.00081 0.039 44 0.30 1.18 0.6 0.00960 0.0012 0.137 0.005 0.003 0.00004 0.007 45 0.20 0.10 1.2 0.00140 0.0011 0.039 0.004 0.001 0.00011 0.003 46 0.39 1.33 1.0 0.01390 0.0009 0.079 0.003 0.004 0.00061 0.092 47 0.14 1.92 1.2 0.00200 0.0014 0.026 0.006 0.004 0.00080 0.072 48 0.40 1.08 0.5 0.01480 0.0010 0.128 0.003 0.003 0.00030 0.092 49 0.24 0.89 1.5 0.00150 0.0007 0.067 0.003 0.002 0.00051 0.031 50 0.19 1.16 1.5 0.00080 0.0010 0.125 0.001 0.002 0.00092 0.063 51 0.24 0.27 1.1 0.01000 0.0009 0.007 0.009 0.002 0.00045 0.040 52 0.20 0.05 1.5 0.01300 0.0014 0.095 0.005 0.002 0.00060 0.076 53 0.37 1.08 1.2 0.01270 0.0006 0.120 0.006 0.001 0.00050 0.015 54 0.43 1.53 0.5 0.00380 0.0005 0.053 0.008 0.001 0.00015 0.044 55 0.18 1.16 1.4 0.00720 0.0005 0.060 0.006 0.004 0.00030 0.087 56 0.30 0.23 0.8 0.00070 0.0013 0.070 0.005 0.004 0.00056 0.038 57 0.39 0.92 1.4 0.01330 0.0008 0.088 0.002 0.004 0.00046 0.002 58 0.10 1.74 1.1 0.00670 0.0012 0.110 0.005 0.004 0.00032 0.066 59 0.29 1.23 0.5 0.01400 0.0008 0.060 0.008 0.003 0.00017 0.084 60 0.17 1.36 1.1 0.01470 0.0005 0.008 0.006 0.002 0.00099 0.036 Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 No. Ti Ca Ni Cu Cr Mo W V Zr REM 31 0.023 0.0021 0.60 0.16 0.72 0.16 0.63 0.04 0.018 0.0062 32 0.072 0.0049 1.08 0.34 0.62 0.55 0.22 0.03 0.038 0.0032 33 0.030 0.0016 0.61 0.66 0.74 0.35 0.17 0.03 0.044 0.0072 34 0.041 0.0026 1.02 0.97 0.17 0.10 0.16 0.08 0.019 0.0050 35 0.088 0.0001 1.91 0.11 0.09 0.30 0.08 0.09 0.033 0.0023 36 0.019 0.0050 0.68 0.02 0.91 0.17 0.17 0.06 0.016 0.0073 37 0.084 0.0023 1.01 0.14 0.72 0.03 0.67 0.04 0.029 0.0086 38 0.086 0.0037 0.01 0.71 0.30 0.15 0.05 0.04 0.028 0.0017 39 0.084 0.0042 2.00 0.24 0.64 0.07 0.18 0.04 0.035 0.0041 40 0.053 0.0044 1.41 0.41 0.15 0.58 0.92 0.09 0.028 0.0006 41 0.005 0.0004 0.46 0.25 0.14 0.17 0.71 0.04 0.045 0.0002 42 0.100 0.0019 0.16 0.85 0.03 0.38 0.90 0.04 0.008 0.0008 43 0.097 0.0037 1.88 0.51 0.49 0.24 0.82 0.03 0.012 0.0034 44 0.054 0.0048 0.81 0.01 0.76 0.12 0.57 0.07 0.002 0.0080 45 0.069 0.0035 0.58 1.00 0.23 0.15 0.74 0.07 0.030 0.0094 46 0.084 0.0035 0.86 0.59 0.51 0.22 0.73 0.06 0.039 0.0071 47 0.062 0.0032 1.12 0.90 0.01 0.24 0.36 0.07 0.023 0.0019 48 0.011 0.0035 0.60 0.29 1.00 0.45 0.92 0.04 0.001 0.0016 49 0.011 0.0042 0.76 0.19 0.95 0.31 0.70 0.01 0.049 0.0034 50 0.050 0.0049 0.97 0.06 0.40 0.01 0.21 0.07 0.007 0.0027 51 0.066 0.0010 1.38 0.26 0.69 0.60 0.55 0.07 0.007 0.0096 52 0.044 0.0011 0.79 0.19 0.14 0.19 0.51 0.03 0.015 0.0094 53 0.075 0.0017 1.85 0.13 0.42 0.11 0.01 0.02 0.038 0.0013 54 0.090 0.0041 1.56 0.64 0.43 0.18 1.00 0.09 0.050 0.0022 55 0.018 0.0030 0.26 0.25 0.66 0.21 0.91 0.06 0.037 0.0030 56 0.064 0.0013 0.62 0.72 0.65 0.15 0.97 0.01 0.032 0.0005 57 0.084 0.0007 1.03 0.05 0.07 0.23 0.59 0.10 0.034 0.0016 58 0.076 0.0028 0.60 0.88 0.06 0.27 0.49 0.03 0.025 0.0020 59 0.046 0.0022 0.16 0.58 0.54 0.39 0.88 0.03 0.000 0.0049 60 0.060 0.0004 0.62 0.87 0.82 0.47 0.35 0.03 0.050 0.0028 Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 Ac3 point Ac1 point No. Mg B Hf Ta Re Sn Sb (°C) (°C) Notes 31 0.0004 0.0011 0.116 0.045 0.001 0.293 0.0706 875 730 Conforming steel 32 0.0051 0.0004 0.030 0.017 0.004 0.124 0.0714 900 733 Conforming steel 33 0.0007 0.0002 0.169 0.198 0.001 0.041 0.0030 890 743 Conforming steel 34 0.0038 0.0006 0.017 0.136 0.002 0.062 0.1711 936 745 Conforming steel 35 0.0053 0.0011 0.177 0.050 0.002 0.030 0.0414 917 709 Conforming steel 36 0.0057 0.0016 0.022 0.063 0.001 0.063 0.0614 901 734 Conforming steel 37 0.0028 0.0001 0.166 0.076 0.001 0.200 0.1894 857 721 Conforming steel 38 0.0047 0.0009 0.072 0.141 0.001 0.183 0.1685 925 753 Conforming steel 39 0.0060 0.0018 0.195 0.054 0.002 0.115 0.2546 859 709 Conforming steel 40 0.0099 0.0009 0.192 0.124 0.004 0.198 0.2438 930 728 Conforming steel 41 0.0081 0.0020 0.034 0.192 0.003 0.197 0.1243 866 714 Conforming steel 42 0.0035 0.0004 0.027 0.169 0.002 0.084 0.0391 918 739 Conforming steel 43 0.0018 0.0002 0.014 0.134 0.001 0.211 0.0818 855 706 Conforming steel 44 0.0069 0.0016 0.064 0.014 0.003 0.088 0.1192 925 747 Conforming steel 45 0.0033 0.0005 0.147 0.131 0.001 0.045 0.0484 844 705 Conforming steel 46 0.0042 0.0017 0.159 0.053 0.005 0.099 0.1414 900 738 Conforming steel 47 0.0049 0.0007 0.086 0.197 0.003 0.086 0.1545 929 733 Conforming steel 48 0.0044 0.0015 0.096 0.017 0.004 0.043 0.0112 918 754 Conforming steel 49 0.0039 0.0007 0.169 0.093 0.000 0.271 0.0584 873 733 Conforming steel 50 0.0021 0.0002 0.085 0.041 0.001 0.140 0.1536 898 723 Conforming steel 51 0.0093 0.0014 0.174 0.045 0.004 0.260 0.1859 865 710 Conforming steel 52 0.0096 0.0005 0.155 0.141 0.000 0.204 0.2213 857 695 Conforming steel 53 0.0020 0.0008 0.182 0.192 0.002 0.283 0.1160 876 713 Conforming steel 54 0.0085 0.0001 0.048 0.142 0.005 0.128 0.0100 901 737 Conforming steel 55 0.0095 0.0004 0.022 0.141 0.002 0.035 0.1932 909 741 Conforming steel 56 0.0016 0.0011 0.008 0.081 0.005 0.235 0.0598 848 723 Conforming steel 57 0.0054 0.0006 0.093 0.150 0.003 0.217 0.1504 888 710 Conforming steel 58 0.0089 0.0001 0.032 0.199 0.005 0.108 0.1841 945 739 Conforming steel 59 0.0074 0.0018 0.170 0.027 0.000 0.166 0.0433 932 753 Conforming steel 60 0.0098 0.0006 0.199 0.069 0.005 0.062 0.1169 914 748 Conforming steel *1 The remainder is composed of Fe and incidental impurities Blank: no intended addition Bold: outside the scope of the present disclosure.

