GENERAL SPECIFICATION

CORROSION

GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends

and fittings

06 10/2015 General revision

05 05/2015 Organisation change - January 2015
04 10/2009 Chemical conversion treatments
03 10/2008 Changes in epoxy adhesion tests
00 10/2004 First issue
Rev. Date Purpose of the revision

Owning entity: DSO/TEC Managing entity: DSO/TEC/COR

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 2 of 23

Contents

1. Scope ....................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Scope ............................................................................................................................. 3
1.2 Terms and abbreviations ................................................................................................. 3

2. Reference documents ............................................................................................. 3

3. Qualification of coating products and Applicator coating workshops............... 5

3.1 Coating products ............................................................................................................. 5
3.2 Coating workshops ......................................................................................................... 5

4. Coating system and characteristics of the raw materials ................................... 6

4.1 Coating System............................................................................................................... 6
4.2 Marking and identification ............................................................................................... 6
4.3 Characteristics of epoxy primer ....................................................................................... 6
4.4 Characteristics of the top coat material ........................................................................... 9

5. Application and characteristics of the coating ................................................... 11

5.1 Inspection and test plan ................................................................................................ 11

6. Organisation of the PPT ....................................................................................... 17

6.1 Additional requirements ................................................................................................ 17
Appendix 1 Requirement for coating workshop qualification PQT ...................................... 20
Appendix 2 Curing of epoxy layer ...................................................................................... 21
Appendix 3 Thickness measurements on the coating ........................................................ 22
Appendix 4 CD test procedure ........................................................................................... 23

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 3 of 23

1. Scope
1.1 Scope
This specification covers the manufacturing of multi layers PE and PP external anti corrosion
coatings for bends and fittings for onshore and offshore pipelines.
PE coating shall be suitable for service temperature between -40°C and +80°C.
PP coating shall be suitable for service temperature between -20°C and +95°C.
Applications requiring resistance to temperatures outside these ranges have to be specifically
treated by Company via a dedicated qualification process.
The choice of coating type for bends and fittings will relate to the coating of the corresponding
line-pipe:
• PE for three layers PE coating of line-pipe as per GS EP COR 220
• PP for three layers PP coating of line-pipe as per GS EP COR 221.

1.2 Terms and abbreviations

CD Cathodic disbondment
DMTA Dynamic Mechanical thermal analysis
DSC Differential scanning calorimeter
FBE Fusion bond epoxy
ITP Inspection and test plan
OIT Oxygen induction time
PE Polyethylene
PP Polypropylene
PPT Pre production test
PQT Procedure qualification test

2. Reference documents
The reference documents listed below form an integral part of this General Specification.

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 4 of 23

External Documents
Unless otherwise stipulated, the applicable version of these documents, including relevant
appendices and supplements, is the latest revision published at the effective date of this
document.

Reference Title
ASTM D4940 Standard test method for conductimetric analysis of water soluble
ionic contamination of blasting abrasives
ASTM D570 Standard Test Method for Water Absorption of Plastics
CSA Z245.20 Plant applied external coatings for steel pipes
ISO 11124 (All parts) Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and
related products-Specifications for metallic blast-cleaning
abrasives - All parts
ISO 11125 (All parts) Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and
related products-Test methods for metallic blast-cleaning
abrasives - All parts
ISO 1133-1 Plastics - Determination of the melt-mass flow rate (MFR) and
melt-volume flow rate (MVR) of thermoplastics - Part 1: Standard
method
ISO 11357 (Parts 1; 2; 3) Plastics - Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) - Parts 1; 2; 3
ISO 11357-6 Plastics - Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) - Part 6:
Determination of oxidation induction time (isothermal OIT) and
oxidation induction temperature (dynamic OIT)
ISO 21809-1 Petroleum and natural gas industries - External coatings for
buried or submerged pipeline used in pipeline transportation
systems - Part 1: Polyolefin coatings (3-layer PE and 3-layer PP)
ISO 2808 Paints and varnishes - Determination of film thickness
ISO 2811-1 Paints and varnishes - Determination of density - Part 1:
Pycnometer method
ISO 306 Plastics - Thermoplastic materials - Determination of Vicat
softening temperature
ISO 6964 Polyolefine pipes and fittings: Determination of carbon black
content by calcinations and pyrolysis: Test method and basic
principles
ISO 8130 (Parts 6; 7; 13) Coating powders - Parts 6; 7; 13
ISO 8501-1 Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and
related products - Visual assessment of surface cleanliness -
Part 1: Rust grades and preparation grades of uncoated steel
substrates and of steel substrates after overall removal of
previous coatings

