PCN celebrates completion of Egina pipe coating

Pipe Coaters Nigeria Limited (PCN) on Wednesday celebrated completion of the coating and cut back of the last pipe for the Egina UFR (umbilicals, flowlines and risers) project at the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, Rivers State.

The completion represents a major milestone in one of Total’s flagship ultra-deep offshore projects in Nigeria.

Located some 130 km off the coast of Nigeria at water depths of more than 1,500 meters, the Egina project is for the most part being developed locally to accelerate the pace of technology transfer and expand the local industrial fabric.

At a reception to mark the successful completion of the coating at the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone recently, PCN Country Manager, Mr. Ricardo Capria, said the Egina pipe coating is the largest in the oil and gas industry.

He said, “The final pipe for the largest pipe-coating project the oil and gas industry has seen to date– consisting of 6,000 tons of material – has been coated. The work was performed by the only plant in Africa capable of applying the sophisticated coating technology on large diameter pipe, Pipe Coaters Nigeria Limited (PCN).

“PCN recently applied a specialized coating on the final pipe for the Egina field, celebrating a major milestone for a project that required extensive training of local employees, plant qualification, and the development and full-scale testing of a specially formulated material to withstand the harsh conditions of the ultra deepwater application.”

Mr. Capria said PCN collaborated with Tenaris, a global supplier of steel pipe products with a strong presence in Nigeria, on developing a proprietary component to the formula for the coating material.

“The specially formulated material, 5 Layer Syntactic Polypropylene (5LsynPP) Thermal Insulation coating, was tested and proven to: improve resistance to corrosion, improve flow assurance and prevent paraffin deposits.

“The amount of coating used for the Egina project is the largest in the world with 6,000 tons of the proprietary material applied – in five-inch thick layers – on 14” and 18” pipes. PCN employees received specialized training to carry out the production and advanced coating application. Its plant, located in the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, underwent a yearlong qualification process in 2014 to ensure the facility was capable of meeting the customers’ strict requirements from safety, quality and production,” he said.

He said about 800,000 man-hours were worked, locally, on the challenging coating project with 90 percent of employees with PCN.

Developer of the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, Intels Nigeria Limited, which was represented at the event by its Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Patrick Bird, said it is proud to have provided the enabling environment for successful completion of the coating by PCN.

He said, “Completion of the coating and cut back of the last pipe for the Egina umbilicals, flowlines and risers is a major accomplishment and we are happy to have been partners with them in achieving this great milestone.

Mr. Bird said despite present challenges in the economy, Intels is steadfast in its commitment to the delivery of maximum benefits to companies like PCN and other companies in the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone.