Why Choose Heat Shrink Sleeves?

 Why Choose Heat‑Shrink Sleeves for External Pipeline Coating?

Heat‑shrinkable sleeves provide specialized protection for pipeline weld joints, which are areas where the factory-applied coating has been removed for welding and is therefore vulnerable. These sleeves are designed specifically for field joints and are applied directly over the cutback areas of steel pipe. During installation, the heat-activated adhesive softens and forms a strong chemical bond with both the bare steel of the pipe and the factory coating. Once installed and cooled, the polyolefin backing layer hardens into a durable shell that protects the joint from soil pressure, mechanical abrasion, and other stresses that arise once the pipeline is buried.

One of the main advantages of heat-shrink sleeves is their advanced material composition and versatility. The cross-linked polyolefin backing delivers exceptional tensile strength and flexibility, while also offering low moisture absorption and excellent resistance to low-temperature brittleness. These properties result in a high-performance coating with tensile strengths of 30 MPa or more, elongation beyond 550%, and water absorption under 0.1%. Adhesive systems can also be tailored to different applications, with softer mastic adhesives suited for ambient conditions and smaller diameter pipelines, while stronger, semi‑crystalline hot-melt adhesives are chosen for high-temperature and large-diameter applications. This range of options ensures the right balance between flexibility and shear resistance in any operating environment.

Installation in the field is straightforward and efficient, requiring only a propane torch and a roller—there is no need for induction heaters, spray systems, or refrigerated storage. Sleeves are typically supplied in roll stock, allowing crews to cut them to the exact length required for each joint. This minimizes waste and enhances flexibility on site. The simplicity of the process means that crews can complete installation quickly and consistently, even in remote or logistically challenging locations.

Heat-shrink sleeves are also highly compatible with other coating systems. Many configurations include an optional epoxy primer that is applied before the sleeve itself, creating a strong interface between the steel pipe and the adhesive layer. These primers are typically 150 to 300 microns thick and function similarly to fusion bonded epoxy (FBE) coatings. As a result, the sleeve system works harmoniously with the factory coating, bridging the gap in corrosion protection at the joint.

Importantly, heat-shrink sleeves are designed and manufactured to meet major international standards. They comply with ISO 21809‑3, EN 12068, DIN 30672, NACE SP 303, DVGW, and Shell DEP specifications, offering peace of mind regarding quality and global acceptance.

When properly installed, heat‑shrink sleeves form a seamless seal over the weld zone, offering long-lasting protection against corrosion mechanisms such as moisture ingress, galvanic reactions, and contamination from backfill. The mechanical strength of the sleeve resists shear and axial forces that may arise from pipe movement, settlement, or temperature cycling, preserving the integrity of the pipeline system.

Unlike other field-coating options such as tape wraps or liquid coatings, heat‑shrink sleeves deliver a uniform, engineered fit. They avoid the wrinkles, bubbles, and inconsistencies common in tape applications and eliminate the need for expensive application equipment like induction heaters or plural-component spray systems. In addition, they perform well in challenging environmental conditions, benefiting from the strength and resilience of cross-linked polyolefin backing material.

In conclusion, heat‑shrink sleeves offer a highly effective and practical solution for external pipeline coating at field joints. Their robust adhesive bond, mechanical durability, easy installation, and broad compatibility with industry standards make them a trusted choice across the oil, gas, and water pipeline industries. Whether the job calls for small‑diameter sleeves in mild climates or heavy‑duty protection for high‑temperature lines, heat‑shrinkable sleeves deliver the long-term corrosion resistance and physical integrity required to keep pipelines operating safely for decades.

WPCT Wrap Around Shrink Sleeves

 WPCT Standard Shrink Sleeves

     WPCT was one of Raychem Corps great advances in the world of heat shrink sleeves that dates back quite a few years.  Many times over the years, WPCT heat shrink sleeves have been the absolute work horse of the Raychem product line.  A very field friendly shrink sleeve; utilizing a butyl mastic sealant; there are literally millions of WPCT shrink sleeves currently in use on underground piping across the world.  Looking only at my little slice of that business; I can say with certainty that we have sold more than one million WPCT shrink sleeves in recent years.  

     In my twenty one years of experience selling WPCT wrap around sleeves; how many "failures" have I heard of?  None.  How is that possible?  The product type and lot numbers are printed on every sleeve.  As we all know; detailed records are kept of pipeline coating solutions that are installed on pipelines across the USA and across the world.  When a corrosion problem occurs; it is quite easy to determine what is going on.  Especially when pipe is dug up and evaluated; it is very easy to determine what has gone wrong with a visual inspection.  And in my decades of experience, I've not had a single call.  Why is that?  

     I believe it is because the thermal indicator built into the WPCT shrink sleeve backing:

     Here you can see what I mean by the thermal indicator.  This is a picture of a partially installed WPCT shrink sleeve.  On the left; we see the backing as supplied.  The cross hatch pattern is imprinted in the backing of the sleeve after the sleeve backing has been expanded (which happens after crosslinking).  On the right side, we see what the sleeve backing looks like after proper installation:  a smooth PE backing.  This is a permanent change (I made this sample several years ago).  This means that the installers have a visible cue during the shrink process to see that they are properly shrinking the sleeve.  This also means that foreman can see that the sleeve is properly installed during and after the install process.

     For inspectors; this is a fantastic tool.  Sleeves can be inspected minutes, hour, days, weeks or months (or years) after the installation.  If there is a pattern on any section of the sleeve --- that sleeve needs more heat!  Simple.  

     In addition to this tool; there are others of course.  Mastic flow should be evident at all edges of the sleeve.  The sleeve surface should be fully conformed to the pipe.  The step down from adjacent factory applied coatings and weld bead profile should be evident.  

     WPCT is a fantastic product - easy to install - inexpensive - reliable.  Hundreds of thousands of currently active pipelines prove that to be the case.

WPCT Shrink Temperature

At What Temp do Shrink Sleeves Shrink?

     As you might expect, this is actually not a simple question.  Shrink sleeve backing can be made from many different material types.  Each of those material types have their own chemical make up - and as a result; can often have different crystalline melt points.  The crystalline melt point is the temperature at which the structure of the backing begins to melt.  If the backing has been crosslinked it doesn't melt, it instead shrinks back to its original dimension (pre-stretch). 

     With most of our Covalence (formerly Raychem) heat shrinkable sleeves (products like WPCT, TPS, WPC100M, HTLP60, DIRAX, etc) that backing is comprised of a modified polyethylene (a polyolefin).  Speaking generally, the crystalline melt point of those product is ~267F.  That means that the backing temperature must reach 267F (minimum) before the sleeve will begin to shrink.  This could certainly be done in an oven or some other situation - but what we see most is the heating taking place with a propane torch (propane torch with a broad bushy flame). 

     Most of the time, we see our shrink sleeves installed on a steel pipeline, overlapping onto some form of a factory applied corrosion coating (FBE / Powercrete / TLPE / etc).  In those cases, that installation temperature is not a big deal.  Most of those coatings (FBE and TLPE at least) are often seeing temperaturese greater to or equal to that during the original application time.  In some cases though, there are cases where someone wants to install a shrink sleeve on something else - perhaps a PE line; or some sort of flexible composite material. 

     In cases like that, it is always critical to speak to the manufacturer of your non-steel pipeline to find out what temperature range those materials are able to withstand without sacrificing their integrity or performance.  I couldn't possibly be an expert in every type of specialty tubing, so please rely on the folks you purchased the pipe from to determine what is acceptable if you're using something significantly different than standard steel pipeline tubing. 

Raychem / Covalence Heat Shrink Sleeve Advantages

Advantages of Covalence Shrink Sleeves (formerly Raychem)

Demanding Applications

In order to protect metal pipe structures in contact with an electrolyte (soil, water) coatings need to have a high electrical resistance and low permeability to hydrogen and oxygen. 
The coating must also be physically strong and chemically stable.
Additionally, the requirements of particular applications, like high operating temperatures necessitate specific tailoring of all pipeline coatings, including heat shrinkable sleeves.

Optimal Solutions

To provide the optimal solution for each application, Raychem offers a range of products based on an irradiated crosslinked polyethylene carrier, combined with a hot melt or mastic coating applied in the factory to that heat shrink backing.
The main purpose of the crosslinked carrier (the actual heat shrink sleeve), called the backing, is to provide a strong barrier against electrical current, permeation and mechanical forces.
The adhesive assures long term bonding of the backing to the pipe and provides added electrical resistance (which is a good thing in spite of the propaganda you are regularly exposed to) and mechanical strength.
Thickness of the backing and adhesive depend on the application requirements. 

To sum that up:  Strengths of the heat shrink sleeve include (but are not limited to):
- Chemical Resistance of heat shrink backing and the selected adhesive
- Flow and fill of the hot melt adhesive or mastic sealant
- Mechanical Strength of the heat shrinkable backing (which can potentially be multiple layers and include fiber reinforcement)
- Electrical Resistance of both the backing and the adhesive.  A coating with no electrical resistance means your pipeline is going to rely on your CP system almost solely for corrosion prevention.  Why not just leave the field joints as bare steel if that is your goal?

Three Layer Coatings

For the increasingly common (in Europe, South America and Asia) three layer factory applied pipeline coatings, Raychem / Covalence has developed a three layer field applied field joint coating.  To provide a homogeneously coated pipe surface in the girth weld area, a layer of two component epoxy is first applied to the surface of the pipe.  A specially designed shrink sleeve is then applied over the wet epoxy. 
The three layer heat shrinkable coating system performs extremely well in resisting cathodic disbondment.  It also offers high shear resistance against soil load and consequently ensures long service life. 