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 5 of 23

Reference Title
ISO 8502-3 Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and
related products - Tests for the assessment of surface
cleanliness - Part 3: Assessment of dust on steel surfaces
prepared for painting (pressure-sensitive tape method)
ISO 8503-4 Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and
related products - Surface roughness characteristics of blast-
cleaned steel substrates - Part 4: Method for the calibration of
ISO surface profile comparators and for the determination of
surface profile - Stylus instrument procedure

Total General Specifications

Unless otherwise stipulated, the applicable version of these documents, including relevant
appendices and supplements, is the latest revision published in the applicable yearly collection.

Reference Title
GS EP COR 220 Three layer polyethylene external coating for pipelines
GS EP COR 221 Three layer polypropylene external coating for pipelines

3. Qualification of coating products and Applicator coating

workshops
3.1 Coating products
All coating products to be qualified shall fulfill the requirements of Clause 4 of this general
specification.
All data required in Clause 4 shall be provided by raw material manufacturer via Applicator upon
Company request for review and approval.

3.2 Coating workshops

Only Company qualified coating workshops shall be used to coat bends and fittings as per this
general specification.
The qualification of a new coating workshop shall consist in a full PQT as per Appendix 1 of this
general specification using qualified product as per Clause 3.1 and shall be performed under
Company supervision.
Once qualified, the Applicator is notified in writing. The need for new PQT is then waived.
The coating workshop remains qualified as long as no major modification have been
implemented (the Applicator shall notify Company of such major modifications).
Company reserves the right to cancel the qualification at any time due to reported quality issues
or more than 5 years without coating for Company. The Applicator is notified in written.

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 6 of 23

The use of alternative or new coating products (complying with Clause 3.1) in an already
qualified workshop without performing a new qualification is subject to Company approval.
A qualified workshop means that it can potentially meet the requirements of this General
Specification using qualified raw materials. This shall be confirmed via the PPT.

4. Coating system and characteristics of the raw materials

For each raw material (epoxy, PE or PP), the requirements are as follow:
• Nature and type of raw material
• Technical requirements
• Content of certificate of analysis.

4.1 Coating System

It shall consist of:
• One epoxy primer
• One chemically modified PE or PP top coat.
All products shall be applied in powder form.

4.2 Marking and identification

Raw materials shall be clearly identified with the following markings (whatever the packaging of
the product):
• Name of Manufacturer
• Production plant
• Name of product
• Batch number
• Date of manufacture (epoxy only)
• Shelf life (epoxy only). For PE and PP top coat, a shelf life of one year (starting at
reception of material by Applicator) shall be considered, provided the product is stored
according to Manufacturer’s recommendation (To be found in Materials Safety Data
Sheets).

4.3 Characteristics of epoxy primer

4.3.1 Nature and type

The epoxy primer shall be 100% solid powder form. The use of a liquid epoxy is not allowed.

4.3.2 Technical requirements

The epoxy primer shall meet the technical requirements specified in Table 1.

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 7 of 23

Table 1 - Technical requirements for epoxy primer

Characteristic Methods Units Acceptable Values
Glass transition ISO 11357-1 / ISO 11357-2 °C No less than 100°C for
temperature * Differential Scanning Calorimeter fully cured material
(DSC)
Bend test CSA Z245-20, Clause 12.11 2.5° No cracks
at minimum temperature
Water absorption ASTM D570 on a free film of %wt Less than 15% of weight
(demineralised water) 500 microns ± 50 thickness uptake after 28 days at
80°C

* Tg shall be understood here as inflection point on the DSC spectra.

The data reported in Table 1 shall be supplied by raw material manufacturer once on a selected
batch of material for qualification purposes.

