The Evolution of Industrial Pipeline Coatings - ArmorLube

Industrial pipeline coatings are essential to industries like gas and oil. They work to prevent corrosion and extend their longevity. They are a barrier between the pipeline and the surrounding environment, preventing moisture and chemicals from damaging pipes. But how did we get to this modern-day solution? Find out more about the evolution of industrial pipeline coatings in this blog.

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Why Industrial Pipeline Coatings Are Essential

The transportation of oil and gas over long distances requires pipelines. Corrosion can cause leaks, which is dangerous for pipeline operators and the environment. When leaks happen, the entire refinery shuts down, so to prevent closure, workers use industrial pipeline coatings. These coatings protect the pipeline’s inner and outer surfaces from corrosion and damage, extending the pipeline’s lifespan and reducing maintenance costs.

Benefits of Using Internal Pipe Coating

Internal pipe coatings provide several benefits. You can ensure that your pipes don’t corrode and cause leaks. Here is a glimpse of what benefits industrial pipe coating offers.

Corrosion Protection

One advantage of internal pipe coatings is that they protect pipelines from corrosion. By preventing rust and other forms of damage, coatings extend the lifespan of pipelines and reduce maintenance costs.

Improved Flow

Internal pipe coatings also improve the flow of liquids or gases. The coating creates a smooth inner surface, which reduces friction and allows substances to flow more easily. Using a coating leads to increased efficiency and lower energy costs.

Reduced Deposits

Over time, pipelines accumulate sediment deposits or other materials that reduce flow rates and compromise pipeline function. Internal pipe coatings prevent these deposits from forming, reducing the risk of pipeline blockages and improving overall performance.

Emergency Repairs

Polyurethane coatings cure quickly, making it ideal for emergency repairs. This feature makes it possible to repair damaged pipelines quickly and efficiently.

The Early Days of Industrial Pipeline Coatings

Pipeline coatings date back to the early days of oil and gas pipelines when workers used coal tar enamel coatings to protect against corrosion. Coal tar enamel was cheap, easily accessible, and did not require any specialized equipment to apply. However, it had several disadvantages. It was brittle and cracked under stress, leading to corrosion. Additionally, its application process resulted in high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which had negative environmental impacts.

The Emergence of Epoxy Coatings

During the s, epoxy coatings were popular for pipeline construction and maintenance because of their high chemical- and abrasion-resistance features. Epoxy coatings use an epoxy resin and a curing agent. When applied to pipelines, these coatings cure into hard, durable surfaces that prevent corrosion and deterioration.

Innovative Materials and Technologies

As materials science and engineering advanced, scientists began developing newer coating types. Innovations such as fusion-bonded epoxy, metallic coatings, and polyurethane have significantly contributed to the evolution of pipeline coatings.

Fusion-bonded epoxy coatings are made by heating and melting the coating material, fusing to the pipeline’s surface. Metallic coatings work well in high-risk environments where corrosion is most likely to occur. These coatings use various metals, such as zinc, aluminum, and copper. Polyurethane coatings are resistant to abrasion and chemicals, making them ideal for pipelines that transport abrasive or corrosive substances.

The Emergence of Ceramic Coatings

Ceramic coatings are new. These coatings are made from inorganic materials and offer excellent resistance to both abrasion and corrosion. Ceramic coatings can also withstand high temperatures, making them ideal for pipelines transporting substances at high temperatures. The adoption of ceramic coatings has improved pipeline efficiency and longevity, decreasing the risk of pipeline failure and ensuring reliable oil and gas transportation.

The Future of Industrial Pipeline Coatings

Despite advances in pipeline coatings, the industry is still facing challenges. One issue is the need for more eco-friendly coatings that reduce environmental impact without compromising performance. There is also a growing demand for anticorrosive coatings resistant to extreme temperatures, pressures, and chemicals. To meet these challenges, industry professionals must continue to develop new coatings and improve old ones. Adopting new technologies, increasing sustainability, and making coating formulas smarter will be the industry’s driving force.

Advancements in Internal Coatings

Recent advancements in internal pipeline coatings have led to the development of more advanced and performance-driven coatings. These coatings offer superior protection against corrosion, abrasion, and chemical attacks, making pipelines more durable and extending their lifespan.

