Corrosion Protection of Steel at an Oil Storage Terminal with TYFO^® Fibrwrap^® Systems

This Oil Storage Terminal is one of the oldest and most important oil terminals in southern India, catering to a majority of petroleum demand for the city of Chennai and surrounding areas. The external water pipes for the fire fighting system at the terminal were getting severely corroded due to aging and exposure to the marine environment. An annual painting exercise was routinely undertaken to protect the pipes from further corrosion. However, this process was time-consuming, ineffective and resulted in recurring expenses. A long-term solution needs to be implemented. Replacement of steel pipes was unviable as welding and gas-cutting works would require decommissioning of the oil tanks, resulting in revenue losses.

The TYFO^® Fibrwrap^® Composite System was proposed for corrosion protection using a bi-directional composite system. The proposal was accepted by the facility’s client and the job was granted in December 1999. The TYFO^® Fibrwrap^® WEB System was applied with a specially formulated epoxy to create an airtight and water resistant coating to the pipes. The whole project was completed in two weeks time without any plant shutdown or revenue loss while complying with the safety standards of the client.