High Reliability, High Performance

Raychem (now called Covalence) has more than 40 years of experience in the development and manufacturer of heat shrinkable products.  Continuous improvement ensures state of the art performance.  Approval by testing agencies around the world guarantees suitability for individual applications and field conditions. 
- Two layer and three layer constructions complement wide range of pipe coatings
- Top quality hotmelt, copolymer coated sleeves resist elevated pipe operating temperatures and soil stresses on all pipe diameters.
- Mastic coated shrink sleeves balance performance, economy and easy of installation.
- Three layer sleeves with epoxy primer and hotmelt copolymer have excellent resistance to both cathodic disbondment and hot water immersion, even at maximum rated operating temperatures.
- Fiberglass reinforced heat shrink sleeves withstand the high stresses of directional drilling
- Self-healing adhesive slow automatically repairs minor mechanical damage

Low Installation Costs

- No primer required for two layer heat shrink sleeve systemes - install directly on cleaned and preheated pipe surface
- No waiting for primers to cure.  The shrink sleeve is installed directly over the wet epoxy
- Simple tools such as a hand brush, power brush or blast cleaning and propane torches are used for installation of the heat shrink sleeve
- All products available as Uni sleeve construction.  Uni sleeve means the closure strips are attached to the shrink sleeve here in our shop allowing for quicker installation in the field and dramatically fewer field issues.
- Easy to understand installation instructions are shipped with every product; in every box of shrink sleeves.  Clear product labelling on the outside of the boxes allows rapid on site installation.

Premium Service with Joint Specialists

To place an order or inquire about products, contact us at 936 /321-333 or email to steve@jsicoatings.com  We pride ourselves on offering the best customer service in the industry with very quick turnarounds on information, pricing and delivery.

DIRAX Road Bore Sleeves

DIRAX Bore Sleeves 

     When selecting a coating for a section of pipeline that will be involved in a road bore or directional drill, it is important that the right coating is selected.  When looking at factory applied coatings, you are most likely going to be looking at dual layer FBE coatings or Powercrete coatings.  Those are both special coatings designed to withstand the rigorous conditions of a road bore.  Someone is spending millions of dollars on this pipeline, we need to make sure that the steel you're buying is well protected!  Those same requirements exist for the field joint coatings as well.  Many companies allow either a two part stand alone epoxy to be used...or a DIRAX heat shrinkable coating system. 

Small sample of DIRAX material - note the fiber mesh woven into the backing.

     DIRAX is a multi layer field joint coating system that incorporates all of the best aspects of two part epoxy coatings and combines them with the best parts of a top of the line, unmatched heat shrinkable sleeve technology.  DIRAX incorporates S1301M Epoxy Primer, a high performance hot melt adhesive a fiber mesh and two radiation crosslinked polyolefin backing layers.  On the front end of a field joint, we are talking about a 9 layer coating that is fast and simple to install.  That just doesn't exist anywhere else.

     Boasting extraordinary peel resistance, sheer resistance, penetration resistance and abrasion resistance, DIRAX has it all.  Include the incredibly fast cure time (normally 30 minutes or less after installation) and the fact that coating integrity does not require any special skills from installers - and using DIRAX really is a simple decision.  Contact us today for pricing and technical expertise!  936 321 3333

Heat Shrinkable Materials

Heat Shrinkable Materials Technology

     High energy ionizing radiation provides an economic process to crosslink specific polymeric compounds which can then be converted to heat shrinkable tubing, molded shapes or wrap around products.  The phenomena of heat shrink ability is best explained by understanding that a typical thermoplastic consists of crystalline and non-crystalline phases.  When a thermoplastic is heated above the crystalline melting point, the polymer softens and flows readily.  However, if this same polymer is subjected ti ionizing radiation, crosslinks form between the individual polymeric molecules.

     When the crosslinked polymer is heated above the crystalline melting point, the crystalline areas "melt" but the polymer itself does not flow since it possesses form stability due to the presence of the crosslinks.   At this stage the polymer is similar to an elastomer.   If the shape of this heated material is changed, it will return to its original shape.  That is, it will remember the form it possessed at the time it was crosslinked.  However, if this polymer is held in a new shape while above its melting point, and then is allowed to cool in this condition, crystalline areas will reform.  crystalline forces will then keep the crosslinked polymer from returning (shrinking) to its original crosslinked shape. 

     Once the polymer is reheated above its melting point, thereby eliminating the crystalline forces, the elastomeric forces will cause it to recover back to its original crosslinked shape.  The term "elastic memory" is used to describe this phenomenon. 

     When the object to be covered is placed inside the heat shrinkable tubing and the tubing is heated, it will shrink around and conform to the shape of the object as it attempts to return to its original crosslinked shape.  Therefore, heat shrinkable products are useful in covering objects whose size is between the expanded diameter (the supplied size) and the original crosslinked diameter which is the freely recovered diameter of the tubing. 

