1. Coating Failure at a Gas Compressor Facility
Robert Lanterman
JPCL Webinar 15 November 2018

2. Topics Discuss typical process of a failure investigation.
Examine the details of an F-Files failure investigation article to be published in the December edition of JPCL.

3. Typical Failure Analysis Steps
1. Background Information
2. Site Visit
3. Laboratory Investigation
4. Final Report

4. Background Information
Coating Specification
Construction Sequence
3. Painting History
4. Inspection Documents

5. Site Visit 1. Visual Examination 2. Pattern of Failure 3. Adhesion
4. Substrate Condition
5. Coating Thickness
6. Sample Removal
7. Photographs
8. Additional Tests

6. Laboratory Investigation
1. Microscopic Examination
2. FTIR
3. SEM/EDS
4. Mix Ratio

7. Final Report 1. Relevant Background Information
2. Findings of Site Visit
3. Laboratory Findings
4. Conclusions
5. Recommendations

8. Failure Location
Natural gas compressor facility, new construction. Large diameter piping to have been shop blasted and painted. Small diameter piping to have been blasted and painted in field.

9. Failure Background 1. Coating Specification Surface Preparation
Coating Materials
2. New Construction
a. Shop Painting
b. Field Painting
3. No Inspection Documents

10. Visual
Large diameter piping was in generally good condition. Areas of mechanical damage during installation.

11. Visual
Small diameter piping was in generally fair to poor condition. Painted over OEM coating.

12. Coating Thickness Item Spec Field Tooke Large Diameter Piping 9 mils
1 coat tan / white primer with tan top coat
Small Diameter Piping
2-3 mils
1 coat tan
Specification required 3 coats

13. Adhesion Large diameter piping had generally good adhesion.
Small diameter piping had generally fair to poor adhesion.

14. Substrate Large diameter piping was abrasive blasted.
Small diameter piping had OEM coating.

15. Laboratory Findings 1. Epoxy coatings, no urethane coat
2. Only one layer of coating
3. Abrasive blasting was performed
on large diameter pipe section

16. Conclusions
Small diameter piping was not abrasive blasted in the field prior to painting as required by specification.
The required 3 coat system was not applied. Typically only one coat was observed.
The required urethane top coat was not applied.

17. Recommendations
The large diameter piping should be abrasive blasted and coated.
Overcoating could be an option.
The small diameter piping should be abrasive blasted and coated in accordance with the specification.