Materials for Petrochemical & Refining: Pipes, Plates & Alloys

Materials for Petrochemical & Refining

Refineries and petrochemical complexes combine high temperatures, hydrogen, sulphur compounds and corrosive process streams. Materials range from carbon and Cr-Mo steels for hot hydrocarbon service to stabilised stainless H grades, Alloy 800H/HT for crackers and reformers, and Monel 400 for HF alkylation.

Key materials

Product forms

Markets

Standards

On this page 10 sections

Quick answer
Challenges
Materials
Popular products
Standards
Applications
Markets
Procurement
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FAQs

Which materials are used in petrochemical & refining?

Quick answer

ASTM A106 Grade B for general hot hydrocarbon piping; P5 Alloy Steel (5% chromium-½% molybdenum) for heater tubes and transfer lines; P9 Alloy Steel (9% chromium-1% molybdenum) for fired heater and furnace tubes; SS 321H Stainless Steel for hydroprocessing and reformer piping; SS 347H Stainless Steel for high-temperature stabilised piping.

What are the material challenges in petrochemical & refining?

High-temperature sulphidation and naphthenic-acid corrosion

High-temperature hydrogen attack

Polythionic acid stress corrosion during shutdowns

Creep in heaters, reformers and crackers

Materials we supply for this industry

The key materials for petrochemical & refining and the duty each one covers.

Key materials for Petrochemical & Refining
Material	Typical use	Grade family
ASTM A106 Grade B	General hot hydrocarbon piping	Carbon Steel
P5 Alloy Steel (5% chromium-½% molybdenum)	Heater tubes and transfer lines	Alloy Steel
P9 Alloy Steel (9% chromium-1% molybdenum)	Fired heater and furnace tubes	Alloy Steel
SS 321H Stainless Steel	Hydroprocessing and reformer piping	Stainless Steel
SS 347H Stainless Steel	High-temperature stabilised piping	Stainless Steel
Incoloy 800HT	Reformer pigtails and cracking furnaces	Nickel Alloys
Monel 400	HF alkylation units	Nickel Alloys

Which standards apply?

Related applications

Petrochemical & Refining markets we supply

United Arab EmiratesRuwais industrial area (refining and petrochemicals)Saudi ArabiaJubail Industrial City (petrochemicals, refining)QatarRas Laffan Industrial City (LNG, GTL)OmanSohar Port and Freezone KuwaitAhmadi and Mina Al-Ahmadi (refining)BahrainSitra (refining)SingaporeJurong Island (refining and petrochemicals)MalaysiaPengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex (Johor)IndonesiaCilegon (Banten) industrial area United StatesTexas and Louisiana Gulf Coast (refining, petrochemicals, LNG)ItalyLombardy and Emilia-Romagna (valves, machinery, food equipment)FranceRhône-Alpes (chemicals, engineering)IndiaGujarat (Jamnagar, Dahej, Hazira, Vadodara)

Procurement considerations

Specify grade, specification and edition
Define tests and certificates (EN 10204 3.1 / 3.2)
Include third-party inspection and PMI where required
Confirm marking, packing and destination documentation

We support petrochemical & refining buyers with documentation and inspection and value-added services.

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Guides

Related industries

Boiler Manufacturing

Applications

Frequently asked questions

Why are stabilised grades like SS 321 and SS 347 used in refineries?

They resist sensitisation in the 425–815 °C range, reducing the risk of polythionic acid stress corrosion cracking when equipment is shut down and exposed to moisture and air.

Which product forms do you supply for petrochemical & refining?

Pipes, Tubes, Fittings, Flanges, Plates, in the grades listed above, from stock or mill-sourced with EN 10204 certificates.

Which standards apply to petrochemical & refining materials?

Commonly ASTM A335, ASTM A312, ASTM A106, ASTM A182, plus project and code requirements.

Do you supply petrochemical & refining projects outside India?

Yes, including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain.