Corrosion Engineering and Low-Carbon Energy Technology with the CED

Corrosion Engineering and Low-Carbon Energy Technology with the CED

Blogs, Coating and Inspection Training

Working Day and Symposium: Managing Corrosion in Low-Carbon Energy Technologies

On April 28th, 2021, you’re invited to the latest in a series of working days hosted by the Institute of Corrosion’s Corrosion Engineering Division.

Because of coronavirus restrictions, you can participate from anywhere in the world. All you need to do is register and join us on Zoom. This symposium is also a designated meeting of the European Federation of Corrosion, so it is one that corrosion engineers and specialists won’t want to miss.

Why corrosion engineering and low carbon technology?

Over recent years, low carbon technologies have become a strategic priority. The whole of society, from governments to the man on the street, has become focused on green issues. Technology is playing its part, across most industries, as we seek to develop greater sustainability through green, carbon-neutral technologies and innovations.

However, many of the technologies and equipment are deployed in severe corrosive environments – such as off-shore and near-shore wind turbines and pipelines – as well as providing new corrosion challenges (as in the case of biofuels).

This working day and symposium will give all delegates the opportunity to learn and exchange information across many aspects of managing corrosion in low-carbon energy technologies.

A Great Opportunity to Network

Although this working day is being held online, once more it gives you the opportunity to do some serious networking with corrosion specialists from many different industry sectors. Of course, you will also learn about some of the latest developments in managing corrosion in low-carbon energy technologies, including:

  • Wind power
  • Biofuels
  • Nuclear power
  • Hydrogen power
  • Carbon capture and storage (CCS)

After the talks, we will break into the individual CED working groups, or join a general discussion group on corrosion in low carbon energy technologies. The agendas for these will be published here when possible.

The CED Working Day programme

We’ll convene online at 9:15 am. Our Chair, Nick Smart, will present a welcome address at 9:30am, and the technical talks will begin at 9:45am.

During the day, there will be five talks, each lasting 30 minutes, including discussion. Lunch break between 12:40am and 1:30pm will be preceded by presentation of the 2021 Paul McIntyre Award and a short talk by the recipient.

There will be one final talk after lunch, before we break for the CED Working Group meetings.

A closing discussion rounds the day off at 4:45pm.

(All times are BST)

About the talks

As ever, we have gathered some of the leading names in their respective fields to present to you. The five talks, in order of presentation, are:

·       Pipeline Materials in a Hydrogen Environment, presented by Nancy Thompson (SGN) and Dr Julia Race (University of Strathclyde)

Nancy Thomson is experienced in high pressure oil and gas pipelines, onshore and offshore around the world. With an MSc, Nancy’s most recent work includes innovation projects on the Local Transmission Network (LTS) and investigating the repurposing of the LTS for hydrogen and CO2.

Dr Julia Race has a wide range of research expertise in metallurgy, failure analysis, welding and corrosion in the power, petrochemicals, and energy sectors. She worked in industry for more than 20 years, and for seven years as an integrity consultant for GE Oil and Gas. Now in an academic career, she joined Strathclyde University in 2014, where she continues to research CCS and hydrogen transport.

·       Cathodic Protection of Offshore Wind Design Using Upcoming ISO 24656, presented by Birit Buhr Jensen (Ørsted)

Birit Buhr Jensen is a senior lead specialist at Ørsted, specialising in cathodic protection and corrosion protection of steel structures, and corrosion evaluation and monitoring, assessment, repair, and sustainability of reinforced concrete structures.

·       Corrosion Challenges for Reliable Biorefineries, presented by Francois Ropital (IFPEN)

Francois Ropital is qualified as a Materials Engineer, Doctor of Chemical Engineering, and HDR (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches) in Applied Chemistry and Industrial Process Engineering. He has been Editor-in-Chief of the journal ‘Oil and Gas Science and Technology – Revue d’IFP Energies Nouvelles’, is co-director of the ‘Study of reaction mechanisms on an adapted scale’ of IFPEN fundamental research, and is the associate university Professor (PAST) at INSA-Lyon, MATEIS Laboratory and Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He is also Chairman of the Working Party “Corrosion in refinery and petrochemistry” of the European Federation of Corrosion. Francois has authored two books, several book chapters, more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, and 20 patents.

