Chevron Specification COM-EG-5014

INTERNAL COATINGS FOR VESSELS IN WET H2S SERVICE

SPECIFICATION COM-EG-5014
INTERNAL COATINGS FOR VESSELS IN WET H2S SERVICE

June 1999 Page 1 of 11

Chevron Specification COM-EG-5014
INTERNAL COATINGS FOR VESSELS IN WET H2S SERVICE

Job Specification Instructions

This model specification can be used for non-reinforced thin film, thermal spray, and specialty internal
coating applications where coatings are needed for protection from wet H2S cracking. It applies to both
new construction and re-coating of existing vessels and exchanger shells in wet H2S service. The
specification is general enough to be used in most situations, regardless of the size of the job, although it
may be necessary or practical to modify, add, or delete portions to suit a particular situation.

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Chevron Specification COM-EG-5014
INTERNAL COATINGS FOR VESSELS IN WET H2S SERVICE

CONTENTS
1.0 SCOPE................................................................................................................................................... 4

2.0 STANDARDS AND CODES .............................................................................................................. 4

3.0 ACCEPTABLE COATING SYSTEMS AND BRANDS................................................................ 4

3.1 Thermal Spray Powder Wire Certification Requirements.................................................................... 4
4.0 GENERAL ............................................................................................................................................ 5

5.0 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ................................................................................................................. 5

6.0 AREAS TO BE COATED................................................................................................................... 6

7.0 SURFACE PREPARATION.............................................................................................................. 6

7.1 Responsibility......................................................................................................................................... 6
7.2 Surface Grinding .................................................................................................................................... 7
7.3 Abrasive Blasting ................................................................................................................................... 7
8.0 COATING APPLICATION AND COATING CURING............................................................... 8

9.0 INSPECTION....................................................................................................................................... 9
9.1 Compressed Air and Abrasive ............................................................................................................... 9
9.2 Surface Preparation Inspection .............................................................................................................. 9
9.3 Coating Application Inspection ............................................................................................................. 9
10.0 DISPOSITION OF NONCONFORMANCES............................................................................... 10

APPENDIX A – RECOMMENDED COATINGS FOR WET H2S SERVICE VESSELS.................... 11

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Chevron Specification COM-EG-5014
INTERNAL COATINGS FOR VESSELS IN WET H2S SERVICE

1.0 SCOPE

This Specification covers surface preparation, application, and inspection of thin film organic,
thermal spray and specialty (e.g. Belzona) coatings intended for protection of new and existing
vessels against wet H2S cracking. The Company shall specify the specific coating systems to be used
and the specific areas to be coated.

2.0 STANDARDS AND CODES

The latest editions of the following standards are part of this Specification. The Contractor shall be
knowledgeable of and have access to these standards.

2.1 National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) standards and Steel Structures Council
Surface Preparation (SSPC-SP) specifications:

NACE No. 1 (SSPC-SP5) "White Metal Blast Cleaning"

SSPC-SP1 "Solvent Cleaning"

2.2 The visual surface preparation standards described in the Society of Naval Architects and
Marine Engineers (SNAME) Bulletin No. 4-21, "Abrasive Blasting Guide for Aged or Coated
Steel Surfaces."

2.3 OSHA rules and regulations, and all applicable local codes and ordinances.

3.0 ACCEPTABLE COATING SYSTEMS AND BRANDS

Only the specified coating systems and accepted brands shown in Appendix A shall be used.
Alternatives must be approved by the Company in writing. On the bid, the Contractor shall clearly
indicate the material (both manufacturer and product name) to be used. All coatings shall be
provided to the jobsite in the original manufacturer containers. The Contractor shall only use
coatings complying with federal, state and local air pollution regulations.
3.1 Thermal Spray Powder Wire Certification Requirements
For thermal spray coatings, the coating applicator must provide certified analyses of the powder
or wire material to be applied. The certification shall include the nominal alloy type, a detailed
analysis of the actual chemistry (along with the required limits for each element), and the
particle size distribution. Powder wire samples shall be obtained at random by a Company
representative any time during the job and may be subjected to positive materials identification
(PMI) testing.

