Surface Preparation for Pipelines: MontiPower at IPLOCA Novel Construction Session 2023

MontiPower participated in the IPLOCA Novel Construction Session in June 2023, presenting technical solutions for field joint and pipeline surface preparation. The event brought together leading contractors, engineers, and technology providers from the global pipeline industry to discuss emerging challenges and innovative approaches to pipeline construction and maintenance.

The Surface Preparation Challenge in Pipeline Construction

Field joint coating is one of the most critical — and most challenging — aspects of pipeline corrosion protection. Each girth weld requires surface preparation to achieve the specified cleanliness and anchor profile before the field joint coating can be applied. In remote or offshore locations, this creates significant logistical constraints:

• No access to centralized blast facilities
• No abrasive containment or collection possible on moving lay barges
• Fast work cycles requiring quick preparation and coating application
• Variable weather and environmental conditions affecting preparation quality

How Bristle Blaster® Solves the Field Joint Preparation Problem

The Bristle Blaster® was developed precisely for applications where conventional blasting is impractical. For field joint coating on pipelines, it delivers:

• Sa 2½ / SSPC-SP10 cleanliness without abrasive media
• Anchor profile of 65–85 µm Rz comparable to blast-cleaned pipe body
• No containment requirements — operable on lay barges and in open environments
• Compatibility with fusion bonded epoxy (FBE), polyurethane, and multi-layer coating systems
• Approval from major coating manufacturers for field joint application

IPLOCA Audience and Industry Response

IPLOCA (International Pipe Line and Offshore Contractors Association) represents the world's leading pipeline contractors and technology providers. The Novel Construction Session is specifically focused on emerging technologies and alternative approaches to traditional pipeline construction challenges.

MontiPower's presentation on mechanical surface preparation for field joints generated strong interest, particularly among contractors working in environmentally sensitive regions where abrasive blasting permits are difficult to obtain, and in Arctic or offshore environments where blast media logistics are cost-prohibitive.

The Broader Application: Full Pipeline Life Cycle

Beyond field joint preparation during construction, MontiPower's tools address the full pipeline maintenance life cycle:

• Tercoo®: Heavy corrosion and scale removal on in-service pipelines
• Bristle Blaster®: Surface preparation to specification before recoating
• MBX®: Surface cleaning and maintenance on above-ground pipeline sections

This integrated approach — the Two-Step MontiPower Method — allows maintenance teams to address corrosion from initial heavy removal through final anchor profile creation using a single coordinated toolset.

For more information on MontiPower's pipeline solutions, contact our technical team or download our pipeline surface preparation guide.