4.3.3 Content of certificate of analysis

The certificate of analysis is issued by raw material Manufacturer with every batch of product. It
reports all characteristics controlled on the corresponding batch.
The certificate of analysis shall report also the acceptable range for each of these measured
value, as defined by the raw material manufacturer.
The certificate of analysis shall contain the information as reported below:

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 8 of 23

MANUFACTURER DETAILS CUSTOMER DETAILS

MANUFACTURING PLANT LOCATION
Contact person details

PRODUCT REFERENCE (Grade)

BATCH NUMBER
DATE OF MANUFACTURE
DATE OF SHIPMENT
PO Ref

PROPERTIES Test Method Unit Result Acceptable range

Gel time ISO 8130-6 seconds

Density ISO 2811-1 g/ml
Glass Transition ISO 11357-1 / ISO 11357-2
First heating °C
Second heating °C
Enthalpy J/g
Particle size ISO 8130-13 µm
Moisture content ISO 8130-7 (105°C) %
IR Spectra Manufacturer specific enclosed as attachment

Signature with Name of QA/QC and dates

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 9 of 23

4.4 Characteristics of the top coat material

4.4.1 Nature and type

4.4.1.1 PE top coat

It shall be based on linear type (i.e. low pressure manufacturing process) PE with grafted
reactive sites to react on the epoxy primer. It shall be applied in powder form, stabilized with
carbon black for UV resistance and anti oxidant for thermal stability.

4.4.1.2 PP top coat

It shall be based on copolymers with grafted reactive sites. It shall be applied in powder form,
and stabilized with titanium dioxyde and anti oxidant for thermal stability and UV resistance.

4.4.2 Technical requirements

The Company requirements are given in Table 2.
Table 2 - Technical requirements for top coat
Acceptable Acceptable values
Characteristics Standards Units
values PE PP
Carbon black content ISO 6964 % > 2.5 N/A
OIT ISO 11357-6 min > 20 at 200°C > 20 at 220°C
VICAT Softening point (9.8 N) ISO 306 °C > 80 > 110
Melt Flow Rate ISO 1133-1 g/10 min > 5 (190°C; > 5 (230°C; 2.16kg)
2.16kg)

The data reported in Table 2 and below spectra shall be supplied by raw material manufacturer
once on a selected batch of material for qualification purpose.
In addition:
• A full DSC spectra shall be provided once for each product, from -40°C up to 250°C
Heating rate 20°C/min, cooling rate 10°C/min (first and second heating) as per
ISO 11357-1 / ISO 11357-2 / ISO 11357-3
• DMTA spectra shall be provided once at a frequency of one Hertz from - 40°C up to
250°C (or the melting of the top coat).

4.4.3 Content of certificate of analysis

The certificate of analysis is issued by raw material Manufacturer with every batch of product. It
reports all characteristics controlled on the corresponding batch.
The certificate of analysis shall report also the acceptable range for each of these measured
values, as defined by the raw material manufacturer.
The certificate of analysis shall contain the information as reported below:

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 10 of 23

MANUFACTURER DETAILS CUSTOMER DETAILS

MANUFACTURING PLANT LOCATION
Contact person details

PRODUCT REFERENCE (Grade)

BATCH NUMBER
DATE OF MANUFACTURE
DATE OF SHIPMENT
PO Ref

PROPERTIES Test Method Unit Result Acceptable range

Melt Index 2.16 kg ISO 1133-1 g/10min

190°C(PE) or 230°C(PP)
OIT ISO 11357-6 min
Reactive site content (test method manufacturer specific/can be indirect method via adhesion tests)

Particle size ISO 8130-13 µm

Signature with Name of QA/QC and dates

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 11 of 23

5. Application and characteristics of the coating

5.1 Inspection and test plan
The ITP (Inspection and Test Plan) shall be provided by the Applicator for Company review
before PPT.
The items listed below are mandatory in the ITP. They shall be highlighted in bold letters in the
ITP for better readability.
Other items included in the ITP shall be clearly identified in italic letters as non required by
Company.

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 12 of 23

Item Test standard Requirement PPT Production

1.0 Raw Materials
1.1 FBE Certificate of Analysis As per chapter 4 Each batch Each batch
1.2 PE/PP Certificate of Analysis As per chapter 4 Each batch Each batch
1.3 Type of abrasives ISO 11124 (All parts) Compliance with Each batch Each batch
and ISO 11125 (All requirements of
parts) ISO 11124 (All parts)
and corresponding CA
2.0 Incoming bends
2.1 Environmental conditions Psychrometer or similar Record both values Once Twice per shift
Dew point and relative
humidity
2.2 Cleanliness All bends, control and Free of oil, Each bend Each bend
clean if necessary contamination and
foreign matters
2.3 Salt contamination SCM400 Lower or equal to 2 Once Once per shift at start
Full paper - full contact micrograms per square Twice per shift if salt
with pipe cm is detected
2.4 Pre-heating Contact pyrometer 40-70°C and 3°C Once Twice per shift
above dew point
3.0 Surface preparation
3.1 Water soluble ASTM D4940 Conductivity Once Once per week
contamination of < 250 µS/cm
abrasives No oil after 30 minutes