·       Advanced Testing methods for PWR Environments that Could Support Other Zero Carbon Technologies, presented by Stuart Medway (Jacobs)

Dr. Stuart Medway works for Jacobs, where he is the technical lead for high temperature corrosion within the Material Science and Structural Integrity (MSSI) business. Stuart has been performing and developing laboratory research programmes to understand material performance in representative environments for over 14 years. Many of these have been focussed on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of materials in the primary cooling circuit of pressurised water reactors, where he is a recognised expert in this field. Stuart has been part of the EPRI expert panel for SCC of nickel-based alloys for a number of years and is the current technical chair for the Environmental Degradation of Materials in Nuclear Power Systems conference.

·       Methodology for Corrosion and Environmental Assisted Cracking Risk Assessment for Industrial Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS), presented by Ivan Gutierrez (Pace Flow Assurance), Brad Healey (Oil and Gas Corrosion Ltd), and Matt Healey (Pace Flow Assurance)

Ivan Gutierrez is a national expert member of several national and international corrosion committees and task forces, and helps oil and gas operating companies to manage the risk of corrosion, delivering technical support throughout the life cycle of assets, from concept and Front End Engineering Design (FEED), through Engineering, Procurement, Installation and Commissioning (EPIC) operations, integrity management and evaluating options for asset life extension.

Brad Healey is a process engineer at Oil and Gas Corrosion Ltd. He works on global projects, manages a team of engineers, and has presented at the NACE conference. He has completed an industry-backed dissertation project regarding offshore H2S disposal methods and is now an industrial supervisor for an MEng project investigating the long-term environmental impact of scrubber discharges related to offshore H2S management.

Matt Healey is director at Pace Flow Assurance, with around 20 years of experience in CCUS, oil & gas, and large infrastructure projects.

How do you register for the working day?

You can register for this exciting Working Day and Symposium by downloading the event information and registration form and following the registration instructions. We look forward to seeing you there, from the comfort of your own home or workspace.

For details about membership of the Institute of Corrosion, visit our membership page.

ISO 12944-7: Execution and Supervision of Paint Work

ISO 12944-7: Execution and Supervision of Paint Work

Blogs

A Path to Ensure Quality Coating is Maintained

Continuing our series providing an overview of ISO 12944, in this article we discuss part 7 of the international standard. This takes us to the execution and supervision of paint work on steel structures in the workshop and on site. This does not include the preparation of surfaces (which is covered in 12944-4: Surface Preparation Standards). Nor does it apply to pre-treatment; application methods such as dipping, coil coating, and powder coating; or metallic coatings.

Here we outline the main points of the standard.

What is the scope of ISO 12944-7?

The standard deals with the execution and supervision of paint work, setting out:

  • The preconditions for paint work to be executed
  • The coating materials to be used
  • Execution of paint work
  • Supervision of paint work
  • Reference areas

Preconditions

Companies (and their personnel) who are contracted to apply protective coatings to steel structures must be capable of doing the work required. Coating applicators should be suitably qualified (see Coating and Inspection Training).

Ideally, a quality plan should be prepared by the contractor, detailing methods to be used and quality levels to be achieved at each stage (ISO 9001/9002).

Though part 7 of ISO 12944 does not cover surface preparation, it does expect preparation to be made in line with part 4 of the standard, and the client must be informed if the condition of the surface differs from that described in the specification.

All relevant health and safety regulations must also be complied with.

Coating materials

Coating materials must be supplied ready to use, and in accordance with the coating method to be used. If any testing is needed, it must be specified.

Coating materials should be stored securely, at recommended temperatures (between 3 °C and 30 °C) or as otherwise stated by the manufacturer, and used within their shelf-life period.

Execution of paint work

This section of the standard deals with the following requirements:

  • General requirements

Surfaces to be coated should be well lit and accessible, the manufacturer’s technical data observed, and coating materials should be verified as being acceptable to use (no skin formed, no irreversible settling, compatible with site conditions, etc.).

The standard also details acceptable dry-film thickness, uniformity of coating, and the need to pay particular attention to difficult to access surfaces (corners, edges, welds, connections, etc.).

It should also be noted that any defects in a coat must be repaired before the next coat is applied.

