Coatings Fire Resistance Featured in Sherman-Williams Webinar

Passive fire protection of steel for hydrocarbon facilities (on & offshore) focus of webinar by coatings manufacturer Sherwin-Williams

The protection of life, assets and production in high-risk petrochemical facilities, both onshore and offshore, was the focus of a webinar today sponsored by Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings.

The session, “Fire Protection of Steel,” provided an overview of the causes of fires in hydrocarbon facilities, the difference between active and passive fire protection (PFP), and the essential role intumescent coatings play in achieving the fire resistance ratings required for a sound PFP system. Intumescent coatings rapidly swell in reaction to a fire, forming a thick char barrier that protects a steel substrate by reducing heat transfer for several hours before structural failure could occur.

In the session, Roger Williams, Sherwin-Williams global market director for fire protection, discussed the two types of fires that offshore platforms, refineries, terminals, pipelines and chemical plants are vulnerable to. He also addressed the rigorous testing that is required to bring to market intumescent coating products that meet the toughest performance standards in both onshore and offshore environments, including for weatherability and corrosion protection.

“For hydrocarbon structures, PFP applications require specific coating thicknesses to achieve the time rating required to extinguish the fire and safely evacuate,” said Williams. “It is essential to have the correct coating specified and properly applied. And the additional benefit is that you are applying a corrosion resistant system designed to last the life of the asset – dramatically reducing the need for expensive maintenance.”

Sherwin-Williams manufactures a comprehensive line of epoxy intumescent coating products under the FIRETEX brand name.