     Since heat shrinkable polymers are crosslinked, they do not melt and flow.  They, therefore, have useful properties above their melting point. Because these heat shrinkable polymers often operate at elevated temperatures, only selected nonvolatile antioxidant systems can be utilized.  Also, since ionizing radiation can render most antioxidants ineffective, antioxidant technology had to be advanced in order to establish superior long-term thermal stability properties. 

Heat Shrink Sleeve Release Paper

Release Paper on Heat Shrink

      Once upon a time we received a telephone call from a frantic contractor out on a job site.  He had a major problem:  the shrink sleeves he was installing were not sticking to the pipe!  Wow - that is a serious problem.  How many have you installed?  (About six.)  Are you preheating the pipe to the temperature recommended by the installation sheet? (Yes.)  Have you cleaned the pipe using either a wire brush or a grit blaster? (Yes.)  What are the materials you're trying to bond to?  (Bare steel and FBE.)  Dang, I'm really baffled here.  I'm wracking my brain thinking of any other thing that could possibly be going wrong.  A shrink sleeve has two layers:  a heat shrinkable PE and a sticky mastic adhesive....are you installing the sleeve with the sticky mastic adhesive down on the pipe?  (Our sleeves don't have a sticky side.  We have a black side with 'COVALENCE WPCT' written on it and we have a white side with 'COVALENCE' written on it.  A white side??  Well that is the release paper.  You have to peel that off before you wrap the shrink sleeve around the pipe!  It sounds like your guys forgot to remove the release paper, so I'm not surprised that the release paper isn't sticking to the pipe surface.

     I know that if you're 'shrink sleeve educated' you might have a hard time understanding how someone could forget to remove the release paper prior to installing the shrink sleeve, but you can't possibly know what you don't know.  Without the proper training, without the proper explanations, without the proper installation sheets, without the proper customer service post-order -- these are the sorts of problems that become HUGE problems down the road.  

     I learned a valuable lesson that day.  Always respect your customers - but never, ever assume they know nothing about our product...and never, ever assume they know everything about our product.  We all started somewhere.  At one point, none of us knew anything about pipeline coating.  At one point, I couldn't tell the different between a WPCT and a DIRAX.  At one point, I couldn't tell the difference between a wrap and a tube.  At one time, I couldn't tell where the release paper started and the shrink sleeve ended.  And I still wouldn't know any of those things if I hadn't had someone who was willing to patiently teach me and answer my questions - no matter how obvious or silly they might appear to be.  That's what we're willing to do for you as well if you're curious, if you're interested, if you have questions. 

Shrink Sleeve Adhesive Thickness Over Weld Bead

Shrink Sleeve Mastic Thickness and the Girth Weld

      Though not a question that comes up too often these days, during the time when heat shrink sleeves were exploding in the pipeline coatings market (and other markets as well) there was often a contentious debate about mastic adhesive thickness....and what the minimums should be in order to assure proper mastic flow and filling around the weld bead...and at the step down areas from the factory applied coating to the bare steel.  Below is one such analysis completed in 1979. 

     Scope:  This report presents data and observation on the ability of various corrosion preventive products used in joint protection to fill and seal over and around a weld bead.  The results of this analysis will also cross over (based on factory applied pipeline coating thickness) to shed light on the required thickness of adhesive on different pipeline coatings to properly fill at the step down area from factory applied coating to bare steel.

     Test Procedure:  Samples were applied to a 4.5" diameter steel pipe with a circumferential weld bead.  Test samples were applied in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions.  After 24 hours, pipeline coating test specimens were examined for voids or leak paths around the are of the weld bead.  During this test, weld bead dimensions were .100" high and .350" wide. 

     Test Samples:
#1: Heat Shrink Tubular Sleeve with total adhesive thickness of 25 mils
#2: Heat Shrinkable Tube Sleeve with total adhesive thickness of 30 mils (<- Covalence)
#3: Heat Shrink Tube Sleeve with total adhesive thickness of 10 mils
#4: Heat Shrinkable Wrap Around sleeve with total adhesive thickness of 70 mils (<- Covalence)
#5 Heat Shrink Wrap Sleeve with total adhesive thickness of 25 mils
#6 Cold Applied Tape with total adhesive thickness of 30 mils
#7 Cold Applied Tape with total adhesive thickness of 40 mils

     Observations After Testing
#1: With a 25 mil supplied adhesive thickness -this shrink sleeve lacked enough flow and volume to fill areas along weld beads leaving a continuous leak path under the shrink sleeve.

#2: (30 mil) The sealant thickness and flow properties were sufficient to obtain complete filling of the weld bead area.

#3: (10 mil) The mastic showed good flow properties but lacked enough sealant thickness to adequately fill around the weld bead area. 

