Albania US$2; Australia A$6.50 (inc GST); Bulgaria BGL5.90; Canada C$4.95 (Toronto C$4.75); Croatia KN24; Cyprus E3.00 C£1.76; Czech Rep. CK91; Denmark DK28; Estonia K30: Gibraltar G£0,80; Hungary F650; Kenya KSH185; Latvia LVL 2.75; Malta E2.70; Morocco D25; Norway NK35; Poland Zl12.00; Romania E3.40; Russia US$2.75; Slovakia E3.00/Sk90.38; Sweden SK35; Switzerland SF6.20; Thailand B190; Turkey YTL 5.00; Ukraine US$3.50; USA US$3.75
Dare to Care
Quarterly edition Summer 2013
Convention in the Netherlands
Prof. L. Hacquebord 10
14
Exploitation of natural resources
sealforlife
Seal For Life Industries: The Synergy
Download the app
What to look for in a Visco Elastic coating
p. 18
Now featuring: Dare to Care Convention Movie
Seal For Life Industries
Seal For Life Industries is the new name given to the recently combined entity of Berry Plastics’ Corrosion Protection Group and Stopaq BV. A single entity built upon the strengths of marketleading brands, Seal For Life represents a true synergy of inno va tive and reinforcing corro sion prevention and sealing techno logies.
YouTube Channel Seal For Life Industries has its own YouTube channel. For the latest develop ments and applications, visit: Youtube.com/sealforlifecom
GREAT EVENTS Nace Central Area Conference 2013 Aug 26 - 28, 2013, Little Rock, USA
“One world,
one mission.”
Frits Doddema, Global General Manager & Executive Vice President
The Seal For Life brands include Anodeflex Cathodic Protection, Cova lence Heat Shrinkable Sleeves, Polyken Tape Solutions, Powercrete Liquid Solu tions, and Stopaq Self-Healing AntiCorrosion and Sealant Systems. Thanks to the capabilities of our five established brands, each with its special focus, Seal For Life can rightly claim to have one of the fullest and strongest product line-ups of corrosion prevention and
sealing solutions in the market. And well beyond the individual capabilities of each brand, it is the combination of the complementary strengths of our tech nologies into specially engineered protection systems that really enables Seal For Life to offer customized solu tions to meet our customers’ needs. Seal For Life is not only the name of our new corporate entity; it represents our
mission statement. It under pins our vision for the market, our engineering philosophy, and our commitment to our customers to provide the best possible corrosion prevention and sealing solu tions available on the market. So, whe ther the project is above ground or below water, in the Artic or in the desert, Seal For Life is ready to prove that 1 + 1 can equal 3. This is the synergistic strength and added value of Seal For Life.
Eurocorr 2013 Sep 1 - 5, 2013, Estoril, Portugal IQPC 2nd Annual Shutdowns and Turnarounds Summit Sep 9 - 10, 2013, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Department of Defense Corrosion Conference Sep 16 - 17, 2013, Honolulu, Hawaii Iploca Sep 21 - 28, 2013, Washington DC, USA Nace Corrosion Week Sep 22 - 26, 2013, Vancouver, Canada Gazprom Conference Budva Sep 22 - 26, 2013, Montenegro
Rehabilitating Platform Risers in the Gulf of Mexico
PEMEX commissioned Stopaq/ Seal For Life Industries to reha bilitate a platform riser attached to a drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Problems had arisen with the existing coating that had been applied in 1998. Rehabilitation of the coating was necessary because the platform was being made ready for at least 25 years of further use. The structure in question was a 24-foot riser upon which an epoxy coating had been applied. Continued on page 4
Sakhalin Oil & Gas 2013 Sep 23 - 26, 2013, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia Rio Pipeline Sep 24 - 26, 2013, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Corcon 2013 (Nace India) Sep 30 - Oct 3, 2013, New Delhi, India Nace Eastern Area Conference 2013 Oct 7 - 10, 2013, Panama City Beach, FL, USA APIA Oct 12 - 15, 2013, Australia Continued on page 2
2
Summer 2013
Paul Peigneur: ‘Hard is Not Always Tough Enough’ Paul Peigneur is what you call an ‘old-timer’ in the business. Straight after completing his studies over 34 years ago, he began working for the company that became known as Covalence in the Belgian community of Westerlo. Paul started in the product development department, but subsequently passed through many departments, working in a multitude of positions from business support manager to product manager. He was and is, as he himself admits, ‘married to his work’, but still manages to spend ample time with his family, having raised two grown-up sons. Paul is a person irreverently described as a ‘tech head’ but I prefer to think of him as a ‘dedicated technician’. He is also known among insiders for his expression “hard is not always tough enough”, by which he means that hard materials alone cannot always protect against dynamic forces and that’s precisely why combinations are so important. 1. When did you first learn about Visco Elastic Technology? In the ‘70s Raychem was looking at similar material to use as adhesives between shrink sleeves and steel. However, it was only once Stopaq developed its paste and wrappingband and had success in the rehabilitation market in the Middle East and with field joints in Holland that we understood Stopaq was doing something
new for anti-corrosion. This is when we started really looking at Visco Elastic technologies. 2. W hat did you like about the Visco Elastic Technology concept of Stopaq? Well they were using it for something entirely new. PIB and oppanol were known to Raychem as tackifiers for possible use with shrink sleeves as hotmelt adhesives and in some mastic adhesives. Stopaq developed a material that would never cross-link so it would not cure with time, even in severe aging environments. They also developed the PIB-based compound to control the cold flow in almost all temperatures and to aid with tension. 3. Did you try to develop similar technology? We have certainly looked at it. Of course we were aware of Stopaq’s patents. We developed a primer-less Polyken tape solution which is good for its applications. But it has not been easy to get the same cathodic disbondment results as Stopaq has in relation to aging. This is really different.
Martin Durcik of Areko S.R.O from Slovakia has also understood Paul’s vision to combine Stopaq with a shrink-sleeve for a 3lpe field-joint project in Slovakia. Martin is pictured during a kick-off project meeting with the contractor.
4. Why do you think it has been a struggle for Stopaq to get the Visco Elastic Technology more widely accepted by the market? First of all, I think the fact that the international standards were written
for tapes and sleeves created a real mind-set issue for people. Stopaq did not correspond to accepted wisdom and what everyone thought was best practice for anti-corrosion products. Because wrappingband looked like a tape and wrapped like a tape, people initially wanted to peel it and do shear resistance tests, and of course the peel and shear values did not meet the requirements of the existing standard. People were so focused on the standards, they forgot that the important thing is the performance of the products. The advantages of Stopaq which were not outlined in the standards soon became apparent to those companies willing to give it a try. And this really first happened in the Middle East because other solutions were not working well under the conditions there. It is also true that many producers of competing anti-corrosion materials are present in the ISO standard bodies and seek to protect their own commercial interests. I guess the fact that founder Frans Nooren and his son did not speak English so well in the early days also played a role in why it has not been rolled out quicker.
5. W hat was your first impression when you started to test the Visco Elastic materials? I understood at once that the industry’s emphasis on hard coatings might be wrong. Stopaq was soft but because of the way they used it in applications with other mechanical protections, this had no impact on performance. With ‘soft’ Visco Elastic, you cannot peel a material which has liquid properties, and the shear resistance gets better when the layer becomes thinner. Also, because the PIB material never cures and remains fluid, the cathodic disbondment and related corrosion risks such as pitting due to cathodic shielding are not an issue. And actually the ‘soft’ material was an advantage because of its flow and adhesive properties which allow for complete coverage and lasting protection. 6. H ow do you see the integration of this technology into Berry Plastics? Personally I am very pleased that Berry Plastics acquired Stopaq. Stopaq’s technology and its people are truly
“Married to my work.” innovative and have created a highly successful and growing business in what is often a very conventional industry. I see big potential for new shrink sleeve concepts. In the end, the Visco Elastic layer needs mechanical protection so this is really a natural combination. Shrinking a material onto the Stopaq brings many advantages such as the self-healing when we have cuts in the sleeve during construction or backfilling. We also have seen that shrinking a sleeve onto Stopaq is easier due to the insulation value of the Stopaq material. Stopaq is an excellent catalyst to grow our own product lines of tapes, sleeves and liquids, as well as in combination with our cathodic protection products. Stopaq is coming up with smart products and applications - after all, we now have to stay smart and Seal For Life.
GREAT EVENTS Fieldjoint Coating Oct 14 - 15, 2013, Aberdeen, Scotland Nace Northern Area Eastern Conference 2013 Oct 21 - 23, 2013,Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Adipec 2013 Nov 10 - 13, 2013, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Corrosion & Prevention 2013 Nov 10 - 13, 2013, Brisbane, Australia Nace East Asia & Pacific Rim Area Conference & Expo 2013 Nov 19 - 21, 2013, Kyoto, Japan Saoge Nov 25 - 27, 2013, Dammam, Saudi Arabia Nace Western Area Conference 2013 Nov 20 - 22, 2013, Honolulu, Hawaii 4th Basra Oil & Gas Conference & Exhibition Dec 5 - 8, 2013, Basra, Iraq Nace Northern Area Western Conference 2014 Jan 27 - 30, 2014, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 15th Middle East Corrosion Conference and Exposition (MECCE) Feb 2 - 5, 2014, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain ASCE Pipelines 2013 Conference Aug 3 - 6, 2014, Portland, USA
IJmeer project near Amsterdam:
8.5 km Pipeline, 6 mtr. Below Sea Level Nuon Energy
Beneath the IJmeer lake
Nuon is building a new natural gas facility next to the existing power station in Diemen, near Amsterdam, Holland. The residual heat recovered from the two plants will be used to heat homes in the district of Almere Poort. A.Hak Leidingbouw will build a heat-transport pipeline from Diemen to Almere – a distance of 8.5 kilometres. Not that remarkable in itself, were it not for the fact that there is a large obstacle between Diemen and Almere in the form of the IJmeer lake.