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Chevron Specification COM-EG-5014
INTERNAL COATINGS FOR VESSELS IN WET H2S SERVICE

4.0 GENERAL

4.1 The Contractor shall follow all directions on the coating manufacturer’s data sheets and shall
have copies of these data sheets available at the job site. If there is a conflict between the
requirements of this specification and the data sheets it shall be brought to the attention of the
Company coating representative/inspector and resolved to his/her satisfaction.

4.2 The Contractor shall furnish all materials, labor, equipment, and incidentals required to meet
this Specification.

4.3 Sufficient floodlight or spotlights shall be used to provide good visibility during abrasive
blasting, coating application, and inspection.

4.4 The Company may, at its option, require the Contractor to have a technical representative from
the coatings manufacturer present to assist and witness the initial application of each coating
system. The Contractor shall obtain further technical assistance from the coatings manufacturer
when problems arise or when the Company requests such assistance.

Comment 4.4 this is usually done on major projects. It should also be considered on critical
jobs, or where the Company or Contractor is unfamiliar with the coating to be applied.

4.5 The Contractor and the Company Representative shall hold a pre-job conference to discuss all
aspects of the Specification. Particular emphasis shall be placed on job safety, environmental
regulations, plant rules, surface preparation, coating application, and inspection.

5.0 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

5.1 The abrasive blast nozzle shall be bonded (grounded) to the work metal in order to prevent the
buildup of electrostatic charges that could cause a spark discharge.

5.2 Nozzle blast operators shall wear a U.S. Bureau of Mines approved helmet connected to a
source of clean air. All other persons exposed to the blast dust shall wear filter-type air
respirators.

5.3 Adequate ventilation shall be provided during all work and for at least four hours after coating
application or until coating is determined to be fully cured, to keep solvent concentrations
within safe, non-explosive limits. Vapors shall be removed by use of an air eductor, rather than
by air blown into the vessel.

5.4 All equipment, including drop lights, shall be explosion-proof and spark-proof.

5.5 The coating manufacturer's recommended precautions regarding toxicity and safe handling of
all coating materials shall be followed. Special care shall be observed when mixing resins to
avoid fire hazards.

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Chevron Specification COM-EG-5014
INTERNAL COATINGS FOR VESSELS IN WET H2S SERVICE

6.0 AREAS TO BE COATED

6.1 The Company shall specify the areas to be coated and the coating systems to be used for each
area. The temperature and other limitations of the Company acceptable coatings are provided in
Appendix A.

6.2 For new vessels, all nozzle and seam welds shall be coated at minimum. Coating of other areas
of the vessel is not required unless specified by the Company. For thermal spray coatings,
coating application beyond nozzle and seam welds shall NOT be allowed without prior written
Company approval. Coating shall take place only after all required welding, heat treatments and
weld inspections have been completed.

6.3 For existing vessels, as many of the following areas as possible shall be coated within the
allowed time frame for the shutdown (in descending priority):
• Weld repaired areas, regardless of location
• Nozzle welds
• Seam welds
• Visibly blistered base plate (blisters must first be assessed by a Company Reliability
Specialist)
• Any areas not listed above that were grit blasted for whatever reason
Coating shall take place only after all required repairs, heat treatments and inspections have
been completed. In no case shall visible cracking or blisters be coated without the written
approval of a Company Reliability Specialist.
6.4 Extent of coating coverage for nozzle and seam welds shall be as follows:
• Nozzle welds: Coat the entire weld and 6 inches minimum of base plate around the weld
and 1 inch minimum beyond the weld into the nozzle. The 6-inch minimum requirement
can be waived only when trays, supports or other internals do not allow this extent of
coating.
• Seam welds: Coat the entire seam weld and 6 inches minimum of base plate on each side of
the seam weld. The 6-inch minimum requirement can be waived only when trays, supports
or other internals do not allow this extent of coating.

