Case History: Canusa 3-Layer Heat Shrink Sleeve System Used on QSN3 Project
David Anderson: Sales and Marketing Manager, Universal Corrosion Coatings Pty Ltd.
Nasa Chaabani: Manager Australasia, Canusa-CPS.
‘It never rains but it pours’
The QSN3 (Queensland South Australia NSW) pipeline project was a mammoth construction project with the design aim of transporting greatly increased volumes of coal seam gas to five separate markets:
– Brisbane via Roma Brisbane Pipeline
– Gladstone via Queensland Gas Pipeline
– Mt Isa via Carpentaria Pipeline
– Adelaide via Moomba – Adelaide Pipeline
– Sydney via Moomba Sydney Pipeline
The Epic Wallumbilla compressor and metering station is now a critical junction and trading hub, receiving gas from 3 major gas fields, Fairview, Spring Gully and Berwyndale.
The QSN3 Project required the construction of 940 kilometres x DN450 gas pipeline to loop existing pipelines from Wallumbilla in Queensland to Moomba in South Australia.
Epic Energy invited Nacap in an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) model to assist with the preparation of a budget to build the QSN3 project. The defining benefit of an ECI model is the ability to define scope in some detail and avoid scope surprises down the track.
Designed by Worley Engineering this was a substantial venture given that the overall budget of the project would be equivalent to the net worth of the Epic Energy business at the time of build.
The Epic pipeline coating specification called for Dual Layer Fusion Bond Epoxy Coating (FBE) of 400 microns each to be applied by Bredero Shaw.
– Inner layer of FBE to provide corrosion protection
– Outer layer of FBE to provide mechanical protection
A high performance Field Joint Coating System was required to complement the pipeline coating to provide long life coating integrity.
Accordingly Epic specified the Canusa GTS-65 3-Layer Heat Shrinkable Field Joint Coating System that comprised; Force Cured Epoxy Primer with controlled and verifiable application thickness
– Heat Shrinkable Sleeve , Crystalline
– Hot Melt Adhesive Lined