The heat-transport pipeline will be built beneath the lake, approximately one and a half metres below the lake bed to be precise. And given that the cold water will be transported back via a return pipeline, we are really talking about two 8-kilometre pipelines beneath the lake. And since the pipeline will be constructed as a steel-in-steel system (a 20” inner pipeline and a 28” outer pipeline), that can also be doubled. Two glass fibre cables will be laid at the same time. The project will involve three drilling
operations (six if you also count the drilling operations for the return pipeline): two through a dike and one beneath the lake. ‘It’s a world first’, says Gert Bonder, the Project Leader at A. Hak Leidingbouw. ‘Nowhere else in the world is there an underwater pipeline this long.’ A. Hak Leidingbouw and Martens en Van Oord are both involved in the project, which was commissioned by Nuon. The pipeline will transport residual heat released by the Diemen power plant during the generation of electricity to the heat-transfer station in Almere Poort. 25,000 homes in
Almere Poort and Almere Stad will be connected to the district heating system. Approximately one hundred people are working on the project. A team of eight welders were at work at the beginning of June. A special welding pontoon is being used to connect the pipe sections. ‘Two cranes lift the ends of the pipe sections above the surface of the water,’ Bonder explains. ‘Then our welders weld the seams on a special workbench.’ You can read all about this project in an article by Evert Bruinekool featured in the second issue of Verbindingstechnieken magazine published on August 30th 2011.
3
Summer 2013
Contractor’s Delight When it comes to reducing cycle times, increasing safety, taking care of the environment and ensuring optimal quality of the applications, contractors often face huge challenges.
With the energy industry under public scrutiny given several high-profile accidents, clients are increasingly concerned about quality and environmental requirements. This places increasing pressure on contractors to ensure their clients’ legal and contractual responsibilities. This relation has evolved over the years from contractors simply informing their clients about possible product solutions to now having to educate them about new technologies that will provide the right solutions. Clients themselves are appointing specialists in their own companies to seek out knowledge con cerning available or emerging technologies that can help them secure their operations.
Although this record can be attributed to Stopaq’s PIB-based technology, it would not have occurred without Stopaq’s clients first becoming convinced by the advantages the Visco Elastic Technology offers them. This was not an easy road as ‘soft coatings’ ran counter to conventional wisdom in the coatings industry. Moreover, imagine having to convince an industry to start buying more expensive products that last longer and require less human intervention. It was only through the contractors’ first-hand experience of the technology and understanding its benefits that the breakthrough was achieved and progressive companies felt secure in specifying it.
overall life-cycle performance. Stopaq works closely with contractors to ensure correct type and size of materials and trains them for the chosen applications. Stopaq manufactures its own Visco Elastic products at its manufacturing facility in Stadskanaal, the Netherlands. Because it does not depend on thirdparty contractors, it can meet the specific needs of even the most demanding clients. It can customize products in width, length and thickness using many different kinds of backings to create single wrap systems. When production is finished, the packaging department is able to pack the products ready to suit the needs of the receiving applicators. Everything is prepared for safety of transport, ease of application or storage, and to minimize waste. Such attention to detail is the reason many offshore contractors now demand Stopaq materials for subsea pipeline applications. On board the laying vessels there is no room for error. During the coating of a fieldjoint, every error results in the interruption of the whole laying process – and shutdowns of course cost money. Not even to mention a system that shows failure even before the line is in use, caused by disrespecting the strict application procedure applicable to the materials used and/or disrespect to the environmental conditions. These failures eventually lead to pulling back the lines, cutting them, and repeating the whole process again.
Stopaq prefers to become involved at a very early stage in projects to work with engineers and contractors to design and ensure optimal application performance. This includes systems reviews for application time, health and safety and
YES
NO
Chloride wash
YES
Preheat NO
YES Product restrictions NO YES Safety NO
YES Fumes NO
Traditional systems - HSS with primers - Bitumen Tapewrap systems - Spray coatings
YES PPM’s NO
YES Sensitive equipment NO YES Waste NO
The selector approach from the ¨I like¨ perspective
YES
Sea Clean’ project. A group of shipwreck divers, underwater photographers and maritime biologists are systematically performing ‘clean-up’ dives to remove old fishing nets, shipwrecks and other pollution from the North Sea. Their project is supported by various organizations including a Dutch charity lottery. The Belgian sportsman was struck by the plight of marine wildlife early on in his career. While working on his remarkable book on the White Shark (Sharkwise) he saw with his own eyes how pollution is a threat to the ocean ecosystem. However, Sluszny is also firmly convinced that our technical ingenuity and creativity will enable us to find solutions to this growing problem. This remarkable man is using his own physical talents to do just that and he inspires every person and every organization he comes across to do the same: “Use your own strength!”
Be Conscious! Special packaging for offshore Field Joint application. Every sheet covers one full circumferential wrap avoiding cutting on board of the vessel, saving time, create extra safety and avoiding over consumption.
Stopaq stands apart in the way it thinks about solutions, its contribution, and the manner it gets involved in the whole project. Stopaq’s mission is to serve the client with cradle to grave solutions and not just sell the products it manufacturse. Stopaq cares about educating the client on the best possible solution for its project. And it seeks to serve the industry by providing a solution which benefits the client, the contractor and also the wider community that may be touched by the pipeline project.
Blasting NO
Marc Sluszny has battled the elements – and won every time. The Belgian adventurer and sportsman is a sky surfing champion, he has scaled Annapurna in the Nepalese Himalayas without oxygen, he has survived an ordeal by fire for his auto race team and he has dived into the depths of several of the world’s great oceans. Such adventures call for strength of character and courage and demand the most of a person. But Sluszny has a philosophy that he shares with passion. He believes that every person, and every company, possesses tremendous strength and it is only a question of learning how to harness this strength. Sluszny considers it his life’s work to channel this strength into special projects. It should come as no surprise that Marc Sluszny is one of the driving forces behind the ‘Dive The North
All the contractors working with the Stopaq products eventually come to the same conclusion, “It might be a more expensive product from a purchasing perspective but it offers us great opportunities to create savings for clients over the whole of the coating process”, one said. “We now are able to do it safer, keep the crew motivated, keep the project organization simple and most of all we got rid of the unpaid “clean up” work”!
Stopaq has been actively promoting the Visco Elastic Technology with great success for more than 15 years with a hugely successful track record even in the world’s harshest environments.
“Use your own strength!”
The following offshore pipeline projects have been successfully installed using Stopaq field joint coating systems: • 10,000 field joints for the Karan Offshore Project for Saudi Aramco in 2010 (JR Mc Dermott) • 7,380 field joints for the Manifa Project for Saudi Aramco in 2012 (Valentine Marine) • 12,000 field joints Sanafiyah Project Currently Stopaq is providing materials to Saipem for the protection of the field joints for Saudi Aramaco’s Wasit project.
The three main pillars of knowledge are education, research and innovation. But are these pillars sufficient to turn an idea into a successful reality and translate benefits to society? The answer seems to be no. It does not matter how large or how many support mechanisms are visible as ‘trees’ (society), they will not work if the “roots” (education) are not adequately nurtured to prompt the knowledge flow capillaries. Pumping knowledge from roots to the trees, from human capital to society, is the simple and risky work called entrepreneurship. The term has been used in multiple and diverse ways, but few really know how to define it to generate high and sustainable growth. Entrepreneurship is not just about receiving money for new business (trees); it also needs spirit and talent (roots) to flow accordingly. It is not only science but art as well. It is an art, or spirit, that emerges thanks to the inspiration, creativity and added value that motivates indi viduals to generate unique attitudes and behaviors. It presumes an inner cultural challenge that presently
differentiates entre preneurs with what we term ‘disruptive’ initiatives. The key to creating a successful combi nation of art and science, and therefore delivering tangible benefits to society, may depend firstly on building the individual and contextual conditions that permit entrepreneurs to launch innovative projects (a new fish for example), not only by detecting the right idea (flying fish) within a huge and rapid competitive world (oceans and currents) but by managing the right moment (early in the morning), at the right place (Barbados), with the right resources (a fish caught while flying, using nets from outrigger canoes). If entrepreneurs detect good disruptive ideas but aren’t conscious of their potential, innovation will not be fruitful. Source: Mahr Avila, EU Advisor
4
Summer 2013
Continued from page 1
Rehabilitating Platform Risers in the Gulf of Mexico
Performance
Close inspections of the state of the riser showed that the coating no longer provided any protection whatsoever against the harsh conditions. PEMEX considered two different treatment options: • Moisture-cured Epoxy • Stopaq Splash-zone system
Rehabilitation study
Stopaq Seal for Life’s offshore specialists provided the following treatment speci fications: • Applied system Subsea: Stopaq Subsea Compound / Outerwrap PVC / OGS XT24 • Applied system dry area: Stopaq CZH / PVC / OGS XT24 / PVC • Surface preparation: Blasting SA 2½ (according to client’s specification) In consultation with the end user, PEMEX chose to use the Stopaq/Seal for Life solution. Before the actual renovation operation began, the DMGP diving crew took part in a training session on board a diving vessel.
