BREDERO PIPELINE SERVICES LIMITED

BNCL

CLIENT:
PROJECT:

SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD

TBA
QUALITY PROCEDURE
THREE LAYER COATING COATING APPLICATION

Clause
1
1.1
2

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QP072
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Description
SCOPE
This document describes the procedure to be followed during the application of three
layer polyethylene coating. Adherence to this procedure by the relevant personnel is
mandatory.
REFERENCES

2.1

DEP 31.40.30.31-GEN February 2011

2.2

ISO 21809-1 : 2009

RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1

Project Manager is responsible for the provision of personnel, equipment and resources
necessary for the full and correct execution of this procedure.

3.2

Yard Superintendent is responsible for ensuring that all personnel observe the
requirements of this procedure. This responsibility is normally delegated to the
Production Supervisors under his immediate charge.

3.3

Quality Manager is responsible for ensuring that the quality requirements of this
procedure are met at all times. This responsibility is normally delegated to the QC
Inspectors under his charge. Quality Manager is also responsible for raising nonconformance reports (NCRs) where discrepancies are noted and for ensuring that any
identified corrective actions arising from such NCRs are carried out fully and completely.

3.4

Materials Controller is responsible for the call-off, storage and issue of raw materials
required during execution of the project, and for the establishment and maintenance of a
materials control system such that raw materials usage is accurately recorded and any
necessary stock rotation requirements are met.

4
4.1

4.1.1

4.2

4.2.1

Revision

PROCESS DESCRIPTION
HEATING
Pipes progress along the helical coating conveyor through induction heating coil. This
coil raises the temperature of the steel to a degree sufficient to permit the application of
FBE powder primer.
FBE PRIMER APPLICATION
Fusion bonded epoxy (FBE) powder is sprayed onto the hot pipe surface by means of a
set of electrostatic spray guns located within a purpose designed spray booth. The
powder is transferred from a fluidising bed and towards the spray gun by air passing
through an ejector venturi. As the powder passes through the gun, it is given an
electrostatic charge. Since the pipe is earthed through the conveyor, the charged powder
is attracted to the pipe, thus reducing overspray and waste.

Number in Revision column denotes change over previous issue using current revision number

BREDERO PIPELINE SERVICES LIMITED

BNCL

CLIENT:
PROJECT:

SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD

TBA
QUALITY PROCEDURE
THREE LAYER COATING COATING APPLICATION

Doc. Ref.:
Revision:
Rev. Date:
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QP072
00
th
12 April 13
2 of 4

Clause

Description

4.2.2

Over sprayed powder is reclaimed from the booth by means of a vacuum recovery
system. It is passed through a rotary valve where it is mixed with fresh powder in a fixed
proportion governed by the setting of the valve. The mixed powder then passes through
a vibrating sieve to exclude oversized particles, followed by a set of magnets to remove
any metallic contamination, before being fed into the fluidising bed.

4.2.3

The nature of the vacuum recovery process means that some powder will accumulate in
the booth and on the extraction system filters. This will be removed at the end of each
shift, bagged and safely disposed of in an approved manner. Such powder may not be
reintroduced into the coating system.

4.2.4

All air used in the FBE system is chilled, dried and oil free to prevent contamination or
premature curing of the material.

4.3

COPOLYMER ADHESIVE APPLICATION

4.3.1

Adhesive is applied to the FBE coated pipe by a side extrusion process. An automated
vacuum transfer system moves adhesive pellets from an open storage hopper to a feed
hopper above the extruder. Reclaimed material is not used in this process.

4.3.2

As the extruder runs, the screw draws adhesive pellets into the barrel from the hopper
above. The barrel of the extruder is divided into independent zones, controlled such that
the heat profile along the barrel is sufficient to melt the material for extrusion without
overheating. The processed material is extruded from a flat die in a continuous sheet,
which is wrapped around the FBE coated pipe as it moves along the helical conveyor.

4.3.3

The timing of adhesive application is critical, in that it must be applied before the FBE
primer has gelled. During plant setup, heat input levels and conveyor speeds are
adjusted to ensure that adhesive is applied within this time limit, and the process is
monitored continuously during production.

