CORROSION PROTECTION OF OFFSHORE STRUCTURES

By

Soeren Nyborg Rasmussen

HEMPEL A/S Lundtoftevej 150 2800 Kgs. Lyngby Denmark E-mail: snr@dk.hempel.com Website: www.hempel.com

ABSTRACT How to obtain high durability of offshore coating systems ? The offshore environment is highly corrosive and special stresses put additional pressure on the coating systems used for protection of the steel structures. Offshore maintenance is difficult and the cost is exorbitantly high, it is therefore very important to select quality coating systems and to ensure that they are applied correctly and under the right conditions already from new building. This paper discusses the important criteria's that needs to be fulfilled for the high performance and long lifetime of an offshore coating system. It also discusses and compares the various standards that may assist the engineer when making specifications for offshore structures. Finally the paper gives examples of coating systems used by the Oil & Gas industry who have operated offshore for decades and gives examples of some of the pitfalls related to the specification of offshore coating systems.
Keywords: Offshore, Coating systems, Corrosion protection, Surface preparation, High durability.

1. INTRODUCTION

The offshore environment is highly corrosive and special stresses put additional pressure on the coating systems used for protection of the steel structures. Offshore maintenance is difficult and the cost is exorbitantly high. It is therefore very important to select quality coating systems and to ensure that they are applied correctly and under the right conditions already from new building. This paper will discuss the important criteria's that needs to be fulfilled for the high performance and long lifetime of an offshore coating system. It will also list the various standards that may assist the engineer when making specifications for offshore structures. Finally the paper will give examples of coating systems used by the Oil & Gas industry who have operated offshore for decades and will give examples of some of the pitfalls related to the specification of offshore coating systems.

2. THE CHALLENGE Any steel structure placed offshore will be subjected to the stresses of a severely corrosive environment: Atmospheric Zone: Steel structures situated above the water in the so-called atmospheric zone are in a high corrosivity category - classified as C5-M according to ISO 12944-2. In this zone the corrosion rate of unprotected steel is typically in range of 80 - 200 m (3 - 8 mils) per year - for comparison most steel structures placed inland are situated in zones classified as C3 where the corrosion rate is only 25 - 50 m (1 - 2 mils) per year. The very high corrosion rates are caused by extended periods of wetness and high concentrations of chlorides that accelerate corrosion. Another factor that needs to be considered in the atmospheric zone is UV - light from the sun as this may have a degrading effect on some types of corrosion protection.

Splash zone: The part of the construction that is alternately above and below the water line due to tide and waves is called the splash zone, and here the corrosion stresses are even higher corrosion rates of 200 - 500 m (8 - 20 mils) per year have been measured in this area. Other factors in this area that need consideration include UV-light from the sun, but also erosion from the water, possible debris and in some places of the world even ice.

Immersion: This concerns the part of the construction that is below the water line - at lowest tide. In this zone the corrosion rate of unprotected steel is typically in range of 100 - 200 m (4 - 8 mils). Another factor that needs to be considered is fouling. A special case of immersion is related to the part of the steel structure that is situated below the seabed - typically rammed into the bottom. Corrosion rates are here typically much lower due to lower concentrations of oxygen. The above listed corrosion rates do not take into account pit corrosion, where the rate may be significantly higher.
Table 1: Offshore corrosion rates as steel thickness loss per year Area Corrosion rate (steel loss per year) Atmospheric zone (C5-M) 80 - 200 m (3 - 8 mils) Splash zone 200 - 500 m (8 - 20 mils Immersion (Im 2) 100 - 200 m (4 - 8 mils).

3. PROTECTION AGAINST THE ENVIRONMENT! The most common method used for the protection of steel in offshore environments is the use of various types of coatings and for the immersion zone, coatings combined with cathodic protection. This paper will concentrate on coatings. For proper performance of coating systems and thus durable corrosion protection for such extreme conditions, one must respect the fundamental parameters in coating selection and application that are each critical to achieve the required result. These parameters include the: - Type and condition of the substrate - Environment and possible additional stresses - Surface preparation - Quality of the coatings - Selection of the coating systems (Generic types, thickness etc.) - Application - Quality control 3.1 Substrate The substrate addressed in this paper is steel - with focus on new building and new steel. But even with new steel, there are different grades of qualities or the steel may have been stored under unfavorable conditions resulting in pit corrosion.