Advancement in Performance

The performance of industrial pipeline coatings has improved. For example, automated application methods ensure consistent coating thickness and improve the accuracy and efficiency of coating applications.

Environmentally Conscious

There’s a better focus on environmental safety. Newer coating formulas minimize VOC emissions, creating less environmental impact of pipeline construction and maintenance.

The Goal Is Performance

Advancements in industrial pipeline coatings have led to the development of more advanced and performance-driven coatings that offer superior protection against corrosion, abrasion, and chemical attacks. These coatings are also more environmentally friendly than older coatings and improve the lifespan of pipelines, reducing the need for costly repairs and replacements.

The Future of Industrial Pipeline Coatings

As the demand for oil and gas grows, a bigger push for reliable and efficient transportation will become increasingly important. Several factors will shape the future of industrial pipeline coatings. Read below to learn more.

Sustainability

Even though more coatings are sustainable, there is still a continuing push for more eco-friendly pipeline coatings. Pushing for environmentally friendly coatings reduces environmental impact without sacrificing performance. Future pipeline coatings must be developed with sustainability in mind, ensuring that they are environmentally safe and effective at the same time.

Industry Standards

Developing new industry standards and regulations will play a crucial role in shaping the future of pipeline coatings. Regulations will ensure that pipeline coatings meet safety and environmental requirements, making them more reliable and efficient. When more industrial pipeline coatings meet standards in one industry, the coatings will be more adaptable in others.

For companies that need to transport water or chemicals across long distances, pipelines are an essential part of the revenue stream. Pipeline coating systems play a critical role in the pipe’s structural integrity, protecting the user’s investment and preventing damage to the surrounding environment.

According to a study backed by the US Federal Highway Commission, metal corrosion costs an estimated $276 billion annually.

A compromised coating will eventually cause the pipe to corrode, weakening the metal and potentially causing a fracture within the pipe.

When that happens, the contents of the pipe — whether it’s water, gas, or other chemicals — may leak into the environment. The materials are then at risk of contamination from rust, dirt, and bacteria, potentially causing millions of dollars in damage.

“You need to be very careful in choosing the right protective coating for your pipelines,” says Shiona Stewart, Industry Marketing Manager for Transportation, Industrial Furniture and Floor Coatings at BASF. “You need to have that resistance to ensure these chemicals don’t degrade the coating over time and ultimately break it down.”

How do you choose the right coating system for your pipeline? It depends on what you’re transporting — whether it’s chemicals, gas or potable water — and where you’re transporting it — whether it’s underground or aboveground.

Resisting corrosion up high and down low

The ideal chemistry for a pipeline’s exterior coating depends on its surrounding environment and exposure to various weather conditions. Aboveground pipelines may require a system that withstands UV exposure, rain, high humidity, or freezing, depending on the climate. Users may also want to choose a high-gloss, pigmented system if they are concerned with the look of their pipes.

Aesthetics, along with protection against external elements like UV rays, will be less of a concern for underground pipelines. Instead they tend to benefit greatly from high abrasion resistance.

“If the pipe is underground, it’s really going to need to be resistant to corrosion,” says Stewart. Corrosion resistance is an important consideration for aboveground pipes as well, but users will also need to account for the UV degradation that occurs outdoors.

To protect the pipe from corrosion, coatings create a physical barrier to prevent the surface metal from coming into contact with water and salt.

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“The chemistry of the resin as well as the pigments, additives, and solvents chosen are extremely important,” says Tony Neely, Technical Specialist of Waterborne Coating Technologies at BASF.

For example, two of BASF’s newest products — Joncryl PRO and Joncryl OH — use a unique dispersion technology to create a clean water phase. The technology essentially reduces or eliminates the salt, excess surfactant, and hydrophilic oligomers found in most dispersions. 

“These types of molecules can attract water to the surface, which can have an adverse effect on the metal pipeline,” Neely explains. He adds that BASF’s waterborne Direct-to-Metal (DTM) technologies allow for a low-VOC system that can be strategically formulated into a coating optimized for corrosion resistance.

In addition to the surrounding environment, pipeline interiors must be able to withstand the types of chemicals they transport, such as petroleum, fuels like oil or natural gas, slurry, or sewage, to name a few examples.

