<p>A comprehensive approach to assessing the current state of the physical and mechanical characteristics of structural materials for critical equipment, based on tensile, hardness, indentation tests, and dispersion indicators, is presented. Pipeline steel 20 in two states was used for the research: with and without wear under operating conditions. Uniaxial tensile tests of standard specimens cut in two orthogonal directions showed that the mechanical characteristics are similar in both directions, and the pipe material in both states can be considered conditionally isotropic. It was found that the Brinell hardness values on the external and internal surfaces of the steel 20 pipe with wear showed significantly greater deviations from the average, and the mechanical properties calculated for them were 10–30% higher than those in the central part. Additional tensile tests on micro-specimens cut from the pipe wall thickness and Brinell hardness tests on the pipe thickness showed that the hardness and strength characteristics of steel without wear are approximately the same. For worn steel 20, their values increase as they approach the internal or external surfaces. Metallographic studies of worn steel 20 confirmed its structural heterogeneity across the pipe thickness, which may be due to both manufacturing technology and operational factors. A balanced, systematic approach to determining mechanical characteristics using non-destructive methods, particularly hardness measurement and indentation, is indicated to increase the validity and accuracy of the data obtained.</p>