7.0 SURFACE PREPARATION

7.1 Responsibility

The Coating Applicator is responsible for assuring that the surface is in the proper condition for
coating. This includes grinding, abrasive blasting, and other mechanical means. At no time
may the Coating Applicator perform arc gouging or other forms of hot cutting on the vessel.

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Chevron Specification COM-EG-5014
INTERNAL COATINGS FOR VESSELS IN WET H2S SERVICE

Surface preparation performed by the Coating Applicator shall not increase the depth of
gouges, grooves, pits, or other local thin areas.

7.2 Surface Grinding

The Coating Applicator shall perform surface grinding as required to produce the proper overall
surface contour for coating, including but not limited to the following:

• Removal of sharp edges and corners in order to provide suitable radii for coating.

• Removal of weld undercut, weld spatter etc. as judged excessive by the coating applicator.

• Removal of pits and gouges judged to be too sharp or too deep to allow for proper coating.

7.3 Abrasive Blasting

• To the best extent possible, blasting shall be confined to only those zones specifically
requiring wet fluorescent magnetic particle (WFMT) inspection and subsequent coating
application (see Sections 6.2-6.4).

• Areas to be abrasive blasted shall first be solvent cleaned as necessary in accordance with
SSPC-SP1, to remove all WFMT suspension materials, oils, grease, and other contaminants
which might affect the integrity of the coating system. This solvent cleaning shall take
place after all needed repairs, heat treatments and WFMT inspections have been completed.

• The anchor pattern shall be as specified in Appendix A. Prior to the start of the blasting, the
Coating Applicator shall select an appropriate abrasive and mesh size to attain the specified
anchor pattern.

• Only grit-type abrasives shall be used. The abrasive shall meet all provisions of Federal and
local regulations. The abrasive shall be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s
specifications and shall contain no impurities. If the abrasive is re-circulated, it shall be
checked for contamination at least twice per shift, according to Section 9.1.

• All personnel entering the vessel after abrasive blasting shall wear rubber soled shoes with
clean, disposable shoe covers.
• When viewed without magnification, the final blasted surface shall conform to the SNAME
visual standard for SSPC-SP5 White Metal Blasting.

• Blasted surfaces shall be brushed, blown, or vacuumed to remove all dust prior to coating.

• Blasted surfaces shall be coated the same day they are blasted and before any visible
rusting, discoloration, or other surface contamination occurs. The time before coating can
be extended if adequate dehumidification is used.

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Chevron Specification COM-EG-5014
INTERNAL COATINGS FOR VESSELS IN WET H2S SERVICE

• No acid washes or other cleaning solutions or solvents, including inhibitive washes

intended to prevent rusting, shall be used on metal surfaces after being blasted.

• A minimum of 1 inch around the edge of blasted areas shall be left uncoated if the entire
surface to be coated cannot be blasted and coated on the same day. Subsequent blasting
shall continue a minimum of 1 inch into the coated surfaces.

• Blasting shall be accomplished so that contamination of previously coated surfaces by

abrasive or rust is kept to a minimum.

• Any surface laps, scabs, or seams exposed by blasting shall be reported immediately to the
Company, so the Company can take appropriate action.

• The compressed air used in any cleaning method shall be free of water and oil. Adequate
separators or traps shall be provided and properly maintained and shall be emptied
regularly of water and oil. The air supply shall be tested daily for cleanliness using a white
cloth test per section 9.1.

8.0 COATING APPLICATION AND COATING CURING

• Surfaces shall be clean, dust free, and dry before application of any coating and shall meet the
specified anchor pattern and surface finish before coating.

• The ambient temperature, workpiece temperature, relative humidity, and dew point shall be
measured immediately prior to coating. No coating shall be applied on damp surfaces or when
the relative humidity exceeds 85% or when the temperature of the surface to be coated is less
than 5F above the dew point unless approved by the Company.

• Workpiece preheat above ambient temperature, if required by the coating process, shall be
established, recorded and maintained throughout the coating process.

