Internal Coatings- A Must in Gas Pipelines

1. Amrinder Singh

1
OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION

Introduction
Natural Gas Scenario
Types of Coatings
Internal Coating System
Benefits of Internal coatings
Black powder elimination
Economic Benefits of Internal Coatings
Conclusion

2
Introduction

Pipelines have become an essential part of the system to

transport and supply of petroleum products and gases.

Conventionally, gas pipelines are coated externally for anticorrosive

properties.

We have mostly relied/given importance to external coatings, not

much significance have been given to internal coatings in gas
pipelines.

In product pipelines we have understood the affects of internal

smoothness on flow rate and therefore are widely using Drag
Reducing agents to increase the flow rate and ultimately throughput
increase.
With time world in trending towards Natural Gas and pipelines are
he best media for transportation of gas.
3
INTRODUCTION

world scenario of natural gas

Consumption of natural gas
worldwide is projected to increase
from 120 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) in
2012 to 203 Tcf in 2040.
The drastic increase in natural gas
consumption can be seen in the
chart. The world is moving toward
Natural Gas.

Natural Gas demand in india: IOCL NG Pieplines

Domestic NG demand is expected Currently operating 140 KMS and
to grow at 16.89 per cent to 1385 KMS is udder construction.
306.54 MMSCMD by 2021 from 64
MMSCMD in 2015

4
WHY COATING IS CARRIED OUT?

Protects steel pipelines being stored for

extended periods prior to installation
Reduces the cost of inhibitors and pigging
Eliminates the formation of black powder and
inhibits microorganism growth activity
Extends the life of the pipeline
Provides excellent corrosion protection
(chemical/water)
Enhances flow assurance
Greatly reduces pipe cost
Offers better visual inspection with a smooth,
hard surface

5
External and Internal Coatings

1. External coatings: bare pipe is prone to corrosion and

First line of defense to fight against external
corrosion is and highly effective external coating
system, be it coal tar , 3LPE of Fusion Bonded epoxy.
2. The main aim of external coating is to prevent
external corroion.
3. Internal coating on the other hand has many
applicaitons as:
Prevention of internal corrosion.
Flow improvement
Recution in Power Consumption

6
Internal Coating System

A fluid in motion in a pipeline is subjected to various frictional

resistances.
Transportation of natural gas in pipelines at high flow rates exhibits
turbulent flow.
In such conditions a laminar film if formed at the pipe wall/fluid
interface can reduce the friction between the fluid and pipe wall with a
subsequent reduction in the pressure drop through the pipeline and an
increase in flow capacity.
The creation of this laminar film can be obtained by internal coating in
pipelines.
Moreover the Gas pipelines are at high risks of internal corrosion
which is a major factor contributing to failures and leaks in
pipelines.
Internal coating can prove to be efficient in eradicating the internal
corrosion of the Pipelins.

7
Internal Coating System

Fusion Bonded Epoxy

Polyamide Coatings
Flow Efficiency Coating

Fusion Bonded Epoxy:

Typically when fusion bonded epoxy (FBE) is referenced, it is assumed to
be for the external protection of line pipe but it is little known/practiced
that these are also effective as internal coatings.
FBEs are thick film coatings usually with a Dry Film Thickness (DFT) of less
than 400 microns.
Advantages of FBE coatings are their adhesive properties, their chemical
resistance, their high degree of flexibility and good impact resistance.
Drawbacks of FBE coating systems are the high degree of surface
preparation required for their application as well as a curing temperature in
excess of 200C, all of which requires shop applied coating application

8
Internal Coating System

Polyamide Coatings:

Internal coatings based on polyamide chemistry are defined as

thermoplastics.
These materials are applied at very high temperatures and are then led
through a controlled cool down process that will vary depending on the
type of polyamide and the desired final properties.
Heat resistant polyamide powder coatings are primarily plant-applied
coating systems.
Polyamide coatings have advantages over FBE coating materials due to a
higher degree of flexibility and less damage experienced from mechanical
impact.
Polyamide coatings generally require a liquid epoxy or phenolic primer in
order to ensure good adhesion.

9
Internal Coating System

Flow Efficiency Coating:

Flow efficiency coatings (FEC) are thin film epoxy coatings applied in
natural gas pipelines to smooth the internal pipe surface for improved flow.
Application of FEC replaces the internal rough surface of a steel pipe with a
smooth surface finish which reduces friction and turbulence to increase
flow efficiency.
After application of FEC, the clean internal surface of the pipe provides
corrosion protection prior to installation and allows for easier visual
inspection.
The cleaner surface reduces the cost and effort of drying the pipe after
hydrostatic testing

10
Guidelines which Govern internal coatings

International standard

The American Petroleum Institutes API 5L2

Recommended Practice for Internal Coating of Line
Pipe For Non-Corrosive Gas Transmission Service.

ISO 15741Paints and varnishes Friction-reduction

coatings for the interior of on and offshore steel
pipelines for non-corrosive gases

11
Benefits of Internal Coatings

A decrease in the pipeline outer diameter in the design phase of the project in
order to achieve the same flow capacity
Design

Reduction in the pressure drop in the pipeline and thus an increase in the
flow rate of natural gas through it.
Reduction in power consumption for compression of the gas to achieve the
Operational same flow capacity.

