Linc Energy Blog

Trenton, the manufacturer of Wax-Tape, a corrosion prevention system which provides long lasting protection for above and belowground pipelines, is expanding their product line. The long time manufacturer of the petroleum based tape is providing an alternative to those who prefer using liquid epoxy coating.

Tags: corrosion prevention, corrosion control, fbe pipeline coating, liquid epoxy coating

Trenton Corporation, the manufacturer of corrosion prevention systems is introducing a new wax-tape coating which offers corrosion protection of metal pipe and irregular shaped fixtures in higher temperature applications.

Tags: corrosion control, anti-corrosion, corrosion prevention

Linc Energy is a manufacturers’ representative and stocking distributor for Trenton corrosion prevention systems commonly used in oil and natural gas pipelines. The Michigan based company has manufactured wax-based anticorrosion protective systems since 1949. All over the world, Trenton Corporation products have been used to protect thousands of miles of pipelines.

Tags: pipeline corrosion, corrosion control, anti-corrosion, corrosion prevention

The decision to use insulating flange kits or monolithic isolation joints just got easier as one United States manufacturer is offering attractive alternatives to the notorious long lead times from importing.

Tags: Monolithic isolation joints, corrosion control, pipeline corrosion, insulating joints

Tracer wire manufacturers routinely strive for advancements to prevent situations where tracer wire fails. Recently Copperhead Industries introduced a new product, corrosion proof tracer wire connectors which minimize connection failure while backfilling, provide corrosion protection and save time and money.

In an earlier blog post “What makes utilities and pipelines locatable?” I mentioned that without a carbon or low allow-steel pipeline, utility workers have come to rely on tracer wire to locate utilities and pipelines.

In this case, the underground tracer wire is installed next to a pipeline and made accessible at various access points like manholes, valve boxes, vaults, or other enclosed access devices. When the tracer wire is charged at an access point a magnetic field will provide a signal the locator can use with ground penetrating radar (GPR) or electromagnetic pipe detection (EPD) equipment. The locating wire makes non-locatable lines (made of polyethylene, plastic, fiberglass or concrete) locatable when they remain intact.

Unfortunately tracer wire or direct burial wire is not flawless and there are a few common reasons wire typically fails:

• The common material used in tracer wire is copper. Unfortunately, copper is expensive which has made tracer wire prone to theft and you can’t trace a line if it’s not there!
• Copper wire is inflexible and can break during installation and a broken line won’t carry the current.
• Many tracer wires have vinyl or nylon coatings which fail prematurely when the line is exposed to moisture.

To address these common weaknesses, manufacturers like Copperhead Industries have introduced tracer wire breakthroughs which include: corrosion resistance, stronger and more durable tracer wire (Copperhead steel clad) and less expensive alternatives to copper.

Recently, Copperhead Industries, a leading tracer wire manufacturer has introduced SnakeBite tracer wire connectors demonstrating another step forward. The new connectors require no wire stripping. By inserting the wires into the SnakeBite openings and simply turning 90 degrees the tracer wire connector is locked shut, giving the installer peace of mind that the connectors won’t unlock while backfilling the line. With no reason to strip wire, installers require fewer tools and save time. What makes this new connector even more unique is the dielectric water proof and corrosion proof sealant inside the SnakeBite connector. The connectors are color-coded by industry with 3 APWA colors: yellow-natural gas, blue-water, orange-telecom.

More information on Copperhead Industries and the new corrosion proof connectors can be found onour  Pipeline Excavation Products page.

 

Tags: natural gas inustry, ground penetrating radar, GPR, tracer wire, locating utilities, electromagnetic pipe detection, EPD, gas distribution lines, corrosion control

With the recent rash of natural gas pipeline explosions, many caused by pipeline corrosion, there is a watchful eye on how owners are handling the maintenance and repair of their pipelines. To some companies the problems may seem bigger than life as there are millions of miles of aging natural gas pipelines in the United States alone. Pipeline owners are being forced to take a proactive stance to this problem by identifying areas of their lines which are in need of repair, remediation or restoration.

A product called A+ Wrap manufactured by Pipe Wrap LLC has been identified as an effective method to extend the life of high pressure natural gas pipelines. The product has been tested, approved and meets D.O.T. requirements as a permanent pipeline repair. The repair solution is a strong composite sleeving system which permanently repairs gouges, cracks, dents as well as external defects associated with pipe that has been compromised as much as 80 %. The A+ Wrap system is composed of a two-part putty which is activated when mixed together, along with a composite wrap; it is pliable, water activated and restores pipe to its full-strength condition.

A+ Wrap repairs defects near welded areas (up to 50% wall loss) or along any shapes or configurations including reducers, bends, tees, manifolds or elbows. However, it does not repair cracks, gouges or dents in longitudinal or girth welds.

A+ Wrap requires no special tools for installation and can be installed on wet or dry surfaces or even submerged in water. The product however, can only be installed by trained personnel with factory or representative certification. The manufacturer also requires the installer be recertified annually. In Colorado and the Rocky Mountain States, Linc Energy Systems is a certified trainer.

As with other water-activated composite sleeving systems, A+ Wrap has a smart pig detect-ability element without the drawback of creating cathodic reactions.