Application training
This training took around 4 hours and consisted of both a theoretical and a practical component. After the train ing, the divers were aware of all aspects concerning the materials, the manner of application and the lasting effect of our specific treatment method.
Technical specifications in a nutshell: Surface preparation: Grit blasting (to client’s specifications) Grade: SA 2½ Materials used: • Stopaq Subsea Compound • Stopaq Wrappingband CZH • Outerwrap PVC • Outerglass Shield XT24 Equipment used: Diving vessel, fully equipped for offshore surface supply diving. Application crew: 3-person diving crew (1 standby diver) Performance: The Stopaq corrosion prevention mate rials are fully flexible and do not require tensioned application. The materials do not harden or cure, and retain their unique characteristics throughout the lifetime of the object. The Stopaq/Seal For Life corrosion pre ven tion materials are impermeable to water and oxygen, two ingredients that cause corrosion. They adhere to any surface that is free from loose particles, including steel, concrete, PVC and existing coatings. This operation in the Gulf of Mexico provides yet more proof of the way Seal for Life handles this kind of chal lenge, anywhere in the world, above and under water.
5
Summer 2013
Carefree day by Seal For Life
Families supported by the charity Carefree Child were guests of the SWPN motorcycle racing team during the recent Gamma Racing Day. They were able to spend a whole day enjoying the motorcycling and auto races on the TT circuit at Assen, from the superb vantage point of the STOPAQ VIP box. From start to finish, they were treated like royalty, giving them the chance to put their battle with the illness out of their minds for a short while. The smiles on everyone’s faces proved this special day was once again a success. In order to be in advance of the large crowds expected at the circuit that day, the families had to be up early. They were accompanied from the car park to STOPAQ’s VIP box by helpers from Carefree Child, and within an hour and a half, everyone was enjoying the safety and comfort of the VIP box. After a cup of coffee and other drinks, the families watched SWPN rider Lennart van Houwelingen race his way into 4th place. At the end of this exciting race, the children were thrilled to see Lennart greeting them with a wave of his hand – and of course lots of little hands waved back to him! After this race, it was the other SWPN rider’s turn for action, but for Frank Brouwer it all went wrong – directly in front of the VIP box. He took a fall, and all the little hands at once flew up to their owners’ mouths. Fortunately, Frank was able to stand up immediately, and waved – disappointedly – to let the families know that everything was okay. After the races, it was time for a tour of the paddock. First stop was the Damen leathers shop, which was well worth a good look. Motorcycle outfits, gloves and boots were displayed, and the expert staff explained why these are all so important for a motorsport racer.
Then we all headed for the SWPN race trailer. The book on the trailer, containing the names of the children who had died, set off some very emotional reactions, especially in the case of families with a child whose name appeared in the book. The trailer was of course also admired from the inside, and after viewing it we took the group to the pits. Yes, the pits – that’s where all the action is. That’s where you find the motorcycles, the tools, the computers and – obviously – the riders. As well as hearing all about the motorcycles and motorsport in general, each member of the family was allowed to take their place on a racing bike and be photographed. Naturally, everyone’s attention was again drawn to the names of the deceased children set out on the front mudguard, and lots of photos were taken. By the end of this tour, everyone was hungry, so after returning to the VIP box they were treated to sandwiches and soup. After the meal, the guests could enjoy watching the demos on the circuit – including the one featuring the Red Bull Formula 1 car, which was the highlight of the afternoon. Another few motorcar races later, and most of the children were totally worn out. The families returned home tired but content, hopefully able to look back happily on a fantastic day. We would like to extend our grateful thanks to SWPN for their hospitality, and also say a big ‘thank you’ to STOPAQ for making their wonderful VIP box available to us. In addition, we would also like to thank TT Catering for their help and support for Carefree Child.
Copyright: charity Carefree Child
6
Summer 2013
11 01
03
04
02
10
05
09
06
07
08
7
Summer 2013
12
13 14
1. End-sealing casings 2. Harbour Wall Protection 3. Harbour Wall Protection 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Windmill Splash zone Visco-Elastic flooring systems Offshore Jacket leg Splashzone Subsea Station Coating Repair Pipeline Laybarge Joint Coating
9. Jetty Pile Splash Zone Systems 10. HDD -Factory Applied Coating Systems 11. Home Roof Repair 12. Home Gutter Leakage Repair 13. Internal Wing Sealing 14. Under Carpet Tape 15. Above Ground Flange Filler 16. Pipeline Cathodic Protection by a polymeric anode wire
15
16
8
Summer 2013
Anodeflex Rocks in Virginia When drilling in a residential area around some of the largest gas pipelines in the United States, there’s no question that safety comes first. And one utility contractor working to preserve these pipelines has created a process to help ensure that neither his crews nor the residents are placed in any danger. Matt Kelly, co-owner of Ballard Utilities Construction LLC, Anderson, S.C., knows the ins and outs of horizontal directional drilling (HDD). He has been in the industry since 1990 and his knowledge explains one of the reasons his company was hired by Williams Gas Pipeline — Transco for a major cathodic protection project. Williams Gas Pipeline delivers cleanburning natural gas from production areas to millions of Americans’ local utilities. The company, headquartered in Tulsa, Okla., operates more than 15,000 miles of interstate natural gas pipelines. Its three natural gas transportation units deliver
make money when operators have to stop to pothole a utility because they don’t know how deep it is.” It’s a proven fact that the layout crew has improved the HDD crews’ production rates. In fact, Kelly says there have been a couple of instances when the HDD crew has bored so fast that it’s actually caught up to the layout crew, requiring him to add more workers to the layout crew.
Carving Through Shale Rock Even though the layout crew has helped make the job go more smoothly, the job hasn’t come without other obstacles. Much of the 110,000 ft Ballard Utilities Construction must drill requires going through red shale rock. Shale rock, which varies in color, is the most common type of sedimentary rock and is formed from clay that is compacted together by pressure. It is relatively soft and has a smooth, greasy feel when freshly exposed, but is hard and brittle when dry. To tackle the hard ground conditions, Kelly says his HDD operators use either a TriHawk drill head or bear claw drill head. So far the layers of rock have greatly varied from area to area.
about 12 percent of the natural gas consumed in the United States. Transco, one of the natural gas transportation units, comprises 10,500 miles of pipeline that service cities along the East Coast, including Atlanta and New York City.
including two 30-in., a 36-in. and a 42in. pipe. Because much of the work in and around the city occurs in residential areas, Kelly uses a fleet of Vermeer Navigator HDD units to drill around obstacles.
To preserve these major gas pipelines, Ballard Utilities Construction will install cathodic protection, which prevents corrosion of the steel pipelines. Cathodic protection involves installing cables of AnodeFlex, which transmit a current onto the gas pipeline so it can repel corrosion. Because it is a more active metal, the AnodeFlex cable attracts the corrosion away from the steel gas pipeline so it corrodes first.
“We’re in a housing area where everyone’s backyards are built right on top of the gas pipelines. And in everyone’s backyard there is either a chain-link or wood fence, and they have sheds and swimming pools,” he says. “The only way to come through these areas is to bore everything.”
This year, Ballard Utilities Construction will install cathodic protection for 110,000 ft. of gas pipeline. In Fairfax, Va., Kelly’s crews are installing the protection for four major gas mains,
To determine which sections of the pipeline are in need of cathodic protection, Williams Gas Pipeline regularly performs ground readings and takes soil samples, Kelly says. In the Fairfax residential area, Kelly’s crews are installing two 1 1/2-in. AnodeFlex cables that will run parallel between the 36-
“Sometimes you can get 2 or 3 ft of good dirt and then you get into a soft layer of that shale, which you can get good steer out of with a bear claw. But some of it’s too hard and we have to use the TriHawk drill head to carve it out,” he says.
under creeks that are surrounded by solid granite rock. For those harder conditions that can’t be drilled through with a regular drill head, Kelly says he plans to use a Vermeer RockFire rock drilling system.
While boring through several of the homes’ back yards, the crew encountered another obstacle — mulch fill. As the operator bored to a depth of about 2 to 3 ft, he noticed the drill head wasn’t grabbing. The reason why was unbeknown to Kelly and his crew — a thick layer of mulch fill laid just 8 in. beneath the dirt topsoil. Kelly believes the mulch fill was the result of a land clearing project years before.
With most of the shale rock, Kelly says his crews typically must do two pre-reams. However, in softer ground conditions, they have been able to drill out 500 ft without needing to pre-ream.
Installing Cathodic Protection
“We didn’t know there was mulch under there until we hit rock and the drill head and rods started poking out of the ground,” he says. “The drill head just blasted out of the mulch because it’s so light it couldn’t hold it in.” To overcome the obstacle, Kelly says all they could do was pull back the drill head and start the bore over again, this time diving deep enough to avoid the mulch layer. Not always knowing what lies under the ground comes with the territory. Kelly says there will always be people who place things underground without getting a permit and notifying the proper entities so that it can be charted. In addition to boring under the Reston National Golf Course in Reston, Va., Kelly’s crews also must cross
Because the AnodeFlex cables are wrapped with a mesh sock filled with a fine carbon slag powder, the HDD crews must be especially careful when pulling back the cables. Applying too much pressure or allowing it to drag through the shale rock can tear a hole in the mesh sock, which would then make the AnodeFlex cable ineffective.
and 42-in. gas pipelines. The number of AnodeFlex cables that are placed depends on several factors, including the amount of corrosion coverage needed and the space between the pipelines. For this portion of the project, which costs $4.5 million, Ballard Utilities Construction chose to use three of its five Vermeer HDD units — a D24x40A and two D18x22 machines. The company also owns two D16x20A HDD units, which it is using in Anderson for power line installation jobs.
