The corrosion behavior of 3Cr steels with three microstructures (martensite, bainite, combined ferrite and pearlite) in simulated oil field formation water with a CO2 partial pressure of 0.8 MPa was investigated. The relationships between Cr concentrations in corrosion scales and corrosion rates were studied. The precipitated phases that contained Cr were observed in steels of different microstructures, and free Cr content levels were compared. The results showed that steel with the martensite microstructure had the highest free Cr content, and thus had the highest corrosion resistance. The free Cr content of bainite steel was lower than that of martensite steel, and the corrosion rate of bainite steel was higher than that of martensite steel. Because large masses of Cr were combined in ferrite and pearlite steel, the corrosion rates of ferrite and pearlite steel were the highest. Free Cr content in steel affects its corrosion behavior greatly. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.