50 Using this Manual

Abstract
In this manual, you will find procedures for coating steel and other metal
substrates. Additionally, there are individual sections for those surfaces and logis-
tics requiring special consideration: concrete, downhole tubulars, offshore, and pipe-
line coatings.
This section offers broad, general information: the reasons for coatings, the compo-
nents of a coating and coatings systems, a successful coatings program, and the
structure of this manual.

Contents Page

51 Scope and Application

52 Organization
60 Reasons for Coating 50-3
61 External Coatings
62 Under Thermal Insulation and Fireproofing
63 Internal Coatings
70 Components of Coatings and Coating Systems 50-5
71 Components of Coatings
72 Coating Systems
80 The Successful Coating Program 50-7
90 References 50-7

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51 Scope and Application

The Coatings Manual is intended:
• For Company personnel who are responsible for selecting, applying, or
inspecting coatings
• For both entry-level personnel and non-specialists regardless of experience
• As a source of practical, useful information based on the Company's
experiences
Your input and experience are important for improving subsequent revisions and
keeping this manual up-to-date; therefore, we have included a form in the front of
the manual to facilitate your suggesting changes.
Note Do not use this manual as a substitute for sound engineering judgment.

52 Organization
The colored tabs in the manual will help you find information quickly. In summary:
White tabs are for table of contents, introduction, appendices, index, and general
purpose topics.
Blue tabs denote Engineering Guidelines.
Gray tabs are used for Specifications and related forms.
Red tab marks a place for you to keep coatings documents that are developed at
your facility.

Engineering Guidelines
The Engineering Guidelines cover:
• An overview of coatings
• General information about selecting coatings; preparing surfaces; and
applying, inspecting, and maintaining coatings
• Specific information about surfaces and logistics that require special
consideration—concrete, downhole tubulars, offshore, and pipelines

Specifications
The specifications include:
• A Quick Reference Guide (for selecting coating systems; coatings system data
sheets; list of acceptable brands; and Coating Compatibility Chart)
• The Company's specifications in commented form
• Standard Forms

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Other Company Manuals

Within this manual, there are references to documents in other Company manuals
(example: COM-MS-4738 in this manual). These documents carry the prefix of the
particular manual.
These prefixes are as follows:
Prefixes Company Manuals
CIV Civil and Structural
CMP Compressor
COM Coatings
CPM Corrosion Prevention
DRI Driver
ELC Electrical
EXH Heat Exchanger and Cooling Tower
FFM Fluid Flow
FPM Fire Protection
HTR Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery
ICM Instrumentation and Control
IRM Insulation and Refractory
MAC Machinery Support Systems
NCM Noise Control
PIM Piping
PMP Pump
PPL Pipeline
PVM Pressure Vessel
TAM Tank
UTL Utilities
WEM Welding

60 Reasons for Coating

The Company coats structures and equipment for several reasons. Many of these
reasons are discussed below.

61 External Coatings
External coatings are generally for aesthetics, corrosion prevention, evaporation
reduction, and safety.

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Aesthetics
Coatings improve the appearance of objects, which contributes to good employee
morale, advertising, neighborhood relations, and civic pride.

Corrosion Protection
Atmospheric corrosion is a significant problem in humid, warm, coastal locations;
in chemical and fertilizer plants; and on offshore structures.
Regardless of the geographical location, coating is essential for protection against
corrosion in most plant areas.

Evaporation Reduction
Painted in light colors, the roofs of storage tanks reflect rather than absorb the sun's
energy thus reducing evaporative loss of the stored material.

Safety
Special coatings mark fire equipment, traffic lanes, and piping that carries
hazardous materials.

62 Under Thermal Insulation and Fireproofing

A properly designed coating system, applied to the substrate under thermal insula-
tion and fireproofing systems, gives the best long-term protection against chloride
stress-corrosion cracking (CSCC) of stainless steel and reduces corrosion of carbon
steel.
CSCC and increased corrosion occur:
• When moisture permeates the insulation or fireproofing system and condenses
against the substrate, creating a condition similar to immersion service
• Because steel operating temperatures affect the corrosivity of water
• As long as the temperature of the water remains below its boiling point: the
hotter the steel, the hotter the water, the higher the rate of corrosivity
• When moisture leaches soluble salts that contain chloride or sulfide ions
Again, the hotter the solution, the greater the effect.
Because they develop under insulation and fireproofing, these conditions are very
hard to detect. Maintenance and inspection are very difficult and usually require
removing the insulation or fireproofing. Often the first indication of a problem is an
equipment failure.
For guidance on choosing coatings, refer to “Coatings Under Insulation and Fire-
proofing” in the System Number Selection Guide (part of the Quick Reference
Guide).

