According to a new independent report from classification company, DNV, Jotun’s, Baltoflake glass flake polyester (GFP) coatings could offer 30 years’ maintenance-free corrosion protection at the splash zone for offshore assets.
The study showed that Baltoflake could provide decades of protection for offshore wind substructures and reduced lifecycle costs by up to 50%. DNV inspected a section of jacket from a North Sea oil platform which was installed in 1972 and decommissioned in 2020. Jotun’s Baltoflake coating was applied to the platform in the late 1980s and, despite over 30 years’ exposure to the North Sea’s harsh environment, analysis revealed that the coating at the splash zone was intact, still smooth and showing no signs of delamination.
Ismail Tan, Global Category Manager, new construction primers, Jotun said: “Although glass flake coatings have been used in the energy industry for over 40 years, there has traditionally been very little research into the material’s long-term benefits. However, by partnering with DNV on this report, we now have the relevant in-field data required to demonstrate Baltoflake’s full asset lifecycle protection performance.”
Baltoflake can remove the requirement for offshore wind developers to undertake expensive repairs or replacement due to corrosion, concluded Jotun.