  • Application conditions

Maximum protection can only be assured when the ambient conditions on site meet the requirements as laid out in the coating manufacturer’s technical data. Applicators should consider adverse conditions that may exist on site and take care that outside influences do not reduce the quality of paint work during application.

Applicators must also ensure that the coating is not applied when the steel temperature is less than 3 °C above the dew point (ISO 8502-4) and wet surfaces should only be coated with appropriate coating materials as outlined in the manufacturer’s technical data sheet.

  • Application methods

Whichever application method is used, it should be evaluated to ensure that it provides the required protection. If it doesn’t, then the specification should be amended.

The coating application methods must be suitable for the coating materials to be applied, and may include:

  • Brush application, particularly at corners, edges, angles, and difficult to access areas
  • Roller application, though this is not usually recommended for anticorrosive primers
  • Spray application, using the correct equipment to ensure that spray mist does not spread to surrounding areas

If other application methods are to be used, then the applicator must follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Supervision of paint work

Paint work should be supervised at all stages of application, by qualified inspectors. Though the contractor can do this work themselves, it is advised that the client also provides supervision. If unfamiliar coating materials are used, the manufacturer should be consulted.

Supervision should be appropriate to the difficulty of work, local conditions, type of coating, expected life, and the project itself.

Supervisors should use a range of methods to assess the coating applied, including:

  • Visual assessment
  • Measuring instruments
  • Test equipment and instrumentation

Reference areas

Reference areas should be used to establish a minimum standard of coating that is acceptable for protection of the structure. Any reference area established should be in a location that will receive typical corrosive stress associated with the structure, and application on this area should be carried out in the presence of representatives of all concerned parties.

The assessment of this coating should be made by methods that have been agreed and in line with international standards.

Summing up ISO 12944-7

In summary, ISO 12944-7 sets out the standards to which coatings applicators and supervisors must adhere in paint work that is designed to protect steel structures as covered by ISO 12944.

In short, this part of the standard seeks to ensure that paint work is executed and supervised to a minimum acceptable level – a level that ensures the coating system used maximises its potential to protect the structure being coated.

To ensure your painters and inspectors are fully up to date with ISO 12944 and all of its parts and are working to the latest industry standards and best practices, the Institute of Corrosion offers Coating and Inspection Training Courses presented by Argyll Ruane and Corrodere. For more information, contact us today.

ISO 12944-6: Laboratory Test Methods

ISO 12944-6: Laboratory Test Methods

Blogs

Improving Coating Performance Continually

ISO 12944 is an international standard detailing the corrosion protection of steel structures by protective coating systems. In the 2018 update, several changes and additions were made. One of the areas in which changes were made was in the detail of lab testing methods, which is covered in Part 6 of the standard.

Why is lab testing necessary?

Lab testing is used to help in the selection of suitable paint systems, and ISO 12944-6 covers protective paint systems designed for application to uncoated steel, hot dip galvanised steel (covered by ISO 1461), and steel surfaces with thermal sprayed metallic coatings (covered by ISO 2063-1 and ISO 2063-2).

Suggested paint specifications to protect carbon steel over a range of durability periods in the corrosivity categories C2 to C5 are laid out in the tables in part 5 of ISO 12944. The suggested specifications within these tables are representative of several commonly used generic paint chemistry types (e.g. alkyd, acrylic, epoxy, polyurethane etc). The film thicknesses within these data tables were devised by an ISO panel of experts, based on their experiences of protective paint systems in the field.

Specifications based on the film thickness quoted in ISO 12944-5 should be verified by undergoing the range of accelerated test regimes stated in ISO 12944 part 6. Any paint system must meet the test requirements in part 6 to be classified as compliant with the standard. External 3rd party testing of these systems is not mandatory, although many paint manufacturers choose to carry out 3rd party accreditation.

The suggested ‘typical’ specifications in ISO 12944 part 5 are not exclusive and do not prevent the use of older technologies that no longer feature in the ‘typical’ systems. Likewise, ISO 12944 does not exclude the use of new and innovative paint systems that do not feature in part 5. Provided that any of these systems are tested to, and pass the requirements stated in part 6, then they can be deemed to be compliant with the standard.

It should be noted that the standard does not apply to paint systems used for electroplated or painted steel.

What does lab testing consider?

