STOPAQ Offshore Success in the Arabian Gulf: Speed Without Sacrificing Performance

 

When it comes to offshore pipeline construction, time truly is money. Every hour on a barge carries significant cost, and any process that slows production can quickly turn into a major financial setback.

That was exactly the concern for a major project in the Arabian Gulf, where a client was searching for a better way to handle offshore field joint coatings on pipe sizes ranging from 4” to 18”. The project spanned from 2012 to 2014 — and the mission was clear:

Field joint coating could not be the bottleneck.

The Challenge: Fast, Reliable, Offshore-Ready

The client’s requirements were straightforward — but demanding:

• A system that was quick and easy to apply

• Proven, robust, and reliable performance offshore

• Ready to hit the rollers and face the sea in a very short timeframe

• Minimal HSE concerns

• No unnecessary equipment or complicated prep procedures

If you’ve spent any time offshore, you know how difficult it can be to balance speed with long-term corrosion protection. Many coating systems look good on paper but slow down production with cure times, blasting requirements, or complex heating procedures.

This client wasn’t willing to take that risk again.

The STOPAQ Solution

The winning system centered around STOPAQ, combining:

• Wrappingband CZHT

• Outerwrap

• High Impact Shield HT

• Rockshield

Together, these components delivered exactly what the project demanded.

One of the biggest advantages of the STOPAQ Wrappingband CZHT system is its surface prep requirements.

Instead of full abrasive blasting, surface preparation could be achieved with simple power tools. Offshore, this is a game changer. Less equipment, less logistical complexity, and less downtime.

Speed was critical.

With STOPAQ Wrappingband, there is no cure time required before applying the Outerwrap and High Impact Shield HT. Application can proceed immediately.

That dramatically reduced the cycle time per joint compared to other technologies under consideration — especially those requiring primer cure times or complex heating sequences.

On a barge, shaving minutes off each joint adds up quickly.

The system required:

• Less heating equipment

• No hazardous primers

That means fewer HSE risks, simplified compliance, and a safer working environment for crews — all while maintaining coating integrity.

In offshore environments, fewer variables often equal fewer problems.

The coating system was ready to see rollers and seawater within a very short time frame. There was no waiting around for cure development or strength build-up.

For offshore contractors, that kind of reliability isn’t a luxury — it’s essential.

Checking Every Box

The client essentially submitted a checklist. The STOPAQ system checked every one:

Quick and easy to apply

Proven offshore performance

Reduced cycle time

Minimal surface prep requirements

Lower equipment demands

Improved HSE profile

Ready for immediate handling

From 2012 through 2014, this project demonstrated that STOPAQ isn’t just a corrosion solution — it’s a production solution.

Revisiting a Milestone in Raychem History: The Great Trans-Alaskan Pipeline Challenge (August 1975)

 

In August of 1975, Raychem found itself at the center of a historic moment in the oil and gas industry. The Trans-Alaskan Pipeline, a massive undertaking that would transport oil from the Alaskan wilderness to the rest of the world, was facing significant delays. One of the primary challenges? A substantial amount of pipe coated with Fusion Bond Epoxy (FBE) had been left exposed to the harsh UV rays of the Alaskan sun for far too long. As a result, the FBE began to degrade, jeopardizing the integrity of the entire pipeline.

Enter Raychem: a company known for its innovative solutions, but this time, the task ahead was nothing short of extraordinary. Raychem was given a daunting proposition: find a way to re-coat thousands of feet of exposed pipe without needing to ship it anywhere. The clock was ticking, and the stakes were high.

Raychem’s team immediately sprang into action. They understood that solving this issue wasn’t just about fixing a problem; it was about developing a solution that could be deployed quickly and effectively in some of the most remote and challenging conditions on Earth.

The result? Arcticlad. A revolutionary product—a spiral-wrapped, heat-shrinkable tape—was born. This tape could coat long lengths of pipe with precision, effectively protecting the pipeline and preventing further damage from UV exposure. But there was one more hurdle to overcome: the installation. Raychem didn’t just create a new product; they also engineered the machinery needed to apply the Arcticlad tape in the field.

This was a true engineering marvel. The teams worked tirelessly, and within an incredibly short amount of time, they had a solution that was both effective and scalable.

The success of Arcticlad wasn’t just a technical win. It was a business triumph that would have lasting implications for Raychem’s future. The ability to offer a cost-effective, field-deployable solution allowed the company to generate significant revenue while cementing its reputation as a leader in pipeline coatings. This success didn’t just solve a problem—it set the stage for Raychem’s pipeline division to thrive in the years to come, establishing a legacy that would last for decades.

Thanks to the ingenuity, quick thinking, and relentless dedication of the Raychem team, the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline project became more than just a milestone—it was a defining moment that helped Raychem’s pipeline division flourish and remain a leader in the industry for many years.

This remarkable chapter in Raychem’s history shows how, with the right combination of innovation, determination, and teamwork, a challenge can be transformed into an opportunity that reshapes the future.

Don’t Leave Your Bundled Bore Bumper System to Chance

 

Bundled directional drills are complex. They’re expensive. And they carry long-term consequences if something goes wrong.  So here’s a simple Public Service Announcement:

If your company does not have a thoughtfully written specification for bumpers on bundled bores, you are taking a serious risk with your pipeline.

When multiple 20" and 30" pipelines are bundled together and dragged thousands of feet through a bore, pipe-on-pipe contact isn’t a possibility — it’s a certainty. The real question is whether you’ve engineered protection into the project or left it up to chance.

Our BBS (Bundled Bumper System) was designed specifically to address these risks. It isn’t improvised. It isn’t pieced together on-site. It’s engineered for the application.

Here’s what that means:

• Two-part epoxy bonding agent applied directly to the factory-applied coating — with no abrasion required

• Bumper material backed by decades of bore experience

• Leader strip protection on the front end of the bundle

• A proven durometer rating engineered to handle the load

Most importantly:

The system is guaranteed to stay in place
The system is guaranteed to maintain the spacing you specify

Spacing isn’t cosmetic. It’s protection. Lose spacing, and you lose coating integrity. Lose coating integrity, and corrosion becomes part of your future maintenance plan.

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What Happens Without a Specification?

Let’s talk about what I’ve actually seen, including as recently as this morning.

If you don’t clearly write a bumper specification into the project, the decision doesn’t disappear. It simply shifts downstream.

And when cost pressure takes over, here’s what that “system” often becomes:

• A 1-inch rope

• Wrapped with a couple laps of cold-applied tape

• The kind with mesh backing and soft mastic

On a multi-million-dollar pipeline project.

Heavy 20" and 30" coated steel being dragged through the ground — relying on about $0.50 worth of rope and $2 worth of tape.

I’m confident even the tape manufacturer would tell you:
That is not a bundled bore solution.

Improvised bumper systems don’t usually fail immediately in a dramatic way.

They fail gradually.

• Tape shifts and/or rolls

• Rope slides or is pulled off

• Spacing disappears

• Coatings abrade

• Problems begin

And now you’re living with coating damage that will follow the asset for decades.

That’s not a small oversight. That’s a lifecycle decision.

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Write the Specification. Control the Outcome.

Bundled bores are the place to clearly define:

• Bumper material

• Durometer requirements

• Bonding method

• Spacing requirements

Because when you leave it unspecified, you’re not saving money.

You’re gambling with a buried asset that you can’t easily inspect or repair.

And that’s not going to help anyone sleep at night.