HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH
Investing from the Outset to Avoid Paying Later Michael McGlamry Hempel A/S – Conroe (Texas), United States
hempel.us@hempel.com
Offshore structures and platforms are constantly exposed to harsh
protective solution for offshore assets and structures.
weather conditions and the corrosive effects of sea water. These
Taking each part of the system individually, Hempatop Repel 800 is the
structures, located off most coastal countries across the world, never have
first ever volumetric water-repellent coating available on the market. It
a break from the unforgiving environment surrounding them. Many years
is a topcoat that fundamentally delivers enhanced corrosion protection
of research and development have gone into the design and engineering
by actively repelling water from the coated surface. It also delivers full
of these facilities to ensure that they are safe to operate on. However,
protection with fewer coating layers, so it can be applied faster and lasts
protecting them from the elements remains a challenge.
longer than conventional coatings solutions. Crucially, this saves owners
A fundamental cog is to safeguard against corrosion to increase safety
time and money for offshore maintenance.
and to maximise/extend the structure’s life cycle. Here is where the
The secret to the success of this coating system, however, is that it is
importance of protective coatings comes into play.
used in combination with activated zinc primer Avantguard 770. Based on Hempel’s innovative patented technology, Avantguard uses a unique
O
ffshore structures tend to be in isolated locations. And, if there is a
combination of zinc dust, hollow glass spheres and a proprietary activator
coating failure and corrosion sets in, maintenance work can be very
to make the zinc contained within the coating more effective. It’s an
costly. The respective asset would also need to be taken offline until all
unrivalled three-in-one advanced corrosion protection solution.
works are carried out. That means even more potential losses.
By using Avantguard 770 as the primer, asset owners benefit from a
These mammoth structures have long been safeguarded against
coating solution that delivers excellent adhesion and reduced rust creep
corrosion with protective coatings. Up until recently three-coat systems
when applied on manually prepared salt-contaminated surfaces. The
were the preferred method of choice. But comprehensive research has
innovative primer also offers outstanding flexibility, impact and crack
shown that three-coat systems regularly show signs of early coating
resistance not found in conventional zinc rich primers.
failure. This is mainly due to water ingress through the coating system,
When choosing this two-coat system there are significant savings to
stress induced micro-cracking, and/or mechanical damage. What this
be gained due to the reduced number of man-hours needed to apply
leads to is frequent maintenance cycles that most asset owners struggle
the system compared with conventional three-coat systems. This
with. Therefore, it would be safe to say that protecting an asset with the
simplifies the construction and maintenance processes of offshore
right solution from the outset will help minimise any future headaches for
assets and reduces costs for owners. The combination of Hempatop
the asset owners, as well as unsustainable maintenance costs.
Repel 800 and Avantguard 770 delivers improved flexibility and crack
One step less
fundamentally, minimises corrosion.
resistance, increased adhesion retention, lasts significantly longer and, In order to create solutions to meet the needs of asset owners it is important to understand the challenges behind them. At Hempel, the
A cut above the rest
worldwide coatings manufacturer, these challenges are well understood.
This unique two coat system meets the obligations of even the strictest
This is why the company launched Hempatop Repel 800 - an advanced
of industry test requirements, including ISO 12944:2018 Part 9 for a
water repellent coating system. The unique combination of the water
CX category, and it is prequalified for NORSOK M-501 Ed. 6, System
repellent topcoat,
1, ticking one more
combined with zinc
box when looking for
© Hempel
activated primer -
trusted solutions. By
Hempadur Avantguard
investing in a coating
770 - has created a
system that will last for
robust, anti-corrosive
the entire life cycle of
two-coat system
an asset – 15-25 years
specifically designed for
– owners can sleep
®
offshore maintenance and formulated to deliver a superior
Hempel launched Hempatop Repel 800, an advanced water repellent coating system specifically designed for offshore maintenance and formulated to deliver a superior protective solution for offshore assets and structures.
easy knowing that they have paid now to avoid paying later. ‹
ipcm® Protective Coatings - 2020 JUNE - N.34
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