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63 Internal Coatings
Internal coatings can maintain product purity, reduce stockside and underside corro-
sion, and affect potable water.

Product Purity
Even at low corrosion rates, some corrosion occurs. An internal coating may be
necessary to prevent the products of corrosion—such as iron oxide (rust) or scales—
from contaminating the stock and causing problems.

Stockside Corrosion
Internal coatings extend the life of the tank or vessel and reduce the chance of
leaks, especially in storage tank bottoms. The water layer which settles out in the
bottom of the tank causes most of the tank bottom internal corrosion.[1]

Underside Corrosion
For tanks, the corrosion rate of the underside depends mainly on soil composition
and moisture content. Based on experience, you can predict when underside corro-
sion may be a problem.[1]

Potable Water
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates coatings for lining potable water
tanks.

70 Components of Coatings and Coating Systems

71 Components of Coatings
A coating consists of a pigment, a vehicle (binder plus solvent), and additives.
Pigments give color and protective properties to the paint.
The vehicle provides curing to form a continuous film and adhesion to the
substrate. The vehicle is made of the binder (which forms the film) and the solvent
(which dissolves the binder and adjusts viscosity to improve application). The
solvent also partly controls drying rate.
Additives are drying and wetting agents, ultraviolet screening agents, etc.

Methods of Film Formation

Understanding how binders work is critical when choosing a coating system. For
most coatings, film forms in one of several ways.
Thermoplastic. The solid resin, melted for application, resolidifies when it cools.
Example: Tar in roof coatings.

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Solvent Evaporation. The coating dries as the solvent evaporates (or dries at lower
temperatures than those which involve a chemical reaction). If re-exposed to the
same solvent, the coating can redissolve.
Example: Vinyls, chlorinated rubbers and lacquers.
Oxidation. Coatings composed of drying oils cure by reacting with air. Oxygen
cross links the resin molecules into a solid gel.
Example: Alkyds.
Cross Link. Dual-component products cross link at room temperature, either with
or without a catalyst.
Example: Epoxies (two polymers react, no catalyst), polyesters (catalyzed) and
urethanes (catalyzed).
Heat Cure. Heat causes direct cross-linking between filmformer molecules, or acti-
vates a catalyst to cause cross-linking. Normally, these coatings are shop-applied
only, because of the special heating requirements.
Example: Baked phenolic linings.
Emulsion. When the water evaporates from an emulsion of resin particles and
water, the resin particles coalesce to form a film.
Example: Latex acrylics.

72 Coating Systems
A coating system refers to the layers that make a complete coating: primer, tiecoat
or intermediate coat, and topcoat.

Primer Coats
Primer coats adhere well to the substrate and inhibit corrosion and undercutting at
defects, such as pin holes or holidays (breaks) in the film.
Note that holidays are pinholes or thin spots which either develop during applica-
tion or nicks and scrapes which occur later. Corrosion will start at these spots.
Primer coats also bond well to the intercoat, tolerate variations in application condi-
tions and handling, and resist weathering (helpful because delays may occur
between priming and topcoating).

Tiecoats
Tiecoats (or intermediate coats) build film thickness, bond the primer to the topcoat,
and protect substrate and primer from aggressive chemicals in the environment.

Topcoats
Topcoats protect the substrate and undercoats from the environment, provide chem-
ical resistance, enhance the surface appearance, and provide non-skid and other
properties.

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Some coatings are incompatible. Before choosing coatings to apply over previously
coated surfaces, see the Coating Compatibility Chart in the Quick Reference Guide.

80 The Successful Coating Program

The successful coating program has four elements:
• Selection
• Surface preparation
• Application
• Quality control (inspection and on-going maintenance)
Each of these elements is described in more detail in this manual.

90 References
1. Chevron Corporation. Corrosion Prevention Manual, “Corrosion of Storage
Tank Bottoms,” Chevron Research and Technology Company. Richmond, CA:
January, 1994.

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