Material selection

Material selection is an optimization process. Material selection shall be optimized,

considering capital cost and operational costs, and minimizing the overall Life Cycle Costs
while providing acceptable levels of safety and reliability. The following key factors apply to
materials selection:

 Easy availability of materials

 Suitability for the design life taking into consideration the corrosion allowance
 Compatibility of material with the process fluid
 Suitability of the material for the design temperature and pressure and cyclic loading
 Suitability of materials for the environmental conditions (e.g saline corrosive
environment may render some materials ineffective though the material may be
compatible with the process fluid)
 Potential ultraviolet degradation of the materials
 Feasibility of providing economical supporting arrangement
 Past experience with material for similar applications
 Additional requirements for corrosion protection such as cathodic protection, chemical
injection, inspection, corrosion monitoring and any environmental impact due their
implementation
 Weight reduction.
 Fabrication, Inspection and Installation Costs
 Evaluation of failure probabilities, failure modes and consequences

Approach to Material Selection

The sequence of material selection depicted below applies predominantly to oil and gas
industry. The basis of material selection uses progressively more expensive material
options and is as follows:

1. Use bare carbon steel material i.e. without any internal coating with a corrosion
allowance.
2. Use bare carbon steel with corrosion inhibition.
3. Use carbon steel pipe with internal coating or lining.
4. Use carbon steel with cathodic protection.
5. Use Corrosion Resistant Alloy (CRA).

Both metallic and non-metallic materials are used in piping systems. Metallic materials can
be classified into two broad categories:

 Ferrous Piping
o Carbon Steel
o Stainless Steel
o Duplex Steel
o Cast Iron
o Ductile Iron
 Non-Ferrous Piping
o Copper
o Copper Nickel
o Inconel 625
o Titanium
o Aluminium

Carbon and low alloy steels are routinely specified for chemical, petrochemical, paper, oil
production and gas processing equipment for sweet and sour service provided the general
and pitting corrosion can be maintained within acceptable bounds and the materials are
resistant to sulfide stress cracking. Carbon steel with adequate corrosion allowance is
suitable for many applications and performs satisfactorily at temperatures between -29°C
and 427°C. If the predicted corrosion rates of carbon steel are not sustainable for the
design life of the plant facilities considering an acceptable corrosion allowance, an active
means of protection of carbon steel must be considered. In most cases a corrosion
allowance of 3 mm is considered appropriate to meet the design life for carbon steel
material. In many engineering organizations a 6 mm corrosion allowance is considered as
the upper limit of corrosion allowance.
Low-temperature carbon steel is used for subzero temperatures and low-alloy carbon steel
is used for high temperature applications. After carbon steel, stainless steel can be used for
many corrosive service applications followed by duplex steels and other corrosion resistant
alloys such as Inconel 625 and Incoloy 825. Metallurgist or Corrosion Engineer is in most
organizations responsible for preparation of material selection philosophy, material selection
report and material selection diagrams. The material selection report and material selection
diagram forms the basis for developing the piping material classes.
ASME B31.3 lists the commonly used metallic piping materials. Table below lists the
various ASTM codes for Ferrrous and Non-Ferrous materials used in plant facilities.
List of ASTM Codes for Piping Materials - Ferrous Materials

ASTM Material Description

Grade

A48 Standard Specification for Gray Iron Castings

A53 Standard Specification for Pipe, Steel, Black and Hot-Dipped, Zinc
Coated, Welded and Seamless

A105 Standard Specification for Forgings, Carbon Steel, For Piping

Components

A106 Standard Specification for Seamless Carbon Steel Pipe For High-
Temperature Service

A126 Standard Specification for Gray Cast Iron Castings For Valves, Flanges,
and Pipe Fittings

A134 Standard Specification for Pipe, Steel, Electric-Fusion (Arc)-Welded

(Sizes Nps 16 and Over)

A135 Standard Specification for Electric-Resistance-Welded Steel Pipe

A139 Standard Specification for Electric-Fusion (Arc)-Welded Steel Pipe (Nps

4 and Over)