Putting Safety First In working around such large gas pipelines, Kelly considers safety first and foremost. The large gas pipelines run parallel to the homes, many of which are as close as 10 ft away. “We have to get production, but pro duction comes second to safety,” he says. “Do you mean a pipeline that’s under
“The cable won’t be able to provide cathodic protection without the carbon slag around it,” Kelly says. “If the mesh sock is torn and the cable touches dirt, it will burn out.” To successfully pull back the AnodeFlex cables, Ballard Utilities Construction uses a 6- or 8-in. backreamer along with Poly-Bore and Bore-Gel drilling fluids. Kelly says his two Vermeer Navigator D18x22 HDD machines have worked well on this project because they’re small and easy to maneuver in residential areas, but powerful enough to drill through the shale rock. Crews use the D24x40A when needing additional power to complete longer bores in harder shale rock. In the red shale rock, Kelly says each of his three HDD crews has been averaging
800 lbs of pressure?” Before drilling begins, Kelly has a fourmember layout crew work two weeks ahead to locate and pothole the gas pipelines and other utilities. The workers probe every 50 ft to monitor if they are still following the route of the gas pipelines. They also measure in between the pipelines and mark the centerline with white paint so HDD operators can hold that line when boring. “And then every single utility that crosses these pipelines, I make them dig to it,” he says. “They measure it and then mark on a wooden stake what kind of utility it is and how deep it’s buried.” Once the layout crew has finished locating a section, it provides the HDD crew with a utility log sheet. Kelly says some utility contractors may initially consider a layout crew to be too costly. But his theory is that “drill rigs don’t
between 600 and 800 ft per day. “These are good production rates, especially considering the soil conditions,” he says. Ballard Utilities Construction has been providing utility installation for more than 40 years. And like Williams Gas Pipeline—Transco, Ballard Utilities Construction believes that safety should never be compromised. This may be one reason why they fully grasp the significance of the job they were hired to do. “What we’re doing out here is probably the most important form of preventive main tenance Williams Gas Pipeline— Transco could do for this pipeline,” Kelly says. Tara Deering is a technical writer in Des Moines, Iowa.
9
Summer 2013
Experience Center
What Binds Us Together!
The Seal For Life Industries Experience Center is located in Stadskanaal, a relatively small community in the north of the Netherlands. The Center welcomes many visitors, including business partners, students, and governmental authorities who are provided with a thorough overview of what happens around pipes above and below ground, as well as above and under water. An interactive history describes obsolete methods, tested methods and innovative solutions to corrosion and sealing issues. Novel thinking and the constant quest for innovation are the leading principles that bind together all the partners of Seal For Life Industries.
New ki(t)d in Town: Superstar Sealtaq The famous product has been rebranded as Sealtaq in order to recog nize its improved materials and performance. Much is expected from this rising Superstar of Seal For Life Industries. Product Information Generic type: Sealtaq is a non-toxic, single-component plastic-elastic water and gas-tight synthetic polyolefin compound that adheres to dry and wet surfaces on concrete, brick, PVC and other materials. It requires no primer and will never cure, always remaining permanently flexible. Product Description Sealtaq is a compound suitable for the sealing of pipe or cable inlets in homes or buildings against gases, moisture, standing water and running groundwater leaks. The compound exhibits no internal stresses and expands up to 10% by volume when exposed to water. The Sealtaq compound should always be covered with a 50mm barrier of waterresistant or fire-retardant mortar.
Features • Requires minimal surface preparation • Adheres to wet and dry surfaces • Fast and easy to apply • Has no pot-life, does not cure or become hard • Resists up to 0.3 bar of ground water pressure • Water- and gas-impermeable • Non-toxic, applicator- and environment-friendly • Does not age
Application Examples Wall Inlets below ground water level: Sealtaq is suitable for sealing against ground water intrusion around pipes and cables for wall penetrations into basements.
Benefits • Seal remains permanently flexible • Does not require special tools for application • No material waste; paste re-usable • Immediate sealing (no curing time required) • Provides permanent and optimal safety • No fumes or chemical reactions • Adjusts to movements of pipes and cables • Allows additions or removals of conduits at any time
Wall penetrations inside buildings: Sealtaq permanently seals wall pene trations to protect against gas, fire or flooding when encapsulated by a fireretardant or water-resistant mortar exterior barrier.
Sealing of running water leaks: Sealtaq permanently seals and stops running ground or surface-water leaks from cable and pipe wall penetrations.
Multi pipe and cable inlets: The sealing compound is excellent for hermetic sealing of multi-purpose, horizontal lead-through wall inlets, where several pipes and cables are coming through one opening.
10
Summer 2013
Dare to Care Co a memorable event! Why dare to care? Because we are inspired from the inside. Seal For Life is not just a slogan, it’s at the core of our business and our solutions. The only way to fully understand our statement is to see the possibilities with your own eyes and become equally inspired. For 3 days our international partners have been enjoying a fully packed programme of anti-corrosion presentations, discussions, and a se ries of technology demonstrations at Stopaq’s 30,000m2 training and testing facility in Stadskanaal.
Summer 2013
11
onvention
Speakers, Workshops & Demonstrations • Introduction to the world of Seal For Life Technologies by S.Hofstee • Dare to Care Vision, Strategy, Organization by J.F. Doddema • SFL Experience Tour • Live Demonstrations: Rope Access Application & Underwater Coating by Falck, FJC PUPPlining, Flamespray FJC & Coating of Condensating Pipelines • Site Tour • Mobile Pipe Coating Demonstration by L. Grodzisky • Possibilities of Anodeflex as the ultimate SFL system, K. Lax, Corroconsult UK • Alaska Pipeline Case study, Stan Simpson of Joint Specialist Inc. USA • “Beachtakers” in the coating Industry, a review by R. John, SFL Consultant • Insulation by BASF of the Offshore Pipelines, I. Lynam, Basf Oil & Gas • Sense & non-sense of coating tests, E. Broesder & Hans van den Bergh • Arctic Geological Pipeline Conditions, Prof. J.Hacquebord, University of Groningen • Patent & Legal Update, Nathan Knight • Pipeline Reinforcement Case Histories Middle East, K. Afifi, SKPS • Offshore Joint Coating Developments, a review by N. Gill, Global Offshore Director • Fieldjoint Spec Writing Opportunities Zawthika Project, KB Singh, India • TSA application case history at NAM Schoonebeek, B.Van Rein, Multipaint BV • New Technological Opportunities, S. Hofstee VP Technology Engineering • Mobile Line Pipe Coating Opportunities by Laurent Grodziski, SFL FAST • Double Cross Offshore Splashzone Woodside, dr. F. Barouky, ACT Australia • Corrosion Reduction thru Pipeline Cleaning, P.Verkiel, Brenntag Oil & Gas • Above ground H-Bean and Pipe Coating Shell Mosmorran, S.Flynn & Dinko Cudic, Rawell Environmental Solutions UK • ISO 21809-3 Fieldjoint Coating, by Mamish Abboud, VP Technology Berry Plastics USA • Coating Selection in conjunction with Rail Systems, Neill Webb, South Africa • Asset Integrity, Roy Van Elteren, Kema DNV Groningen Holland • District Heating & Pre-insulated Pipe, Dieter Trapmann Consult Germany • High temperature coating Market Opportunities/case studies, Ahmed Moinuddin, SFL Pakistan • Workshop Pipeline Rehab Coatings in conjunction with Cathodic/Casing Protection by: - Derek Mortimore, Pipeline Coatings Expert, U.K. - Ken Lax, Cathodic Protection Expert, U.K. - Dieter Trapmann, District Heating FJ Casings & Pre-Insulated Pipe Germany - Neill Webb, Cathodic Protection South Africa - Phd. dr. F. Barouky, ACT Australia
12
Summer 2013
Research continues on exactly what happens when two objects stick toge ther. There is no universally accepted theory and given the variety of adhesives that exist it is likely that more than one process may be at work. It is generally agreed that adhesion occurs at a molecular level with the primary processes involving Van der Waals forces, iconic bonding, covalent bond ing, and/or metallic bonding. Because the latter three processes result from chemical bonding, we will focus our discussion on Van der Waals forces.
Van der Waals forces come into play when molecules are polarized -- that is, they have a positive end and a negative end. Because the hydrogen atoms are skewed to one side, one end of the molecule has a weakly positive charge and the other has a weakly negative charge. Since opposites attract, the positive side of one water molecule will be attracted to the negative side of a neighboring one. That’s the Van der Waals force. For Van der Waals forces to work, there must be close contact between the two surfaces being joined--a separation of only a few angstroms. (An angstrom is one tenbillionth of a meter.) At that range the Van der Waals and other molecular forces interact strongly and the adhesive and the glued surfaces bond together. To ensure close contact, the adhesive must have the ability to wet the surfaces of the parts properly - it must spread and flow such that it maintains the maximum contact area possible, and it should spread thinly to avoid being subject to cohesive failures.