Too many laminations in the steel and/or too much corrosion of the new steel (grade D according to ISO 8501-1) will make the surface preparation process more difficult and not even the best coating or the highest quality of workmanship can make up for this in the later coating process. 3.2 Environment The offshore environment is, as already mentioned, one of the most corrosive natural occurring environments that can be found - this factor must be considered throughout the project both in terms of general exposure such as time of wetness/immersion, UVexposure, corrosion rates etc. but also the special stresses on the construction e.g. impact and abrasion in the splash-zone or in working areas must be taken into account. Other special stresses encountered on offshore structures may be of thermal or chemical nature - e.g. from equipments working at high temperatures or areas subject to spillage of chemicals. 3.3 Surface Preparation The surface preparation is the single most important parameter in relation to the performance of any coating system. It is the degree of cleaning (removal of rust, mill scale, oil/grease, soluble salts etc.) and the roughness (anchor pattern) as well as preparation (rounding and grinding) of sharp edges, welding seams and other imperfections in the steel work, that are critical in this phase. Paint adheres better to a clean and rough surface and will therefore also last longer.

3.4 Coatings The coatings selected for the job should be of a good quality (based on quality raw materials), and produced according to strict guidelines, ensuring a uniform high quality in each delivery. To document the quality of the coatings and the production procedures, the coating manufacturers should normally be able to present references, third party test results as well as ISO 9000 certification of production facilities. 3.5 Coating systems The Coating systems should be selected with due consideration to the environment as well as the special stresses. For the atmospheric zone, this will typically mean a zinc-rich primer followed by epoxy intermediate coats and a UV durable topcoat (e.g. Polyurethane). Minimum 320 m/13 mils dry film thickness in no less than 3 coats. The Splash-zone will often be protected with epoxy or polyester coatings - in a thickness that take into account also the special stresses - normally more than 600 m/24 mils total

dry film thickness. For optimum impact resistance zinc-rich primers are normally avoided in such areas. Finally the part that is immersed will be coated with epoxy barrier coatings in a film thickness of no less than 450 m/ 18 mils in minimum 2 coats. It is important that the epoxy coating system is compatible with the cathodic protection system used. In the immersed zone fouling will occur. On ships fouling is prevented by anti-fouling or fouling release coatings, these methods will however on static offshore structures only delay fouling and make the removal more easy. High strength epoxy coatings will not be damaged by marine fouling and when such products are used, the corrosion protection is therefore not intimidated. The coating systems must be selected in accordance with the working schedules as well as available application equipment and anticipated micro climatic conditions during the application.
Table 2: Typical coating systems used for offshore Area Coating types Coating system Atmospheric zone Zinc-rich primer, Minimum 320 m/13 mils in minimum 3 Epoxies and UV coats. durable topcoat Splash zone Epoxy or Polyester Minimum 600 m/24 mils in minimum 2 coats Immersion Epoxy Minimum 450 m/ 18 mils in minimum 2 coats

3.6 Application The application is also crucial for the process - key parameters here are application equipment (type and condition), microclimate during the application and curing of the coatings and most importantly - workmanship. It is important that the correct film thickness is applied (within the normal tolerances of a quality paint application) - not too thin as this will result in premature corrosion either because of pinholes in the film or just because of insufficient thickness, but not too thick either as this also can result in adverse effects such as solvent retention - reduced adhesion, cracking etc. Due to the variations in film thickness during the application, which cannot be avoided as long as the paint is being applied manually, then more coats will generally give better protection than only few coats in the same total film thickness. The variations in the application of each single coat are leveled out with the application of the additional coats. Stripe coating on welding seams, edges, corners and areas that are difficult to reach by the airless spray is mandatory for a later high durability of the coating system.

3.7 Quality control The final parameter and again one of the most important ones is Quality Control throughout the process. Here of course with focus on the surface preparation and coating application process - where several check points need to be confirmed to ensure the proper result. Coating inspection is a craft in itself, and a certified inspector (NACE or FROSIO) should be preferred as the foundation for professional supervision.