TABLE 1-3 Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 No. C Si Mn P S Al O N H Nb 61 0.16 1.79 0.9 0.00160 0.0015 0.122 0.008 0.003 0.00050 0.044 62 0.18 1.99 1.4 0.00430 0.0004 0.083 0.007 0.003 0.00022 0.022 63 0.21 0.65 1.2 0.00570 0.0005 0.037 0.001 0.003 0.00033 0.079 64 0.30 0.92 1.5 0.01390 0.0010 0.022 0.003 0.002 0.00031 0.018 65 0.12 1.37 1.0 0.00120 0.0003 0.106 0.005 0.004 0.00086 0.053 66 0.27 0.78 0.5 0.01450 0.0013 0.104 0.005 0.003 0.00078 0.077 67 0.36 0.31 1.2 0.00750 0.0007 0.028 0.007 0.002 0.00091 0.023 68 0.30 0.88 1.0 0.00530 0.0013 0.020 0.008 0.003 0.00054 0.076 69 0.29 0.26 1.2 0.00550 0.0014 0.045 0.008 0.003 0.00075 0.064 70 0.27 0.18 1.0 0.00780 0.0005 0.133 0.006 0.001 0.00061 0.024 71 0.11 0.97 1.4 0.01220 0.0007 0.009 0.009 0.003 0.00079 0.053 72 0.36 1.04 1.2 0.00470 0.0006 0.101 0.001 0.002 0.00061 0.013 73 0.17 1.14 0.9 0.01270 0.0006 0.119 0.001 0.003 0.00049 0.024 74 0.31 1.33 0.7 0.01140 0.0003 0.048 0.008 0.003 0.00073 0.033 75 0.22 1.33 0.9 0.01240 0.0003 0.091 0.009 0.001 0.00065 0.074 76 0.38 1.37 1.2 0.00640 0.0015 0.075 0.003 0.003 0.00092 0.056 77 0.33 1.94 1.4 0.00870 0.0012 0.067 0.004 0.005 0.00064 0.029 78 0.23 1.77 1.2 0.01110 0.0014 0.086 0.008 0.001 0.00035 0.039 79 0.42 0.82 0.5 0.00140 0.0011 0.084 0.007 0.002 0.00056 0.087 80 0.35 1.49 0.5 0.01240 0.0011 0.066 0.006 0.002 0.00018 0.019 81 0.24 0.10 1.2 0.00100 0.0008 0.091 0.006 0.003 0.00082 0.062 82 0.30 0.89 1.0 0.01140 0.0008 0.131 0.008 0.004 0.00083 0.042 83 0.19 1.70 1.2 0.00960 0.0013 0.098 0.007 0.002 0.00062 0.005 84 0.40 0.62 0.5 0.00290 0.0006 0.126 0.004 0.002 0.00097 0.039 85 0.39 1.87 0.8 0.00770 0.0010 0.146 0.002 0.003 0.00067 0.013 86 0.37 1.02 0.5 0.01150 0.0008 0.078 0.006 0.003 0.00046 0.095 87 0.20 0.72 1.1 0.01120 0.0010 0.143 0.002 0.005 0.00029 0.047 94 0.12 0.13 1.1 0.00700 0.0010 0.025 0.004 0.003 0.00080 0.042 95 0.11 0.16 1.1 0.00960 0.0011 0.031 0.004 0.003 0.00080 96 0.15 0.20 1.1 0.00800 0.0010 0.033 0.004 0.003 0.00080 0.039 97 0.20 0.15 1.1 0.00700 0.0011 0.031 0.004 0.003 0.00080 98 0.17 0.17 1.1 0.00900 0.0010 0.042 0.004 0.003 0.00080 0.050 Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 No. Ti Ca Ni Cu Cr Mo W V Zr REM 61 0.067 0.0039 1.18 0.54 0.77 0.60 0.13 0.10 0.025 0.0057 62 0.062 0.0020 1.82 0.39 0.50 0.46 0.30 0.06 0.029 0.0100 63 0.079 0.0043 1.54 0.14 0.26 0.29 0.33 0.03 0.046 0.0028 64 0.054 0.0010 1.11 0.88 0.28 0.25 0.93 0.08 0.036 0.0051 65 0.093 0.0042 0.80 0.91 0.26 0.26 0.60 0.06 0.007 0.0001 66 0.009 0.0046 0.03 0.58 0.27 0.59 0.19 0.10 0.026 0.0100 67 0.061 0.0007 0.16 0.80 0.33 0.23 0.96 0.02 0.016 0.0034 68 0.023 0.0005 1.86 0.26 0.47 0.27 |0.48 0.06 0.043 0.0039 69 0.061 0.0002 0.92 0.27 0.90 0.31 0.41 0.03 0.011 0.0058 70 0.033 0.0008 1.79 0.65 0.09 0.20 0.64 0.06 0.020 0.0064 71 0.017 0.0047 0.47 0.87 0.72 0.30 0.11 0.10 0.044 0.0031 72 0.055 0.0028 1.87 0.90 0.73 0.33 0.23 0.03 0.001 0.0021 73 0.071 0.0030 1.25 0.34 0.44 0.53 0.12 0.08 0.025 0.0084 74 0.059 0.0021 1.68 0.69 0.53 0.21 0.61 0.01 0.009 0.0016 75 0.006 0.0020 0.72 0.89 0.01 0.45 0.82 0.06 0.003 0.0014 76 0.054 0.0027 1.10 0.31 0.40 0.28 0.43 0.09 0.034 0.0058 77 0.015 0.0048 0.98 0.35 0.25 0.02 0.56 0.04 0.040 0.0039 78 0.023 0.0014 1.04 0.73 0.36 0.18 0.33 0.09 0.019 0.0094 79 0.034 0.0018 1.83 0.14 0.20 0.02 0.03 0.10 0.046 0.0003 80 0.053 0.0039 0.43 0.02 0.81 0.10 0.59 0.08 0.001 0.0083 81 0.058 0.0041 0.83 0.12 0.54 0.46 0.09 0.08 0.032 0.0050 82 0.097 0.0020 0.88 0.96 0.07 0.60 0.56 0.01 0.001 0.0010 83 0.012 0.0017 1.99 0.05 0.44 0.34 0.59 0.03 0.047 0.0079 84 0.091 0.0019 0.56 0.94 0.48 0.12 0.63 0.09 0.025 0.0043 85 0.052 0.0041 0.30 0.15 0.31 0.12 0.34 0.05 0.006 0.0023 86 0.051 0.0009 1.79 0.89 0.51 0.19 0.75 0.03 0.002 0.0002 87 0.094 0.0035 0.06 0.44 0.64 0.15 0.58 0.05 0.027 0.0086 94 95 0.16 96 0.0019 0.10 97 0.11 98 0.03 Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 Ac3 point Ac1 point No. Mg B Hf Ta Re Sn Sb (°C) (°C) Notes 61 0.0051 0.0011 0.175 0.019 0.001 0.185 0.0580 952 751 Conforming steel 62 0.0066 0.0001 0.032 0.060 0.001 0.257 0.1268 930 733 Conforming steel 63 0.0096 0.0020 0.015 0.161 0.001 0.223 0.2176 873 704 Conforming steel 64 0.0031 0.0001 0.159 0.000 0.001 0.031 0.1103 866 713 Conforming steel 65 0.0017 0.0018 0.052 0.059 0.004 0.010 0.1775 922 734 Conforming steel 66 0.0030 0.0004 0.001 0.167 0.001 0.189 0.0231 937 739 Conforming steel 67 0.0051 0.0001 0.035 0.036 0.001 0.285 0.0975 847 718 Conforming steel 68 0.0001 0.0020 0.025 0.137 0.001 0.130 0.0692 871 713 Conforming steel 69 0.0100 0.0018 0.087 0.148 0.005 0.247 0.2765 848 720 Conforming steel 70 0.0006 0.0014 0.034 0.173 0.002 0.153 0.1689 851 689 Conforming steel 71 0.0063 0.0010 0.048 0.142 0.002 0.285 0.1012 897 735 Conforming steel 72 0.0071 0.0001 0.075 0.073 0.001 0.216 0.1384 856 719 Conforming steel 73 0.0043 0.0004 0.100 0.137 0.000 0.142 0.2516 932 728 Conforming steel 74 0.0064 0.0002 0.000 0.174 0.002 0.001 0.2973 892 731 Conforming steel 75 0.0025 0.0016 0.200 0.127 0.002 0.151 0.0842 929 730 Conforming steel 76 0.0034 0.0007 0.131 0.100 0.001 0.038 0.2063 900 730 Conforming steel 77 0.0081 0.0016 0.076 0.000 0.003 0.007 0.1181 914 738 Conforming steel 78 0.0049 0.0012 0.187 0.200 0.004 0.179 0.2380 927 739 Conforming steel 79 0.0008 0.0011 0.084 0.092 0.003 0.063 0.1539 877 712 Conforming steel 80 0.0083 0.0003 0.151 0.008 0.000 0.035 0.2454 937 761 Conforming steel 81 0.0070 0.0009 0.126 0.170 0.005 0.163 0.2486 866 709 Conforming steel 82 0.0095 0.0011 0.119 0.159 0.003 0.150 0.1043 897 718 Conforming steel 83 0.0047 0.0010 0.029 0.033 0.002 0.000 0.1156 925 725 Conforming steel 84 0.0017 0.0007 0.005 0.150 0.001 0.300 0.0016 877 733 Conforming steel 85 0.0085 0.0001 0.194 0.171 0.005 0.168 0.1501 948 756 Conforming steel 86 0.0009 0.0015 0.062 0.075 0.003 0.141 0.0001 877 725 Conforming steel 87 0.0034 0.0013 0.004 0.040 0.004 0.292 0.3000 904 737 Conforming steel 94 878 710 Conforming steel 95 888 711 Conforming steel 96 878 711 Conforming steel 97 875 711 Conforming steel 98 881 711 Conforming steel *1 The remainder is composed of Fe and incidental impurities Blank: no intended addition Bold: outside the scope of the present disclosure.

TABLE 2-1 Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 No. C Si Mn P S Al O N H Nb 88 0.12 1.49 1.2 0.00160 0.0003 0.037 0.008 0.003 0.00083 0.040 89 0.10 1.73 1.2 0.01480 0.0005 0.060 0.003 0.001 0.00069 0.050 90 0.45 1.97 1.0 0.01290 0.0011 0.146 0.008 0.001 0.03200 0.050 Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 No. Ti Ca Ni Cu Cr Mo W V Zr REM 88 0.010 0.0010 0.11 0.10 0.03 0.10 — 0.03 — 0.0001 89 0.010 0.0010 0.01 0.12 0.03 0.10 — 0.03 — — 90 0.010 0.0010 0.13 0.10 0.03 0.10 — 0.03 — — Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 Ac3 point Ac1 point No. Mg B Hf Ta Re Sn Sb (°C) (°C) Notes 88 — 0.0013 — — — — — 936 738 Conforming steel 89 — 0.0013 — — — — — 961 745 Conforming steel 90 — 0.0013 — — — — — 948 751 Comparative steel *1 The remainder is composed of Fe and incidental impurities “—”: no intended addition Bold: outside the scope of the present disclosure.

TABLE 2-2 Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 No. C Si Mn P S Al O N H Nb 91 0.13 0.25 1.3 0.0016 0.0003 0.037 0.008 0.003 0.00083 0.040 92 0.12 0.40 1.2 0.0112 0.0005 0.062 0.005 0.002 0.00080 0.045 93 0.12 0.25 1.0 0.0129 0.0011 0.146 0.008 0.001 0.04020 0.050 Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 No. Ti Ca Ni Cu Cr Mo W V Zr REM 91 0.010 0.0010 0.11 0.10 0.03 0.10 — 0.03 — 0.0001 92 0.010 0.0010 0.01 0.12 0.03 0.11 — 0.02 — — 93 0.010 0.0010 0.13 0.10 0.03 0.10 — 0.02 — — Steel Chemical composition (% by mass) *1 Ac3 point Ac1 point No. Mg B Hf Ta Re Sn Sb (°C) (°C) Notes 91 — 0.0013 — — — — — 876 747 Conforming steel 92 — 0.0010 — — — — — 896 744 Conforming steel 93 — 0.0013 — — — — — 904 740 Comparative steel *1 The remainder is composed of Fe and incidental impurities Bold: outside the scope of the present disclosure. “—”: no intended addition

TABLE 3-1 Cooling Step A B Average Average Average Average cooling cooling cooling cooling rate of rate of rate of rate of Steel Steel 800 °C- 550 °C- 800 °C- 300 °C- Residual B pipe material Steel 550 °C 50 °C 300 °C 50 °C r ratio fraction No. No. No. °C/s °C/s ° C/s °C/s (%) (%)  1  1  1 48 8 — — 0.0 93  2  2  2 48 7 — — 0.8 99  3  3  3 19 9 — — 0.4 93  4  4  4 10 5 — — 0.3 70  5  5  5 30 5 — — 1.1 93  6  6  6 48 6 — — 0.2 95  7  7  7 40 8 — — 1.6 98  8  8  8 15 25 — — 5.0 92  9  9  9 30 7 — — 0.2 97 10 10 10 40 9 — — 0.6 95 11 11 11 35 6 — — 2.3 93 12 12 12 5 7 — — 1.7 60 13 13 13 30 8 — — 2.4 93 14 14 14 40 7 — — 2.2 97 15 15 15 48 9 — — 0.1 95 16 16 16 48 6 — — 1.9 92 17 17 17 45 8 — — 2.0 92 18 18 18 48 7 — — 2.5 92 19 19 19 45 8 — — 1.5 90 20 20 20 48 7 — — 0.5 93 21 21 21 48 9 — — 1.1 95 22 22 22 45 8 — — 0.6 98 23 23 23 48 7 — — 1.0 93 24 24 24 48 9 — — 2.3 96 25 25 25 35 8 — — 3.0 95 26 26 26 45 7 — — 2.9 96 27 27 27 48 8 — — 0.1 95 28 28 28 48 7 — — 2.1 92 29 29 29 48 9 — — 0.8 95 30 30 30 48 7 — — 1.8 92 Fatigue limit stress in Fatigue hydrogen/ limit fatigue limit Steel Steel M stress in stress in pipe material Steel fraction TS hydrogen inert gas No. No. No. (%) (MPa) ( MPa) environment Notes  1  1  1 — 689 358 0.91 Inventive example  2  2  2 — 603 283 0.97 Inventive example  3  3  3 — 633 323 0.92 Inventive example  4  4  4 — 622 334 0.82 Comparative example  5  5  5 — 594 315 0.97 Inventive example  6  6  6 — 593 314 0.90 Inventive example  7  7  7 — 615 283 0.92 Inventive example  8  8  8 — 622 334 0.85 Comparative example  9  9  9 — 533 267 0.97 Inventive example 10 10 10 — 613 307 0.95 Inventive example 11 11 11 — 657 309 0.95 Inventive example 12 12 12 — 676 338 0.75 Comparative example 13 13 13 — 666 320 0.93 Inventive example 14 14 14 — 580 290 0.99 Inventive example 15 15 15 — 679 312 0.95 Inventive example 16 16 16 — 630 302 0.91 Inventive example 17 17 17 — 640 288 0.93 Inventive example 18 18 18 — 608 322 0.90 Inventive example 19 19 19 — 656 321 0.92 Inventive example 20 20 20 — 550 297 0.96 Inventive example 21 21 21 — 581 302 0.90 Inventive example 22 22 22 — 557 262 0.99 Inventive example 23 23 23 — 582 274 0.91 Inventive example 24 24 24 — 573 281 0.94 Inventive example 25 25 25 — 676 338 1.00 Inventive example 26 26 26 — 602 325 0.98 Inventive example 27 27 27 — 561 286 0.93 Inventive example 28 28 28 — 592 320 0.90 Inventive example 29 29 29 — 604 290 1.00 Inventive example 30 30 30 — 666 340 0.95 Inventive example Bold: outside the scope of the present disclosure. γ: austenite, B: bainite, M: martensite

TABLE 3-2 Cooling Step A B Average Average Average Average cooling cooling cooling cooling rate of rate of rate of rate of Steel Steel 800 °C- 550 °C- 800 °C- 300 °C- Residual B pipe material Steel 550 °C 50 °C 300 °C 50 °C r ratio fraction No. No. No. °C/s °C/s °C/s °C/s (%) (%) 31 31 31 35 9 — — 1.2 91 32 32 32 45 8 — — 2.8 92 33 33 33 48 7 — — 1.6 97 34 34 34 45 9 — — 2.8 94 35 35 35 48 6 — — 2.5 95 36 36 36 48 9 — — 1.8 92 37 37 37 35 8 — — 0.9 95 38 38 38 45 7 — — 1.7 96 39 39 39 48 8 — — 2.3 90 40 40 40 45 7 — — 1.5 93 41 41 41 48 9 — — 1.4 96 42 42 42 48 7 — — 2.4 91 43 43 43 35 8 — — 1.0 91 44 44 44 45 7 — — 0.9 96 45 45 45 48 9 — — 1.7 98 46 46 46 48 9 — — 0.6 90 47 47 47 48 6 — — 1.3 93 48 48 48 35 8 — — 2.1 98 49 49 49 45 7 — — 2.8 92 50 50 50 48 8 — — 0.6 95 51 51 51 48 7 — — 1.7 90 52 52 52 35 9 — — 1.0 93 53 53 53 48 8 — — 1.8 96 54 54 54 48 7 — — 0.1 91 55 55 55 35 9 — — 1.6 97 56 56 56 45 8 — — 0.8 94 57 57 57 48 7 — — 0.3 90 58 58 58 48 9 — — 0.1 94 59 59 59 48 9 — — 3.0 90 60 60 60 35 8 — — 1.2 96 Fatigue limit stress in Fatigue hydrogen/ limit fatigue limit Steel Steel M stress in stress in pipe material Steel fraction TS hydrogen inert gas No. No. No. (%) (MPa) ( MPa) environment Notes 31 31 31 — 644 341 0.91 Inventive example 32 32 32 — 547 301 0.99 Inventive example 33 33 33 — 692 374 0.99 Inventive example 34 34 34 — 632 322 0.91 Inventive example 35 35 35 — 694 354 0.96 Inventive example 36 36 36 — 535 262 1.00 Inventive example 37 37 37 — 523 262 0.95 Inventive example 38 38 38 — 584 292 0.99 Inventive example 39 39 39 — 548 279 0.99 Inventive example 40 40 40 — 602 313 0.94 Inventive example 41 41 41 — 629 296 0.93 Inventive example 42 42 42 — 625 281 0.94 Inventive example 43 43 43 — 587 288 0.96 Inventive example 44 44 44 — 671 349 0.95 Inventive example 45 45 45 — 587 311 0.98 Inventive example 46 46 46 — 625 338 0.92 Inventive example 47 47 47 — 624 300 0.90 Inventive example 48 48 48 — 650 338 0.91 Inventive example 49 49 49 — 653 294 0.97 Inventive example 50 50 50 — 564 276 0.96 Inventive example 51 51 51 — 621 317 0.95 Inventive example 52 52 52 — 603 302 0.93 Inventive example 53 53 53 — 658 322 0.96 Inventive example 54 54 54 — 693 381 0.96 Inventive example 55 55 55 — 584 286 0.96 Inventive example 56 56 56 — 647 330 0.99 Inventive example 57 57 57 — 655 301 0.92 Inventive example 58 58 58 — 608 322 0.92 Inventive example 59 59 59 — 544 277 0.97 Inventive example 60 60 60 — 584 280 0.99 Inventive example Bold: outside the scope of the present disclosure. γ: austenite, B: bainite, M: martensite

TABLE 3-3 Cooling step A B Average Average Average Average cooling cooling cooling cooling rate of rate of rate of rate of Steel Steel 800 °C- 550 °C- 800 °C- 300 °C- Residual B pipe material Steel 550 °C 50°C 300 °C 50 °C r ratio fraction No. No. No. °C/s °C/s °C/s °C/s (%) (%) 61 61 61 45 7 — — 2.4 95 62 62 62 48 9 — — 1.3 98 63 63 63 40 8 — — 1.8 92 64 64 64 48 7 — — 2.2 91 65 65 65 30 9 — — 2.3 96 66 66 66 35 6 — — 0.8 97 67 67 67 45 8 — — 0.5 97 68 68 68 48 7 — — 0.7 98 69 69 69 40 8 — — 0.3 94 70 70 70 48 7 — — 1.1 92 71 71 71 30 9 — — 1.5 98 72 72 72 48 8 — — 1.5 98 73 73 73 40 7 — — 2.2 90 74 74 74 48 9 — — 2.7 92 75 75 75 48 9 — — 2.4 93 76 76 76 40 8 — — 1.9 92 77 77 77 48 7 — — 0.8 97 78 78 78 30 9 — — 0.1 90 79 79 79 48 8 — — 2.3 92 80 80 80 40 7 — — 2.3 95 81 81 81 48 9 — — 0.9 98 82 82 82 48 9 — — 0.9 91 83 83 83 40 6 — — 2.3 95 84 84 84 30 8 — — 2.9 92 85 85 85 30 7 — — 2.3 91 86 86 86 48 9 — — 0.4 92 87 87 87 40 9 — — 1.4 98 94 94 94 45 7 — — 0.2 96 95 95 95 35 9 — — 0.3 98 96 96 96 38 8 — — 0.4 97 97 97 97 39 9 — — 0.5 96 98 98 98 42 9 — — 0.0 98 Fatigue limit stress in Fatigue hydrogen/ limit fatigue limit Steel Steel M stress in stress in pipe material Steel fraction TS hydrogen inert gas No. No. No. (%) (MPa) ( MPa) environment Notes 61 61 61 — 644 303 0.92 Inventive example 62 62 62 — 598 299 0.97 Inventive example 63 63 63 — 556 278 0.96 Inventive example 64 64 64 — 628 333 0.99 Inventive example 65 65 65 — 524 278 0.93 Inventive example 66 66 66 — 582 308 0.93 Inventive example 67 67 67 — 651 326 0.90 Inventive example 68 68 68 — 635 324 0.93 Inventive example 69 69 69 — 557 279 0.95 Inventive example 70 70 70 — 578 312 0.95 Inventive example 71 71 71 — 582 303 0.94 Inventive example 72 72 72 — 654 314 0.98 Inventive example 73 73 73 — 673 330 0.93 Inventive example 74 74 74 — 650 351 0.94 Inventive example 75 75 75 — 549 296 1.00 Inventive example 76 76 76 — 536 273 0.97 Inventive example 77 77 77 — 676 345 0.96 Inventive example 78 78 78 — 549 247 1.00 Inventive example 79 79 79 — 543 244 0.90 Inventive example 80 80 80 — 559 268 0.99 Inventive example 81 81 81 — 648 337 0.90 Inventive example 82 82 82 — 523 235 0.94 Inventive example 83 83 83 — 650 358 0.96 Inventive example 84 84 84 — 622 292 0.93 Inventive example 85 85 85 — 617 296 0.91 Inventive example 86 86 86 — 626 282 0.99 Inventive example 87 87 87 — 684 356 0.96 Inventive example 94 94 94 — 612 303 0.98 Inventive example 95 95 95 — 623 308 0.97 Inventive example 96 96 96 — 628 320 0.96 Inventive example 97 97 97 — 654 324 0.97 Inventive example 98 98 98 — 606 311 0.98 Inventive example Bold: outside the scope of the present disclosure. γ: austenite, B: bainite, M: martensite

TABLE 4-1 Cooling step A B Average Average Average Average cooling cooling cooling cooling rate of rate of rate of rate of Steel Steel 800 °C- 550 °C- 800 °C- 300 °C- Residual B pipe material Steel 550 °C 50 °C 300 °C 50 °C r ratio fraction No. No. No. °C/s °C/s °C/s °C/s (%) (%) 88 88 88 — — 20 4 0.0 — 89 89 89 — — 5 5 0.8 — 90 90 90 — — 30 15 0.4 — Fatigue limit stress in Fatigue hydrogen/ limit fatigue limit Steel Steel M stress (in stress in pipe material Steel fraction TS hydrogen) inert gas No. No. No. (%) (MPa) MPa environment Notes 88 88 88 93 689 358 0.91 Inventive example 89 89 89 70 603 271 0.85 Comparative example 90 90 90 93 753 339 0.82 Comparative example Bold: outside the scope of the present disclosure. γ: austenite, B: bainite, M: martensite

TABLE 4-2 Cooling step A B Average Average Average Average cooling cooling cooling cooling rate of rate of rate of rate of Steel Steel 800 °C- 550 °C- 800 °C- 300 °C- Residual B pipe material Steel 550 °C 50 °C 300 °C 50 °C γ fraction fraction No. No. No. °C/s °C/s °C/s °C/s (%) (%) 91 91 91 — — 22 5 0.0 — 92 92 92 — — 5 4 2.1 — 93 93 93 — — 30 20 0.2 — Fatigue limit stress in Fatigue hydrogen/ limit fatigue limit Steel Steel M stress (in stress in pipe material Steel fraction TS hydrogen) inert gas No. No. No. (%) (MPa) (MPa) environment Notes 91 91 91 95 689 324 0.94 Inventive example 92 92 92 70 580 261 0.85 Comparative example 93 93 93 90 670 302 0.82 Comparative example Bold: outside the scope of the present disclosure. γ: austenite, B: bainite, M: martensite