A167 Standard Specification for Stainless and Heat-Resisting Chromium-

Nickel Steel Plate, Sheet and Strip

A179 Standard Specification for Seamless Cold-Drawn Low-Carbon Steel

Heat- Exchanger and Condenser Tubes

A181 Standard Specification for Forgings, Carbon Steel For General Purpose
Piping
A182 Standard Specification for Forged Or Rolled Alloy-Steel Pipe Flanges,
Forged Fittings, and Valves and Parts For High-Temperature Service

A197 Standard Specification for Cupola Malleable Iron

A200 Standard Specification for Seamless Intermediate Alloy-Steel Still Tubes

for Refinery Service

A202 Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Alloy Steel,

Chromiummanganese-Silicon

A203 Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Alloy Steel, Nickel

A204 Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Alloy Steel,

Molybdenum

A213 Standard Specification for Seamless Ferritic and Austenitic Alloy-Steel

Boiler, Superheater, and Heat- Exchanger Tubes

A214 Standard Specification for Electric-Resistance-Welded Carbon Steel

Heat-Exchanger and Condenser Tubes

A216 Standard Specification for Steel Castings, Carbon, Suitable For Fusion
Welding For High-Temperature Service

A217 Standard Specification for Steel Castings, Martensitic Stainless and

Alloy, For Pressure-Containing Parts Suitable For High-Temperature
Service

A234 Standard Specification for Piping Fittings Of Wrought Carbon Steel and
Alloy Steel For Moderate and Elevated Temperatures

A240 Standard Specification for Heat-Resisting Chromium and Chromium-

Nickel Stainless Steel Plate, Sheet and Strip For Pressure Vessels

A249 Standard Specification for Welded Austenitic Steel Boiler, Superheater,

 Heat-Exchanger, and Condenser Tubes

A268 Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Ferritic Stainless Steel
Tubing For General Service

A269 Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Austenitic Stainless

Steel Tubing For General Service

A270 Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Austenitic Stainless

Steel Sanitary Tubing

A271 Standard Specification for Seamless austenitic Chromium-Nickel Steel

Still Tubes for Refinery Service

A278 Standard Specification for Gray Iron Castings For Pressure-Containing

Parts For Temperatures Up To 650°F

A283 Standard Specification for Low and Intermediate Tensile Strength

Carbon Steel Plates, Shapes and Bars

A285 Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Carbon Steel, Low-
and Intermediate-Tensile Strength

A299 Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Carbon Steel,

Manganese-Silicon

A302 Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Alloy Steel,

Manganese Molybdenum and Manganese-Molybdenum-Nickel

A312 Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Austenitic Stainless

Steel Pipe

A333 Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Steel Pipe For Low-
Temperature Service

A334 Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Carbon and Alloy-Steel
 Tubes For Low-Temperature Service

A335 Standard Specification for Seamless Ferritic Alloy Steel Pipe For High-
Temperature Service

A350 Standard Specification for Forgings, Carbon and Low-Alloy Steel

Requiring Notch Toughness Testing For Piping Components

A351 Standard Specification for Steel Castings, Austenitic, Austenitic-Ferritic

(Duplex) For Pressure-Containing Parts

A352 Standard Specification for Steel Castings, Ferritic and Martensitic, For
Pressure Containing Parts Suitable For Low-Temperature Service

A353 Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Alloy Steel, 9%

Nickel, Double Normalized and Tempered

A358 Standard Specification for Electric-Fusion-Welded Austenitic

Chromium-Nickel Alloy Steel Pipe For High-Temperature Service

A369 Standard Specification for Carbon Steel and Ferritic Alloy Steel Forged
and Bored Pipe For High-Temperature Service

A376 Standard Specification for Seamless Austenitic Steel Pipe For High-
Temperature Central-Station Service

A381 Standard Specification for Metal-Arc-Welded Steel Pipe For Use With
High-Pressure Transmission Systems

A387 Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Alloy Steel,

Chromium molybdenum

A395 Standard Specification for Ferritic Ductile Iron Pressure-Retaining

Castings For Use At Elevated Temperatures

A403 Standard Specification for Wrought Austenitic Stainless Steel Piping

 Fittings

A409 Standard Specification for Welded Large Diameter Austenitic Steel Pipe
For Corrosive Or High-Temperature Service

