We study the corrosion performance of Cr bearing low alloy pipeline steel (Cr3MoNi) in CO2 saturated formation water, under both static and flowing conditions. Cross-sectional morphologies of corrosion scales at progressively increased test duration are observed by scanning electron microscopy. The characteristic of the corrosion scales are investigated by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Our results show that the corrosion rate of Cr3MoNi steel at flowing condition is higher than that of static condition, and the degree of Cr enrichment in the scales at flowing condition is also higher. Flow also makes ions distribute evenly in the solution close to the specimen, leading to a uniform distribution of Cr compound in the amorphous corrosion scales. In this way, flow suppresses the presence of the potential pits and also leads to a more flat scale/substrate interface. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.