Efficiently alloyed ultra-cold-resistant steel for containers used to store and transport liquified natural gas

Abstract

The storage and transport of natural gas in the liquified state (LNG) has become an important issue in connection with the development of new natural-gas fields on the shores of the Barentz Sea in the Artic region. Ferritic nickel-bearing steels 0N6 and 0N9 — which are more efficiently alloyed than austenitic stainless steel 10Kh18N10T — are well-suited for the thick-walled shells of isothermal containers used for LNG storage and transport. These steels have excellent resistance to cold — down to −164°C. The technology developed to make them allows the production of rolled plates that have a thickness of up to 40 mm and meet the requisite standards on mechanical properties and cold resistance. The article examines features of the microstructure of the steels that allow them to resist temperatures down to −164°C.