#4: (70 mil) There was sufficient amount of sealant present which flowed well upon heating to give a void-free seal in the weld bead area. 

#5: (25 mil) Insufficient sealant thickness plus low flow properties contributed to a void line along the weld bead. 

#6 & #7: (30 mil and 40 mil) Both of these samples exhibited continuous void lines along the sides of the weld bead.  It has been found that during the application of cold applied tapes, there is a bridging effect which traps air to cause voids along the weld bead.  Most sealants have limited flow when applied at room temperature and do not fill well around the weld bead.

     Conclusions:  The table above lists the various samples tested and gives a comparison of the sealant thicknesses.  Sample 1, 2 and 3 are tubular heat shrinkable sleeves (supplied in the shape of a tube) which, due to their recovery ratio, will have variable sealant thicknesses depending on the degree of recovery.
     Results indicated that an adhesive thickness of 30 to 35 mils is needed to adequately fill around the weld bead on the test fixture. 
     As indicated in several of the observations, a second factor which is equally important is the ability of the sealant to flow during installation.  Samples 1 and 5 both showed low flow characteristics when heated; this contributed to the lack of filling.  Samples 6 and 7 also showed very low flow because of being cold applied.  As noted in the observations, this is a common and known shortcoming of cold applied tapes.
     In general, a product must have a balance of adequate coating thickness (approximately 30 mils or above) and good flow characteristics during installation to deliver a void free corrosion protection coating to the weld bead. 

 

Weld Joint Coating on Pipelines Coated with FBE

Technical Comparison between FBE Powder and Heat Shrink Sleeves

1 - Introduction

     Both joint coatings are used in the field and both have their advantages and disadvantages with regard to materials and application methods.

 

1.1 - Weld joint coating with epoxy powder

     The application process is the following:

     a) clean the exposed steel by sand or grit blasting to a degree of cleanliness of SA3 (or better)

     b) provide, by the same operation and the selection of the abrasive, a surface roughness of 80 to 160 microns (as required by the epoxy powder supplier) in order to create an adequate anchor pattern for the epoxy layer to adhere to the steel surface. 

     c) eliminate all sharp edges with a file or mechanic tool (all thin film coatings need this special care as part of the surface preparation).

     d) clean both edges of the adjacent line coating with a  solvent, to remove all traces of dirt, debris, oil, grease or other contamination.

     e) preheat the joint, with due consideration to the ambient temperature and the thermal inertia of the steel mass, up to 220C, to obtain a perfect fusion of the epoxy powder particles amongst themselves and with the steel surface. 

     f) apply the epoxy powder with an electrostatic spray gun (or flocker)

     g) allow to cure

     h) check the result

     i) paint holidays in the joint coating with liquid epoxy or FBE repair sticks

 

1.2 - Heat shrinkable sleeves

     The application is the following:

     a) clean the exposed steel by wire brushing to a cleanliness of ST3 or alternatively SA2 or SA 2 1/2 (some products require more surface preparation than others).
     b) clean superficially the two edges of the line coating.
     c) preheate the joint area to 80-160C (depending on the manufacturer's recommendation)
     d) if applicable, precoat the bare metal and adjacent FBE with epoxy primer
     e) wrap sleeve and secure closure
     f) shrink the sleeve on the pipe
     g) inspect

2 - Comparison
     Both processes give excellent results, provided they are applied in accordance with all applicable instructions.  However, all site operations made to date with the epoxy powder spraying method have shown a major drawback:  the process is complicated and not really appropriate for some field conditions. 

2.1 - Methods
     Fusion bonded epoxy powder needs to be applied under specific conditions and using specialized equipment that can only be properly controlled in a plant and at a very complex technical level.  It is not at all easy to ensure this same performance level under field conditions.

2.2 - Equipment

2.2.1 - The equipment required for the fusion bonded epoxy powder joint coating is comprised of the following:
     - a refrigerated storage container (the shelf and storage life of the epoxy powder decreases rapidly at temperatures exceeding 20C)
     - a mobile grit / sand blasting unit, that can achieve the required anchor pattern.
     - a solvent storage outfit with fire extinguishers
     - a screening, recycling and conditioning installation (fluidized bed) plus a primary electric power source.
     - an induction pipe preheating system, including a special generator set (single phase, 800 or more cycles, special cables and an induction coil per pipe size.
     - powder spray equipment with electrostatic spray gun
     - control equipment for constant monitoring of temperature and gelling
Most of the above equipment utilizes electronic components that suffer from voltage variations, temperature excursions and vibration (coming from the generator sets on the same frame). 

2.2.2 - The equipment required for heat shrink sleeve installation is:
     - electric or pneumatic wire brushes, or a simple sandblasting outfit
     - propane torches with propane bottles, or a simple induction heating system

2.3 - Skill of operators
     The complex application procedure of fusion bonded epoxy powder requires highly qualified technicians for both, powder application and equipment maintenance.  The application of heat shrink sleeves is a matter of a few hours of training. 

2.4 - Necessary manpower
     All the various activities involved with the storage / feeding / reconditioning and application of the epoxy powder obviously require much more manpower than the simple shrinking of sleeves.  Even when labor is inexpensive, this may become an important issue.  Very often, sites are in remote locations and only limited space is available in the living quarters. 

2.5 - Ease of creating supplementary crews
     If, during the construction period, more application crews become necessary, it is very easy to put together another crew of skilled heat shrink installers, as there is virtually no supplementary equipment needed.  On the other hand, every supplementary crew for epoxy powder needs new highly skilled specialists and a complete set of the equipment described in 2.2

2.6 - Life time of raw materials
     Epoxy powder has a limited life time, depending very much on storage and handling conditions.  A heat shrink sleeve can be kept in store for an unlimited period of time and at temperatures up to 55C

2.7 - Preheating temperatures
     The preheating temperatures for epoxy powder are in the range of 220C.  To obtain a uniform thickness, a uniform preheating temperature is an absolute must.
     Preheating temperatures for heat shrink sleeves are in the range of 80-160C, depending on the adhesives used.  In case of a liquid epoxy first layer, the preheating needs only to be at 60C for all adhesives.  Preheat temperatures up to 100C can be easily achieved with propane torches under all field conditions.

2.8 - Tie-ins
     For the epoxy powder, every tie-in crew also needs a complete set of equipment.  The equipment for tie-ins needs to be even more mobile than the standard joint-protection set. 

2.9 - Back-up equipment
     For the epoxy powder process at least one complete spare set of equipment needs to be kept on hand to avoid risking the complete shut down of the job. 



Louisiana Offshore Oil Port Project & Raychem Shrink Sleeves

L.O.O.P and Raychem Shrink Sleeves

(this is taken from a Raychem WrapUp newsletter - and is a past Case Study of  a project utilizing Raychem shrink sleeves)

 

     The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, known as the L.O.O.P, consists of a number of pipelines that will connect offshore loading facilities with onshore storage units.  It will be the first facility in the United States built specifically for unloading ultra large crude carriers.

     The LOOP is also a first for Raychem.  It represents the first major installation of WPC in the US with a total of 15,000+ sleeves, in diameters ranging from two to fifty-six inches being used. 

     The LOOP will consist of three constructions.  The offshore platform complex will consist of a control platform and a dumping platform.  The lower deck of the pumping platform will house crude oil pumps that have a 45,000 to 100,000 barrel per hour pumping capacity.  Raychem's WPC will protect the joints on the platforms riser pipe. 

     Each single point mooring station will be connected to the pumping platform by 56" diameter pipe lines, approximately 8,000 feet in length.  A 48" line will extend twenty one miles from the pumping platform to the Flurchon booster station.  The Flurchon station will be located about 2.5 miles inland on the south side of  the Louisiana Highway 1, near Bayou Moreau.

     Next, a 21 mile, 4" diameter line will be laid from the Flurchon station to the platform complex for transporting diesel fuel for the gas turbine generators installed on the platform. 

     Corrosion protection for all the large submarine lines will consist of an asphalt sand mixture (heavycoat) or a semi plasticized coal tar enamel with fiberglass reinforcing and felt wrap.  The small diameter line will be coated with epoxy.  All weld joints will be protected with Raychem WPC or TPS products.  Raychem ALWS/WPC will be used to protect anode wire connections to the pipe.  Also, the WPC product will be provided in special cut lengths to accommodate the cutback of cement coating on the offshore pipe. 

     Two methods will be used to install onshore pipe.  At the push station sites, consisting of lay barges or prepared land sites, the push ditch method will be used.  Here, the pipe will be welded, inspected, coated, floated and then pushed into the ditch.  With the dry land method, standard ditching and backfilling will be used where the environment allows. 

     The buried lines will be yard coated with an asphalt sand mixture approximately 5/8 inch thick.  In addition, the line will be concrete coated to provide a specific gravity of 1.04.

     A 30" diameter, 29 mile long brine disposal line will be installed from the storage facility to the Gulf of Mexico.  This line will extend 2 miles into the gulf to discharge brine from the cavity leaching.

     All joints on the onshore portion will be protected with specially cut Raychem WPC to accommodate the cement coating cutbacks.

     The L.O.O.P. is another challenge that Raychem is proud to be able to meet.

WPCT Shrink Sleeve Installation Guide

WPCT Shrink Sleeve Installation

Wraparound Pipe Sleeve with Permanent Thermal Indicator for Field Girthweld Corrosion Protection.

                                                                                                                                                                   

WPCT heat-shrinkable wraparound sleeves are designed for corrosion protection of girthwelds on buried pipelines.

