Australia’s harsh, varied climate often creates the perfect conditions for corrosion in critical pipeline assets – but what can utilities do to protect their vital infrastructure?
When corrosion strikes, essential infrastructure is at risk of life-threatening failure at worst and expensive repairs at best.
Corrosion occurs naturally resulting from continuous environmental attack on an asset’s surface. While it can impact a wide range of critical utility assets – including both metal and non-metal pipelines, valves, cables and fittings – pipelines that are constantly exposed to extreme environments are very high risk.
This was the challenge that one port authority faced with some of the key pipelines at its tank farm in Queensland.
This authority plays a vital role in supporting Australia’s import and export trade with the tank farm serving as a critical hub for fuel, bulk commodities and freight transportation. The infrastructure within the tank farm includes firewater, diesel and jet fuel pipelines that are all essential to ensuring the port’s smooth operation.
Given the harsh coastal environment and continuous exposure to corrosive elements, protecting these assets is crucial for maintaining long-term serviceability and minimising the risk of failures.
To tackle these challenges, the port authority enlisted the help of Denso Australia, an industry leader in corrosion prevention, who provided the company with several made-to-measure systems to extend the lifespan of these pipelines and maintain their structural integrity.
Got it covered
For the firewater and diesel pipelines, Denso recommended the VISCOTAQ™ Field Joint Coating System, which is fully compliant with AS 4822:2024 (external field joint coatings for steel pipelines).
This system also offers superior adhesion and can conform seamlessly to irregular surfaces.
The firewater pipeline is a mission-critical safety asset and as such, maintaining its optimal condition is essential. The parent coating, FusionKote, on this pipeline required a field joint system compatible with its characteristics to ensure full continuity of corrosion protection.
Because VISCOTAQ ViscoWrap ST can adhere to polyethelene coatings, conform tightly to irregular surfaces and provide a self-healing corrosion barrier, it was an ideal choice for this application.
Before work could begin, Denso provided training to all applicators to ensure proper system installation across all 60 field joints.
Following this, VISCOTAQ ViscoMastic was applied to the sharp edges around the collar of the field joints to prevent water ingress.
VISCOTAQ ViscoWrap ST was then wrapped around the joint to form a corrosion-resistant, self-sealing barrier, before the VISCOTAQ PVC Outerwrap was installed for mechanical protection.
In this instance, the use of a PVC outerwrap (as opposed to PE or HDPE) was dictated by the fact that this was a buried or below-ground application that did not require a UV-stable solution. The system was further bolstered with the application of Denso™ Glass Outerwrap for additional reinforcement and long‑term durability.
Another 60 field joints on the diesel pipeline underwent a similar treatment, which ensured consistency across the project and streamlined training for applicators.
The diesel pipeline was coated with a two-layer fusion-bonded epoxy (FBE), which meant that the field joint solution needed to bond effectively to the parent coating while providing superior corrosion resistance at the welds.
As strong as steel
The unique characteristics of the port authority’s jet fuel pipeline, however, called for a different solution. In general, stainless steel is highly resistant to corrosion, but when it’s used in ethanol pipeline carrying jet fuel, additional protection is required to prevent pitting and external environmental degradation.
To provide corrosion protection for the full length of the pipeline, a combination of Denso MP Primer, Densyl Tape and Denso PVC Outerwrap were selected to form a robust protective barrier – ensuring the long-term integrity of this critical fuel transport line. Just like with the VISCOTAQ system, applicators were trained on correct system application. The Denso MP Primer was applied first to enhance adhesion and provide an initial corrosion barrier. The pipeline was then wrapped with Densyl Tape to create a self-sealing, water-resistant protective layer. Finally, the PVC Outerwrap was applied to give mechanical protection against external environmental factors.
By implementing a combination of Denso and VISCOTAQ solutions, this project successfully mitigated corrosion risks on critical port infrastructure. The selected systems were chosen based on compatibility with the parent coatings, pipeline function and site conditions, ensuring seamless integration and maximum service life extension.
Denso Australia’s expertise in corrosion prevention ensures that this Queensland tank farm’s assets will remain protected for years to come, reducing maintenance costs and safeguarding essential fuel and firewater pipelines in this vital port facility. U
