For part one of the article, click here
While the epoxy was still wet, we then wrapped the line, including the flange, in 12 layers of Syntho-Glass™ XT, a 54 000 psi (3723 bar) tensile strength, fibreglass composite. Syntho-Glass XT is designed to provide structural integrity to the pipeline. Working in combination with the Syntho-Poxy HC and the Syntho-SubSea LV epoxy resin, the Syntho-Glass XT composite is designed to ‘pick up’ the load stresses from the damaged pipe, fully restoring the pipe’s integrity. The wrap also provides corrosion protection, encapsulating the pipe and preventing the elements from reaching the compromised section of steel.
The engineered, water-activated, polyurethane resin in the fibreglass composite system, not only ensured proper fibre-to-resin ratios, but also made for a quick application process – even over the flange’s difficult geometry. This was something for which we were all grateful, especially given the heat, humidity, and unsettlingly large paw prints that we discovered in the mud near the jobsite. Even though we had an armed guard, nobody wanted to come face-to-face with a puma.
Hydration for product and crew
A major challenge in the midst of this fast-paced, watery project was to avoid dehydration. The crew was constantly reminded to drink from the supply of fresh water that was trudged in, but even with the reminders, it was barely enough to keep sun stroke at bay. Heavy personal protective equipment (PPE) was another challenge in the sweltering morass. The work shirts, so vital a protection against sunburn and bug bite, became our own personal saunas. Our rubber boots also quickly filled with river water and mud. For most of us, that happened within our first few steps on the pipeline, which meant that the entire project was bogged down in mud from the start.
Fortunately, four hours after we first started digging our sandbag dam, the Syntho-Glass XT was installed. This meant that a repair that would ordinarily have taken weeks was inexpensively completed in one day. Our Syntho-Glass XT composite-reinforced coatings system fully restored the pipe’s strength and enabled operations to return to full maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) of 900 psi (62 bar).
The crackle of the walkie-talkie never sounded as sweet as when we called for our return boat. Packing up our boxes, somewhat lighter now that they contained mostly trash – empty product containers and water bottles – powering down the generator, and dismantling the sandbags, we prepared for the trek out of the jungle, before the sun set. Somewhat slower, having put in an exhausting days’ slog before putting in a full day onsite, we hiked back on top of the pipe, balancing our way over mud that caught at our feet, seeming to want us to stay in the jungle. Occasionally we would hear the cry of some creature, bird or cat, I could not say, but I was glad as the drone of the river increased and the welcoming sight of our boat came into view.
Loading our generator and the remains of our hard work onto the boat as the afternoon faded into an equally hot and humid evening, I could understand the hold that the Magdalena has – the raw power and the pull. For a time, we stood up to those forces. We met the challenge. And we won – as of this writing, the pipeline and our repair are still in full operation.
Writted by Jose Zapata, NRI, USA, and edited by Hannah Priestley-Eaton