4.4

4.4.1

4.5

4.5.1

Revision

POLYETHYLENE TOPCOAT APPLICATION

The polyethylene topcoat is applied by a side extrusion process controlled in a similar
manner to that of the copolymer adhesive. The output of the topcoat extruder is adjusted
to give the specified finished coating thickness, and the position of the die adjusted to
ensure that the topcoat is applied on top of the adhesive and not directly to the FBE
primer.
COOLING
After sinter application, the conveyor takes the pipes through the cooling system. This
consists of a series of water spray nozzles arranged along a covered section of the
conveyor such that cooling water is flooded over the outside of the pipe as it passes
along. This reduces the temperature of the pipes such that it is safe to handle and the
coating is sufficiently solid that it will not be damaged. The cooling water is continually recirculated and is itself cooled in evaporators located outside the plant building.

Number in Revision column denotes change over previous issue using current revision number

BREDERO PIPELINE SERVICES LIMITED

BNCL

CLIENT:
PROJECT:

SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD

TBA
QUALITY PROCEDURE
THREE LAYER COATING COATING APPLICATION

Doc. Ref.:
Revision:
Rev. Date:
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QP072
00
th
12 April 13
3 of 4

Clause

Description

4.5.2

After exiting the cooling system, pipes are kicked off the conveyor and onto the final
inspection station.

5
5.1

Revision

QUALITY REQUIREMENTS
COATING CUTBACK
Where tape is used to mask off the cutback, monitor correct tape application throughout
production and record once per hour. Note that tape is not necessarily used for this
purpose and in such case this requirement will not be applicable.
Acceptance Criteria: Coating cutback 150 +/- 20mm

5.2

PIPE TEMPERATURE
Monitor throughout production with infrared pyrometer between the induction coil and the
start of the FBE booth. Record once per hour at the lead, midpoint and trail of a single
pipe.
Acceptance Criteria: Temperatures within the range 200 to 250 deg. C

5.3

LINESPEED
Monitor throughout production and record once per hour.
Acceptance Criteria: Line-speed must not result in the FBE curing before application of
adhesive, and must permit even application of adhesive and topcoat with no gaps
between successive wraps.

5.4

FBE APPLICATION
Monitor throughout production.
Acceptance Criteria: Full coverage. Thickness of coating and degree of cure will be
determined and recorded as detailed in procedure QP074.

5.5

COPOLYMER ADHESIVE APPLICATION

Monitor application throughout production. Temperature of extruded film to be measured
using infrared pyrometer. Copolymer adhesive must be applied before the FBE film has
cured.
Acceptance Criteria: Even coverage with no breaks in extruded film. Application made
before cure of FBE primer. Record extruded sheet temperature once per hour.

Number in Revision column denotes change over previous issue using current revision number

BREDERO PIPELINE SERVICES LIMITED

BNCL

CLIENT:
PROJECT:

SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD

TBA
QUALITY PROCEDURE
THREE LAYER COATING COATING APPLICATION

Clause
5.6

Doc. Ref.:
Revision:
Rev. Date:
Page #

QP072
00
th
12 April 13
4 of 4

Description

Revision

POLYETHYLENE TOPCOAT APPLICATION

Monitor application throughout production. Temperature of extruded film to be measured

using infrared pyrometer. Topcoat sheet must be wrapped over adhesive sheet and not
on the FBE primer itself.
Acceptance Criteria: Even coverage with no breaks in extruded film. No application of
topcoat directly onto FBE layer. Record extruded sheet temperature once per hour.
5.7

CONDITION OF FBE APPLICATION BOOTH

Application booth will be checked at the start of each shift to ensure it has been properly
cleaned.

5.8

MATERIAL BATCH NUMBERS

Batch numbers in use for FBE, adhesive and topcoat will be recorded. When any batch
is changed, the time of change will be noted and cross referenced to the production
sequence number of the pipe being coated at the time of change.

DOCUMENTATION
The following documents will be completed as required:

6.1

QF008 PE Daily Audit Round Report

6.2

RF002 Nonconformance Report

6.3

Extruder Operators Daily Report

Number in Revision column denotes change over previous issue using current revision number