CONTRACTOR: SAIPEM

FINAL CLIENT: BHP

DESCRIPTION: Pipeline Internal Field Joint Coating Service

INTRODUCTION:

The project "Spence Growth Options (SGO)”is located in north Chile. The project supplys fresh water fora 20-year period ,from the desalination plant in Mejillones, Antofagasta, to "Spence" copper mine owned by Minera Spence, a wholly owned subsidiary of BHP, a major mineral resource company based in Australia. The pipeline construction work is contracted to the EPC company-SERVIZI ENERGIA ITALIA (SEI), a whole owned subsidiary in Chile by Saipem SPA, who is a world major energy service constructing provider in Italy.
The Product Water Conveyance System includes the construction of a 155 km system of 36" diameter pipelines for the transportation of water from the desalination plant to the "Spence" mine situated 1,710 metres above sea level. The scope of work includes the construction along the route of 3 pumping stations and associated systems of control and maintenance.
As an essential activity of the pipeline construction, the internal field joint coating technology provides a coherent pipeline internal anti-corrosion coating protection for a period of minimum 20 years.

THE SERVICE PROVIDER

Tyhoo Industries is one of the worldwide leading professional providers of petroleum services and products specilized in one-stop solution for anti-corrosion, services for oil and gas exploration production, gathering and transferring, inspection and many other services for both onshore and offshore petroleum industry, chemical and petrochemical industry and other energy fields.
Tyhoo's internal field joint coating (IFJC) robot has been successfully used to provide internal field joint coating protection for new constructed pipelines with diameter from 8inch to 56inch with satisfying quality and convenient operation. Applying corrosion resistance coatings helps to provide coherent corrosion protection for all types of pipelines including natural gas, crude oil, potable water, desalination water and salt water, etc.
The internal field joint coating robots are wirelessly controlled with hand-held video monitoring and operation system, through which operator issues instructions to control moving, location, blasting cleaning, coating application, inspection and emergency rescue when necessary.
After years of application, Tyhoo has established a complete project management system and QHSE management system with certified ISO9001, ISO14001 and ISO45001 and implemented them into IFJC project operation.INTERNAL FIELD JOINT COATING SOLUTION 

Due to the corrosive condition of the desalination sea water, the project 36" line pipes are internal coated with liquid epoxy coating, leaving a length of 50mm at each pipe end uncoated for on site welding. Therefore, it is crucial to apply a coating on the uncoated cutback area after girth welding on site, to provide a coherent internal coating protection for the pipeline.
The equipment for internal field joint coating that Tyhoo deployed for the project including application robot and inspection robot. The application robot is re- sponsbile for innitial inspection of the internal girth weld to ensure that it is coatedable. Then the robot will do a centrifugal balsting to the welded cutback area to clean any rust or other contamination. After removal of the balsting materials, the robot applies the internal field joint coating onto the cutback area to a target thickness with proper overlap with pipe internal parent coating.
After fully curing of the applied coating, Tyhoo sends the inspection robot into the pipe string for a final inspection including visual inspection, thickness measurement and holiday detection.
All robots are driven by lithium batteries and wireless controlled to complete all work process in the pipeline, and the maximum travelling distance practiced and verified in the projects is 1100 meters. 

ACHIEVEMENTS 

Tyhoo' s performance and successful completion of the internal field joint coating service has obtained high recognition and praise from the client, with 100% final qualified products. Although it is the first project of Tyhoo ever worked in Chile, Tyhoo has executed all activities and procedures satisfyingly and without any delay to the project construction schedule. The successful completion of the project has enhanced Tyhoo' s steps and capabilities toward international projects as well as a better, stronger and more experienced management and construction team in international projects.