What Happens When Two Objects Stick Together According to recent research, Van der Waals forces explain how the lizards known as geckos can stick to so many surfaces in a seemingly impossible man ner. Specifically, the tiny hairs on the gecko’s feet (called setae) are split at the microscopic level into “as many as 1,000 branches, whose spatula-shaped tips are only 200 nanometers wide.” As a result, even though the Van der Waals forces acting on an individual tip are small, the adhesion of a billion or so tips adds up to enough force to let the gecko stick to anything. Persuasive as all this sounds, other scientists doubt that Van der Waals forces alone fully explain how adhesion works. They attribute at least some of the strength of adhesives to the process of me chanical bonding, also known as mechanical locking. The idea here is that all sur faces, even seemingly smooth ones, are actually rough at the molecular level, and that an adhesive achieves some of its strength by flowing into the hidden valleys and imperfections of the surfaces to be bonded.
When the adhesive hardens, the two parts are mechanically locked together, like so: In mechanical bonding, as with Van der Waals forces, an adhesive needs to be able to spread finely into the microscopic roughness of the surfaces, wet the tiny cracks properly, and allow trapped air to escape. The main difference is that mechanical bonding will work at distances that would render Van der Waals forces useless. There are several other theories of adhesion that ought to be mentioned briefly. The electrostatic theory arose in part from the observation that some adhesives generate static sparks when pulled apart, while other items will cling together when placed next to each other, especially in the case of plastics. The theory proposes that as the joint forms, electrostatic charges develop between the two joined surfaces and between the surfaces and the adhesive, and these electrical forces help hold the joint together. But electrostatic forces are believed to be only a supplemental source of joint strength, not the primary one. References: Petrie, E.M., Handbook of Adhesives and Sealants, 2000 Kunzig, Robert, “Why Does It Stick? - the hypothesis that push-on adhesives use bubbles to create vacuum,” Discover, July 1999.
Turn-key Casing Written by F. Kuyt, FNR (formerly Nederlandse Gasunie NV)
In the Netherlands, casings are obligatory under certain conditions. For example, pipes may not cross railways without a casing. Plastic or certain coated casings can shield the cathodic protection current however and therefore are not suitable for cathodic protection of steel carrier pipes and for this reason complementary measures are necessary to protect them against corrosion. Moreover, under certain conditions there is no possibility to verify or monitor the corrosion prevention system inside the casing once it is in place. In such cases, the construction of the pipeline and the situation in which the pipeline is laid require specific protection measures.
Until the beginning in protecting the pipeline inside the casing against corrosion. The cathodic protection current could reach the pipeline inside the material of the casing. However, with the prohibitions against the use of asbestos cement casings, this situation changed. With newer casing materials, the industry could no longer trust that the cathodic protection would work properly. Because casings are often located in hard-to-access areas and ineffective cathodic protection gives rise to corrosion issues, it became increasingly important to treat the carrier pipe inside the casing to prevent corrosion. Considerations for corrosion prevention of a pipeline inside a casing If the material of the casing is not isolating, additional measures are not needed. However, despite the fact the pipe is sealed on both sides, water and/ or soil almost always find their way into the casing. Frequently, this occurs with condensation which is very aggressive to steel. If the material of the casing is not shielding the protection current and is completely filled with water, cathodic protection will do its job and no corrosion of the carrier pipe will occur. However, this is a very uncertain situation. Most of the time, the carrier pipe is not protected against corrosion. After investigations and practical ex periments, we were convinced that the Stopaq material is an excellent anticorrosion system for our pipelines du ring a very long period. We saw through research that the system keeps its properties for at least 35 - 40 years. With this knowledge and our experience in the Dutch Gasunie of using wrapping bands and paste in anti-corrosion systems (in which the pipeline does not need maintenance), when we met a problem
13
Summer 2013
Fast, Faster, Fast Stopaq’s factory-applied Stopaq technology (FAST) coating m achines will soon be operational in Houston, USA, Indonesia and Dammam, Saudi Arabia. FAST machines are able to coat pipes for different Stopaq systems (e.g. Stopaq + GRE engineering (using Powercrete
Epoxy), Stopaq + shrinktape PE (2LPE) and Stopaq + PU) much more quickly and with far greater output than traditional 2LPE or 3LPE pipe coating processes. For i nformation and/or quotes on FAST production and applications, please contact Laurent Grodzisky, SFL Manager FAST.
“Worldwide, millions of square meters have been sealed for life by Stopaq.”
Filler Solutions this moment, casing filler can be applied all over the world. There is for example a container filled with casing filler on its way to Sakhalin to solve a corrosion problem.
with a casing we tried to find a solution with the use of an anti-corrosion system. The only way to prevent possible future corrosion problems is to fill the annulus of the casing with an anticorrosion system material. We found that only Stopaq’s casing filler system could fulfill our demands.
Technique As previously mentioned, the Stopaq mate rial has the properties to adhere to the coating materials and to flow to fill holes and crevices. We did practical investigations and discovered that the liquid kept its properties after it became solid again. We filled a casing and saw that the liquid filled it completely. The temperature was raised to 60ºC and the material is then liquid and as thin as water which makes it rather easy to fill the annulus completely. After cooling of the liquid the properties did not change. The adhesion to the metal or coating of the pipe inside the casing remains the same and there is no change in the flow properties. So the pipe will be covered completely and corrosion will not occur for a very long period. The cathodic protection current measurements showed that the current demand decreased dramatically.
Stopaq casing filler is a fluid-like liquid at a temperature of about 60ºC. So the whole annulus can be filled with Stopaq. We started with an experiment to fill one casing and this was very successful. Properties of Stopaq anti-corrosion system In co-operation with Stopaq, we de veloped a method to fill the annulus of the casing with a liquid Stopaq anticorrosion system. The Stopaq material has excellent properties to adhere to every other known coating material. At 60ºC the Stopaq material is a fluid liquid. With measurements in combination with calculations it is a possible to establish if the protection of the carrier pipe is sufficient or not. On the other hand if there is no possibi lity anymore for easy access to the buried pipeline because new roads will be built, we must take measures to protect the integrity of the pipeline. integrity. This can be done by installing a cathodic protection system inside the casing by means of galvanic anodes. However after about 10 years the system will not deliver enough cathodic protection current. So you have to take into account that in a relatively short period, the system will have to be renewed. The renewing of the corrosion prevention and cathodic protection systems is very difficult, especially when accessibility to the casing becomes an issue because there is a new construction built above ground. For new constructions, cleaning of the annulus is not necessary, but problems occur with the cleaning of the
Conclusion
annulus of existing casings. With water under a certain pressure and flow the space between the carrier pipe and the casing is cleaned with water under a certain pressure and flow. The Stopaq
material adheres very intensively to the metal surface . The anti-corrosion system used for the casing in combination with the carrier pipeline will provide protection against corrosion for a very
long time. The system can even be called maintenance-free. Cathodic protection is not necessary and is even not possible because the casing filler material will completely cover the metal surface. At
Now there is a new way for corrosion prevention of buried pipelines inside hard-to-access casings. We can describe this as an anti-corrosion system. The casing filler material stays flexible with broad temperature ranges and maintains complete coverage of the metal surface to be protected. The solution is maintenancefree after application for a very long time. Cathodic protection is not necessary and is even not possible because the material will completely cover the metal surface to be protected against corrosion. Given the Dutch Gasunie experience, today we use Stopaq anti corrosion system – the Stopaq anti-corrosion system - termed the ‘Stopaq casing filler’inside all new casings and if necessary in existing casings.
14
Summer 2013
Who is Louwrens Hacquebord? Louwrens Hacquebord is Professor of Arctic and Antarctic Studies at the University of Groningen. He is also Director of the Arctic Centre at the University of Groningen. Hacquebord studied Physical Geography at Utrecht University and Archaeology at the University of Groningen. He obtained
his doctorate cum laude from the University of Amsterdam in 1984. He represents the Netherlands on various international committees and has published several works on the Arctic. In 1990 he contributed to the birth of the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) and was Vice President of the committee from 2000 to 2008.
Professor Louwrens Hacquebord
If We’re Going to Do It, Let’s Make Sure We Get it Right! Climate change has reduced the area of ice in the Arctic by more than 40%. This has made the natural energy reserves in the region more accessible and the prospect of exploiting these reserves is a subject of growing international interest. How are we going to develop these natural resources in this ecologically fragile region in the years to come? Are there ways of finding and extracting the mineral resources as safely as possible? An increasing number of scientists all over the world are addressing this complex economic, ecological and political issue.
One of these scientists is Louwrens Hacquebord, Professor of Arctic and Antarctic Studies at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and Director of the Arctic Centre at the University since 2002. He has spent years studying the interaction between man and nature (in the polar regions in particular) and more and more companies, organisations and government agencies are referring to his findings as a valuable source of information when formulating their strategy. Hacquebord received a royal honour for his contribution to the field in 2011.
In our genes “It’s in our genes!” This is how Hacquebord (1947) explains the everincreasing exploitation of natural re sources. He came to this conclusion while studying the prehistoric huntergatherers that once populated the most desolate regions on earth. “The compulsion to secure natural resources has always been there. First the resources were animals, then they were coal, and now oil and gas are our prey. And the prehistoric hunter-gatherers were equally disinclined to consider the
Professor Haquebord’s Nova Zembla base camp
environmental consequences of their lifestyle. Large concentrations of bones found in the United Kingdom suggest that they drove whole herds off the edge of an abyss so the animals fell to their deaths. The people only ate a few of those animals and left the rest of the carcasses to rot. And other studies show that it is simply not true that primitive people lived in harmony with their environment.”