The paint system you should use to protect steel structures from corrosion is dependent upon several factors, including the corrosive environment that is covered in Part 2 of ISO 12944. The standard describes the environmental impact of exposure to the atmosphere and when immersed in water or buried in soil. Corrosivity categories are then used to provide a classification system, and this is used as a guide to select suitable coatings systems for the corrosion protection of steel structures.

Water immersed or buried-in-soil structures include:

  • Offshore structures
  • Oil pipelines
  • Buried tanks

When defining corrosive category, the type of environmental exposure is considered, and includes:

  • Humidity
  • Salt spray
  • Water immersion

A paint system will age because of the environment to which it is exposed (as well as other factors such as steel structure design (ISO 12944-3), surface preparation (ISO 12944-4), and the method of application.

Artificial aging tests carried out in a lab assesses the influence of the characteristics of the paint system (for example, dry-film thickness and binder) on the durability of the paint system. These results can then be considered in the determination of which paint system should be used to meet the performance requirements specified by the application.

How does lab testing work?

Each corrosive category is assigned a durability range of low, medium, high, or very high. This durability defines the duration of the exposure to the environmental influence.

Samples of the coatings are subjected to each of the exposures separately, and measurements of coating thickness and adhesive strength are taken before and after exposure. These measurements are then used to calculate the effect of the environment on the coating tested.

Samples are evaluated for:

  • Blistering
  • Cracking
  • Corrosion
  • Adhesion

For paint systems that would be exposed to salt spray and cyclic aging, manual scribing of the samples is used to replicate the effect of these environments. Unless otherwise agreed, each test should be carried out on three test panels.

To ensure that test results are accurate, the standard recommends that a reference is used. This reference should be a paint system:

  • that has been used successfully on site for several years;
  • the performance of which is well established by lab testing; and
  • that is as close as possible to the paint system being tested (e.g. composition, type, and thickness)

The standard provides tables of appropriate test procedures and durations.

What changed in ISO 12944-6 in 2018?

The changes made to the standard in 2018 introduced new testing for very high durability (25+years) in the following corrosive categories:

  • C2 – low
  • C3 – medium
  • C4- high (where cyclic testing has been introduced)

In addition, in category C5 (high and very high corrosivity) the updated standard introduced cyclic testing for high and very high durability.

Why has cyclic testing been introduced?

The aim of cyclic testing is to better replicate in-field conditions, and industry has found that this method of testing is more representative of what happens out of the lab, in the real world.

What should a lab test report show?

The lab test report must reference ISO 12944-6, and contain the following information:

  • the test laboratory details
  • the date of the tests
  • the details of the test (what test was carried out, the duration of the test, and the results of each test)
  • a description of the substrate and surface preparation
  • details required to identify the paint system
  • details of the reference system
  • the duration and conditions of drying/curing and conditioning
  • classification of the paint system after testing
  • photographic evidence
  • thickness of layers (for example, zinc and thermal-sprayed metallic coating)
  • any deviation from the test methods specified

Summing up ISO 12944-6

In summary, ISO 12944-6 details the standards to which lab testing must adhere, how testing should be carried out, and how assessment of results should be made and reported.

The aim is to enable coating inspectors and applicators to continually improve the coating systems used in all environments and for all durability requirements.

To ensure your painters and inspectors are fully up to date with ISO 12944 and all of its parts and are working to the latest industry standards and best practices, the Institute of Corrosion offers Coating and Inspection Training Courses presented by Argyll Ruane and Corrodere. For more information, contact us today.

Coating Survey Training – World-Class Course Is a World First

Coating Survey Training – World-Class Course Is a World First

Blogs, Coating and Inspection Training

The What and How of the Ground-Breaking Coating Survey Course

Up to now, there has been no coatung survey training available anywhere in the world specific to improving the provision and competency of coating condition surveys. Here at the Institute of Corrosion, we’re happy to say this has changed, with the arrival of a world first – the Coating Survey Course endorsed by ICorr and accredited by Lloyd’s Register and the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Such an important addition to any industry – especially an addition that promises to revolutionise standards and improve health, safety, and cost-effectiveness across multiple industries and their infrastructure – deserves a proper introduction.

Why Is Coating Survey Training Needed?

A coating survey is crucial in the maintenance cycle of structures that benefit from coating systems. When it is properly planned and conducted, a coating condition survey helps to maximise the protection offered by coating systems. This is integral to ensure that safety hazards and operational interruptions are avoided.

