With the huge drop in demand for fuel for national and international transport, unprecedented reduction in energy demands from the manufacturing sector and China’s unsettling slump in requirements for fossil fuels, the Oil and Gas industry is facing one of its toughest challenges at the moment.

Production is down for most oil and gas companies and, if you searched for news and advice in sector-specific journals and websites, you would think the only impact is on human resources.  Protecting key staff, implementing strict hygiene measures at plants, refineries and on rigs and choosing between furlough schemes and redundancy are all vital and take up enormous amounts of time and energy for senior staff.

One area which may be overlooked is what will happen to equipment and vehicles which are laid up now and may be out of use for an indefinite amount of time.  Assets which cost significant amounts of money, and will hold their value if cared for correctly, are at risk of a contagion every bit as damaging and costly as coronavirus – corrosion.

Pumps, valves, fixed and coiling pipework.  Generators, lifting machines, gears, levers.  Vehicle engines and gearboxes.  All protected and lubricated when in use but, when things are at a standstill, no protective fluids pass through the system.  Engine oil drains into the sump, ferrous metal parts become exposed to oxygen and humidity, and corrosion can begin: unseen and creeping, damaging the integrity and leaving moving parts prone to seizing.  This can lead to costly repairs or the need to replace equipment when production starts up again.

Fortunately, there is an answer.  Vapor-Tek’s high performance corrosion preventatives are specifically formulated to be quickly and easily applied and will protect all your equipment indefinitely.  One simple application – pour, mist, fog or spray, and enclosed, capped and sealed systems fill with Vaporol’s Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor (VCI) vapours, protecting every surface.  It protects pumps, valves, manifolds, pipework, engines, gearboxes, machinery – even packing cases filled with metal parts or components.

Coiling pipework can be highly vulnerable to corrosion and expensive to replace.  Once rinsed to remove traces of chemicals, a solution of Steelgard RP Grease mixed with a solvent can be pumped through, dispersing water and leaving a protective coating to ensure the pipe stays corrosion free and retains its integrity, ready to go when it is next needed.

Steelgard can be used on all metal parts: sprayed onto casings; into locks; around handles, levers, contacts; protecting and preserving your vital equipment.  It disperses water and leaves a thin, lubricating film which keeps corrosion from setting in and ensures moving parts do not seize up while out of use.

The thickest Steelgard formulation RP Grease is ideal for heavy duty applications and to keep corrosion away from items exposed to the elements.  Locks, hinges, levers, padlocks.  Applied by brush, you can control the thickness.  Not just a grease, it is primarily a contact corrosion inhibitor, preventing rust and oxidation wherever it touches, with the added benefits of water dispersion and lubrication.

Vaporol and Steelgard are compatible with most fuels and lubricants so there is usually no need to clean off any residue once work resumes.  Where you would prefer a water-based system which can be easily washed away, Aquavap does the same job as Vaporol but in an aqueous formulation.  If water residue puddling or pooling in pipework, sprinkler and HVAC systems could be an issue while they are shut down, you can add Aquatest which renders water completely non-corrosive and will prevent any issues in wet systems.

Call Vapor-Tek today on 01204 521795 for advice on which of our range of high-performance corrosion preventatives offers the best solution for your problem.  We provide our clean, quick and cost-effective products to customers like Rolls Royce and Caterpillar and we are proud to help protect vehicles from vintage aeroplanes to the nuclear submarine fleet.