How a clever composite wrap from Belzona was used to restore a heavily corroded pipeline
How a clever composite wrap from Belzona was used to restore a heavily corroded pipeline.
At a Refinery in Spain, an underground oil pipeline of 872 metres (2860.8 ft) was suffering from severe corrosion. Left unchecked, this would have caused severe metal loss and potentially disastrous financial 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 significant 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 significantly 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 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) Certified Coating Inspector Level 2 and Technical-Commercial Delegate at authorised Belzona Distributorship Rodator Composites, the following systems were specified and applied:
“The 2-part epoxy paste, Belzona 1111 (Super Metal), was specified to fill in any gaps in the weld seams to ensure the pipeline had a smooth profile. 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 specified. 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 financial savings, they were also able to significantly minimise their environmental impact.