Example 2

Examples that have verified the advantages of the present disclosure are described below. In the following Examples, steel pipes were produced under the following production conditions and were characterized. The steels Nos. 1, 14, 46, and 91 shown in Tables 1-1, 1-2, and 2-2 were used, up to the tempering step was performed under the same conditions as the steel pipes Nos. 1, 14, and 46 shown in Tables 3-1 and 3-2 and the steel pipe No. 91 shown in Table 4-1. The characteristics were evaluated while the dehydrogenation treatment conditions were changed. Table 5 shows the results. In Example 2, for the steel pipes and steel materials Nos. 1A, 14A, 46A, and 91A, the dehydrogenation treatment temperature T (ambient temperature) is 50 °C, and the holding time tc after the temperature Tc at the middle of the sheet thickness reaches 50 °C satisfies the formula (A). For the steel pipes and steel materials Nos. 14B, 46B, and 91B, the dehydrogenation treatment temperature T (ambient temperature) is 50 °C, and the holding time tc satisfied the formula (A) at a dehydrogenation treatment temperature T of 50 °C, but the holding time tc after the temperature Tc at the middle of the sheet thickness reaches 50 °C does not satisfy the formula (A). For the steel pipes and steel materials Nos. 14C, 46C, and 91C, the dehydrogenation treatment temperature T (ambient temperature) is 50 °C, but neither the holding time t at the ambient temperature nor the holding time tc after the temperature Tc at the middle of the sheet thickness reaches 50 °C satisfy the formula (A).

In Table 5, “Y” in “Dehydrogenation holding time t” means that the dehydrogenation treatment temperature T (ambient temperature) is 50 °C and the holding time t satisfies the formula (A), and “N” in “Dehydrogenation holding time t” means that the dehydrogenation treatment temperature T (ambient temperature) is 50 °C, but the holding time t does not satisfy the formula (A). Furthermore, “Y” in “Holding time tc at steel material center temperature Tc” means that the holding time tc after the temperature Tc at the middle of the sheet thickness reaches 50 °C satisfies the formula (A), and “N” in “Holding time tc at steel material center temperature Tc” means that the temperature Tc at the middle of the sheet thickness reaches 50 °C, but the holding time tc after Tc reaches 50 °C does not satisfy the formula (A).

The fatigue test, the microstructure, the method for measuring the tensile strength, and the like are the same as those in Example 1.

In all of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen was 200 MPa or more, its ratio to the fatigue limit strength in an inert gas atmosphere, that is, the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen/fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment, was 0.90 or more, and the tensile strength satisfied 520 MPa or more. Among them, the fatigue property was better when the dehydrogenation treatment was performed under more suitable conditions. A steel pipe and a steel material of the same number had the same characteristics.

TABLE 5 Holding Fatigue limit time tc stress in at steel Fatigue hydrogen/ Dehydro- material Resid- limit fatigue limit Steel Steel genation center ual B M stress (in stress in pipe material holding tempera- r ratio fraction fraction TS hydrogen) inert gas No. No. time t ture TC (%) (%) (%) (MPa) (MPa) environment Notes  1A  1 Y Y 0.0 93 — 689 324 0.93 Inventive example 14A 14 Y Y 2.2 97 — 568 273 0.99 Inventive example 14B 14 Y N 2.2 98 — 580 278 0.96 Inventive example 14C 14 N N 2.2 99 — 592 284 0.91 Inventive example 46A 46 Y Y 0.6 90 — 620 340 1.00 Inventive example 46B 46 Y N 0.6 90 — 625 338 0.95 Inventive example 46C 46 N N 0.6 90 — 630 315 0.92 Inventive example 91A 91 Y Y 0.0 — 95 665 319 0.97 Inventive example 91B 91 Y N 0.0 — 96 689 331 0.95 Inventive example 91C 91 N N 0.0 — 97 692 332 0.94 Inventive example Steel material center temperature: Y indicates holding for time R or more after the temperature Tc at the middle of the sheet thickness reached the target temperature Tc of the dehydrogenation treatment temperature, N indicates not holding γ: austenite, B: bainite, M: martensite

Example 3

Examples that have verified the advantages of the present disclosure are described below. In the following Examples, steel materials and steel pipes were produced under the following production conditions and were characterized. Steel pipes and steel materials with the same chemical composition as Nos. 14 and 46 shown in Tables 3-1 and 3-2 and No. 91 shown in Table 4-2 were subjected to up to the cooling step under predetermined conditions, were reheated after the cooling step (before the tempering step), were subjected to the quenching step under the conditions shown in Tables 6-1 and 6-2, and were characterized. The results are also shown in Tables 6-1 and 6-2. The steel pipes and steel materials Nos. 14E, 14F, 46E, and 46F shown in Table 6-1 were produced by subjecting the steel pipes and steel materials Nos. 14 and 46 shown in Tables 3-1 and 3-2 to the reheating step. The steel pipes and steel materials Nos. 91E and 91F shown in Table 6-2 were produced by subjecting the steel pipe and steel material No. 91 shown in Table 4-2 to the reheating step.

The fatigue test, the microstructure, the method for measuring the tensile strength, and the like are the same as those in Example 1.

In all of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen was 200 MPa or more, its ratio to the fatigue limit strength in an inert gas atmosphere, that is, the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen/fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment, was 0.90 or more, and the tensile strength satisfied 520 MPa or more. A steel pipe and a steel material of the same composition had the same characteristics.

TABLE 6-1 Cooling step A B Average Average Average Average Reheating cooling cooling cooling cooling step rate of rate of rate of rate of Steel Steel Reheating 800 °C- 550 °C- 800 °C- 300 °C- Residual pipe material Steel temperature 550 °C 50 °C 300 °C 50 °C r ratio No. No. No. (°C) (°C/s) (°C/s) (°C/s) (°C/s) (%) 14-1 14-1 14 — — — 13 3 0.1 14-1E 14-1E 14 900 0.0 14-1F 14-1F 14 950 0.2 46 46 46 — 48 9 — — 0.6 46E 46E 46 920 0.0 46F 46F 46 970 0.2 Fatigue limit stress in Fatigue hydrogen/ limit fatigue limit Steel Steel B M stress (in stress in pipe material Steel fraction fraction TS hydrogen) inert gas No. No. No. (%) (%) (MPa) (MPa) environment Notes 14-1 14-1 14 98 — 596 280 0.95 Inventive example 14-1E 14-1E 14 95 — 612 288 0.97 Inventive example 14-1F 14-1F 14 95 — 632 297 0.95 Inventive example 46 46 46 90 — 625 338 0.95 Inventive example 46E 46E 46 95 — 640 349 0.97 Inventive example 46F 46F 46 94 — 630 342 0.96 Inventive example γ: austenite, B: bainite, M: martensite

