Feature 4 | PAINTS AND COATINGS


of early coatings failure. Te previous 18 SBM Offshore FPSO conversions have all used this product. In all but three of the conversions the coating was also used in the vessel’s crude oil storage tanks. To help meet 65% local content


rules, which is a prime requirement for Petrobras, International made sure it supplied local products for the topside module construction taking place at the Keppel Brasfels yard in the Angra Dos Reis region. Tis posed some tough challenges because of the extremely high humidity levels. During the winter, three weeks of every month typically have greater than 90% relative humidity. Such high humidity levels can prove problematic for paint application and a damp surface tolerant paint is needed.


As a result Interzone 954 was selected as a high build modified surface tolerant epoxy coating. Being manufactured in Brazil meant Interzone 954 was supplied using 90% local content to help meet Petrobras’s needs. As is oſten the case in FPSO conversions,


repairs to some sections were needed which had become damaged during construction. The repair of paint applied to high temperature piping was of most concern. “Corrosion is temperature dependant and so special high heat coatings are required which can perform whether pipes are insulated or not and operating through wide temperature cycles. Te topside pipe work and valves are critical for enabling the efficient processing of oil and gas from the field,” said Antonino Di Marco, protective


coatings technical support manager, Brazil. To meet the requirement for pipe


repairs, Intertherm 751CSA was supplied by International and this incorporates what is claimed to be unique, patented high temperature technology. Te product can be used under cyclic conditions ranging from -165°C up to 400°C. Te paint is designed to be used on repairs for steel and also damaged Termally Sprayed Aluminium (TSA). “Tests have shown this product to be the best performing high heat coating in the market,


and we are


increasingly seeing customers looking for coating solutions to high heat areas and repairs of TSA, ” added Dr Toby Stein international protective coatings upstream oil and gas marketing executive. SCRT


Showing off underwater hull coating success


Te outcome of a recent drydocking is cited as evidence of the effectiveness of Ecospeed.


with Ecospeed for two years, less than 1% of the underwater hull needed touch ups and no new paint layers were required on the rest of the underwater hull, the company reports. As a consequence the technical operations


W


that needed to be carried out on the vessel were very easy to plan because no repaint needed to be added to the schedule. Moreover, the vessel could leave drydock earlier than would have been the case if an extensive repaint had been required. According to Subsea Industries, which


markets Ecospeed, during the docking marine consultant Mike Novak, who previously spent 10 years as vice president of marine operations at Holland America Line, stated that he had never seen an underwater hull in better condition aſter being in the water for two years. According to Kristof Adam, sales manager:


“With all coating systems a vessel’s AHR (average hull roughness) will gradually increase due to the buildup of paint layers and the general deterioration of the paint system,


38


The Ecospeed underwater hull coating on a cruise vessel was in excellent condition after two years service.


resulting in increased fuel consumption. Ecospeed, however, is an once-in-a-lifetime coating that comes with a 10 year warranty and there will be no need to repaint the vessel during future drydockings as it maintains its smoothness throughout its lifetime.” Independent tests are said to have


hen a 294m long cruise vessel came into drydock in the Bahamas late last year aſter sailing


confirmed that Ecospeed remains 100% environmentally safe throughout its entire lifetime. It contains no poisons which could leach into the water, and toxic fuel emissions are reduced.” “Based on these results several important European ports, which have a ban on underwater cleaning, have all decided that Ecospeed is at present a Best Available Technology (BAT) and have allowed the practice of cleaning on hulls coated with Ecospeed,” said Mr Adam. Ecospeed is not just well suited for


hull coating applications, but for rudders as well. Recently two container vessels had their rudders coated with Ecospeed in the same shipyard in Dubai. The decision to use Ecospeed was made by the ship owner aſter cavitation damage had appeared on the rudders of several of his container vessels. Tese rudders were given protection by Ecospeed against rudder cavitation which should prevent similar damage from occurring again. Te smoothness attained by the coating is also claimed to provide optimum hydrodynamic conditions for the rudders to operate at maximum efficiency. SCRT


Shiprepair and Conversion Technology 1st Quarter 2011


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