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Benchmark Case | API 5L Grade B Steel Pipes with FBE Coating for Guatemala Subsea Gas Pipeline Maintenance

Our client, a major energy infrastructure company in Guatemala, was tasked with an urgent maintenance project for an offshore natural gas transmission pipeline. The existing subsea pipeline had suffered localized corrosion and wear due to long-term exposure to seawater, marine organisms, and high-pressure environments, posing risks to the safe and stable supply of natural gas for local industrial and residential use. The client required high-performance steel pipes with exceptional corrosion resistance, pressure-bearing capacity, and compatibility with subsea installation conditions to ensure the durability and reliability of the repaired pipeline.

Custom Product Solution: API 5L Grade B Steel Pipes with Green FBE Coating (500um)

After in-depth technical communication and on-site demand assessment, we tailored a solution centered on API 5L Grade B steel pipes with specialized FBE (Fusion Bonded Epoxy) powder coating, perfectly matching the subsea maintenance project requirements. The core product advantages are as follows:

- Base Material: API 5L Grade B: Compliant with API 5L international standards for line pipes, featuring excellent tensile strength (minimum 415 MPa) and yield strength (minimum 240 MPa). It exhibits strong pressure-bearing capacity, adapting to the high-pressure operating environment of subsea gas pipelines, and ensures structural integrity during installation and long-term service.

- Special Coating: FBE Powder Coating: A 500um-thick fusion-bonded epoxy coating was applied to the pipe surface, providing superior corrosion resistance against seawater, salt spray, and marine biological fouling. The FBE coating boasts strong adhesion, impact resistance, and abrasion resistance, effectively isolating the steel pipe from the harsh subsea environment and extending the pipeline's service life by more than 20 years.

- Custom Specification: Green Coating: The coating was customized to green color as per the client's on-site identification and safety management requirements, facilitating quick positioning and installation during subsea maintenance operations.

Application Implementation & On-Site Support

The API 5L Grade B FBE-coated steel pipes were exclusively used for the damaged sections replacement and leak-proof reinforcement of the subsea natural gas pipeline. Our team provided full-cycle professional support to ensure project smooth progress:

1. Precise customization of pipe specifications (OD: 168-323.9mm, wall thickness: 6-12.7mm) based on the client's pipeline design drawings and on-site measurement data;

2. Strict quality control of the FBE coating process, including pre-coating surface derusting (Sa 2.5 grade), coating thickness detection, and adhesion testing, ensuring each pipe meets the 500um coating thickness standard and API SPEC 5L quality requirements;

3. Efficient logistics and customs clearance services, coordinating with professional marine transportation teams to deliver the pipes to Guatemala's coastal construction port on schedule, and providing technical guidance for on-site pipe pre-installation inspection.

Project Outcome & Client Feedback

With our high-quality steel pipes and professional technical support, the Guatemala subsea natural gas pipeline maintenance project was completed ahead of schedule. The repaired pipeline has been put into stable operation, with no corrosion or leakage issues detected. It effectively restores the full transmission capacity of the gas pipeline, ensuring the continuous and safe supply of natural gas for local communities and industries.

The client expressed high satisfaction with our products and services: "The API 5L Grade B steel pipes with FBE coating fully meet the harsh requirements of subsea maintenance. The 500um green coating provides reliable corrosion protection, and the pipes' mechanical properties ensure stable operation under high pressure. ROYAL STEEL's efficient delivery and professional technical support have laid a solid foundation for the project's success. We look forward to long-term cooperation for future energy infrastructure projects."

For More Technical Details about the Project or to Customize Steel Structure Solutions, Please Visit the ROYAL GROUP Official Website or Contact Our Business Consultants.

ROYAL GROUP

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Kangsheng development industry zone,
Wuqing district, Tianjin city, China.

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