A420 Standard Specification for Piping Fittings Of Wrought Carbon Steel and
Alloy Steel For Low-Temperature Service

A426 Standard Specification for Centrifugally Cast Ferritic Alloy Steel Pipe
For High Temperature Service

A451 Standard Specification for Centrifugally Cast Austenitic Steel Pipe For
High Temperature Service

A479 Standard Specification for Stainless and Heat-Resisting Steel Bars and
Shapes For Use In Boilers and Other Pressure Vessels

A487 Standard Specification for Steel Castings Suitable For High-Pressure

Service

A494 Standard Specification for Castings, Nickel and Nickel Alloy

A498 Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Carbon, Ferritic, and
Austenitic Alloy Steel Heat-Exchanger Tubes with Integral Fins

A511 Standard Specification for Seamless Stainless Steel Mechanical Tubing

A515 Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Carbon Steel, For
Intermediate and Higher-Temperature Service

A516 Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Carbon Steel, For
Moderate- and Lower-Temperature Service

A524 Standard Specification for Seamless Carbon Steel Pipe For Atmospheric
and Lower Temperatures
A537 Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Heat-Treated, Carbon
Manganese-Silicon Steel

A553 Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Alloy Steel, Quenched
and Tempered 8 and 9% Nickel

A554 Standard Specification for Welded Stainless Steel Mechanical Tubing

A570 Standard Specification for Hot-Rolled Carbon Steel Sheet and Strip,
Structural Quality

A571 Standard Specification for Austenitic Ductile Iron Castings For Pressure-
Containing Parts Suitable For Low-Temperature Service

A587 Standard Specification for Electric-Welded Low-Carbon Steel Pipe For

The Chemical Industry

A632 Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Austenitic Stainless

Steel Tubing (Small-Diameter) for General Service

A645 Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, 5% Nickel Alloy Steel,
Specially Heat Treated

A671 Standard Specification for Electric-Fusion-Welded Steel Pipe For

Atmospheric and Lower Temperatures

A672 Standard Specification for Electric-Fusion-Welded Steel Pipe For High-

Pressure Service At Moderate Temperatures

A688 Standard Specification for Welded Austenitic Stainless Steel Feedwater

Heater Tubes

A691 Standard Specification for Carbon and Alloy Steel Pipe, Electric Fusion-
Welded For High-Pressure Service At High Temperatures

A778 Standard Specification for Welded, Unannealed Austenitic Stainless

 Steel Tubular Products

A789 Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Ferritic Austenitic

Stainless Steel Tubing For General Service

A790 Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Ferritic Austenitic

Stainless Steel Pipe

A803 Standard Specification for Welded Ferritic Stainless Steel Feedwater

Heater Tubes

A813 Standard Specification for Single- or Double-Welded Austenitic Stainless

Steel Pipe

A814 Standard Specification for Cold-Worked Welded Austenitic Stainless

Steel Pipe

A815 Standard Specification for Wrought Ferritic, Ferritic Austenitic and

Martensitic Stainless Steel Fittings

A851 Standard Specification for High-Frequency Induction Welded,

Unannealed, Austenitic Steel Condenser Tubes

A928 Standard Specification for Ferritic/Austenitic (Duplex) Stainless Steel

Pipe Electric Fusion Welded with Addition of Filler Metal

List of ASTM Codes for Piping Materials - Non-Ferrous Materials

B21 Standard Specification for Naval Brass Rod, Bar, and Shapes

B26 Standard Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Sand Castings

B42 Standard Specification for Seamless Copper Pipe, Standard Sizes

B43 Standard Specification for Seamless Red Brass Pipe, Standard Sizes

B61 Standard Specification for Steam or Valve Bronze Castings

B62 Standard Specification for Composition Bronze or Ounce Metal Castings

B68 Standard Specification for Seamless Copper Tube, Bright Annealed

B75 Standard Specification for Seamless Copper Tube

B88 Standard Specification for Seamless Copper Water Tube

B96 Standard Specification for Copper-Silicon Alloy Plate, Sheet, Strip, and
Rolled Bar For General Purposes and Pressure Vessels

