Aquarius Marine Coatings Ltd. (AMC) recently introduced the Coppercoat-Commercial antifouling coating for the offshore oil and gas sector.

The coating — which contains exceptionally high levels of copper, a natural antimicrobial agent — protects subsea infrastructure against layers of plant, animal, and microbe growth while meeting environmental and safety standards.

According to AMC, it ensures that underwater infrastructure can meet expected performance levels, contributes to the integrity of structures, and helps reduce maintenance costs.

Five-Year Trial Completion

The launch follows the completion of a five-year trial funded by EDF Energy and undertaken by Plymouth Marine Labs (PML) in the United Kingdom, which concluded that Coppercoat-Commercial is an ideal protective antifouling solution for underwater turbines.

Although the trial was carried out with a view to supporting wave and hydropower facilities, AMC says the coating can be applied equally to any static or dynamic subsea structure to enhance the longevity and efficiency of both fixed and floating platforms, particularly in areas of significant marine flow.

Further research examined the loss of paint thickness over time and showed that the coating was also the most effective antifouling solution in terms of longevity, losing just 4.3 percent over the five-year trial period.

Deepwater Opportunities

According to AMC, the launch comes as operators and oilfield services providers look to exploit opportunities in deeper waters where lifting, cleaning, and replacing subsea assets becomes significantly more difficult. The coating solution can form an important component of integrity strategies for wells, while providing protection against forms of degradation that are not prevented by standard anticorrosion and antierosion products.

The company said its experience in the marine sector demonstrated that the coating can last for 20 to 30 years, depending on usage and conditions. The hard-wearing, densely copper-filled resin is suitable for both cold and tropical waters, and can be applied by roller or spray and can be used on all surfaces, including steel, concrete, aluminum, glass-reinforced plastic, and various polymers.

The water-based coating does not contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which makes it an environmentally safe solution, according to the company.

For more information, contact: Coppercoat USA LLC, (321) 514-9197, www.coppercoatusa.com