4. STANDARDS THAT MAY BE OF THE ASSISTANCE TO THE SPECIFIER The content of this paper only briefly touch each of the important factors in getting proper corrosion protection of offshore structures. Further guidance can of course be obtained from suppliers of materials or equipment who are experienced in this field and/or from independent sources: Such independent sources include the various standards that are available on this subject: The most important standards that apply within the field of offshore coatings are the following: - NORSOK M501-revision 5 - ISO 12944-1998 - ISO 20340-2003 In addition a number of NACE publications, recommended practices etc. are also available. 4.1 NORSOK M501-rev 5. (First version issued in 1994) Surface preparation and protective coatings. This is a Norwegian standard for the corrosion protection of offshore structures with protective coatings. The aim of the NORSOK M501 standard is to obtain optimal protection of the installations - with a later minimum need for maintenance. The standard basically deals with all of the previously listed different steps in the coating process - and list minimum requirements in each step. Including qualification requirements to painters, inspectors and the coating systems. Even though it is a national standard the NORSOK standard is today probably the most recognized standard within the field of offshore coatings. (The NORSOK standards can be downloaded free of charge from the Internet: www.standard.no - look under petroleum).

4.2 ISO 12944 (first version issued in 1998): Corrosion protection of steel structures by protective paint systems, Is the international standard in this field - it recognize that the satisfactory performance of paint coatings for protection of steel structures against corrosion is determined by - the choice and formulation of the products used in differently classified environments; and - the standard of workmanship and execution of the contract Agreement between the client and the contractor as to the specifications to be applied is essential to the satisfactory execution of the work. The standard consist of 8 parts which each deal with the same important subjects as discussed previously in the paper. ISO 12944 deal with most of the different types of environments found on land and offshore.

4.3 ISO 20340 (first edition issued in 2003): Performance requirements for protective paint systems for offshore and related structures. Is a complementary standard to ISO 12944 part 6. Due to the special conditions in the offshore environment, significantly tougher testing of the coating systems is specified in this standard. 4.4 NACE A number of NACE publications also exist on the subject of offshore coatings and presently a number of standards prescribing test methods and recommended qualification criteria are being developed for the different areas that are relevant on offshore structures. Examples are a number of Standard Test Methods: TM 0104: Offshore Platform Ballast Water Coating System Evaluation. TM 0204: Exterior Protective Coatings for Seawater Immersion service. TM 0304 Offshore Platform Atmospheric and Splash Zone Maintenance Coating System Evaluation. TM 0404 Offshore Platform Atmospheric and Splash Zone New Construction Coating System Evaluation 4.5 Qualification testing A remark must be made in relation to the standards - they all contain various qualification tests for the coating systems - one test more severe than the other. But it must be noted that there are great uncertainties in relation to testing of paint and coatings and no accelerated test standard for coatings has yet been made, that truly correlate laboratory performance to durability in real life. Therefore do not make the mistake of believing that a good test result is a proof for good performance in real life.

Define your generic coating system based on principles of generic types of primers and topcoats, of minimum number of coats and minimum total film thickness. The accelerated tests can then be used to select between equal systems designed on a sound technical basis for long lasting protection and not designed to pass a certain laboratory test. Good performance is thereafter ensured by proper surface preparation and application and professional inspection and supervision.

5. COMMON MISTAKES Inadequate surface preparation is the most frequent cause for premature coating breakdown - some studies suggest that up to 85 % of such cases can be attributed to faults at this stage. The typical errors include improper treatment of sharp edges and welding seams, inadequate removal of soluble salts and insufficient blasting (profile) etc. One recent example from a major shipyard in South East Asia involved a special thick film epoxy coating (3000 micron) that was applied on a helicopter deck of an offshore platform. In order to save cost and time the secondary surface preparation of the shopprimed steel only included mechanical cleaning of damaged areas. This is normal procedure for areas on ships not exposed to impact. However for proper performance of this type of material the secondary surface preparation must include abrasive blasting as a high (rough) profile is crucial for optimum adhesion and consequent impact resistance of this type of materials. In this case the coating started to peel off within 3 years in areas with impact - the loose paint flakes became a safety hazard in relation to the helicopter operations and the entire coating system had to be replaced. Also the application is responsible for many premature coating failures - the typical being due to insufficient film thickness applied - either due to lack of stripe coating but in some cases also on general areas. Over-application on irregular surfaces (corners, welding seams etc.) can in other cases result in cracking, but some of the worst application failures occur when the prevailing microclimatic conditions are not considered during the specification. A typical example being coating systems based on zinc-silicate primers: Such coating systems will if applied properly provide probably the best corrosion protection that can be obtained with liquid coating materials, but they also need moisture to cure!. If the relative humidity is too low, then such coatings will not cure and overcoating will surely result in blistering and delamination after few years. The relative humidity is very low in the wintertime on the new building yards in some parts of South East Asia - and also in the Middle East in the summertime especially if the steel is heated by the sun.

