The oil and gas industry of Houston quite literally powers the world. Houston’s geographical location on the Gulf of Mexico makes the city an ideal operational base for oil and gas exploration and production. From the regional mineral-rich shale in the Permian Basin to the deep-sea reserves off Africa’s coasts, Houston’s domestic and international reach is expansive. A vast array of technologies and equipment contribute to the successful extraction, processing, and transportation of those hydrocarbons that power our lives. In particular, the metal piping and equipment that carry and process these fuels must be protected to ensure operational efficiency and environmental safety, and fusion bonded epoxy coatings are a key contributor to this process.
“3M™ Scotchkote™ Fusion Bonded Epoxy Coating 134” might not mean much to the average individual, but to those who work with protective coatings for the oil and gas industry of Houston, it means much more. Manufactured by 3M, Scotchkote 134 is a thermosetting epoxy coating applied to pipe and equipment through an electrostatic powder coating process. The coating is hardened or “cured” using large ovens to fusion bond the protective coating to the metal substrate.
Such protection is of utmost importance in the oil and gas industry, with the inside of a pipe being regularly exposed to corrosive hydrocarbons or heavily brine conditions. In fact, applied after Scotchkote 345 Liquid Phenolic Primer, Scotchkote 134 FBE offers excellent resistance to C02, H2S, CH4, and other petroleum distillates at elevated temperatures and pressures. Without proper protection, pipes require more frequent maintenance or replacement, and could even leak or burst—which is clearly a serious environmental and safety hazard.
As a fusion bonded epoxy coating, 3M™ Scotchkote™ Fusion Bonded Epoxy Coating 134 is rated for long-term performance across many industrial segments. In addition to meeting the requirements for AWWA C213 , the coating is also rated for the transportation of potable water according to NSF/ANSI 61, a National Sanitation Foundation guideline that regulates drinking water supplies and approves protective coatings for use in transporting drinking water.
The technical specifications used to classify protective coatings in the oil and gas industry (and other heavy industries) are generally unknown to the layman, but they play an important role in all our lives. Products such as 3M™ Scotchkote™ Fusion Bonded Epoxy Coating 134 allow businesses involved in the extraction, processing, and transportation of hydrocarbons to safely and effectively bring these products to the market so that they can power our lives, and indeed, the lives of everyone around the world.