If the system isn’t suited to the chemicals you’re transporting, the coating itself could break down and cause corrosion in the pipeline, ultimately damaging the piping material.

Pipelines can face another challenge when buildup occurs on the inside of the pipe, thereby slowing down the flow of materials through the pipe.

Regular maintenance plays a large role in avoiding costly mishaps, but Stewart advises users to exercise caution in choosing the right protective coating to avoid degrading and compromising the pipe material.

“You have to be very selective as to how you choose the material that the pipe is re-coated with,” she says, “to make sure that it’s compatible with [the previous system] and that it’s going to offer the necessary protection for the pipeline.”

What’s coming down the pipe?

Pipeline coating technology has steadily been advancing with the times. One of the most significant changes, according to Stewart, involves extending the lifespan of the coating itself.

In particular, products developed by BASF will allow applicators to provide superior protection compared to other players in the market — and potentially extend warranties on their coating systems.

“The trend is to really develop the chemistries to have longer-term exposure, giving manufacturers the ability to extend warranties associated with the piping,” she says. “That means mediating the chemical degradation as much as possible to extend the lifetime of that coating on the pipe component.”

Stewart says the potable water space has also been gaining more attention in recent years.

“There has been a focus on moving away from epoxy-based technology due to Bisphenol A leaking out into the water. That, obviously, is not an attractive option to the consumer.”

Bisphenol A or BPA has been classified as an endocrine disruptor, which presents a health concern when ingested.

“We are starting to see more innovation, or more chemistries, being considered as alternatives to epoxy,” says Stewart. In the realm of pipeline coatings, players in the field of epoxy alternatives include polyurethane and acrylic-based technologies. “One of the advantages BASF has in this space is that we do have a broad portfolio of chemistries to offer, depending on what type of material is being transported within the pipes.”

Coatings with built-in cost savings

In addition to the health hazards, Neely says epoxy chemistries also present rising cost issues to manufacturers. Waterborne DTM coatings, like the ones offered by BASF, allow for significant savings in time and costs, as well as reduced VOC emissions.

“[DTM] coatings are intended to be applied after minimal surface preparation with only one application step,” Neely explains, adding that DTM coatings protect against corrosion without the need for active pigments.

Waterborne coatings, for their part, are easy to clean and use solvents that are lower in odor, toxicity and flammability. When compared with traditional solvent-borne coatings, Neely says waterborne coatings “are better for worker health and safety, with less impact on the environment.”

BASF is also developing some unique curing chemistries that aim to accelerate the applicator’s ability to provide a high-film build in one application of the coating, rather than multiple applications.

As a result, Stewart says formulators may be able to expect some labor savings with those technologies.

“The curing technologies that we are developing will enable a formulator to put one film coating down and ultimately have curing done very quickly, so the pipe can be put into service much faster — or it can be repaired and returned to service faster — as a result.”

Advice for formulators and applicators

When it comes to working with pipeline coating systems, Stewart and Sarah O’Boyle, Research Technician for Waterborne Coatings, have a few pieces of advice for manufacturers at the formulation and application stages.

Applicators must be aware of factors like pot-life and choose the optimal viscosity and rheology package for the application method. They should also ensure they have a consistent and robust film that doesn’t allow the material to be penetrated.

“If you don’t apply a very smooth and consistent film, that film could end up being more susceptible to chemical or water penetration,” says Stewart, “which could in turn lead to corrosion damage within the pipe.”

Formulators will need to make sure the coating meshes well with the characteristics of the substrate being coated, as well as the geometry and rheology of the pipe surface.

“Care must be taken when choosing pigments and additives, as there can be a drastic difference in corrosion protection between various formulations,” says O’Boyle.

BASF works with its customers to ensure its products work well with the intended application. It also tests the effectiveness of its formulations, including corrosion and UV protection, at a large weathering center in their facility.

O’Boyle says dispersant, pigments, defoamers, wetting agents, and thickeners are all specifically tested for compatibility with the resin and for corrosion resistance in the coating.

“By spending a significant amount of time developing and optimizing these formulas, BASF coatings can provide the substrate with substantial protection from the environment.”

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