Off Shore Oil Industry - Arc Sprayed Aluminum Coatings

Thermal sprayed coatings (TSC) provide a number of advantages for the off shore oil industry when compared to conventional paint systems.

• TSC coatings are ready for use immediately after application and are less susceptible to damage from shipping and handling.
• Paint systems attempt a 20-year life with some remedial maintenance required². "It has been calculated that an area coated with TSA (Thermal Sprayed Aluminum) could protect when up to 4% of the area was bare steel, and still give a life of 30 years in salt water immersion"¹.
• TSC coatings also offer greater resistance to heat damage and hot and cold cycling than conventional paint systems.
• Recent developments in high deposition twin wire electric arc spray systems have enabled TSC to become a cost effective means of providing long term corrosion protection for the off shore oil industry.

Aluminum arc spraying of buoyancy chambers for catenary risers - using a pipe coating machine.  This project was the first use of 3/16" aluminum arc spray wire for the off shore oil industry.

Flare towers for the off shore industry being sprayed with 1/8" aluminum at New Iberia, Louisiana.

References and Additional Sources of Information:

1. Ron Avery, "Application of Thermal-Sprayed Coatings in a Shop Environment - Some Practical Considerations", Proceedings of the SSPC 95 Seminars (November 1995), 103.
2. M.A.M. Swidzinski, "Offshore Protection: Painting for a 20-Year Life", JPCL (May 1997) 47.
3. "Process lnstruction for the Application of Thermal Spray Coatings for the Flare Boom, Purchaser Platform Project", TSCC (November 1992).
4. Domodaran Gaghu, et Al., "Recent Developments in Wear-and Corrosion-Resistant Alloys for the Oil Industry", Coatings and Linings (November 1997), 27.
5. Tony Cunningham and Ron Avery, "Thermal Spray Aluminum for Corrosion Protection Some Practical Experience in the Off Shore Industry", The Proceedings of the SSPC Seminars (November 1998), 274.