The race for Arctic oil and gas The ecosystem of the Arctic is being increasingly affected by human activities. Climate change, which is now being proved to be a man-made phenomenon, is putting pressure on the existing ha bitats. The melting of the sea ice in the polar region is widening the distance between feeding and breeding grounds so more and more species are struggling to survive.
Research at “Het Behouden Huys”
“I have been working in the polar region for thirty years and have watched the landscape emerging from beneath the ice. One of the last real wildernesses on earth is essentially disappearing.” The melting of the sea ice is also creating new areas of ocean. And areas of ocean are governed by international treaties. “Countries can claim an area of sea under the United Nations Convention Law Of The Sea (UNCLOS). The drifting of continental tectonic plates can mean that countries can suddenly claim sea territory in areas that were once ice. This is a very interesting prospect for the countries in question if there is a good chance that they will find oil or gas in that area.”
territorial waters of these countries. Far less is known about the central Arctic Ocean, yet many countries want to negotiate an advance on the premise that future oil and gas reserves will be found in this area too. And the race is being fuelled by the fact that regions of sea can be claimed under UNCLOS.
And in the Arctic this is highly likely to be the case. A report published by the US Geological Survey in 2002 showed that 13% of the world’s undiscovered oil reserves and 30% of its undiscovered gas reserves lie in the Arctic coastal plains of Alaska and Canada (near the estuary of the MacKenzie River), Northeast Greenland and the Barents Sea. Most of the areas in question fall within the
Exploration and exploitation could be highly detrimental to the fragile ecosystem of the Arctic. Yet, according to Hacquebord, with our genetic inheri tance compelling us to clamour for more, protests are likely to fall on deaf ears.
“Seal For Life is a good initiative.”
“It might be possible to protest in democratically governed countries, such as Canada and the United States,
but it will be more difficult in Russia. Personally, I believe the solution lies in technology: if we are going to explore for reserves in this region, let’s make sure we do it as carefully and sustainably as possible. As far as I am concerned, we should be conducting a very different debate about the need for fossil fuels. Do we really need the oil and gas in the Arctic region? If the consensus is that we do, we must be very careful how we go about it.”
There is no such thing as sustainable The Professor maintains an intense gaze as he points out that, when it comes to extracting mineral resources, there is no such thing as sustainable. “It is never sustainable. We drill into a reserve and we drain it. Obviously, that can never be sustainable.” However, Hacquebord has observed a change in the nature of debate regarding the exploi tation of natural resources. These days the endeavour is to do it as sus tainably as possible.
15
Summer 2013
I believe pipelines are the best way of transporting oil and gas. If you get it right, once they have been constructed you no longer have to worry about it.” The unique properties of Stopaq are especially valuable when operating in a region with low temperatures and permafrost.
The Neumayer Station “Twenty years ago protecting the environment generally meant creating nature reserves, which tended to separate the natural environment from our immediate living environment.
Nowadays there is far more emphasis on our attitude to life and the best way to care for the earth as a system. At the same time we are also realistic in that we accept the fact that it is our nature
to always want more. As well as the risks involved in producing oil and gas, transporting fossil fuels is also a highrisk operation. So a product such as Stopaq can make a huge contribution.
Managing Environmental Impact In order to calculate the impact on the environment, and to make improvements to air emissions, the amount of pollutants in the air needs to be measured. To this end, in 2006 Saipem developed an Emission Estimation Metho dology that des cribes how the Saipem Group eva luates atmospheric emissions produced by its activities. Saipem’s methodology is aligned with the most important International Standards for the calculation of air emissions, namely, the EMEP/EEA (European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme and European Environment Agency) Air Pollutant Emission Inven tory Guidebook (2009), and the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (2006), issued by the United Nations Environmental Programme.
The Saipem Emissions Estimation Methodology Manual provides a complete, consistent and transparent method to estimate the quantity of specific pollutants emitted into the air. The methodological approach used is obtained by combining information regarding the extent
to which a human activity takes place (‘Activity Data’) with the coefficients that quantify the emissions per unit of activity ( ‘Emission Factors’ - EF). In Saipem’s activities, fuel consumption and purchased electricity generally constitute the Activity Data whereas, generally speaking, Emission Factors are dependent on the characteristics of the fuel used and on the emission source in which the fuel is consumed. Emission Factors for each source and fuel are provided in the C orporate Cri te ria (excluded purchased electricity). The correct selection of the EF for the appropriate e mission source and fuel is critical for the achievement of accurate
“Enhance environmental awareness.” and reliable results. Obviously, the re liability of the emission data depends on the consistency and accuracy of the energy consumption data reported to Corporate on a quarterly basis by sites and projects. In 2011 the manual was revised and received certification from Bureau Veritas, a third-party company that provides conformity
“When you drill in a region such as this, it puts tremendous pressure on all of the materials you use. The equipment on the drilling platforms and the foundations of the platforms and pipelines have to be far more resilient to withstand the low temperatures. Besides, the ground is not actually frozen all year round. Permafrost has an active top layer that partially thaws in the summer and then freezes again in the winter. These fluctuations in temperature and the flexible substrate can cause pipelines to bend and crack, with all of the attendant consequences. Stopaq is flexible and self-repairing and can protect platform foundations and pipelines from the
assessment and certification services. Saipem thus attained an improvement in the accuracy and reliability of the emission estimations communicated to its stakeholders. During its activities, Saipem consumes more than 400 ktoe (kilotonnes of oil equivalent) of energy, which contributes to the emission of about 1 million tonnes of equivalent CO2 into the atmosphere. Saipem is concerned about this and is committed to the reduction of its carbon footprint by increasing personnel awareness and using the best available techniques during its activities. This certification can be considered a launching pad from which Saipem Operating Companies can implement an Energy Management System in the near future. An important target for 2011 was to enhance the level of Saipem’s environmentalawareness through the development and implemen tation of proactive environmental initiatives. To this end, Saipem continued to promote the Environmental Awareness Campaign launched in 2010. Based on posters, Powerpoint presentations and guidelines for implementation (made available in Italian, English, Azeri, F rench, K azakh, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tamil, Bahasa and Arabic), the campaign, launched in conjunction with World Environmental Day (WED) on June 5, addressed some of the potential environmental impacts associated with Saipem’s operations. It targeted all Saipem personnel to promote and influence environmentally responsible behaviour and, once launched, was monitored by Saipem to gauge effectiveness. The topic of the
effects of the frost. I genuinely believe that the company will have tremendous opportunities in this region.” The growing role of Stopaq in the Arctic is in keeping with a well established Dutch tradition. To illustrate the point, Hacquebord refers to the 17th century and the golden era of the Dutch East India Company. “Back then the Dutch were trying to find faster sailing routes to our colonies. We produced some of the most important early maps of the polar regions. The Dutch also discovered the whales, which were an important source of oil for our predecessors. We are talking about 200 years of experience.” The inherent urge to explore and exploit led to new and better maps of these re gions but it was also responsible for the near-extermination of the whale population in these regions. Innovative technical so lutions such as Stopaq are consistent with our heritage as innovators and can help to prevent further degradation of the region.
2011 campaign was ‘Water saving and reuse’, which included waste- water, where applicable. The core message linked with this theme was that, with very small cost-free efforts in changing our lifestyles, each one of us can make a difference. The most significant initiatives were promoted worldwide in a variety of ways with the aim of a chieving a comprehensive improvement in Saipem’s environmental performance. In 2011 Saipem sa, the Engineering & Construction Business Unit (E&C BU) and Integrated Projects (PRIN) obtained ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certification. On March 11, 2011, Bureau Veritas concluded a complementary ISO 14001 - OHSAS 18001 combined certification audit of Saipem sa based on activities in the Paris head office and onshore at the Ammonia Oman Fertilizer Project in Arzew, Algeria. Det Norske Veritas is the same body that certified the former Onshore BU in 2009 and again in 2010. In December 2011, however, the challenge was even more significant, since it involved not only renewal but also b roadening of the scope of the certification to include the new E&C BU and PRIN. Saipem is aware of the value of this acknowledgement. Firstly, it is an internationally recognized achievement that proves to stakeholders that Saipem has a solid, high-level HSE management system. Secondly, it can provide a competitive edge over other contractors in the Oil & Gas industry. And finally, it convinces the authorities in the countries where we operate of the level of care and commitment S aipem pursues in its operations.
Natural Gas in the Netherlands: White Gold In 1959 NAM sank an e xploratory gas well near the village of Slochteren in the northern pro vince of Groningen. The success of this ex plo ratory drilling operation turned the Netherlands into a prominent sup plier of natural gas.
The natural gas field that NAM had discovered turned out to be one of the largest in the world: it covered an area of approximately 900 km² and its original producible gas reserves were estimated at 2,700 billion m³. A large share of the revenues generated by the sale of the gas is paid to the state. In the 1990s this led to the creation of Energy Valley, a network organisation that seeks to cluster energy- related businesses, knowledge centers and organisations and market their knowledge and competence. Energy transition is an important t heme in this
endeavour and has resulted in a Chair in Energy Transition at the University of Groningen. Stopaq is situated on top of this enormous field of natural gas. Yet there was actually a far earlier chapter in the region’s energy history. Beneath the massive layers of clay in the northeast of the Netherlands there were extensive areas of peat soil: a soil formed by organic sediment that, when dried, served as a very efficient fuel. In the 19th and early 20th centuries these extensive areas of peatland were excavated and straight channels were dug as inland waterways. This arduous work was performed by thousands upon thousands of peat labourers who undoubtedly contributed to the character of the region, which is said to be down-to-earth and to have both feet on the ground. The Groningen gas field went on to contribute to the prosperity of the Netherlands and has increasingly come to be regarded as the energy region of Europe.