Pipe Wrap's A+ Wrap has been identified as an effective alternative to sleeves, welding or complete pipe replacement. With the ever increasing amount of deteriorating pipeline in the United States, I’m sure we’ll hear more about the use of Pipe Wrap to repair or restore our aging pipelines.

For other helpful ideas on this issue, visit Effective corrosion prevention methods for pipelines. 

Tags: pipeline restoration, pipe remediation, pipe repair, pipeline corrosion, gas explosion, corrosion control, gas pipline explosion, damage prevention, corrosion prevention

It is no secret that the effectiveness of your cathodic protection system depends on the experience of the installer and the quality of raw materials put into the pipeline. Many CP professionals often wonder about the pros and cons of using insulating flange kits over monolithic isolation joints.

The monolithic insulating joint was developed as an alternative to insulating flange kits. It has been widely used in Middle Eastern and European countries in the Oil & Gas Industry. While they have been used in the United States, their benefits have been overshadowed by long lead times from European manufacturers.

Now with the expansion of a United States insulating joint manufacturer, I wonder if the use of insulating joints will give insulating flange kits a run for its money.

What are the pros and cons of using monolithic insulating joints versus insulating flange kits?
 

Disadvantages of insultating joints

The primary disadvantage of using monolithic insulating joints in U.S. pipelines has been the long lead times from European manufacturers. While some U.S. distributors have tried to appease the availability issue it has become a challenge for contractors to work with staggering lead times when inventory has been depleted.

The often perceived secondary disadvantage is the upfront expense of an insulating joint which can be twice the cost of an insulating flange kit.

Advantages of Monollithic Isolation

Barlow Insulating Joints  ~ Now offering stock availability in most sizes

Insulating joints come preassembled and pretested versus the traditional insulating flange kit, which requires a skilled technician to assemble it on site. By using the Insulating joint the company saves on site labor. The joints are also less likely to fail from improper installation which could render a CP system ineffective and likely result in both internal and external corrosion.

With an insulating joint, serviceability and maintenance is simplified. Whereas, when using an insulating flange kit the system may become shorted when buried (from settling, thermal expansion or over-tightening). In this case, the cost to repair a damaged or leaking system significantly exceeds the initial investment of an insulating joint. It is also more likely that the pipeline would have to be shut down if maintenance or replacement is required.

When evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of using insulated flange kits versus monolithic insulating joints it would seem that when life cycle costs are considered, the use of monolithic insulting joints is advantageous over the flange kits.

New U.S. Insulating Joint Manufacturer

With the recent rash of gas pipeline explosions, of which many believe are corrosion-related, the spotlight is on gas pipelines to increase safety and quality of pipeline materials and testing. The expansion of Barlow Insulating Joints, a U.S. manufacturer seems timely. Barlow apparently is not new to the industry, and has manufactured insulating joints for over 50 years serving the east coast. The company was acquired by IMAC Systems a couple years back who has decided to expand the Barlow line to the west coast.

Perhaps the availability of U.S. monolithic insulating joints will impact the way U.S. pipelines choose their insulating methods.
 

Tags: CP, corrosion control, gas explosion, monolithic, insulating joints, isolation, cathodic protection

Over the years I’ve been amused with the variety of responses I’ve received when I’ve asked, “What is cathodic protection?” If I’m talking to a corrosion engineer I get one answer, if I’m conversing with an operations person I get something different. I thought, ‘Here’s a challenge - let’s describe cathodic protection in a way a layperson would understand.’

Cathodic protection (CP) is a technique used to control the corrosion of a metal substance in various applications. Some common areas which apply this science are: fuel tanks, pier pilings, ships, offshore oil platforms and casings, metal reinforcement bars for concrete structures, as well as pipelines.

To simplify cathodic protection – assume you have a metal pipeline and you need to protect it against corrosion. Pipelines are generally supplemented with CP after being protected with an anticorrosion system (coating or wrap) as the primary form of corrosion protection. Otherwise the cathodic protection required to combat corrosion for an uncoated pipeline is excessive.

The first step in cathodic protection is to take the metal you are trying to protect (pipeline) and turn it into a cathode. A pipeline is normally anodic, it contains positively charged electrons. By supplying an electric current the pipeline becomes passive or cathodic. The science reveals that as long as the electron current is arriving at the cathode (pipeline) faster than oxygen is, then corrosion will be prevented or significantly slowed.

Pipelines commonly use Impressed Current Cathodic Protection (ICCP) which uses a rectifier along with anodes buried in the ground. The rectifier (a DC power source) supplies electrons to the system stopping corrosion of the pipeline and since the anodes don’t surrender many electrons they don’t corrode much either.

Sometimes it’s more economical to use a galvanic anode system in which the anodes (Magnesium, Zinc or Aluminum) are the electron source and are sacrificed and corrode over the steel pipeline.

The video below offers a simple representation of ICCP.  

I hope you enjoyed this back to basics session on “What is cathodic protection?”
 

Photo: http://140.194.76.129/publications/eng-manuals/em1110-1-4008/c-12.pdf

 

Tags: CP, ICCP, damage prevention, cathodic protection, corrosion control