WPCT sleeves have a thick radiation-crosslinked polyolefin backing coated with a specially formulated mastic sealant. During installation the mastic flows and fills surface irregularities, bonding to metal and adjacent coating surfaces. The flexible closure is coated with a high shear-strength adhesive and is kitted with the sleeve; it is available pre-attached to the sleeve in the UNISLEEVE construction.

Simple Installation                                                         Resists adverse environments

To install, wrap the sleeve around a clean,                                                WPCT sleeves resist hydrostatic pressure.           

preheated pipe. A flexible closure forms the                                            They demonstrate high resistance to

sleeve into a tube. The sleeve is then torch-                                             ultraviolet light, fungus, bacteria, cathodic

shrunk around the pipe.                                                                             disbondment and chemical attack by

The WPCT sheet is embossed with a pattern                                              common fluids and solvents.

showing "Raychem MORE HEAT" that 

becomes smooth when sufficient heat has                                                Versatile

been supplied. The permanent change in                                                   WPCT sleeves are compatible with all

the pattern facilitates proper installation and                                             standard pipe coatings and outer jackets,

inspection.                                                                                                   including fusion-bonded epoxy, polyethylene,

                                                                                                                     tape and coal tar. the product has a long

Rugged and mechanically strong                                      shelf-life when stored correctly at

WPCT sleeves resist abrasion, impact and                                                    temperatures below 50 degrees C.

penetration. No rock-shield is Required.    

                                                                                                                                                                       

Materials and equipment

1. Appropriate size WPCT sleeve and WPCP IV closure patch
2. Raychem torch (or equivalent)
3. Propane gas tank, hose, regulator and gauge
4. Standard safety equipment such as gloves, goggles, hard hat, etc.

* Installation has to be done according to local government regulations and usual safety precautions. 
                                                                                                                                                                       

Sleeve Application

1. Clean exposed steel and adjacent pipe                      

coating to be covered by WPCT sleeve with a

hand or power wire brush, to remove loose

and foreign materials. Wiping may be

necessary to remove the particles from

cleaning.

Note:

Coal tar - remove outer paper wrap 5" (125

mm) to 6" (150 mm) adjacent to cut-back to

expose coal tar.

Painted coatings - remove whitewash paint

on the surface of coating to be covered by

WPCT sleeve.

2. The pipe shall be preheated until approximately

140 degrees F (60 degrees C) minimum and check for 

conformance either by temperature gauge or other temperature

measuring device. Preheating reduces installation time

and ensures proper bonding.

 Note:

Two people working on opposite sides of

the pipe are recommended for installing 

sleeves on pipe 16" (400 mm) in diameter

and larger.

3. Remove the protective release plastic from the

coated sleeve. Center sleeve over the weld so it is

evenly overlapping adjacent pipe coating. Wrap 

loosely around pipe so that the Raychem logo runs

around the pipe.

Note:

1) Clean over lap area of the sleeve to remove

dirt and other foreign material.

2) Edges of sleeve should extend 2" or more

onto adjacent pipe coating.

3) Overlapping ends of sleeve should align evenly.

4)Position overlap to permit easy access for installing closure.

                                                                                                                                                                   

WPCP IV Closure Application

1. Press WPCPIV closure in position, centering over the exposed

 sheet end.(For UNISLEEVE products, the closure is pre-attached 

and already centered in position.)The sheet should overlap the 

sheet (excluding closure) by 2" (50 mm) minimum. 

2. Using a Raychem torch (or equivalent), adjust flame length to 

approximately 20" (500 mm) to produce a blue tipped yellow

flame.Using the yellow portion of the flame, heat the closure 

evenly until the pattern of the fabric reinforcement is visible. 

With gloved hand, smooth any wrinkles by working outward from the center.

                                                                                                                                                                        

Sleeve Recovery

1. Using the Raychem torch (or equivalent),

begin at the center of the sleeve and heat

circumferentially around the pipe using a

constant paintbrush motion, until the

embossed pattern on the sheet surface has

changed to a smooth surface.

2. Continue heating toward one end of the

sleeve, followed by the other.

Note:

Sleeve may be recovered starting at one end

and proceeding toward the opposite end,

depending on conditions (i.e., wind).

3. During shrinkdown, occasionally check

adhesive flow with a finger. Wrinkles should

disappear automatically. Remember to wear

gloves.

Note:

While sleeve is hot, press roll overlap and

closure area to remove any air voids.

4. Sleeve is fully recovered when all of the

following have occured:

 1) The WPCT sheet has a smooth surface.

2) There are no cold spots on the sleeve surface.

3) Weld bead profile can be seen through the sleeve

4) After sleeve is cool, mastic flow is evident

on both edges.

5) The sleeve has fully conformed to

pipe and adjacent coating.

6) The pattern on the backing has disappeared and the backing has a smooth surface.

WPC 100M Installation Guide

WPC 100M

Wraparound Pipe Sleeve for Field Girthweld Corrosion Protection.

