Coatings
&
salts, must be removed using pretreatment before abrasive
blast cleaning to ensure long-term coating performance.
What role does Quality Control have?
What about testing and validation?
Quality control (QC) is very important from raw material
(RM) investigation through to testing finished product
after manufacturing to validating FBE coating quality
following application at the pipe coating plant. It
represents the most basic level of quality, but is still
fundamental to success. Quality assurance (QA) is the next
level and the objective of a QA programme is to prevent
product non-conformities. Here QC is still positioned
at the core to control powder or liquid coating quality,
but QA may extend to training programmes, document
control and factory audits. At the highest level, a Quality
Management system is adopted such as ISO 9001, which
Jotun has implemented at many of its factories around the
world.
Thorough understanding of the international standards
and test protocols associated with the standards as well
as the pipeline industry itself, the client’s interpretation
of these requirements and diligence to maintain standards
throughout the process are all critical factors to ensure
pipe coating success.
Why do we insulate pipelines?
Pipelines are insulated in order to maintain product
temperature and improve transportation of pipeline media.
In deepwater, low temperatures will be experienced,
which can lead to formation of waxes and hydrates. These
deposits can block filters and ultimately the pipeline.
Through the application of a multi-layer insulation coating
system to the external surface of the pipe, which will be
laid and then operate at depths of 2000 - 3000 m for
example, temperatures can be maintained that will prevent
such deposition.
Jotun manufactures a product called Jotapipe HT
2004, which has been used as the anti-corrosion coating
in a multi-layer insulated system in such hostile subsea
environments since 1997, performing at operating
temperatures of above 150°C (302°F).
Are you developing environmentally-
sound coatings?
Every time Jotun products are used, customers can rest
assured that they are helping to work towards a greener,
more sustainable future. Protection is at the core of all
that Jotun does. As a company, Jotun takes steps to better
protect property and of course the pipeline asset, but it
also takes steps to better protect the environment. These
efforts are consolidated under the Jotun GreenSteps
programme; a roadmap to a sustainable world and
better future. The initiative consists of five key goals,
each ensuring Jotun products are created in a way that
minimises the impact on the environment. The five Jotun
GreenSteps are: (1) reducing VOC emissions, (2) reducing
hazardous materials, (3) reducing energy consumption, (4)
reducing waste and (5) reducing carbon footprint.
Being environmentally-friendly, powder coatings do
not contain solvents, so no volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) are released into the air. Over sprayed powder can
be recycled with minimal wastage and disposal is easy and
safe. In addition, all FBE coatings made by Jotun are lead-
free. There is a growing trend for liquid coatings to have
higher volume solids and therefore lower VOC content as
well as be less harmful to operatives and the environment.
As an industry leader, Jotun makes a commitment to
the environment in all senses of the word by ensuring
its manufacturing and other operational procedures are
compliant with ISO 14001 environmental management and
OHSAS 18001 occupational health and safety management
systems.
As regards liquid coatings, the very long-term objective
would be for water-based materials thus eliminating
VOCs. Technology does exist that could be used, but the
cost at this juncture in time is unquestionably prohibitive
for most customers. Given this fact, very high solids or
Figure 2.
Insulated offshore pipe coating system using
Jotapipe HT 2004 (Photo courtesy of Bredero Shaw).
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