• Each multicoat system shall use materials from a single manufacturer unless approved by the
Company in writing.

• Thin film organic coatings shall be applied in two equivalent thickness coats as specified in
Appendix A. Thermal spray and specialty coatings shall be applied in several overlapping
passes.

• Thin film organic and specialty coatings can be applied by spray, brush or roller, though spray
application is preferred wherever practical.

• The spray gun for all coating types shall always be as near to perpendicular to the working
surface as possible. The angle between the workpiece and the gun shall be 75-90 degrees.

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Chevron Specification COM-EG-5014
INTERNAL COATINGS FOR VESSELS IN WET H2S SERVICE

• Minimum cure times between coats and before immersion shall be strictly adhered to (see
coating manufacturer data sheets). If necessary, accelerated curing by heat application is
permissible. When heaters are used, they shall not contaminate the surface with moisture, dirt,
dust, or combustion products. The preferred method of heat application is forced warm, dry air.
Do not use steam or external heating coils.

9.0 INSPECTION

The Applicator shall perform all inspection necessary to assure that surface preparation and coating
application complies with requirements of this specification. All records shall be kept current and
shall be submitted to the Company at the completion of the job for verification to the Company’s
satisfaction.

9.1 Compressed Air and Abrasive

• The cleanliness of each compressed air supply shall be verified daily by blasting without
sand or coating onto a white cloth for 20 seconds. If oil or water appears on the cloth, all
traps and separators shall be blown down until subsequent 20-second cloth tests show no
more oil or water.

• Re-circulated abrasives shall be tested for oil contamination at least twice per shift by the
immersion of a small amount of abrasive in a vial of water that is shaken vigorously. If any
oil floats to the surface, the abrasive shall be discarded. Also, dust must be removed from
re-circulated abrasives to meet environmental regulations and improve cutting efficiency.

9.2 Surface Preparation Inspection

Blasted surfaces shall be inspected by the following methods to verify that the specified surface
preparation has been achieved:

• Verify that the anchor pattern specified in Appendix A has been met using Testex Inc.
“Press-O-Film” tape or Company approved equal. There shall be at least one reading for
each individually blasted area (i.e. one reading for each nozzle, one for each seam weld
etc.) and a minimum of three readings for any single vessel. All measurements shall be
recorded and submitted to the Company at the completion of the job.

• Verify the degree of cleanliness at each individual blast area by comparing the prepared
surface to the SNAME Bulletin No 4-21 Visual Standard for SSPC-SP5 White Metal
Blasting.

9.3 Coating Application Inspection

Coatings shall be inspected by the following methods to verify that the specified quality and
thickness have been achieved:

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Chevron Specification COM-EG-5014
INTERNAL COATINGS FOR VESSELS IN WET H2S SERVICE

• Immediately prior to coating, the ambient temperature, the temperature of the surface to be
coated, the surface preparation cleanliness and anchor pattern, the relative humidity, and
the dew point shall be measured and recorded. Verify that no moisture is present on the
surface to be coated. These items shall be recorded and submitted to the Company at the
completion of the job.

• Coating thicknesses shall be measured with a “Mikrotest” magnetic film thickness gage or
Company approved equal. The gage shall be calibrated at the beginning of coating work.
Calibration shall be made by comparison with the thickness measured on known standards
such as National Bureau of Standards’ Calibration Standards for Coating Thickness Gages.
There shall be at least one coating thickness reading for each individual coating area (i.e.
one for each nozzle, one for each seam etc.) and a minimum of ten such readings for any
single vessel. The coating thickness readings shall meet the requirements in Appendix A.

• Visual inspection shall be performed on 100% of the coated surface area. Laps, checks,
cracks, seams, and areas of loose or blistered coating are not acceptable, and shall be
considered reportable indications. The disposition of all reportable visual indications shall
be at Company discretion.

