Anti-Corrosion Solution for Monopile Mounting Bolts

Zero Corrosion B.V., a provider of environmental anti-corrosion solutions for Oil and Gas, Renewable Energy, Maritime and Infrastructure industry, has presented its latest innovative and cost-effective solutions that are kind on the environment.

OXIFREE TM198 is manufactured by Oxifree Global in Dallas, Texas and in 2015 they will be setting up European headquarters in the U.K. Oxifree is a reusable polymeric resin which is used to protect equipment from corrosion. The material is heated to 170 degrees Celcius and applied to substrates using our Polymelt application machines. No sand-blasting is required and the material has an extremely LOW (0.05%) VOC content. OXIFREE is most effective in protecting complex shapes such as flanges and wellheads, it does not adhere to the substrate so is easily removed for inspection/maintenance. It is therefore also perfect for protecting rotating equipment such as bearings or valves.

The material simply contracts around the substrate and the anti-corrosion oil in the material not only arrests any current corrosion but also acts as a membrane preventing any Oxygen from entering, therefore eliminating the possibility of future corrosion. Humidity and temperature are not an issue and application is very quick, combined with the fact that it will protect the equipment for 10 years plus, it makes this solution far more cost effective than traditional systems.

Up until now Zero Corrosion B.V. has been focused on oil and gas industry. However, several renewable energy construction companies have been interested in using OXIFREE to protect the monopile mounting bolts. These are usually large (M64) and an average 5.5 – 6 metre diameter monopole will use 100 of these to secure the transition piece to the monopole itself. Traditional methods of protection using paint are not only ineffective but often impossible to carry out on the day of erection due to the tight timescales involved.

Normally for the anti-corrosion systems used to protect monopoles comprise of a thin layer of Epoxy zinc dust, often in conjunction with paint. However for the mounting bolts which need to be re-tensioned from time to time, constructors and owners are attracted to an easily removable and reusable OXIFREE anti-corrosion system which can be applied whatever the humidity and temperature, thus saving immense maintenance costs. When the whole 24 hour cycle of installation relies on a Jack-Up costing in the region of €100,000/day, painting is not an option and in the long-term OXIFREE provides a more effective protection than the paint/zinc combination.

The bottom line is that the application of coating systems is normally dealt with at the end of a project therefore fall into the phase where delay and time pressures build up. This can often lead to compromises which can be very costly further down the line. It is vital for the offshore renewable power station industry to make sure that costly corrosion damage is prevented from the second the equipment is offshore. Success is measured by the overall cost of electricity (€/Kwh) and the maintenance costs of monopoles are very relevant to this figure.

September 23, 2014