Preventing Internal Corrosion of pipeline.

Pipeline The inhibition of Black Powder
Health

12
Design Benefits

A decrease in the pipeline outer diameter in the design

phase of the project in order to achieve the same flow
capacity.
Internal Coatings provide smooth internal surface.

The improved surface roughness creates laminar flow at

the internal boundary
The laminar flow helps in achieving the maximum flow
capacity in the pipeline as a reduction of friction at pipe
surface thus reduction of diameter is achieved for same
flow rate and ultimately cost saving in design phase.

13
Operational Benefits

Reduction in the pressure drop in the pipeline and

thus an increase in the flow rate of natural gas
through it.

The pressure drop in pipelines is due to internal

friction.

Internal coating reduces internal coating and thus

reduces pressure drop.

Due to decrease in pressure drop flow automatically

increases.

14
Operational Benefits

The increase in flow and reduction in pressure drop

contributes for lesser power consumption.

The same flow rate can be achieved at the expense of

this power consumption to compress the gas.

Moreover, it can also help in selection of smaller size

compressor and ultimately reduces the cost at the
design stage.

15
Pipeline Health Benefits

Internal coating also contributes in Pipeline integrity

management by:-

Preventing internal corrosion of pipeline.

Inhibition of Black Powder formation within the gas

pipeline, which can lead to erosion failures and
damage pipeline operating valves, as well as clogging
instruments and filters.

16
Black Powder removal
1. Black powder Formation
Black Powder can develop within gas pipelines due to the
reaction of iron with condensed moisture, containing O2,
H2S & CO2 ).
Black Powder could come from the following sources:
Mill scale (iron oxides Fe3O4 ), from the pipe manufacturing
process through high temperature oxidation of steel
Flash rust (Fe2O33, FeOOH) from hydrostatic testing water
corrosion;
Internal pipeline corrosion (Microbiological Influenced Corrosion
MIC) or H2S reaction with steel;

Carry-over from gas gathering systems .

17
Black Powder removal
1. Black powder Formation
Black Powder may be mechanically mixed or
chemically combined with any number of
contaminants, such as water, liquid hydrocarbons,
salts, chlorides, sand, or dirt. Chemical analyses of the
material have revealed that it consists mainly of a
mixture of iron oxides and iron sulphides. Table 1
provides an example of the chemical composition of a
Black Powder.

18
Black Powder removal
1. Black powder Formation

19
Black Powder removal
1. Black powder Formation
Black Powder may be mechanically mixed or
chemically combined with any number of
contaminants, such as water, liquid hydrocarbons,
salts, chlorides, sand, or dirt. Chemical analyses of the
material have revealed that it consists mainly of a
mixture of iron oxides and iron sulphides. Table 1
provides an example of the chemical composition of a
Black Powder.

20
Corrosion Prevention
2. Corrosion Prevention
It helps accelerate the drying of pipeline after hydro
testing, pigging and cleaning.
Helps in prevention of scale formation.
It provides barrier against corrosive environment .

21
Economic Benefits
Flow Efficiency Coatings
Flow efficiency coatings (FEC) are thin film epoxy coatings
applied in natural gas pipelines to smooth the internal pipe
surface for improved flow.
Application of FEC replaces the internal rough surface of a
steel pipe with a smooth surface finish which reduces
friction and turbulence to increase flow efficiency.
This may allow for use of a smaller diameter pipe or lower
compression requirements resulting in reduced capital and
operating costs.
The cleaner surface reduces the cost and effort of drying
the pipe after hydrostatic testing.

22
Economic Benefits
Case Study
In a study conducted by Zamorano (2002) the economic benefits of using
internal coating were addressed .
The study was based upon internally coated pipe on the Argentine side of the
Gas Atacama pipeline system.
Based on the operational conditions the effect of the internal coating under
three different scenarios was studied:
Scenario 1: Capacity enhancement with existing gas compression facilities due to
internal coating.
Scenario 2: Next Capacity Expansion from 4.13 to 5.6 MMscm/d.
Scenario 3: Future Capacity Expansion up to 8.5 MMscm/d.
The main conclusions reached with this study were: The effect on pipeline,
capacity of the internal roughness is not relevant in the range of low to
medium flows, up to 4 MMscm/d. For flows greater than 4 MMscm/d, it
becomes a very important factor on flow efficiency and cost savings

23
Economic Benefits
Flow capacity of bare and internally coated pipe

24
Economic Benefits
Pressure drop internally coated vs bare pipe
According to John Campbell and Co. analysis, the pipeline pressure drop increases
very rapidly with the roughness factor of pipe internal. For a liquid pipeline, the
percentage change of friction pressure drop if 20 percent maximum and for the gas
pipeline the maximum change is more than 200percent.

25
Conclusion:

Internal coatings have demonstrated their applicability as a flow efficiency

coating of gas transmission pipelines in terms of operation and
maintenance since the 1960s. Furthermore, the coatings have shown to
help solve technical problems, such as the formation of Black Powder.
Existing modern coating materials have been designed to cope with the
technical requirements, as listed in the API 5L2 and ISO15741 international
standards and by taking account specific requirements, such as surface
profile roughness

26