16
Summer 2013
Solving Corroding X-knot and Condensating Pipeline
Australia In December 2012, Anti Corrosion Technology Pty Ltd (STOPAQ B.V.’s Australian Partner) was successful in specifying STOPAQ corrosion protective system with Australia’s largest independent oil & gas company and one of the world’s leading producers of liquefied natural gas. The objective was to repair a damaged jacket leg on a major LNG platform in offshore Western Australia – where severe corrosion activity was evident on the steel substrate due to existing coating failure. After weighing up all the advantages of STOPAQ in comparison to conventional coating systems – such as minimal surface preparation, safe and easy scope of work and application for the contractor, proven long–term performance as a corrosion protection system, etc. – it was obvious that the only solution was STOPAQ’s anti– corrosion system. The STOPAQ system, which was effectively applied to the damaged X–knot section by rope access, consisted of CZH Paste, CZH Wrappingband, Intermediate PVC and Outerglass Shield XT. The success of this project indeed sparked great client confidence to utilize STOPAQ for many other of their offshore (and onshore) applications.
Mexico Pemex and the Mexican Ministry of Communications and Transport awarded Stopaq a project to protect pipelines at Paso del Toro in Boca del Rio, State of Veracruz. Rehabilitation was required due to the failure of the existing coal tar coating on the 30” and 20” LP gas and oil transport pipelines. Located in a hot and humid environment, the surface temperature was 12-17 º Celsius so air temperatures between 27-29 º Celsius left condensation on the lines. Without shutting down the pipe, the Stopaq coating system was successfully applied, consisting of Stopaq Wrappingband CL, intermediate PVC (yellow) and outerwrap PVC.
17
Summer 2013
Marketing Activities Seal For Life Industries LET’S REDEFINE PERFORMANCE
Seal For Life Industries is in the process of introducing a new house style to accompany its new cor porate entity. At the heart of this new style is the “com bined colours” of the SFL group members: Anodeflex, Covalence, Polyken, Powercrete and Stopaq.
Sponsored activities Shell Eco Marathon Europe, Rotterdam
the rehab pipeline sisters
In the coming days and months, Seal For Life will preview several new themes across different marketing chan nels. Underlying each theme will be a philosophy to treat B to B com munications almost as if it were B to C communications. The corrosion preven tion powers of the SFL brands and the possible synergies of the combinations of our family members will feature prominently. Seal For Life has much to speak about and we look forward to sharing our new story with you.
Seal for Life lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam ultrices, nulla id venenatis scelerisque, velit leo bibendum libero, sit amet tempor dolor dolor purus.
lifeguards Let’s extend pipeline lifetime
DISCOVER THE WIDE RANGE OF SEAL FOR LIFE TECHNOLOGIES FOR A SUSTAINABLE WORLD Introducing the Seal for Life Industries – the strongest product line in the market combining high tech corrosion prevention, sealing and insulation solutions. Solutions with direct, easy, cost and time-saving applications to protect the integrity of critical infrastructure assets. Seal for Life unites us and runs through all we do – One family, One goal, One Mission – to engineer the best performance based infrastructure solutions on the planet. With a worldwide presence, whatever and wherever the project, we can provide the safest and most energy efficient solution to meet your needs. Seal for Life is our commitment – both to you and to a sustainable world for us all.
Seal For Life Office: Gasselterstraat 20, 9503 JB, Stadskanaal, The Netherlands Manufacturing sites: Houston - USA, Tijuana - Mexico, Westerlo - Belgium, Baroda - India, Stadskanaal - Netherlands, Dammam - Saudi Arabia
Seal For Life Office: Gasselterstraat 20, 9503 JB, Stadskanaal, The Netherlands
Manufacturing sites: Houston - USA, Tijuana - Mexico, Westerlo - Belgium, Baroda - India, Stadskanaal - Netherlands, Dammam - Saudi Arabia Seal For Life Office: Gasselterstraat 20, 9503 JB, Stadskanaal, The Netherlands Manufacturing sites: Houston - USA, Tijuana - Mexico, Westerlo - Belgium, Baroda - India, Stadskanaal - Netherlands, Dammam - Saudi Arabia
WE130006_ADV_Adverentie IPCM 2013_230_FC.indd 1
03-01-13 14:43
Albania US$2; Australia A$6.50 (inc GST); Bulgaria BGL5.90; Canada C$4.95 (Toronto C$4.75); Croatia KN24; Cyprus E3.00 C£1.76; Czech Rep. CK91; Denmark DK28; Estonia K30: Gibraltar G£0,80; Hungary F650; Kenya KSH185; Latvia LVL 2.75; Malta E2.70; Morocco D25; Norway NK35; Poland Zl12.00; Romania E3.40; Russia US$2.75; Slovakia E3.00/Sk90.38; Sweden SK35; Switzerland SF6.20; Thailand B190; Turkey YTL 5.00; Ukraine US$3.50; USA US$3.75
Prof. L. Hacquebord Exploitation of natural resources
14
Paul Peigneur ‘Hard is not always 2 tough enough’
seal for life the stopaq story
the stopaq story
Quarterly edition Winter 2012/2013
Family
STOPAQ B.V. Gasselterstraat 20 9503 JB Stadskanaal P.O. Box 285 9500 AG Stadskanaal The Netherlands t +31 (0)599 69 61 70 f +31 (0)599 69 61 77 e info@stopaq.com i www.stopaq.com
STOPAQ Middle East P.O. Box 31800 Al-Khobar 31952 Saudi Arabia +966 3 858 0509 f +966 3 859 1563 e info@stopaqme.com i www.stopaq.com t
STOPAQ Mexico Blvd Eulalio Gutierrez #880 Col. Ampliacion Magisterio CP 25294 Saltillo, Coahuila Mexico t 844 431 33 25 f 844 431 23 94 i www.stopaqlatinoamerica.com
SEAL FOR LIFE
Edition
sealforlife
Let’s Re-define Performance Consumers, companies, governmental bodies and other organizations are becoming much more critical about the way we treat our world. Questions are being posed about how we will pass on the world to the next generation, to our children and grandchildren. Business is re-evaluating how it defines performance.
fRiTS doddEmA:
e... this at hom
Within society, whether we speak of consumers, business persons, banks and
of the number of its clients in Spain. These are just two examples.
“One world,
One mission”
Water and gas impermeable Long-term protection, does not age
Wall inlets below groundwater level
■
Seals running water leaks
■
Wall penetrations inside buildings
■
Multi-pipe & cable inlets
Why stopaq?
■ ■
■
Such results have attracted the attention of and are now inspiring even big multinationals. Unilever, for instance,
successful. So for us, it’s an accelerator of our business. (...) We see it as one billion people getting access to nutrition and higher standards of living. We define it as having our overall use of materials or making all of our agriculturally-based
materials agriculturally sustainable. (...) it’s an integrated business model. And that, we think, is very powerful. Nobody has ever really made that public commitment, and nobody has ever really achieved it.” [Harvard Business Review, 17 May 2012] Polman has made sustainability a centerpiece of Unilever’s business strategy. And Unilever went from using 10% to using 24% sustainable raw materials within a year, with no negative effects on profitability. continued on pg. 2
Berry Plastics Acquires STOPAQ one stop shop for offshore corrosion prevention & thermal insulation
Adheres to wet and dry surfaces Fast & easy to apply
has announced a goal of achieving a co2
Tell us abouT
Water?
■
pg. 15
Youtube Channel Seal For Life Industries has its own YouTube channel. For the latest developments and applications, visit Youtube.com/stopaqnl
financers, energy suppliers or other global an ipad!neutral operation by 2020. Far from & wininterest yourgoals, CEO Paul industrial players, commercial foregoing its commercial ry producT around and says rusT in product integrity and sustainability in Polman the following: revoluTiona and purposes. wiTh This many is on the rise. In 2011, the growth ofTo sTop waTer have used for your experience organic can beproducts in supermarkets you will rose “We think that businesses that are blockr everywhere by ns. 30%, and this despite the economic socially responsible and actually make a find ouT– -and will consTrucTio slowdown. The Triodosbank, winner of contribution to society in a positive sense, can see and serious as you the Sustainable banking award, reported those that make sustainability a part of for hobby in blockr. house, 51% profit growth in 2011 and a doubling their overall business model, will be very find a friend you will
do try
no mercy SEALTAQ Sealant Solutions Sealing compound
■
New Style & House Style
Seal For Life Industries
Unconsciously, every person has a drive to survive and indeed to surpass the living standards of previous generations. A determination to live in good conditions, to do good things, and to leave the world a better place than we found it is no longer a fringe philosophy but now is mainstream. This philosophy is also increasingly reflected at the corporate level. Companies today seek to create sustainable growth and to produce good profit numbers and larger market share through embracing sustainable values as a long term business strategy.
Berry Plastics announced that it has completed the acquisition of all the shares of Frans Nooren Beheer B.V. The purchase comprises the Frans Nooren Beheer Companies, notably STOPAQ B.V. and its operating companies.