Because of the critical nature of a coating survey, it should be conducted only by those who can assess circumstances competently. They will need to draw sound conclusions about the condition of the existing coating and how best to manage coating systems going forward.

Corrodere’s Coating Survey Course satisfies the need to ensure that those conducting coating surveys are suitably qualified and have the knowledge and expertise to carry out costing surveys from basic walk-throughs to the most comprehensive coating condition surveys.

Written by experts with impeccable credentials

The first thing to note about this course is that it is authored by experts in the industry: Brendan Fitzsimmons and Trevor Parry.

Brendan is a Fellow of the Institute of Corrosion, a Chartered Scientist, and has a Master’s degree in Materials Engineering. He is also a NACE Corrosion Specialist, Coating Inspector, Protective Coatings Specialist, and Peer Reviewer.

Trevor is a Professional Member of the Institute of Corrosion, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a member of NACE, and an expert on ISO committees.

Between them, Brendan and Trevor have authored many publications and papers within their fields, perhaps most notably Brendan’s authorship of Fitz’s Atlas and Fitz’s Atlas 2.

Development of the Coating Survey Course has also benefitted from the input of major paint manufacturers.

Who should attend this course?

Developed in response to industry needs, if your responsibilities and duties include inspecting or surveying coating systems you will benefit from this formal training and qualification. You’ll benefit from completing this course if you currently perform any of the following roles:

  • Coating Surveyors
  • Coating Inspectors
  • Coating Engineers
  • Material Engineers
  • Mechanical Engineers
  • Insurance Personnel
  • Plant Managers
  • Asset Integrity Personnel
  • Corrosion Engineers
  • Asset Owners
  • Marine Engineers
  • Ship Surveyors

How is the course structured?

The Coatings Course is delivered online by way of 24 hours of training divided into easy-to-manage units. These modules walk you through all the knowledge areas needed, covering:

  • Coating Surveys
  • Estimation of Percentages
  • European Scale of Degree of Rusting of Anticorrosive Paints
  • Common Defects
  • Marine Fouling
  • Dry Film Thickness Surveys
  • Passive Fire Protection
  • Adhesion Testing
  • Holiday Detection
  • Sampling Techniques
  • Standard Test Methods, Field Tests and Laboratory Analysis
  • Photography, Documentation and Reporting
  • Paint Testing, Paint Constituents and Paint Chemistry

The online delivery of course materials and training make it easy to complete the course in your own time and a learning pattern that suits you. The course materials will be available to complete over a 12-month period after registration.

The culmination of the training is an online assessment and final exam. The exam is a multiple-choice-style exam with a pass mark of 70%.

Those who successfully complete the course receive the Certificate of Achievement in Coating Surveys accredited by Lloyds’ Register and the Royal Society of Chemistry, endorsed by the Institute of Corrosion.

Do you qualify for this course?

There are two levels of certification available, and which you can achieve depends on your route onto the course.

Level 1:

You don’t need any formal qualifications within the coatings industry to register for Level 1 of the Coating Survey Training Course. You won’t be required to sit the final examination, but will need to successfully complete the online assessments during the course.

Upon successful completion you will receive a Certificate of Completion.

Level 2:

Those who complete Level 2, including passing the exam and online assessment, will be rewarded with full certification and a wallet card valid for four years. To register for this level of qualification you will need to meet one of the following entry criteria:

  • Qualified Coatings Inspector (ICorr Level 2, NACE Level 2, SSPC Level 2, FROSIO Level 2)
  • Paint Chemist with field experience
  • Coating Engineer with field experience

If you are a coating surveyor without formal qualification in coating inspection, you can still take the Level 2 qualification providing you can demonstrate a minimum of five years’ experience as a coating surveyor and provide two employer references.

Why you should take this course

This course, and the qualification it offers, will demonstrate your proficiency in coating surveys. It provides evidence that you conduct and report in-depth coating surveys and that your expertise will:

  • Help asset owners accurately plan future works
  • Help asset owners accurately target and plan funding for future works
  • Assist with paint guarantees, warranties, and disputes

Many industries require the experience and expertise of qualified coating surveyors. These industries include:

  • Road
  • Rail
  • Marine and Offshore
  • Nuclear
  • Petrochemical
  • Oil and Gas
  • Construction

At a time when all industries are becoming more highly regulated, with a growing need for asset owners to reduce costs and improve their health and safety, the knowledge that this course provides – including across standards NORSOK 501, ISO 12944, and ISO 4628 – is likely to become invaluable to all those who perform coating surveys and the companies that require them.

