Improving Performance

Using
Thermal
Spray
Coatings
for Offshore Structures
By Massimo Cornago
ENI S.p.A. / Agip Division
S. Donato Milanese, Italy

28

oatings for offshore structures must withstand the

corrosive environment of sea
water above and below the
water line and in the splash
zone. However, on-site maintenance is very costly. Scaffolding alone on offshore structures can double the cost of coatings work. Difficult working conditions add to the
expense.
Therefore, protective coatings for offshore platforms should have a
minimum life to first maintenance of 20 years. One way to achieve this
lifetime is with a thermal spray metal coating.
Long-life metal coatings for corrosion protection are generally selected
from materials that are anodic to the iron or steel substrate in order to
prevent interface corrosion resulting from penetration of the coatings by
water after years of exposure.
Materials most commonly used are zinc, aluminium, or their alloys in
coatings with a thickness of 100200 microns. Aluminium is very effective in salt water atmospheres and for total immersion service. Zinc provides sacrificial protection for the structure in the event of any penetration of the coating by an electrolyte. Alloys of these two materials are
increasingly used to maximise corrosion resistance for different condiPCE September 1999

Copyright 1999, Technology Publishing Company

tions and to enhance a coatings

mechanical properties. The life of
all sprayed coatings is extended
(up to 25 years) by application of
sealants.
This article presents an experience of ENI/Agip with the application of a thermal sprayed coating (TSC) on the splash zone of
an offshore structure in the
Adriatic Sea. Agip, a division of
ENI S.p.A., an Italian energy company, is engaged in the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas in various parts of the world. Following
is a description of the TSC system
used and how it was applied; a
discussion of health and safety
issues involved in the use of TSC;
ENIs performance criteria for this
project; and, finally, a brief cost
analysis.

Background
A TSC system was applied by
the ENI/Agip Division for the first
time on the splash zone of the
Regina platforms jacket. The
standard coating system for
splash zones is provided in ENI
Functional Specification 20000
VAR.PAI.FUN. Rev. 0 February
1995, which concerns protective
treatments by galvanising.
Although a splash zone is difficult to inspect in service, it was
selected for the application test
because it is subject to damage
and abrasion and because it is in
a highly corrosive environment.
Literature reports of several test
programmes were studied and
evaluated. They indicated sprayed
metal coatings were found to
have a superior life to paint systems provided that suitable surCopyright 1999, Technology Publishing Company

face preparation and application

procedures were performed.
Therefore, it was decided to
carry out a coating system application test with the intent to provide up to 25 years of corrosion
protection before first maintenance. The application was completed in 1996. Evaluation of the
coating system is still underway.
The procedure used in accordance with ENI/Agip Specifica-

lent resistance to polluted and

marine environments, excellent
abrasion resistance, and its formation of a protective oxide layer to
reduce steel corrosion. Electric arc
spray equipment was used to
achieve good application and,
therefore, to maximise the performance of the TSC.
The aluminium epoxy primer
sealer was selected because it
penetrates the pores of the metal-

Table 1: Environmental Conditions During Work Execution

Hours
Air Temperature (C)
Relative Humidity (%)
Dew Point (C)
Surface Temperature (C)
Steel Profile after Blasting (m)

Blasting
10:45
31
54
20
43
95

tion 20004 VAR.PAI.FUN. Rev. 0

May 1996, which concerns protective coating systems by metallisation, can be summarised as
follows:
surface preparation by abrasive
blasting up to Sa 3 according to
ISO 8501-1;
one coat of aluminium-magnesium alloy (95/5) applied by electric arc spray equipment (200
microns);
one coat of low-viscosity (3
poise) aluminium epoxy primer
sealer applied by airless spray (60
microns); and
one coat of two-component fluoropolymer-base enamel topcoat
applied by airless spray (30
microns).
The main reasons for selection
of the aluminium-magnesium
alloy were its light weight, excelPCE September 1999

TSA
11:20
32
52
20
43

Sealant
16:30
34
44
20
40

Topcoat
10:30
31
54
20
43

Specifications
&
Requirements

Job
Reference
Standard

Equipment
Setup &
Operation

Fail

Surface
Preparation

TSC
Application

Inspection
&
Acceptance
Tests
Pass

Acceptance
Figure 1: Overview of the TSC application method

lic film, thereby reducing the

total area of exposed metal and
consequently the rate of coating
dissolution. In addition, the
sealant smoothes the surface texture. It was selected to be chemically compatible with the aluminium-magnesium alloy TSC
and the topcoat.
The two-component fluoropolymer-base enamel topcoat was
applied for additional abrasion
resistance, a longer life, and a
decorative appearance.