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reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 13 of 23

Item Test standard Requirement PPT Production

3.2 Degree of cleanliness ISO 8501-1 95% minimum of pipe Each bend Each bend
surface: Sa3
5% maximum of pipe
surface: Sa2.5
3.3 Dust level ISO 8502-3 Quantity < 2 Once Each bend
Size < 2
3.4 Steel roughness ISO 8503-4 60 to 100 microns Each bend Each bend
Cut off 2.5 mm Measurements on
Stylus equipment only three locations on the
bend. Each measure
Rz (or Ry5) ONLY
within range
4.0 Coating process
4.1 Bend temperature check Thermometer and Within ± 5% of Measure and Each bend
after oven heating and Templestick recorded value during record the
before FBE application PPT average
temperature and
temperature
range within each
bend
4.2 Surface cleanliness before Visual No marking of bends All bends All bends
FBE application surface. No deposits.
No visible dust

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reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 14 of 23

Item Test standard Requirement PPT Production

4.3 Surface treatment (if Concentration Once at start Once per shift at start
needed) Bath temperature
Output (l/min)
As per manufacturer
recommendation
4.4 FBE thickness ISO 2808 method 10 200-700 microns One bend One bend or pup
(calibration over piece every two shifts
blasted steel) and
method 7C for
measurements
(electro-magnetic
gauge)
See Appendix 3
4.6 FBE curing Appendix 2 Delta Tg < 3°C One bend One bend or pup
piece every two shifts
4.7 cooling Thermometer T < 80°C and no All bends All bends
marking on the bends
4.8 Total coating thickness ISO 2808 method 10 As agreed and at least All bends All bends
(calibration over equal or higher than
blasted steel) and the main line coating
method 7C for
measurements
(electro-magnetic
gauge)
See Appendix 3
4.9 Holiday detection ISO 21809-1 Annex B No holidays All bends All bends

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reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 15 of 23

Item Test standard Requirement PPT Production

4.10 Cut backs 10 mm minimum All bends All bends
(-0/+20) non damaged
FBE tail. Overall cut
back length and bevel
angle as per laying
contractor requirement
5.0 Off-line tests
5.1 FBE layer porosity CSA Z245.20 Chapter Cross section porosity: One bend One bend or pup
12.10 rating 3 max piece every two shifts
Interface porosity:
rating 3 max
5.2 Peel test ISO 21809-1 Annex C PE: One test on one One test per shift on
Method C5 T=80°C ± 3°C No bend on one side one bend on one side
peeling for 10kg weight and in the middle
on a 5 cm strip
PP:
T=95°C ± 3°C
No peeling for 20kg
weight on a 5 cm strip
5.3 Coating homogeneity Visual and Visual inspection within As per peel tests As per peel test
CSA Z245.20 Chapter the thickness of the frequency frequency
12.10 PE/PP peel test strip:
Cross section porosity
rating 3 max.
Homogeneous layer

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reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
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 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 16 of 23

Item Test standard Requirement PPT Production

5.4.1 Cathodic disbondment Appendix 4 48 hours at 65°C One sample on One sample on one
-1.5V (vs. calomel) one bend bend or pup piece
every two shifts
Disbonded radius
< 3 mm
5.4.2 OIT ISO 11357-6 200°C for PE One bend Every two shifts on
220°C for PP samples taken from
bends
>20 min

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reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
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 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 17 of 23

6. Organisation of the PPT

The PPT, as describe in Clause 5.1, shall be organized just before the start of production. It
shall be conducted as detailed below:
• Review of the documentation related to the qualification of the workshop
• Review of the ITP documentation as per Clause 5.1
• Review of the certificate of analysis of the raw materials and all data related to Clause 4 of
this general specification.
Conduct the PPT as follow (this below doesn’t take into account the bends needed for the line
set up. The first bend of the PPT shall be considered as representative of the production
process):
• First bend coated only with fusion bond epoxy layer
• Two bends fully coated.
Perform all the tests listed in the ITP as described in Clause 5.1 and wait for the results before
start of production. Production can start at Applicator’s risk if all results but cathodic
disbondment tests are available. This shall be notified to Company in written before PPT starts.
The first bend coated with fusion bond epoxy layer is used for thickness checks, curing checks
and porosity checks. The two remaining bends are used for all remaining tests.