WPC 100M heat-shrinkable wraparound sleeves are designed for corrosion protection of girthwelds:

• On buried pipelines operating continuously at temperatures up to 80 degrees C (176 degrees F) when exposed directly to soil.
• On offshore or preinsulated pipe at up to 100 degrees C (212 degrees F).

WPC 100M sleeves have a thick radiation crosslinked polyolefin backing coated with a specially formulated high-temperature mastic sealant. During installation the adhesive melts and flows, filling all surface irregularities, bonding to metal and adjacent coating surfaces. The flexible closure is coated with a high shear-strength adhesive and is normally kitted with the sleeve; however, it is available pre-attached to the sleeve in the UNISLEEVE construction.

Simple installation                                                                     Resist adverse environments
To install, wrap the sleeve around a clean,                                                              WPC 100M sleeves resist temperature
preheated pipe. A flexible closure forms the                                                          cycling, soil stresses and hydrostatic pres
sleeve into a tube. The sleeve is then torch-                                                           sure. They demonstrate high resistance to
shrunk around the pipe. WPC 100M sleeves                                                             ultraviolet light, fungus, cathodic disbond-
are installed with simple tools. No powder,                                                             ment and chemical attack by common fluids
primer or sophisticated equipment is                                                                       and solvents.
required.
                                                                                                 Versatile
Rugged and mechanically strong                                               WPC 100M sleeves are compatible with all
WPC 100M sleeves resist abrasion, impact                                                               standard pipe coatings and outer jackets,
and penetration, yet remain flexible even at                                                          including fusion-bonded epoxy, polyethylene,
very low temperatures. No rock-shield is                                                               tape and coal tar. The product has a long
required.                                                                                                                  shelf-life when stored correctly.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Materials and Equipment needed for Install

1. Appropriate size WPC 100M sleeve and WPCP IV closure
2. Raychem torch (or equivalent)
3. Propane gas tank, hose, regulator and gauge
4. Contact pyrometer
5. Hand roller (straight)
6. Standard safety equipment such as gloves, goggles, hard hat, etc.

* Installation has to be done according to local government regulations and usual safety precautions.

                                                                                                                                                                   

Sleeve Application

1. Clean exposed steel and adjacent pipe 

coating to be covered by WPC 100M sleeve

with a hand or power wire brush, to remove 

loose and foreign materials. Wiping may be 

necessary to remove the particles from cleaning.

Note:

Coal tar - remove outer paper wrap 5" to 6"

adjacent to cut-back to expose coal tar.

Painted coatings - remove whitewash paint on

the surface of coating to be covered by WPC

100M sleeve. 

  

 

2. Preheat joint area to approximately 212 degrees

F (100 degrees C) minimum. Preheating reduces

installation time and ensures proper bonding.

Note:

Two people working on opposite sides of the

pipe are recommended for installing sleeves

on pipe 16" (400mm) in diameter and larger

3. Remove the protective release plastic from

the coated sleeve. Center sleeve over the 

weld so it is evenly overlapping adjacent pipe

coating. Wrap loosely around pipe.

Note:

1) Clean overlap area of the sleeve to

remove dirt and other foreign materials.

2) Edges of sleeve should extend 2" or more

onto adjacent pipe coating.

3) Overlapping ends of sleeve should align

evenly.

4) Position overlap to permit easy access for

installing closure. 

                                                                                                                                                                        

WPCP IV Closure Application

 

1. Press the WPCP IV closure in position,

centering over the exposed sheet end. (For

UNI-sleeve products, the closure is 

preattached and already centered in position.)

The sheet should overlap the sheet

(excluding closure) by 2" (50mm) minimum

 2. Using a Raychem torch (or equivalent), adjust flame length to approximately 20"

(500mm) to produce a yellow flame. Using the yellow portion of the flame, heat the 

closure evenly until the pattern of the fabric reinforcement is visible.

Using gloved hand, pat down the closure and smooth any wrinkles by gently working them

outward from the center of the closure.

                                                                                                                                                                   

Sleeve Recovery

 

1. Using the Raychem torch (or equivalent), 

begin at the center of the sleeve and heat

circumferentially around the pipe, using a 

constant paintbrush motion.

 

 

2. Continue heating toward one end of the

sleeve, followed by the other.

Note:

Sleeve may be recovered starting at one end

and proceeding toward the opposite end,

depending on conditions (i.e., wind).

 

 

3. When the sleeve has been shrunk onto the

joint area, run a small hand roller over the

sleeve to push out any trapped air.

 

 

 4. Particular attention should be paid to the 

weld and cut-back area.

 
 

 

5. Sleeve is fully recovered when all of the

following have occurred:

1) There are no cold spots or dimples on the 

   sleeve surface.

2) Weld bead profile can be seen through

  the sleeve.

3) After sleeve is cool, mastic flow' is evident

  on both edges.

4) The sleeve has fully conformed to the pipe

  and adjacent coating.