Work Description
Application
Before application of the TSC,
the steel surface was blast
cleaned to Sa 3 with a dry grit
abrasive (0.251.50 mm) to
obtain a profile of 95 microns
(measured by replica tape) for
good mechanical bonding. The
surface was dry and free from
grease or any other contaminants.
The environmental conditions
were good during all working
steps (Table 1).
The electric arc spray equip-

30

ment used to apply the aluminium-magnesium alloy coating had

two consumable wire electrodes
(insulated from each other) that
automatically advanced to meet
at a point in an atomising stream
of compressed air. The result was
a continuous film with high
adhesion (95 Kg/cm2) on the
steel surface.
The aluminium epoxy primer
sealer was formulated to flow
over and be absorbed into the
natural pores of the TSC.
Laboratory analysis was performed to assure compatibility
of the sealer with the TSC and
the topcoat.
Health and Safety
Application of thermally
sprayed aluminium requires a
more experienced and qualified
contractor than for application of
conventional coatings. Moreover,
health and safety precautions
require particular care during
application. There are no specific
rules for metal spraying.
However, ENI/Agip requires that
PCE September 1999

Sealant
Application

Topcoat
Application

all suitable precautions be taken

to limit potential hazards during
all steps of metal spraying.
Particular emphasis is given to
reducing danger to personnel and
protecting the environment.
These precautions can be summarised as follows.
Dust reductionThe combination of metal particle size and
its concentration in the immediate atmosphere can be a hazard.
Aluminium spray dust is particularly dangerous, since aluminium
is potentially explosive and flammable in this form. Therefore, an
additional dust extraction system
was used. All extracted material
was disposed into sealed containers.
Protection of operatorsDark
lens glasses were used to protect
operators from ultraviolet light
from the arc metal spray process.
Respiratory protective equipment
with air filter systems was used
to protect the workers from dust.
Suitable masks and track suits
were used to protect against skin
rash from metal particles.
Complete knowledge of the
process and equipmentDuring
application, metal spray equipment is supplied with high-voltage power (380 volts). Although
it is designed and built to be
safe, potential danger arises
when it is not maintained in
good order or when the operator
is untrained in proper set-up or
handling of the equipment.
Copyright 1999, Technology Publishing Company

Gauges, and inspections were

carried out in accordance with
the following specifications:
ISO 8501-1Preparation of
Steel Substrates Before
Application of Paints and Related
ProductsVisual Assessment of
Surface CleanlinessPart 1: Rust
Grades and Preparation Grades of
Uncoated Steel Substrates and of
Steel Substrates After Overall
Removal of Previous Coatings;
ISO 8504-2Preparation of
Steel Substrates Before

Special trainingThis was

required for all people involved
in the work. It was based on a
basic level of competence in the
operation of the safety systems of
the process and more in-depth
understanding of the specific hazards of metal spray processes
(i.e., noise, high-pressure gasses
and air, ultraviolet radiation, high
voltage, high temperature, etc.).

ENI Performance Criteria

During all phases of the application work, the TSC procedures
summarised in Figure 1 were followed. The ENI performance criteria applied to the process were
as follows.
1. Personnel must be knowledgeable of safety issues and proficient in procedures for surface
preparation and masking; equipment set-up, operation and field
maintenance; application of aluminium and zinc or magnesium
thermal sprayed coatings; and inprocess quality control.
2. Equipment for blasting, thermal spraying, and sealing/topcoating must be safe, effective,
and productive.
3. The application process with
the specified equipment and thermal spray feedstock must produce the intended TSC.
The TSC was applied in accordance with the equipment manufacturers instructions. During all
the work, the equipment was
inspected to verify conformance
to specifications.
The ENI specification for the
TSC detailed the coating systems
contract performance; the schedule requirements of the contractors and subcontractors; and their
Copyright 1999, Technology Publishing Company

Electric arc spray equipment

(Photo courtesy of the author)

Table 2: Cost of Typical Offshore Paint Systems ($/m2)

Solvent-free Epoxy
1 coat (1000 m)
New Construction
Maintenance

3540
8293

responsibilities for surface preparation, thermal spraying, sealing,

and topcoating.
Also within the specification
were the acceptance/rejection criteria and the methods of measurement adopted for the inspection tests. These criteria were
applied to the TSC feedstock
material, surface preparation of
the structure, and the materials,
equipment, and methods used in
the application process.
A job reference standard for
the representative job sections
was used as a pass/fail inspection reference standard.
Dry film thickness was measured in accordance with
SSPCPA 2, Measurement of Dry
Paint Thickness with Magnetic
PCE September 1999

Epoxy/Acrylic
Urethane
4 coats (350 m)
50
110125

Glass flake
(1000 m)
66
140160

TSC Sealed
and Finish
(280 m)
110

Application of Paints and Related

ProductsSurface Preparation
MethodsPart 2: Abrasive BlastCleaning;
ISO 2808Paint and
VarnishesDetermination of Film
Thickness; and
ISO 4624Test Method for PullOff Test for Adhesion.