6.1 Additional requirements

6.1.1 Bends defects after surface preparation

Only light steel defects (cosmetic grinding) and shallow imperfections shall be corrected using a
smooth flat disk (grain size 40).
No grinding shall lead to wall thickness reduction below minimum design acceptable value.
Grinded area shall be grit blasted to reach roughness range as per item 3.4 of ITP Clause 5.1.

6.1.2 FBE and top coat powder recycling

The use of recycled powder is forbidden.

6.1.3 Surface treatments

Surface treatments such as high pressure deionized water wash, phosphoric acid wash or any
kind of treatments are allowed.
They shall be included in the PPT process.
The coating workshop shall also be qualified with such treatment in due time, as these are
considered as major changes to the coating process.

6.1.4 Control of process parameters (item 4.1 of Clause 5.1)

If the process parameters need to be modified during production, the following shall apply:
• The Applicator shall detail in a technical note the reasons for the modifications and the
proposed new parameters for Company to review and agree

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reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
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 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 18 of 23

• A PPT as per Clause 5.1 shall be organized to qualify the new process parameters
• Once qualified, the new parameters shall be used as process control.

6.1.5 Field joints compatibility tests

The heating of the cut back area of the bends to simulate field joint coating application (so-
called: field joint compatibility test) might be required by field joint Applicator in order to adjust
the field joint system application process and heating cycle to the bend coating properties (and
not the other way around).
The test, if required, shall be conducted under the field joint coating scope.
The test, if required, shall be performed during PPT.
The test shall not be performed during production.
It shall be for information only.

6.1.6 Repairs
Any defects (other than surface wrinkles or spots marks from water cooling) on the bend coating
coming directly from the coating process itself shall lead to rejection of the bend and recoat,
except to repair the surface under support for the bend during coating.
The detection of such defects shall also lead to corrective actions on the coating process.
All other defects coming from subsequent handling or storage shall be repair with the same
application process and coating material than the one used for bend coating.
A specific ITP shall be sent to Company for review and approval at PPT stage.

6.1.7 FBE tails

FBE tail can include traces of adhesive layer and shall be continuous layer all around the pipe

6.1.8 Destructive testing on bends

The bends used for PPT and production destructive testing can be pup pieces taken from the
same diameter and wall thickness (i.e. straight length of pipes used for bend manufacturing).
The number of pup pieces needed for production tests shall be part of the ITP, in order for the
bend manufacturer to supply then in due time.
Still, it might be more efficient to perform some of these tests directly on the bends during
production.
This case is subject to Company approval with the following requirements:
• Detailed procedures for all relevant tests are provided to Company for review and
approval
• Tests have been carried out during qualification (PQT) with both procedures and have
given similar results
• Tests set-up and procedures performed during PPT are similar to the ones in production.

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 19 of 23

In all cases, and whatever the test method selected, the results shall fully comply with the
requirements of this general specification and its Appendix.

6.1.9 Procedure in case of tests failures

At qualification and PPT stages: Qualification and PPT rejected and re-done.
For production, Applicator shall propose a procedure to Company for review and approval at
PPT stage. This procedure shall detail the process to be implemented in case of any test failure
listed in Clause 5.1.
6.1.10 Specific process requirements
The flame (flame spray process) shall never be in direct contact with the surface to be coated.
There shall be no visible sagging or dripping of the coating during application.

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reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 20 of 23

Appendix 1

Appendix 1 Requirement for coating workshop qualification PQT

General information to be provided by Applicator before PQT:

• Coating workshop details
- Address
- Lay out of plant
- Details of coating workshops (if several). Each single coating workshop leads to a
specific qualification process
- Type of coating applied and type of application process
- Diameter, wall thickness ranges and overall dimension of bends to be coated
- Size of the ovens
- Output of each workshop
- In house laboratory testing and list of test equipments
• Coating workshop reference to be qualified
• Coating products to be used and compliance with Clause 4
• Bends characteristic to be used for PQT (diameter/wall thickness/grade)
• Track record
• Any other information that Applicator consider useful.
Qualification process:
• Provide ITP as per Clause 5.1 for review with the following specific requirements
- No mention of production testing frequency
- Add the following specific testing:
. 28 days CD test at 23°C (± 5°C) with acceptance criteria of 5 mm max (same test
procedure as per Clause 5.1 for other CD tests).
Organization of the PQT: as per Clause 5.2, similar to PPT.
PQT shall comply also with Clause 5.3.
The PQT shall be performed in presence of Company representative.
A full report shall be issued by Applicator and sent to Company for review and approval.

