Our world would literally stop running without the energy supplied by oil and gas. But how do we ensure essential industry components such as storage tanks and offshore platform legs last for years to come? Oil and gas parts must withstand some of the planet’s most aggressive environments: from the subsea wells and offshore platforms exposed to the degradation of salt spray and sour gas (H₂S) to sand-producing wells suffering from erosion due to particles carried in oil, gas, or water. Fortunately, flame spray—a thermal spray coating process—can be used to protect these vulnerable parts from corrosion, erosion, extreme wear, heat, and chemical attack. 

What is Flame Spray?

Flame spray is one of the oldest and most widely used thermal spray processes. This coating method uses oxygen and acetylene to melt wire or powder materials into a combustion stream, which is then applied to a surface to form a protective layer that enhances resistance to heat, erosion, corrosion, and wear.

Typically, flame spray is utilized for metallic, ceramic, and nickel-based material applications that require strength and corrosion resistance. As such, different materials will require different types of flame spray guns or equipment. To this day, flame spray remains in heavy rotation due to its relatively cost-effective coating technology, versatility, and simple design and application process.

How Do the Oil and Gas Industries Use Flame Spray?

From repairing large-scale steel structures to protecting pump shafts, hardworking professionals in the oil and gas industry have leveraged flame spray in a multitude of ways: 

1. Corrosion Protection 

Offshore oil rigs along the U.S. Gulf coast account for a significant share of total domestic crude oil output. In fact, Reuters reported that offshore production accounts for about 15% of total U.S. output and is likely to drive extensive growth for the U.S. oil industry this year. Coastal facilities and other offshore platforms like these face a continuous battle against the elements. Components such as pipe racks, storage tanks, and offshore platform legs are susceptible to corrosion due to their constant exposure to salt spray and humidity. The flame spray process can be used to apply layers of coatings that will extend structural life by decades and greatly reduce repainting cycles.

2. Erosion & Sand Wear Protection

Getting oil and gas out of the ground is a time-consuming process that often results in an excess of sand particles in the produced fluids. These tiny particles can inflict high levels of erosion on chokes, pump components, pipe elbows, and flow control equipment. Flame spray coatings commonly used to protect against erosion and sand wear include tungsten carbide, chrome carbide, and nickel-based alloys. Selecting a flame spray process can help prevent premature part failure and is even beneficial in sour gas environments where parts are susceptible to sulfide stress cracking, corrosion, and hydrogen embrittlement. 

3. Shaft & Equipment Refurbishment

Pump shafts may seem unassuming, but in oil and gas, refurbishing or fully replacing these parts can cost a small fortune. Pumps used for these industries tend to be large, vertical, high-pressure pumps and/or custom parts. This means replacing even just the shaft can cost thousands of dollars plus thousands more in lost labor, machining, materials, and downtime. For example, buying a raw shaft pump could cost up to $20,000, not to mention the subsequent labor and installation. The flame spray process can be adopted for dimensional restoration, saving valuable time and money on parts such as pumps, compressor shafts, seal areas, and bearing journals. 

4. High-Temperature Protection

Did you know that the hottest part of an oil refinery unit is the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit? Here, between the reactor and the regenerator, temperatures can fluctuate between ~900–1,350°F. Parts that typically see the most damage and can benefit the most from flame spray are furnace tubes and radiant sections. 

These components are subject to abuse from constant extreme temperatures, oxidation, and sulfidation corrosion. In addition, FCC components like cyclones, slide valves, catalyst transfer lines, and plenum chambers are often damaged and can be salvaged by flame spray coatings like chrome carbide, nickel-based alloys, and ceramic coatings for even more erosion resistance. Overall, these coatings can reduce oxidation and greatly extend service life.

5. Subsea Equipment Protection

Not all oil and gas operations operate on the surface. One of the most extreme environments where flame spray can be of service is with subsea oil and gas outfits. These types of operations can be found on the ocean floor or sea bed and are used in deep or ultra-deep (5,000+ feet) offshore oil and gas fields. Subsea equipment can be treated by the flame spray process to withstand high pressure, saltwater corrosion, sand erosion, and sand gas. 

Components that are routinely treated with this type of coating process include subsea Christmas trees; subsea manifolds, flowlines, and umbilicals; riser systems; pipelines; and splash zones (near the surface). For instance, a subsea flowline treated with a flame spray coating application can withstand corrosion and mechanical damage, especially near the splash zone. This metal barrier will prevent seawater from penetrating the pores of the flowline and will block seawater from reaching the steel. This sacrificial protection allows pipelines to last 20–30 years with minimal corrosion. Lastly, some oil and gas components such as valve seats are outfitted with TSA coatings via flame spray to reduce galling and friction and improve sealing performance.

HTS Coatings has been harnessing the power of flame spray for decades. We know the value this process brings to industries like oil and gas. From easily repairing surface erosion to quick transport on site for field or service repairs, flame spray is a wear-resistant, effective, and anti-corrosive solution to some of the most compromised parts in oil and gas.

Interested in learning more about our flame spray capabilities or wondering how it can extend your maintenance intervals? Learn more about our hands-on flame spray work or request a quote today.

Resources:

• https://htscoatings.com/pages/flame-spray