OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
COMPOSITE CURE
How a clever composite wrap from Belzona was used to restore a heavily corroded pipeline
Application of anti-corrosion coating over Belzona SuperWrap II A
t a Refi nery in Spain, an underground oil pipeline of 872 metres (2860.8 ft) was suff ering from severe
corrosion. Left unchecked, this would have caused severe metal loss and potentially disastrous fi nancial and environmental consequences.
STEEL PIPELINE IN NEED OF PROTECTION The carbon steel pipeline, measuring 55.9 cm (22 inches) in diameter, needed to be repaired promptly to prevent further damage being incurred. Additional substrate corrosion may have resulted in oil leakage and environmental problems. One potential solution was to
completely replace the pipeline, however, this would have been extremely expensive considering its length. Furthermore, this would have incurred a signifi cant carbon footprint. According to an article by Carbon
Clean in 2021, for every ton of steel produced, nearly double the amount (1.85 tons) of CO2 is released back into the atmosphere. In addition, the process of removing and disposing of the damaged pipeline would have signifi cantly increased the carbon footprint even further. As well as the environmental
impact of replacing the damaged pipeline, this process would have required a lengthy period of downtime. This, combined with
32
www.engineerlive.com
Elena Expósito Fernández, Technical- Commercial Delegate at Rodator Composites
the expense of buying a new steel pipeline, made replacement too expensive an option.
COMPOSITE WRAP: AN ALTERNATIVE TO PIPELINE REPLACEMENT In order to bypass the drawbacks associated with replacement, the customer decided to repair and protect the pipeline using a combination of polymeric technology. Following an inspection from Elena
Expósito Fernández, AMPP (NACE) Certifi ed Coating Inspector Level 2 and Technical-Commercial Delegate at authorised Belzona Distributorship
Rodator Composites, the following systems were specifi ed and applied: “The 2-part epoxy paste, Belzona 1111 (Super Metal), was specifi ed to fi ll in any gaps in the weld seams to ensure the pipeline had a smooth profi le. For heavily corroded areas, plate bonding was required using steel plates which were 50 cm x 60 cm (19.9 in x 23.6 in) in size, with a thickness of 5 mm (0.2 in). These were bonded into place using the epoxy structural adhesive, Belzona 7311. To reinforce the pipeline, the composite wrap, Belzona SuperWrap II, was specifi ed. Finally, the anti- corrosion coating, Belzona 5811 (Immersion Grade), was chosen to provide long-term corrosion protection.”
MINIMISE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT By repairing and protecting the pipeline with a combination of polymeric technology, the customer was able to successfully bypass the drawbacks associated with complete pipeline replacement. In addition to making considerable fi nancial savings, they were also able to signifi cantly minimise their environmental impact.
For more information visit: www.
belzona.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