TABLE 6-2 Cooling step A B Average Average Average Average cooling cooling cooling cooling rate of rate of rate of rate of Steel Steel 800 °C- 550 °C- 800 °C- 300 °C- γ pipe material Steel Reheating 550 °C 50 °C 300 °C 50 °C fraction No. No. No. temperature (°C/s) (°C/s) (°C/s) (°C/s) (%) 91 91 91 — — — 22 5 0.0 91E 91E 91 900 0.2 91F 91F 91 950 0.2 Fatigue limit stress in Fatigue hydrogen/ limit fatigue limit Steel Steel B M stress (in stress in pipe material Steel fraction fraction TS hydrogen) inert gas No. No. No. (%) (%) (MPa) (MPa) environment Notes 91 91 91 — 95 689 324 0.94 Inventive example 91E 91E 91 — 95 697 335 0.96 Inventive example 91F 91F 91 — 92 670 322 0.95 Inventive example γ: austenite, B: bainite, M: martensite

Claims

1. A steel pipe for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance, the steel pipe comprising a chemical composition comprising:

on a mass percent basis,
C: 0.10% to 0.45%,
Si: 0.01% to 2.0%,
Mn: 0.5% to 1.5%,
P: 0.0001% to 0.015%,
S: 0.0002% to 0.0015%,
Al: 0.005% to 0.15%,
O: 0.01% or less,
N: 0.010% or less, and
H: 0.0010% or less, and
at least one selected from
Nb: 0% to 0.10%,
Ti: 0% to 0.1%,
Ca: 0% to 0.005%,
Ni: 0% to 2.0%,
Cu: 0% to 1.0%,
Cr: 0% to 1.0%,
Mo: 0% to 0.60%,
W: 0% to 1.0%,
V: 0% to 0.10%,
Zr: 0% to 0.050%,
rare-earth metals (REM): 0% to 0.050%,
Mg: 0% to 0.050%,
B: 0% to 0.0020%,
Hf: 0% to 0.2%,
Ta: 0% to 0.2%,
Re: 0% to 0.005%,
Sn: 0% to 0.3%, and
Sb: 0% to 0.3%,
the remainder being Fe and an incidental impurity element,
wherein an area fraction of retained austenite in the steel pipe is 0% to 3%, bainite or martensite presents at a quarter thickness position from an inner surface of the steel pipe with an area fraction of the bainite of 90% or more or an area fraction of the martensite of 90% or more, a fatigue limit stress of the steel pipe in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more is 200 MPa or more, and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more/a fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment is 0.90 or more.

2. The steel pipe for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance according to claim 1, wherein the chemical composition comprises, on a mass percent basis, at least one selected from

Nb: 0.001% to 0.10%,
Ti: 0.005% to 0.1%,
Ca: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
Ni: 0.01% to 2.0%,
Cu: 0.01% to 1.0%,
Cr: 0.01% to 1.0%,
Mo: 0.01% to 0.60%,
W: 0.01% to 1.0%,
V: 0.01% to 0.10%,
Zr: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
REM: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
Mg: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
B: 0.0001% to 0.0020%,
Hf: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
Ta: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
Re: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
Sn: 0.0001% to 0.3%, and
Sb: 0.0001% to 0.3%.

3. A method for producing a steel pipe for a line pipe according to claim 1, the method comprising: Group A: Group B:

a casting step of casting a steel raw material having the chemical composition according to claim 1 at a casting speed of 1.8 m/min or less;
a heating step of heating the steel raw material at 1350 °C or less;
a hot rolling step of rolling the steel raw material heated in the heating step with a finish rolling temperature of 820 °C or more to form a steel pipe shape;
a cooling step of, after holding a steel pipe produced in the hot rolling step at a temperature of an Ac3 point or higher and 1000 °C or less, cooling the steel pipe wherein a cooling condition is selected from Group A and Group B; and
a tempering step of tempering the steel pipe produced in the cooling step at 400 °C or more and an Ac1 point or lower,
cooling the steel pipe to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 550 °C in terms of a temperature at a quarter thickness position from an inner surface of the steel pipe and at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe, and
cooling the steel pipe to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 10 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 300 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe and at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe.

4. The method for producing a steel pipe for a line pipe according to claim 3, comprising, before the tempering step, a quenching step of reheating the steel pipe to an Ac3 point or higher and 1000 °C or less, and cooling the steel pipe wherein a cooling condition is selected from Group A and Group B, wherein Group A comprises: Group B comprises:

cooling the steel pipe to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 550 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe and at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe, and
cooling the steel pipe to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 10 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 300 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe and at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the inner surface of the steel pipe.

5. The method for producing a steel pipe for a line pipe according to claim 3, wherein the casting speed is 1.0 m/min or less.

6. A steel material for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance, the steel material comprising a chemical composition comprising:

on a mass percent basis,
C: 0.10% to 0.45%,
Si: 0.01% to 2.0%,
Mn: 0.5% to 1.5%,
P: 0.0001% to 0.015%,
S: 0.0002% to 0.0015%,
Al: 0.005% to 0.15%,
O: 0.01% or less,
N: 0.010% or less, and
H: 0.0010% or less, and
at least one selected from
Nb: 0% to 0.10%,
Ti: 0% to 0.1%,
Ca: 0% to 0.005%,
Ni: 0% to 2.0%,
Cu: 0% to 1.0%,
Cr: 0% to 1.0%,
Mo: 0% to 0.60%,
W: 0% to 1.0%,
V: 0% to 0.10%,
Zr: 0% to 0.050%,
REM: 0% to 0.050%,
Mg: 0% to 0.050%,
B: 0% to 0.0020%,
Hf: 0% to 0.2%,
Ta: 0% to 0.2%,
Re: 0% to 0.005%,
Sn: 0% to 0.3%, and
Sb: 0% to 0.3%,
the remainder being Fe and an incidental impurity element,
wherein an area fraction of retained austenite in the steel material is 0% to 3%, bainite or martensite presents at a quarter thickness position of the steel material with an area fraction of the bainite of 90% or more or an area fraction of the martensite of 90% or more, a fatigue limit stress of the steel material in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more is 200 MPa or more, and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa or more/a fatigue limit stress in an inert gas environment is 0.90 or more.

7. The steel material for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance according to claim 6, wherein the chemical composition comprises, on a mass percent basis, at least one selected from

Nb: 0.001% to 0.10%,
Ti: 0.005% to 0.1%,
Ca: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
Ni: 0.01% to 2.0%,
Cu: 0.01% to 1.0%,
Cr: 0.01% to 1.0%,
Mo: 0.01% to 0.60%,
W: 0.01% to 1.0%,
V: 0.01% to 0.10%,
Zr: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
REM: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
Mg: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
B: 0.0001% to 0.0020%,
Hf: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
Ta: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
Re: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
Sn: 0.0001% to 0.3%, and
Sb: 0.0001% to 0.3%.