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 21 of 23

Appendix 2

Appendix 2 Curing of epoxy layer

• Take a sample of epoxy from a coated bend at cut back (where top coat was applied with
no adhesive).
• Weight about 10-15 mg and put in DSC pan.
• After calibration of DSC, run a first scan at 20°C/min up to 280°C (or any other max
temperature as advised by Manufacturer).
• Cool down to ambient at 40°C/min. Wait at ambient for the temperature in the cell to
stabilize (i.e. 2-3 minutes). If no liquid Nitrogen is used for cooling rate control, the cooling
rate can be adjusted, but the stabilization time at ambient shall be increased to a minimum
of 15 minutes to ensure proper stabilization within the cell.
• Run a second scan at 20°C/min up to Tg + 20°C.
• Calculate the ΔTg in absolute value between first and second run.
• The Tg is understood here as the inflection point in the DSC curve.
When a so-called “relaxation” cycle is used before the first heating scan, it is requested
to demonstrate that it does not lead to false curing results (via comparative testing with
and without the “relaxation” cycle) at PPT stage.

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 22 of 23

Appendix 3

Appendix 3 Thickness measurements on the coating

The test consist of measuring, by means of a non destructive process, the thickness of the
applied coating as per ISO 2808 method 7C and 10.
For the full thickness measurement, on each bend to be tested, a total of 12 single readings
shall be carried out. If any of these 12 readings is below the minimum coating thickness, an
additional 4 readings shall be taken around this area. The average of the additional 4 readings
and the initial reading shall be higher than the minimum thickness.
The measurements shall be taken at point distributed along 4 equally spaced longitudinal lines
at the bend length with three equally circumferential lines on the middle of the bend at a
distance of at least 300 mm from the end of the coating.
An arithmetic average of all measurements shall be calculated and recorded.
For the FBE, same principle as above shall apply.

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.
 General Specification GS EP COR 225

Polyethylene and polypropylene coatings for bends and fittings

Rev.: 06 Effective date: 10/2015 Page: 23 of 23

Appendix 4

Appendix 4 CD test procedure

CD test general set up and equipment shall follow ISO 21809-1 Annex H. For temperature
check, thermocouple shall be positioned inside the steel, approximately 10 mm inside the cell
area via a hole drilled within the steel wall thickness.
This temperature shall be the reference temperature of the test (within a ± 3°C range).
Test condition shall follow Clause 5.1 for PPT and production and Appendix 1 for PQT.
For test in temperature, the electrolyte shall not be heated. Regular top-up of water shall be
done so that the added quantity is low enough not to impact the electrolyte temperature. The
cell shall be thermally insulated to avoid excessive thermal losses. The electrolyte temperature
shall be continuously monitored and recorded once per hour via a thermocouple positioned
inside the cell 10 mm away from the coating and midway between the cell wall and center of
hole. The recorded temperature of the electrolyte shall be stable during the test within a ± 3°C
range
The test shall not start before the steel and electrolyte temperature are proven to be stabilized
within ± 3°C.
For interpretation of test result, the following procedure shall be followed:
1) Once the test is finished, abrade the top coat and adhesive layer, until only the FBE layer is
visible on the whole area under the cell during the test.
2) Make 8 radial incision using a sharp knife through the FBE down to the steel, extending
outwards from holiday for a distance of at least 40 mm. Make the incision approximately 45°
angle of each others, starting at 12 o’clock position.
3) Insert the knife point into the centre portion of the holiday down to the metal substrate. Using
a gentle levering action, peel away slowly a radial section of coating continuing until firm
action is encountered. Record the distance up to which coating is disbonded (and not
discoloration of the steel).
4) Repeat with each segment.
5) Calculate the average of the 8 measurements. Record the value.

This document is the property of TOTAL S.A., it contains confidential information which may not be disclosed to any third party,
reproduced, stored or transmitted without the prior written consent of TOTAL S.A.
The information contained in this document does not substitute to the applicable laws and regulations.