B98 Standard Specification for Copper-Silicon Alloy Rod, Bar, and Shapes

B127 Standard Specification for Nickel-Copper Alloy (UNS N04400) Plate, Sheet,
and Strip

B133 Standard Specification for Copper Rod, Bar, and Shapes

B148 Standard Specification for Aluminum-Bronze Castings

B150 Standard Specification for Aluminum-Bronze Rod, Bar, and Shapes

B152 Standard Specification for Copper Sheet, Strip, Plate, and Rolled Bar

B160 Standard Specification for Nickel Rod and Bar

B161 Standard Specification for Nickel Seamless Pipe and Tube

B162 Standard Specification for Nickel Plate, Sheet, and Strip

B164 Standard Specification for Nickel-Copper Alloy Rod, Bar, and Wire

B165 Standard Specification for Nickel-Copper Alloy (UNS N04400) Seamless

Pipe and Tube

B166 Standard Specification for Nickel-Chromium-Iron Alloy (UNS N06600) Rod,

Bar, and Wire

B167 Standard Specification for Nickel-Chromium-Iron Alloy (UNS N06600-

N06690) Seamless Pipe and Tube

B168 Standard Specification for Nickel-Chromium-Iron Alloy (UNS N06600-

N06690) Plate, Sheet, and Strip

B169 Standard Specification for Aluminum Bronze Plate, Sheet, Strip, and Rolled
Bar

B171 Standard Specification for Copper-Alloy Condenser Tube Plates

B187 Standard Specification for Copper Bar, Bus Bar, Rod, and Shapes

B209 Standard Specification for Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Sheet and Plate

B210 Standard Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Drawn Seamless Tubes

B211 Standard Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Bars, Rods, and Wire

B221 Standard Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Extruded Bars, Rods, Wire,

Shapes, and Tubes

B241 Standard Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Seamless Pipe and Seamless

Extruded Tube
B247 Standard Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Die, Hand, and Rolled Ring
Forgings

B280 Standard Specification for Seamless Copper Tube For Air Conditioning and
Refrigeration Fluid Service

B283 Standard Specification for Copper and Copper-Alloy Die Forgings (Hot-
Pressed)

B265 Standard Specification for Titanium and Titanium Alloy Strip, Sheet, and
Plate

B333 Standard Specification for Nickel-Molybdenum Alloy Plate, Sheet, and Strip

B335 Standard Specification for Nickel-Molybdenum Alloy Rod

B337 Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Titanium and Titanium
Alloy Pipe

B345 Standard Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Seamless Extruded Tube and

Seamless Pipe For Gas and Oil Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems

B361 Standard Specification for Factory-Made Wrought Aluminum and Aluminum

Alloy Welding Fittings

B366 Standard Specification for Factory-Made Wrought Nickel and Nickel-Alloy

Welding Fittings

B381 Standard Specification for Titanium and Titanium Alloy Forgings

B407 Standard Specification for Nickel-Iron-Chromium Alloy Seamless Pipe and

Tube

B409 Standard Specification for Nickel-Iron-Chromium Alloy Plate, Sheet, and

Strip
B423 Standard Specification for Nickel-Iron-Chromium-Molybdenum-Copper
Alloy (UNS No8825 and N08221) Seamless Pipe and Tube

B424 Standard Specification for Nickel-Iron-Chromium-Molybdenum-Copper

Alloy (UNS No8825 and N08221) Plate, Sheet, and Strip

B425 Standard Specification for Nickel-Iron-Chromium-Molybdenum-Copper

Alloy (UNS No8825 and N08221) Rod and Bar

B435 Standard Specification for UNS N06002, UNS N06230, UNS N12160, and
UNS R30556 Plate, Sheet, and Strip

