Abstract
The assessment of ability to absorb hydrogen by welds components of API grade pipeline steel X52 has been done. The factors
of cathodic hydrogen charging, time of exposure on hydrogen concentration in base metal, heat affected zone and metal of weld
were taken into account. It has been shown that all components of weld demonstrate the sensitivity to hydrogenating in
deoxygenated, near-neutral pH NS4 solution under relatively “soft” cathodic polarisation, although the efficiency of hydrogen
permeation in metal is relatively low and depends on time of exposure. The ability to absorb hydrogen decreases in the following
sequence: heat affected zone – base metal – weld. The sensitivity to hydrogenation is higher for heat affected zone in comparison
with base metal and weld.