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The use of polymer coatings is one of the most common methods of protecting metal structures from corrosion damage. For example, in the oil and gas industry, polymer coatings are used to protect the inner surfaces of oilfield pipelines. One of the open questions is predicting the life of the selected protective coating. Existing research methods are aimed at assessing the quality of coating application and its behavior under conditions that simulate operational ones, but they do not allow to talk about a guaranteed service life. In this regard, laboratory tests should include tests as close as possible to operational influences in order to identify the deficiencies of the investigated coatings. The paper discusses the methodological features of autoclave testing with a pressure drop for polymer powder coatings. Autoclave tests simulate operating conditions, but the way they are performed can affect the final result. Autoclave decompression tests were carried out in environments containing CO2 and H2S gases. The effects of pressure release rate, temperature and coating quality were evaluated. Methods for assessing the degradation of coatings after testing are considered. The result of the work is a description of the factors that can affect the results of autoclave decompression tests of polymer anticorrosive coatings.