KTA Staff

Maintenance Painting Practices for Offshore Oil and Gas Structures

Maintenance Painting Practices for Offshore Oil & Gas Structures: Part One

Coating Assessment, Inspection, Maintenance Painting, Offshore / By

Offshore oil and gas structures, typically floating production, storage and offloading vessels, or FPSO, and the more conventional fixed platforms, are usually very complex assemblies of fabricated steelwork, metalwork, pressure vessels, structural members, tanks, pressure equipment, valves, pumps, screens and pipework crammed into a very tight and congested deck footprint. The most widely used material […]

Maintenance Painting Practices for Offshore Oil & Gas Structures: Part One Read More »

coating inspection of Saponification

Saponification: From Paint to the Grave

2 Comments / Coating Assessment, Coating Failure, Coatings, Lab Testing / By

At its very basic level, saponification is the term given to the process in which vegetable oils and animal fats are converted into soap. We recognize soaps as wax-like products, modified through the addition of fragrances and skin-care additives (emollients) to become consumer cleaning and bathing products. The essential step in the soap-making process is

Saponification: From Paint to the Grave Read More »

Paint Consulting

The Case of Bubbles, and Pinholes, and Blisters, Oh My! -Coating Condition Assessment

Coating Assessment, Coating Failure, Coatings, Lab Testing / By

This month’s Case from the F-Files describes the problem of bubbles, pinholes, and blisters in a polyurethane finish coat applied to new structural steel members at a coal-fired power generation plant. Many of the pinholes and bubbles were so small that they were difficult to detect with the unaided eye. Many of the largest blisters

The Case of Bubbles, and Pinholes, and Blisters, Oh My! -Coating Condition Assessment Read More »

Paint and Coating Laboratory Testing

KTA Expands Testing Laboratory

2 Comments / KTA Announcement / By

Expanded Testing Laboratory KTA-Tator, Inc., an international provider of independent coatings testing and failure analysis services, announces the expansion of its ISO/IEC 17025 accredited chemical testing laboratory (certificate 2455.01). Due to increased client demands for testing, KTA has expanded the laboratory facilities at its Pittsburgh, PA headquarters by 20% to 6,300 square feet.   In addition,

KTA Expands Testing Laboratory Read More »

KTA Announces the Promotion of Cindy O’Malley

Coatings, KTA Announcement / By

Remarkable Career Achievements during her 18 years of service. (Pittsburgh, PA) – KTA-Tator, Inc. is pleased to announce the promotion of Cindy O’Malley to Manager of Consulting and Laboratory Services.  In her new role, O’Malley will oversee all consulting services, including failure analysis, system selection and specification development services, and research projects.  She will continue

KTA Announces the Promotion of Cindy O’Malley Read More »

pre-stressed concrete tank

Ask A Consultant Q&A: Exterior Coatings for Above Ground Concrete Tanks?

Coatings, Tanks / By

Question:  What type of coating system is most common for the exterior of an above ground concrete tanks (pre-stressed)? Answer:    Many of the same coating systems that are used on steel water storage tanks are also used on concrete tanks with the exception that zinc rich primers are not applied.   For example, a common concrete

Ask A Consultant Q&A: Exterior Coatings for Above Ground Concrete Tanks? Read More »