Group is a part of Berry Plastic’s Engineered Materials Division and for more than 50 years has been an industry leader in protecting oil, gas, water, wastewater and insulated pipelines around the world. STOPAQ’s® line of visco-elastic coatings will be added to Berry’s existing corrosion protection brands which include Polyken® Pipeline Tape Coatings, Covalence Heat Shrinkable Products, AnodeFlex Long-Line Linear Anode for CP, and Powercrete® Liquid Epoxy Coatings.
GREAT EVENTS NACE Regional, 7-9 November 2012, San Francisco, Ca Adipec 11-14 November 2012, Abu Dhabi, UAE OSEA 27-30 November 2012, Singapore NACE Nuclear Power Plant Coating Symposium 15-16 January 2013, Orlando Infratech 15-18 January 2013, The Netherlands ASME India Oil & Gas Pipeline Conference January 31 -February 2 2013, Jaipur, India Northern Area Western Conference 11-14 February 2013, Victoria, USA Ami Pipeline Coating 18-20 February 2013, Vienna, Austria Global Pipeline Inspection & Integrity FORUM April 25 -26 2013, London, UK
STOPAQ® is the inventor and manufacturer of patented visco-elastic technologies for use in corrosion prevention, sealing and insulation applications ranging from pipelines “The combination of STOPAQ® with Your homeexisting sealed for life to subsea piles to rail and cable joints. Berry’s corrosion protection Headquartered in Stadskanaal, The group will allow for solutions unrivalled Netherlands, STOPAQ® operates a by competitors in the market space,” state-of-the-art manufacturing plant, said Tom Salmon, President of Berry’s Materials Division. complete with R&D facilities, an Engineered anti-corrosion Technology Park, and “STOPAQ® has invested to create with the employees of STOPAQ® as we coax and Centre high/medium volTage cable connecTions - simple andstaffed quick - non chemical, of Excellence training and modern production facilities, with integrate our twoharmless companies.” To human and environmenT - no expire daTe - seal pvc and polyeThylene piping - immediaTe and exhibition facilities. skilled employees who work as a team permanenT sTick and seal - never disbondsto- coaTable wiTh 1 that componenT plug waTerleaks aT ®’s current produce products are globallypainT J. -Frits Doddema, STOPAQ concreTe, Berry masonry, brick walls Protection - anTi-corrosion seal and fix broken glass - seal seal the role of desired. -We look forward to working Plastics’ Corrosion CEO, will chimneys immediately -assume
elecTrical cable box - seal seams of wood
Pipetech 10-13 June 2013,Barcelona, Spain Risk Management of Corrodible Systems 18-20 June 2013, Washington, USA MIOGE 2013, 12th international Oil & Gas Convention, Moskou, Russia 25-28 June 2013, Washington, USA
Executive Vice President and General Manager for Berry’s global Corrosion Protection Group. continued on pg. 7
Department of Defense Corrosion Conference 15-20 September 2013, Honolulu, Hawaii OMC Ravenna 20-22 March 2013, Italy
? for blockr
No idealism We at Seal For Life Industries will never become purists or idealists. We are and will always be realists, with feet firmly planted on terra firma. However, our solutions are important to the world. We can help transport the world’s energy commodities safely over land and sea. We can help provide safe infrastructure in urban and pristine rural areas.. We can help turn the tide when it comes to raising dikes and dams. We can be of great value with our products in the aviation industry. We have the solutions in the field of traditional anti-fouling. And there are endless opportunities for applications of our products in and around the home. It is precisely this coverage and the synergies between our products, and the combination of our technologies, which makes us an undeniable player in all these markets. At Seal For Life, we are a partner with a realistic view of people, planet and profit.
you found
commenT give your
and To blockr .com experienceipad! an send your erryplasTics will win ponders boyle: Tomboyle@b To Tom 31-12–2012 before experience send your will be answered all senders
SEALANT SOLUTIONS
WE120871_LFL_Sealtaq Leaflet_100_FC.indd 1
tion resvable” applica original 5 mosT r “unbelie noTe. The anothe in a shorT
11-01-13 11:03
Subsea Application in Trieste, Italy Client: SIOT Location: Trieste, Italy Object: Jetty Piles Object dimensions: Piles 1000mm diameter Existing coating: Epoxy/Impressed Current Reason: Severe corrosion due to failure of existing coating Applied system Subsea: Stopaq Subsea Compound/PVC yellow/OGS XT24 Applied system dry area: Stopaq CZH/PVC Surface preparation: High pressure waterjetting, 400 bar
In February 2012 Stopaq assisted the SIOT/Lo Perfido project in Trieste. Stopaq was asked to assist with two piles which were previously coated, pre-installation, with an undefined epoxy coating still demonstrating good adhesion in dry areas above the water line. The splash zone area, however had been maintained over the years with various epoxy coatings and the piles suffered from severe corrosion in some areas. The impressed current had caused premature failure right after application (within 1 to 6 weeks) on the piles, and additional failures due to salt entrapment and cracking of the existing
protection system developed over a service period of 2 to 5 years. Properties The Stopaq corrosion prevention mate rials are fully flexible and do not require tensioned application. The materials
do not harden or cure and keep their unique characteristics throughout the lifetime of the object. The materials are impermeable to water and oxygen, two ingredients that cause corrosion, and adhere to any surface, including steel, concrete, PVC and existing coatings.
Smit Subsea Divers trained by Stopaq Instructor Bas Huizing. All men got certified after an extensive dry and underwater training at the Dubai Subsea Diving Centre. The divers are about to repair subsea oil pipelines from construction defects against the risks of corrosion.
18
Summer 2013
What to look for in a In the world of the big brands, the struggle between innovation and those that would copy goes on. Seldom does a day pass that the press does not report on disputes between innovators and those that allegedly copy to compete. We are
No cathodic disbondment
Does not disbond from blasted or re-rusted steel in a few minutes at ambient temperatures
Maintains flexibility until -70°C
Real self-healing
all familiar with Apple vs. Samsung, Google vs. Microsoft, or Nokia vs. Research in Motion. A patent represents an exclusive right granted by a State to an inventor. In exchange for making public the invention (and solving a problem or making a contribution to society’s technological progress), the exclusive right allows the patentee, for a limited period, to prevent others from making, using, selling, or
Advantages of BASF’s Oppanol®
distributing the invention without permission.
A unique set of properties in a single product:
We are proud to manufacture unique and protected anti-corrosion (visco-elastic) solutions. So our motto is: do it right, do it once!
• High adhesive strength • Adheres to most substrates, e.g., pp, pe, fbe, and gre • Does not cathodically disband • Extremely low permeability • No internal stress • Long-term stability
Do It Right, Do It Once! • Developing and producing non-toxic anti-corrosion and sealing products • Fast and easy to apply systems • Healthy & safe solutions • Non-polluting and no chemical waste • Protecting the environment, both sea and land • Providing a better working environment • Providing logistical advantages • Offering guaranteed solutions • Being the best at what we do • A reliable and trusted source • Continuous improvement of compositions
Let’s get • n ≈ 18 – 72.000 • Covalent bonds only • No sensitive chemical groups • Just Carbon and Hydrogen • No possibility to crosslink the polymer chain Chemical Properties & Appeareance
Immediate Cold-Applied Adhesion
“Conventional” coatings
H2 0
SEALANT: Oppanol 80g/m2
VES Speciality paper
Water vapour barrier
Testing of Resistance to Cathodic Disbondment - Self-healing
19
Summer 2013
Visco Elastic Coating Fluid properties may be sprayed
Highly chemical resistant
Approved by renowned companies
High impermeability to water and oxygen
Fully amorphous material, can be painted
Maintains fluid phase
Dripping point beyond 130°C
Will not spark at 35 kV
Cohesive fracture leaving compound in place on surface by pulling the netting out of the band
Injectable
Can be applied underwater
No discoloration after water soak immersion test
technical: Silicon Rubber
20000
A rusted bolt is pushed into the bottom of a container filled with Stopaq material. Pressure forces Stopaq to flow underneath the entrapped air and cover the metal surface. Once covered with Stopaq it will not be replaced by air again.
PUR 5500
Oppanol B150
520
Oppanol B100
110
Oppanol B80
110
Oppanol B15N
Oppanol B10N 1
10
Finally the entrapped air will detach from the metal surface and will move into the Stopaq material. The coverage is accelerated with temperature and the metal surface is fully covered in the course of time.
45
220 100
1000
10000
100000
Permeability [g.1Âľm/m2/d] Test Results
The Fate of Entrapped Air
St 2-3 Manual cleaning Powertool cleaning - Free from loose parts - Free from biological growth - Free from oil & Grease Above water line, degrease with Isopropanol - Free of foreign matter
Immediate adhesion to PP, Neoprene, alu , PE, ST2/3 prepared steel, wood
Surface Preparation
20
Summer 2013
unmatched toughness Even at the extremes
You know our strength as an ARO to protect FBE. Did you know that Powercrete is also engineered for mainline coatings, girthwelds, bends and specials, and offshore? Proven toughness, broad temperature ranges, quick to cure - we have the performance to Seal For Life!
E! R A C O T DARE
Made in the U.S.A.
SEALFORLIFE.COM
• Extreme durability • Highest quality raw materials • Fastest dry • Easy consistent application • Superior adhesion • Excellent cathodic disbondment resistance • No pinholes