In many cases it is much better to choose a safer alternative to zinc-silicates - e.g. Zinc epoxy primers. If you cannot control the micro-climate 100 %, then this alternative will pay off in the long run. The choice of coating systems is also important - and mistakes here can also lead to early coating breakdown. A few years ago it became very popular to use two-coat systems for the atmospheric zone of offshore equipment in USA and Northern Europe. The two-coat systems were based on zinc rich primers and high-build UV durable topcoats - typical total film thickness was 200 microns. It was claimed that these systems performed very well in the various offshore prequalification tests and based on the test results only, these systems were accepted for use on large structures - but what was possible on small test panels in a laboratory, was not possible on complicated structures in practice and after a short time these coating systems were in need of significant maintenance! Today such two-coat systems are banned by major oil companies in Northern Europe. Finally as a representative of a paint manufacturer it must regretfully be noted that premature coating failure can also be caused by inferior product quality/lack of proper quality control measures in the paint production. An example from the North Sea with offshore wind turbines: 80 Turbines were installed off the Danish coast in 2002. The splash-zone of 75 of the turbines had been coated with a NORSOK prequalified 450 micron epoxy coating (one coating application - with two passes) from a small supplier with license production in Europe - and 5 of the turbines with a standard 2 coat splash zone coating system (not NORSOK prequalified) from our company. All the turbines had been coated at the same facility at the same time. After only two years the 75 turbines with the one coat system were failing and the splashzone areas were covered with blisters and early corrosion.

5. DISCUSSION There are many steps in the Corrosion protection process - and it may be tempting to make shortcuts in order to reduce the cost of the application. There are however no shortcuts if the aim is durable corrosion protection in the offshore environment. All steps are crucial in the process and a single mistake can easily result in an economic disaster. The cost of offshore coating maintenance is 10 - 100 times as high as maintenance cost on land - and the original cost of the complete coating operation is insignificant once offshore maintenance becomes relevant. With expert assistance it may be possible to make the operation more efficient, but do not look for wonder solutions or wonder products - they do not exist.

6. CONCLUSION High durability of the coating system can only be achieved when proper attention is given to all of the parameters of - Type and condition of the substrate - Environment and possible additional stresses - Surface preparation - Quality of the coatings - Selection of the coating systems (Generic types, thickness etc.) - Application - Quality control Select a partner who is experienced in the field of offshore coatings this is an area for professionals and proven solutions only.

7. REFERENCES ISO 12944:1998 (part 1 8) issued by the International Organization for Standardization, Geneve, Switzerland. www.iso.ch. ISO 20340:2003 issued by the International Organization for Standardization, Geneve, Switzerland. www.iso.ch. ISO 8501-1:1988 - issued by the International Organization for Standardization, Geneve, Switzerland. www.iso.ch. ISO 8501-3:2001 - issued by the International Organization for Standardization, Geneve, Switzerland. www.iso.ch. NACE Standard TM 0104-2004, 0204-2004, 0304-2004 and 0404-2004: Issued by NACE International, Houston, Texas, USA. www.nace.org. NORSOK M-501, Rev. 5, June 2004 issued by Norwegian Technology Standards Institution. www.standard.no. NORSOK M-001, Rev. 3, November 2002 issued by Norwegian Technology Standards Institution. www.standard.no. Dansk Ingenioerforenings Recommendation for Corrosion Protection of Steel Structures in Marine Environments. Issued by Dansk Ingenioerforening 1988.