8. A method for producing a steel material for a line pipe according to claim 6, the method comprising: Group A comprises: Group B comprises:

a casting step of casting a steel raw material having the chemical composition according to claim 6 at a casting speed of 1.8 m/min or less;
a heating step of heating the steel raw material at 1350 °C or less;
a hot rolling step of rolling the steel raw material heated in the heating step with a finish rolling temperature of 820 °C or more;
a cooling step of, after holding a steel material produced in the hot rolling step at a temperature of an Ac3 point or higher and 1000 °C or less, cooling the steel material wherein a cooling condition is or selected from Group A and Group B; and
a tempering step of tempering the steel material produced in the cooling step at 400 °C or more and an Ac1 point or lower, wherein
cooling the steel material to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 550 °C in terms of a temperature at a quarter thickness position from a surface of the steel material and at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material, and wherein
cooling the steel material to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 10 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 300 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material and at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material.

9. The method for producing a steel material for a line pipe according to claim 8, comprising, before the tempering step, a quenching step of reheating the steel material to an Ac3 point or higher and 1000 °C or less, and cooling the steel material wherein a cooling condition is selected from Group A and Group B, wherein Group A comprises: Group B comprises:

cooling the steel material to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 550 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material and at an average cooling rate of 15 °C/s or less from 550 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material, and
cooling the steel material to 50 °C or less at an average cooling rate of 10 °C/s or more from 800 °C to 300 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material and at an average cooling rate of 5 °C/s or less from 300 °C to 50 °C in terms of a temperature at the quarter thickness position from the surface of the steel material.

10. The method for producing a steel material for a line pipe according to claim 8, wherein the casting speed is 1.0 m/min or less.

11. The steel pipe for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance according to claim 1, wherein the fatigue limit stress of the steel pipe in hydrogen at 1 MPa is 200 MPa or more, and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa/the fatigue limit stress in the inert gas environment is 0.90 or more.

12. The steel pipe for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance according to claim 1, wherein the fatigue limit stress of the steel pipe in hydrogen at 40 MPa is 200 MPa or more, and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 40 MPa/the fatigue limit stress in the inert gas environment is 0.90 or more.

13. The method for producing a steel pipe for a line pipe according to claim 3, wherein the chemical composition comprises, on a mass percent basis, at least one selected from

Nb: 0.001% to 0.10%,
Ti: 0.005% to 0.1%,
Ca: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
Ni: 0.01% to 2.0%,
Cu: 0.01% to 1.0%,
Cr: 0.01% to 1.0%,
Mo: 0.01% to 0.60%,
W: 0.01% to 1.0%,
V: 0.01% to 0.10%,
Zr: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
REM: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
Mg: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
B: 0.0001% to 0.0020%,
Hf: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
Ta: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
Re: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
Sn: 0.0001% to 0.3%, and
Sb: 0.0001% to 0.3%.

14. The method for producing a steel pipe for a line pipe according to claim 4, wherein the chemical composition comprises, on a mass percent basis, at least one selected from

Nb: 0.001% to 0.10%,
Ti: 0.005% to 0.1%,
Ca: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
Ni: 0.01% to 2.0%,
Cu: 0.01% to 1.0%,
Cr: 0.01% to 1.0%,
Mo: 0.01% to 0.60%,
W: 0.01% to 1.0%,
V: 0.01% to 0.10%,
Zr: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
REM: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
Mg: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
B: 0.0001% to 0.0020%,
Hf: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
Ta: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
Re: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
Sn: 0.0001% to 0.3%, and
Sb: 0.0001% to 0.3%.

15. The steel material for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance according to claim 6, wherein the fatigue limit stress of the steel pipe in hydrogen at 1 MPa is 200 MPa or more, and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 1 MPa/the fatigue limit stress in the inert gas environment is 0.90 or more.

16. The steel material for a line pipe with high hydrogen embrittlement resistance according to claim 6, wherein the fatigue limit stress of the steel pipe in hydrogen at 40 MPa is 200 MPa or more, and the fatigue limit stress in hydrogen at 40 MPa/the fatigue limit stress in the inert gas environment is 0.90 or more.

17. The method for producing a steel material for a line pipe according to claim 8, wherein the chemical composition comprises, on a mass percent basis, at least one selected from

Nb: 0.001% to 0.10%,
Ti: 0.005% to 0.1%,
Ca: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
Ni: 0.01% to 2.0%,
Cu: 0.01% to 1.0%,
Cr: 0.01% to 1.0%,
Mo: 0.01% to 0.60%,
W: 0.01% to 1.0%,
V: 0.01% to 0.10%,
Zr: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
REM: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
Mg: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
B: 0.0001% to 0.0020%,
Hf: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
Ta: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
Re: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
Sn: 0.0001% to 0.3%, and
Sb: 0.0001% to 0.3%.

18. The method for producing a steel material for a line pipe according to claim 9, wherein the chemical composition comprises, on a mass percent basis, at least one selected from

Nb: 0.001% to 0.10%,
Ti: 0.005% to 0.1%,
Ca: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
Ni: 0.01% to 2.0%,
Cu: 0.01% to 1.0%,
Cr: 0.01% to 1.0%,
Mo: 0.01% to 0.60%,
W: 0.01% to 1.0%,
V: 0.01% to 0.10%,
Zr: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
REM: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
Mg: 0.0001% to 0.050%,
B: 0.0001% to 0.0020%,
Hf: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
Ta: 0.0001% to 0.2%,
Re: 0.0001% to 0.005%,
Sn: 0.0001% to 0.3%, and
Sb: 0.0001% to 0.3%.
Patent History
Publication number: 20260337709
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 28, 2023
Publication Date: Oct 29, 2026
Applicant: JFE STEEL CORPORATION (Tokyo)
Inventors: Hiroshi OKANO (Tokyo), Yoshihiro NISHIHARA (Tokyo), Naho INOUE (Tokyo)
Application Number: 19/114,223
Classifications
International Classification: C21D 9/14 (20060101); C21D 1/18 (20060101); C21D 1/84 (20060101); C21D 6/00 (20060101); C21D 8/10 (20060101); C21D 9/08 (20060101); C22C 38/00 (20060101); C22C 38/02 (20060101); C22C 38/04 (20060101); C22C 38/06 (20060101); C22C 38/08 (20060101); C22C 38/12 (20060101); C22C 38/14 (20060101); C22C 38/34 (20060101); C22C 38/42 (20060101); C22C 38/44 (20060101); C22C 38/46 (20060101); C22C 38/48 (20060101); C22C 38/50 (20060101); C22C 38/54 (20060101); C22C 38/58 (20060101); C22C 38/60 (20060101);