This training is currently not available anywhere else in the world. To find out more, you should contact Corrodere. Alternatively, email the admin team at the Institute of Corrosion who will be happy to help.

Coating Survey Training – World-Class Course Is a World First

How Is a Coating Condition Survey Conducted?

Blogs, Coating and Inspection Training

The eight-step coating survey methodology

Is a full coating condition survey necessary before applying a coating system? Isn’t understanding the environmental issues and operating in line with ISO 12944 enough?

In a short answer to these questions, imagine that your car is making strange noises from under the bonnet. You take it to two mechanics.

The first opens the bonnet, looks inside, taps the engine in a couple of places with a hammer, and then diagnoses the problem.

The second mechanic opens the bonnet, connects an electronic diagnostic machine, and invites you to have a tea while you’re waiting. Having received a computer printout, the mechanic then raises the car so he can look underneath. He makes a couple of phone calls, before presenting you with a detailed appraisal of the issue you have.

The question is this: which mechanic do you believe will provide the best, safest, longest-lasting, and most cost-effective solution? The one who carried out the most extensive and structured assessment, right?

In this article, we examine how an effective coating survey should be conducted to provide the knowledge needed to ensure the correct coating system is applied most cost-effectively.

When is a coating survey used?

A coating condition survey (or ‘coating survey’) should be used as a proactive measure in the protection of any previously coated structure. For example, this may include surveying coatings in the offshore environment or on bridges that are at risk of corrosion. Such proactive surveying will help to reduce maintenance costs, increase the integrity of infrastructure, and improve safety. A win/win/win.

Steps for successful surveying of coatings

To be effective, a coating survey must be designed, carried out in line with planning, recorded and reported. It’s essential to conduct coating surveys using a methodical and structured approach. This ensures that each survey benefits from the same rigorous standards. The following eight steps form the core of a coating condition survey.

1.     Planning the coating survey – what is needed?

It’s important to define the parameters of the survey before it is started. The information that is needed may depend upon factors such as:

  • Age of the asset
  • Time since the last coating survey
  • The value of the asset
  • When routine maintenance is due
  • If a new coating system will add value to the asset
  • Health and safety issues

2.     Planning the coating survey – what is the expected output of the survey?

The detail required of the survey should also be assessed. It is possible to produce a survey in too much detail. For example, consider an example of surveying the condition of a front door. Should you survey it as a single item, or assess each element separately? If the latter, then a survey will include each hinge, the letter box, the door knocker, each pane of glass, the inside and outside handles, the inserts, the frame, and the lock mechanism. One item becomes a survey of a dozen or more items.

If a survey is too detailed, it risks information overload and crucial details could be overlooked upon review. If not detailed enough, the survey may miss crucial details altogether.

3.     Planning the coating survey – how do you grade conditions?

The survey should carry out its assessment with a recognised and consistent grading system that establishes the severity of degradation of each component under the survey. The standards to which the assessment of coating/corrosion degrading must conform to are ISO 4628 series  and the European Scale of Rusting for Anticorrosive Paint (commonly referred to as the Re Scale).

4.     Conducting the coating survey – note physical details

The survey should consider all the corrosive environmental issues that may affect the coating’s current condition. The location of the structure and the environmental factors associated with the location will affect how a coating performs. Factors include climate, moisture, and UV exposure.

5.     Conducting the coating survey – the original application

To better understand how the original coating has been affected by physical details, the survey should include key information about the original coating such as the date of application, the coating manufacturer, the applicator, and so on.

6.     Conducting the coating survey – note extraordinary events and occurrences

Over time, a structure’s coating may be affected by many events. These may include severe weather conditions, accidents, fire, maintenance, repairs, and refurbishment. The more detail that can be compiled within this section of the survey, the more informed the survey’s results will be.

7.     Conducting the coating survey – assessing the coating

The survey should move onto assessing the existing coating, considering adherence to the structure, dry film thickness, the percentage of failure across the system and its component parts, and the presence of aspects such as mill scale, chalking, pitting, etc.

