TECNOMATIC DELIVERS HIGH-PERFORMANCE COATING SOLUTION FOR OVER 1,500 KM STRATEGIC PIPELINE

Tecnomatic asserts its leadership in the plastic extrusion industry with the successful delivery of a high-profile engineering solution for one of the world’s most ambitious energy projects. The supply consists of two complete lines for the external coating of 30″ insulated steel pipes, destined for a strategic oil transport pipeline exceeding 1,500 km in length (approx. 85,000 pipes), developed by major international energy groups.

Beyond Standard Coating
In the coating industry projects, technical requirements usually involve thin protective layers. However, this project required a significant leap: managing a Polyethylene (PE) thickness between 5 and 8 mm with a constant production throughput of approximately 1,800 kg/h.

This extreme thickness is necessary because the PE jacket serves as the ultimate shield for a complex multilayer system. Below the PE, the pipe features Fusion Bonded Epoxy (FBE) for anti-corrosion and a thick layer of Rigid Polyurethane (PU) foam for thermal insulation. The PE coating must be applied with extreme precision to perfectly seal the insulation and protect the pipe from mechanical stress during burial in harsh terrains.

 

 

To meet these requirements, Tecnomatic developed a bespoke version of the VENUS COAT crosshead series. While standard heads are designed for lower throughputs, these special VENUS COAT units were engineered to stabilize and distribute massive flows of polymer around the 30″ steel core.

Each head is fed by two VEGA 90 series extruders. Renowned for their superior plasticization properties, the two extruders in tandem can reach a maximum output of 2,200 kg/h of PE 100, providing a vital operational buffer to maintain the required 1,800 kg/h flow with total stability. This modular approach offers significant advantages over a single, massive extruder capable of 2,000 kg/h:

Performance & Management: The dual setup provides superior melt homogeneity and finer control over the plasticization process, ensuring a more stable output even at high volumes.

Maintenance & Spare Parts: Standardizing on the VEGA 90 size drastically reduces the cost and complexity of spare parts management. It is far more economical and simpler to maintain a fleet of standardized machines than a one-of-a-kind giant extruder.

Versatility & ROI: While a single 2,000 kg/h extruder is often too specialized for other jobs, the VEGA 90 units are highly versatile. Once the specific pipeline project is completed, these extruders can be easily redeployed in standard production lines, ensuring a much higher Return on Investment (ROI) and long-term industrial flexibility.

The project’s success has been total. Despite operating in extremely harsh environmental conditions, both lines have worked flawlessly. This supply demonstrates Tecnomatic’s ability to develop customized, high-tech machinery tailored to the specific needs of the global Oil & Gas market, ensuring that the critical “sandwich” of liners, insulation, and coatings remains intact for decades.