The company has just completed a series of proofs of concept as part of its drive to improve construction processes and add value for customers: laser cleaning and steam blasting. Read on to find out more!

At Techint Engineering & Construction, the focus is always on innovating and being more sustainable by incorporating cutting-edge technology. In the field of pipeline surface treatment, there’s great scope for improvement by taking advantage of new technologies to work more safely and efficiently. During May and June, two new technologies were tested at the Northern Gas Pipeline Reversal (RGN) and DUPLICAR projects.

Another opportunity for laser cleaning

After an unsatisfactory experience with laser cleaning results at the Quebrada Blanca 2 project, in Chile, the decision was taken to give this approach another go—but this time with Patagonia CNC Machines, an Argentine supplier.

A laser cleaning test was carried out using a 2,000 watt machine on the pipe at the double joint plant at the RGN project, in Ucacha, Córdoba, to make the rust removal process more efficient, prior to ultrasonic welding.

“We wanted to give the laser cleaning approach another chance, this time with a less demanding application that replaces the grinding that happens before the ultrasonic inspection in the double joint plant. After welding the pipe, an ultrasound inspection is carried out on the weld, but to do this, it’s necessary to clean the rust from the surface on both sides of the weld so that the probes of the ultrasound scanner can engage properly,” explains Alejandro Aguirre, Innovation & Knowledge Management Sr. Manager.

Currently, the cleaning process is performed mechanically using brushes on grinders, whereby two people brush the entire circumference of the pipe around the weld. The test was successful, showing that manual mechanical brushing can be effectively replaced by using a laser, thus making the process safer, more precise and more efficient. The tests were coordinated in the field by Sergio Boretini, Hydraulic Test Supervisor, at the double joint plant.

In search of more sustainable options

In the case of the DUPLICAR project, a test was held with the supplier Ecoblasting to evaluate steam blasting instead of sandblasting as a surface treatment on ducts, before applying an anticorrosive coating on the welded joints.

After welding and ultrasonic inspection, the weld is sandblasted, as is an additional area of approximately 15 centimeters to each side of the weld around the pipe, known as cut-back. “This means that a total of 30 centimeters is sandblasted around the entire circumference of the pipe, leaving the metal shiny and rust-free. Then, the anticorrosive coating is applied, which can be a heat-shrinkable blanket (that compresses when heated) or an epoxy paint, depending on the requirements of the project,” details Aguirre.

Steam blasting uses vaporized water mixed with 30% sand (compared to dry sandblasting). This process makes it possible to minimize the dust cloud produced by conventional sandblasting, thus reducing the requirements for personal protective equipment. In terms of productivity, it’s slightly less efficient than conventional sandblasting. During the tests carried out at the Médanos prefabrication workshop by Jorge Lopresti, Sr. Construction Manager, it emerged that subsequent treatment was necessary to clean the surface of process residues, so the process was less attractive than originally envisaged.

Unify processes

The objective of these tests is to identify technologies that can lead to a uniform standard being set within Techint E&C for surface cleaning procedures at pipeline projects, given that some countries prohibit sandblasting for regulatory reasons. The company is also seeking to adopt a more sustainable approach that depends less on natural resources such as sand.

Techint E&C is committed to fostering an innovative culture to enhance its processes, increase predictability and efficiency, and adopt industry best practices.