10.0 DISPOSITION OF NONCONFORMANCES

• Application Parameters: All coating applied outside the parameters specified by this
specification, and other essential parameters defined in the job contract, shall be subject to
recoating at the Applicator’s expense, subject to the Company’s sole discretion.
• Thickness: Areas failing to meet the minimum thickness criteria shall be further coated until
the thickness is within the specified range. Areas in excess of the maximum thickness range are
subject to disposition by the Company, including recoating at the Applicator’s expense.

• Visual Indications: All reportable visual indications are subject to repair and recoating at the
Applicator’s expense. At the Company’s discretion, visual indications may be further
investigated to determine if they are suitable for the intended service. Additional tests deemed
necessary by the Company to referee such visual indications shall be at Company expense if the
coating is ultimately deemed acceptable, and at the Applicator’s expense if the coating is
deemed unacceptable.

Areas requiring recoating shall be abrasive blasted to bare metal and recoated per the requirements
of this specification, including all testing and inspection requirements. A map of all coating defects,
corrections, and repair areas shall be maintained and submitted to the Company.

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Chevron Specification COM-EG-5014
INTERNAL COATINGS FOR VESSELS IN WET H2S SERVICE

APPENDIX A – RECOMMENDED COATINGS FOR WET H2S SERVICE VESSELS (CONSULT

CRTC FOR RECOMMENDED APPLICATORS & INSPECTORS IN YOUR AREA)

Thin Film Epoxy Coatings: These coatings are acceptable for continuous service temperatures up to 180F
and are resistant to short (i.e. few hour) duration steam outs up to 365F (150# steam) maximum and longer
term (several day) steam outs up to 285F (40# steam) maximum. All these coatings shall be applied in two,
5-6 mil coats and have a final dry film thickness of 10-16 mils. All these coatings require a SSPC-SP5 white
metal blast with an anchor profile of 2-3 mils. Cure time is required prior to placing these coatings is service
(consult manufacturer’s data sheets).

Coating Brand Comment

Carboline Phenoline 368 WG Best coating for high (>1000 psig) pressure services.
Has performed well in services up to 250F.
Sigma Phencoat 7409 primer/ 7436 topcoat Good experiences with the Sigma series coatings in
Pascagoula wet H2S service vessels.
Devoe Devchem 253 Extensive good track record in 180F plus
environments in Chevron Upstream tanks & vessels.
Not as resistant to steam outs as other epoxies.
Valspar V9 Series Also a good performer in high-pressure testing.

Thermal Spray Coatings: These coatings are acceptable for continuous service temperatures in excess of
500F and are fully resistant to steam outs. These coatings shall be applied in multiple coats and there shall
be no locations thinner than 15 mils or thicker than 40 mils. These coatings require a SSPC-SP5 white metal
blast with an anchor profile of 2.5-5.0 mils. Cure time is generally not required prior to service but may be
needed when sealer coats are applied.

Coating Brand Comment

Hastelloy C family or Inconel 625 applied by the JP-
5000 HVOF Process.
Hastelloy C family or Inconel 625 applied by twin
wire arc or Com-Arc™ Process followed by
application of an epoxy sealer coat if recommended
by applicator.
Has shown best performance in Chevron sponsored
corrosion testing programs for thermal spray coatings.
These coatings have performed well in competitor
amine plant vessels.

Specialty Coatings: These coatings are typically used for smaller coating jobs or touch-up coating of
existing vessels and have temperature resistance (~275F continuous) and cure times in between that of the
thin film epoxies and thermal spray coatings. These coatings shall be applied in a single coat and there shall
be no locations thinner than 25 mils or thicker than 40 mils. These coatings require a SSPC-SP5 white metal
blast with an anchor profile of 3-4 mils. Cure time is required prior to placing these coatings is service
(consult manufacturer’s data sheets).

Coating Brand Comment

Belzona 1391 or Belzona 1591
Some experience with 1391 at Richmond plus good
performance in tests simulating 2000 psi, 185F
production environments. 1591 is a newer, higher
temperature product. 1391 contains metal fillers so
cannot be thickness checked when dry.

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