Offshore (Oil and Gas)

There are more than 7,000 offshore facilities worldwide involved in the oil and gas industry. These facilities operate in a wide range of water depths, from shallow to over 2000 meters. The classification of water depths is as follows: shallow to moderate water is considered to be under 350 meters, deep water is under 1500 meters, and anything deeper than that is classified as ultra-deep water. These structures face challenging and diverse environmental conditions, including extremely cold, freezing weather to hot and humid climates.

Given the nature of the oil and gas industry, a variety of materials are used in the construction and maintenance of these facilities. These include carbon steel, various grades of stainless steel, aluminium, and composites. Concrete is also used for constructing larger platforms that support the topside structures.

These offshore facilities have different micro-climates in and around them. Some areas are exposed to wave movement, salt-laden environments, or wet and dry conditions. Other areas, such as risers and pipework, experience very high temperatures. Some parts of the structures are open to the environment, while others are warm and dry.

It is worth noting that offshore structures often have more than one million square meters of coated surfaces. It is crucial to understand the condition of these coatings and ensure that coating surveys are accurate and consistent. This is essential for maintaining the long-term integrity of the structures.

The Coatings Radar App is designed to help you learn how to conduct coating surveys, whether it is for inspecting coating guarantees or identifying future maintenance needs.