THE USE OF POLYPROPYLENE IN PIPELINE COATINGS

Despite the fact that the pipeline coating represents only about 5% of the total cost, the choice of the most effective coating is a key poi nt to guarantee the life of the installed pipelines. Since the eightie s, polypropylene copolymer coatings have been used for the protection of the external surface of on-shore and off-shore pipelines. Polypropy lene is one of the most suitable coatings when high mechanical propert ies (impact resistance, penetration resistance, etc.) and/or heat resi stance are required. Polypropylene has also been used in ordinary pipe lines giving advantages compared with the standard coatings, e.g. fusi on bonded epoxy resin, coal tar enamel and polyethylene. New applicati ons for polypropylene copolymers such as pipeline coatings have recent ly been developed, these include an insulating coating obtained with f oamed polypropylene and an internal coating obtained by spraying a pol ypropylene adhesive powder.