The peculiarities of the formation of sulphide films on the surface of 17Г1СУ steel after exposure for 150, 480, and 720 hours in a chloride-acetate solution with different concentrations of hydrogen sulphide are analysed. The influence of the content of hydrogen sulphide (100, 500 and 1500 mg/dm$^{3}$) in a corrosive environment on the nature of corrosion and flooding of steel is studied. Using the method of vacuum extraction of hydrogen, it is found that the volume of diffusion-active hydrogen is much larger than that of residual hydrogen and amounts to 70–80%. As established, with an increase in the exposure of steel from 150 to 720 hours, the total amount of absorbed hydrogen increases by 2.8 times at a concentration of hydrogen sulphide in a corrosive environment of 100 mg/dm$^{3}$, by $\cong$ 1.6 times at 500 and 1500 mg/dm$^{3}$. The development of corrosion depends on the content of hydrogen sulphide, the duration of exposure of the steel and is determined by the nature of the sulphide films formed on the surface. As established, at a concentration of hydrogen sulphide of 500 mg/dm$^{3}$ after exposure for 480 hours, hydrogen-initiated cracks form on the surface, and their number increases significantly with an increase in the H$_{2}$S content and the time the steel is exposed to a corrosive environment.