Case Study
A buried steel pipeline with flanged transitions exhibited coating failure due to environmental factors, incompatible materials, and poor surface preparation. StopCorr™ was selected as a cold-applied, surface-tolerant viscoelastic wrap system capable of fully encapsulating the flange and adjoining pipe while conforming to complex geometries. StopCorr™ Paste and Seal were applied to fasteners and gaps, followed by PE OuterWrap for added protection.
Buried Flanges Challenges
- Previously applied coatings were incompatible or improperly installed, resulting in poor adhesion and accelerated corrosion.
- Environmental exposure and inadequate surface preparation led to the failure of the original coating system, particularly at the buried flange interfaces.
- A sharp diameter reduction from 8” to 4” introduced stress concentrations and created challenges for maintaining coating continuity across the transition zone.
- The remote site lacked the electrical infrastructure required for alternative coating systems, ruling out power-dependent solutions such as Oxifree®.
Project Needs
- Mitigate corrosion at buried flanges where coating degradation and environmental exposure created active corrosion risks.
- Ensure effective protection across an irregular geometry associated with an 8” to 4” pipe diameter transition.
- Apply a solution that requires, due to remote site limitations, no heat, minimal surface prep, and no power source.
- Deliver long-term encapsulation using a chemically stable, easy to field apply system.
StopCorr™ Provides Comprehensive Corrosion Protection...
Provided Protection
The StopCorr™ system eliminated external corrosion risks by forming a continuous, impermeable barrier across the flange region. The conformable and adaptable nature of the repair materials allowed complete encapsulation of the irregular geometries.