B443 Standard Specification for Nickel-Chromium-Molybdenum-Columbium Alloy

(UNS N06625) Plate, Sheet, and Strip

B444 Standard Specification for Nickel-Chromium-Molybdenum-Columbium Alloy

(UNS N06625) Seamless Pipe and Tube

B446 Standard Specification for Nickel-Chromium-Molybdenum-Columbium Alloy

(UNS N06625) Rod and Bar

B462 Standard Specification for Forged or Rolled UNS N06030, UNS N06022,
UNS N06035, UNS N06200, UNS N06059, UNS N10362, UNS N06686,
UNS N08020, UNS N08367, UNS N10276, UNS N10665, UNS N10675,
UNS N10629, UNS N08031, UNS N06045, UNS N06025, UNS R20033
Alloy Pipe Flanges, Forged Fittings, and Valves and Parts for Corrosive High-
Temperature Service

B463 Standard Specification for UNS N08020 Alloy Plate, Sheet, and Strip

B464 Standard Specification for Welded Chromium-Nickel-Iron-Molybdenum-

Coppercolumbium Stabilized Alloy (UNS N08020) Pipe

B466 Standard Specification for Seamless Copper-Nickel Pipe and Tube

B467 Standard Specification for Welded Copper-Nickel Pipe

B491 Standard Specification for Aluminum and Aluminum Alloy Extruded Round
Tubes For General-Purpose Applications

B493 Standard Specification for Zirconium and Zirconium Alloy Forgings

B514 Standard Specification for Welded Nickel-Iron-Chromium Alloy Pipe

B517 Standard Specification for Welded Nickel-Chromium-Iron-Alloy (UNS

N06600, UNS N06603, UNS N06025, and UNS N06045) Pipe

B523 Standard Specification for Seamless and Welded Zirconium and Zirconium
Alloy Tubes

B547 Standard Specification for Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Formed and Arc-
Welded Round Tube

B550 Standard Specification for Zirconium and Zirconium Alloy Bar and Wire

B551 Standard Specification for Zirconium and Zirconium Alloy Strip, Sheet, and
Plate

B564 Standard Specification for Nickel Alloy Forgings

B575 Standard Specification for Low-Carbon Nickel-Molybdenum-Chromium

Alloy Plate, Sheet, and Strip

B581 Standard Specification for Nickel-Chromium-Iron-Molybdenum-Copper

Alloy Rod

B582 Standard Specification for Nickel-Chromium-Iron-Molybdenum-Copper

Alloy Plate, Sheet, and Strip

B584 Standard Specification for Copper Alloy Sand Castings For General
Applications
B619 Standard Specification for Welded Nickel and Nickel-Cobalt Alloy Pipe

B620 Standard Specification for Nickel-Iron-Chromium-Molybdenum Alloy (UNS

N08320) Plate, Sheet, and Strip

B621 Standard Specification for Nickel-Iron-Chromium-Molybdenum Alloy (UNS

N08320) Rod

B622 Standard Specification for Seamless Nickel and Nickel-Cobalt Alloy Pipe and
Tube

B625 Standard Specification for Nickel Alloy Plate and Sheet

B649 Standard Specification for Ni-Fe-Cr-Mo-Cu-N Low-Carbon Alloys (UNS

N08925, UNS N08031, UNS N08034, UNS N08354, and UNS N08926), and
Cr-Ni-Fe-N Low-Carbon Alloy (UNS R20033) Bar and Wire, and Ni-Cr-Fe-
Mo-N Alloy (UNS N08936) Wire

B658 Standard Specification for Zirconium and Zirconium Alloy Seamless and
Welded Pipe

B675 Standard Specification for UNS No8366 and UNS No8367 Welded Pipe

B688 Standard Specification for Chromium-Nickel-Molybdenum-Iron (UNS

No8366 and UNS N08367) Plate, Sheet, and Strip

B690 Standard Specification for Iron-Nickel-Chromium-Molybdenum Alloys (UNS

No8366 and UNS N08367) Seamless Pipe and Tube

B705 Standard Specification for Nickel-Alloy (UNS No6625 and N08825) Welded
Pipe

B725 Standard Specification for Welded Nickel (UNS N02200Kjns N02201) and
Nickel Copper Alloy (UNS N04400) Pipe

B729 Standard Specification for Seamless UNS N08020, UNS N08026, and UNS
 N08024 Nickel-Alloy Pipe and Tube

B804 Standard Specification for UNS No8367 Welded Pipe