8.     Recording and reporting – planning the next steps

The survey should record all details required of it, as set out in the planning steps. The survey should make recommendations as to:

  • Whether immediate maintenance is required
  • What maintenance should be planned for the next one to three years
  • The locations that are difficult to reach and which may require extra measures
  • Whether coating of an area may lead to the need for adjacent areas to be recoated

Answering these points will form the basis of a full coating maintenance programme that is designed to ensure asset integrity during the expected lifetime of the asset.

In Summary

A coating condition survey should form part of the routine maintenance checks for all structures on which protective coatings are used to combat corrosion. The survey should assess all components of the structure that have been identified as required to be surveyed, and assessment should be conducted in a manner that ensures consistency and completeness.

By following a consistent survey methodology, the survey should establish the current state of the existing coating, and the reasons for any degradation.

By monitoring the performance of a structure’s coating, an asset owner can understand the action needed to reduce the effects and consequences of corrosion. To ensure this, it is imperative that surveys are carried out by those with the training, experience, and qualifications to do so.

In our next article, we examine a world first that will define the coating survey professional and how industry carries out coating condition surveys in the future. In the meantime, to find out more about the Coating Survey Course, email the Institute of Corrosion or contact Corrodere.

Coating Survey Training – World-Class Course Is a World First

What Is a Coating Survey and Why Is it Crucial?

Blogs, Coating and Inspection Training

Assessing Structures to Improve Asset Integrity

In a world first, Corrodere has introduced a Coating Survey Course endorsed by ICorr and accredited by Lloyd’s Register and the Royal Society of Chemistry. Written by industry experts and presented and examined online, this course will set the standard for those who conduct coating surveys as part of their responsibilities.

In this article, we answer two key questions about coating surveys – what are they, and why are they needed?

Why is a coating survey needed?

To apply an effective coatings solution that will protect a steel structure against corrosion, coatings applicators must understand two things:

  1. The environmental factors that affect the structure
  2. The condition of the existing coating on the structure to be protected

ISO 12944 is the internationally recognised standard that covers coatings for steel structures in atmospheric, immersed, and buried environments. However, without conducting a survey of the existing condition of the structure, any coating system that is applied risks falling short of its primary objective – to maximise the protection offered by the coating system, thus ensuring that safety hazards and operational interruptions are avoided.

The only way that it is possible to gain a proper understanding of the existing structure’s coating is by examining. Thus, the need for a coating condition survey.

A coating survey is essential not only prior to a new coating being applied. It may also be conducted as preparation for regular maintenance and inspections for structural or coatings failures.

What answers does a coating survey provide?

A coating survey is the foundation of a successful application of a protective coating system. It provides crucial information that will help determine what preparatory work is needed, the maintenance required, and which coating system should be used.

The survey should provide information that covers the following elements:

  • The base material to which the coatings will be applied
  • Existing coating system used and its condition
  • If the existing coating material is hazardous
  • Repair and remedial work required prior to application of the new coating system

The survey should help to address questions that include:

  • Are there any special maintenance requirements needed, such as specialised removal of hazardous materials?
  • What has caused existing degradation and deterioration of the structure (for example, damage, age, environment)?
  • Is there any other maintenance and repair work required before protective coatings can be applied?
  • What will be the most cost-effective coating application that can be applied to achieve the objectives?

The benefits of coating surveys

Unfortunately, in many cases companies rely on surveys that are based upon a walk-through and visual assessment of a structure. Such inspections trust the instinct and experience of those conducting the survey, instead of standardised testing, sampling, and analysis.

Applying protective coating systems is a major maintenance function. An effective survey will help to ensure that this maintenance achieves what it should – to safeguard the structure and protect employees and others from the disastrous consequences of poor corrosion protection in infrastructure and transport.

In short, effective coating surveys save lives, ensure the integrity of a structure, and reduce costs as well as potential loss and reputational damage caused by avoidable accidents because of corrosion.

To learn more about this groundbreaking coating survey course and the benefits it offers to companies, contractors, and employees, you should contact Corrodere. Alternatively, email the admin team at the Institute of Corrosion who will be happy to help.

In our next article, we describe an eight-step coating survey methodology that will ensure a survey delivers its expected outcomes.