A Pipeline Corrosion Coating Unlike Any Other

Pipeline corrosion is the leading cause of pipeline releases over the last 15 years in Alberta. Together, internal and external corrosion caused nearly half of the province's documented incidents. Traditional coatings and cathodic protection can help, but they can be costly in terms of installation (pipeline outages for internal coatings) and ongoing maintenance/inspection needs. They are also narrow in scope, providing no protection against other threats or against leaks/ruptures events once they are initiated.

TCI's Envirolock offers far more comprehensive and long-lasting protection while requiring no ongoing maintenance. Its outer shell is composed of polyurea, a highly abrasion-resistant, elastic, and inert material. Not only does it block external corrosion, it also guards against impacts and geohazards. Consequently, operators can simultaneously reduce the load needed for cathodic protection and fortify their pipelines from the crushing load of an excavator bucket! Leaks due to internal corrosion are addressed as well - in its containment configuration, Envirolock enhances leak detection/monitoring and completely captures releases (from ruptures up to ~4600 psig!),

Overall, this investment yields significantly safer communities, increased pipeline integrity, substantially reduced clean-up costs, and no need for emergency responses by the operator. Moreover, using a one-of-kind in-situ method, TCI can install Envirolock on both existing and new pipelines. With its unique combination of toughness and versatility, Envirolock promises to transform the pipeline integrity landscape. We invite you to be a part of this future - contact us today to find out how.

Envirolock Takes On Hydrogen Pipeline Embrittlement

The “hydrogen economy” is premised on the idea that society can safely use hydrogen as an economically efficient and sustainable energy carrier. However, without total containment in the pipeline infrastructure, that premise is compromised. Susceptibility to hydrogen penetration and embrittlement pose significant barriers to large-scale hydrogen deployment due to serious safety and operational concerns. From an environmental standpoint, Ocko and Hamburg, 2022 raised concerns that fugitive hydrogen emissions would worsen climate change impacts over short- and medium-term time horizons. Consequently, they concluded that “Minimizing leakage will be essential to the effectiveness of hydrogen as a climate change mitigation strategy."

To tackle this challenge, TCI is currently engaged in a research project to test an Envirolock-inspired coating for use in preventing hydrogen permeation and embrittlement. With funding support from Alberta Innovates, C-FER Technologies will determine if the coating reduces permeation, and if so, which coating formulation shows the most promise. Contingent on favorable results, TCI will follow-up by testing a new installation methodology for the coating on multiple pipe spools.