June 2013, Vol. 68, No. 6
New Products
Shuretape Pipeline Tape
The oil and gas industry is strictly regulated, especially given the safety, environmental and economic impact of a pipeline leak.
Pipeline corrosion prevention is critical, with proper exterior surface coating serving as a first line of defense in preventing corrosion-related failures in new installations.
In the demanding coating process, each tool plays a vital role in creating the protective “barrier” that will reduce the rate of corrosion. Even those tools that play a seemingly small role are essential to the end result. Tape, for example, serves as an “unsung hero” that helps make field joint welding of the pipe sections at the construction site possible.
High-performance masking tape is often used during the corrosion-coating process to keep specific pipe sections coating-free to allow for welding at the installation site. To do so, tape is hand-applied to pre-heated pipes – typically two to six inches on each pipe end – before entering the powder coater.
The tape is engineered to endure the extreme conditions found in the corrosion-coating process, including withstanding high temperatures (450- 460 degrees F) for short durations of time (1-2 minutes). High-tack adhesive and easy, consistent unwind allow it to be applied quickly and evenly to the pipe by skilled tradesmen.
High heat resistance in the tape’s backing is also critical, as severe color change in the tape’s backing may suggest the tape is near combustion and could lead to an explosion in the powder coater.
After the coating is applied, the tape is removed. Here, residue-free tape removal is critical as any impurity or other contaminant on the uncoated surfaces will interfere with field joint welding of the pipe sections at the construction site.
For the demanding coating process, tapes that offer heat resistance with clean removal are essential. Engineered to exacting standards, Shurtape offers two high-performance masking tapes for masking corrosion-coated steel pipes: CP 800 is designed for pipes under 24 inches in diameter; CP 900 is designed for pipes greater than 24 inches in diameter. 440.937.7365, shurtape.com
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