Cost Analysis
As with most engineering decisions, cost is a primary consideration when determining strategies
for corrosion protection. The
main objective in selecting coating systems is to minimise total
cost over the service life of the
structure.
Table 2 includes the average
costs at construction and first

31

maintenance of four different

paint systems normally used on
splash zones of offshore structures. It shows that the initial cost
of TSC is far ahead of the other
coating systems at new construction.
However, if a TSC system lasts
20 years before first maintenance,
and the other systems typically
are maintained every five or six
years, it is easy to calculate that
the total cost of TSC becomes the
most economical over the life of
the coating system.
(Two factors account for the
high cost of maintenance work.
First, the average cost of maintenance work is estimated to take
120150% more time than the
same work for new construction
because of the added difficulty in
accessing parts of the structure
once it is in place. Second, the
biggest cost in offshore maintenance work is scaffolding. For
example, it can cost as much as
$30 to scaffold 1 m2, and the typical splash zone for the eight legs
of a platform is 108 m2 each or
864 m2, which equals $25,920 in
scaffolding costs.)

Conclusions
Although the use of TSC systems for offshore structures is
well established, this project was
ENI/Agip Divisions first experience with TSC, probably because
previously used conventional
coating systems had produced
very few failures.
The system applied at the end
of 1996 is still under evaluation,
and the results of the TSC performance will be monitored for a
long time. However, the initial

32

conclusions are positive in the

following areas:
improvement of quality during
all TSC work, from the special
training programme for the workers involved to the high quality of
the equipment used;
very high adhesion value, giving enhanced corrosion protection
potential;
reduction of the time frame for
coating application due to the
shorter curing time required for
TSC; and
absence of maintenance costs
over a service life of 20 years
plus, thereby making the lifecycle cost for TSC lower than
other coatings traditionally used.

References
T. Rosbrook, Thermal Spray
Aluminium: The Alternative to
Organic Coatings, in Achieving
Cost Effectiveness in Coatings
Work, The Proceedings of the PCE
98 Conference, 13 April 1998,
The Hague (Pittsburgh, PA, USA:
Technology Publishing Co., 1998).
R.A. Sulit, Thermal Spray
Coatings for Corrosion
Protection, tutorial presented at
SSPC 98, 15-19 November 1998,
Orlando, FL, USA.
B. Fitzsimons, Thermal Spray
Metal Coatings for Corrosion
Protection, presented at UK
Eurocorr 94.
K.P. Fisher, W.H. Thomason, T.
Rosbrook, and J. Murali,
Performance of Thermal Sprayed
Aluminium Coatings in the Splash
Zone and for Riser Service, Paper
No. 499, Corrosion 94.
E.R. Sampson, Thermal Spray
Coatings for Corrosion Protection:
An Overview, Materials
PCE September 1999

Performance, December 1997.

C.S. Baxter, Thermal Spray
Inspection Methods and Training
Requirements, Materials
Performance, December 1997.
E.C. Lohrey, Metallizing Steel
Bridges in the Field, JPCL, May
1995, 3950.
M. Cornago and R. Malfanti,
The Paint & Coatings Costs for
the Corrosion Prevention in the
Construction and Maintenance
Phases: The ENI/Agip Experience, symposium on Corrosion
Control by Coatings, Cathodic
Protection, and Inhibitors in
Seawater, Dubrovnik 98.
Systems and Specifications: Steel
Structures Painting Manual,
Volume 2 (Pittsburgh, PA, USA:
Steel Structures Painting Council).
SSPC CS-Guide 23.00, Guide for
Thermal Spray Metallic Coating
Systems (Pittsburgh, PA, USA:
Steel Structures Painting Council,
1 June 1991).
Sprayed Coating for Offshore
Protection, Welding & Joining
Europe, October 1998.
Tecno Service Italiana s.r.l.,
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Regina.
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VAR.PAI.FUN. Rev. 0 February
1995.
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VAR.PAI.FUN. Rev. 0 May 1996.

Copyright 1999, Technology Publishing Company