Offshore-Grade Polyurethane Coating Delivered in Record Time

Client introduction

Facing an urgent demand and a tight Labor Day holiday deadline, DS Global (环球海工), a key supplier to China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC – 中海石油), needed a rapid and reliable solution.

The challenge? Coating 77 critical steel rollers and 60 accompanying support plates with robust polyurethane coating, essential for pipe-laying on offshore oil rigs. With most factories unable to meet the complex requirements and punishing schedule, this project wasn’t just a production task — it was a race against time.

How Does Pipe Roller Coating with Polyurethane Elastomers Enhance the Longevity of Offshore Equipment?

Read on to see how our team stepped up to deliver success against the odds.

The challenge: a perfect storm of urgency and complexity

DS Global and their end-client CNOOC were under immense pressure. The steel rollers, vital components in a marine oil transmission pipe-laying project, required a high-performance polyurethane (PU) coating. This coating needed to withstand the severe conditions of the open sea—corrosion, abrasion, and constant exposure to the elements.

The clock was ticking, with several compounding factors escalating the difficulty:

• Aggressive Timelines: The project demanded an incredibly short production window. Any delay would have significant knock-on effects for CNOOC’s operations.
• National Holiday Impact: The critical period coincided with a national holiday (China’s Labour Day), meaning most factories had reduced capacity or were closed, severely limiting available partners.
• Complex Processing Needs: The task wasn’t just about applying new PU; it required the time-consuming removal of the existing old coating layer and cleaning the steel roller. This added a significant step to an already squeezed schedule.
• All-in-One Capability Deficit: Few potential suppliers possessed the facilities and expertise to handle both the old coating removal and the new specialized polyurethane application efficiently under one roof.
• Initial Documentation Gaps: Early in the project, there was incomplete documentation regarding the precise dimensions of the rollers and the optimal polyurethane formulation needed to meet the stringent offshore environment requirements. This ambiguity added another layer of risk.

The impact of these challenges was clear: failure to deliver on time and to specification could lead to costly delays for a major national oil and gas project.

Our solution: expertise, commitment, and a proactive partnership

Understanding the high stakes, our team immediately moved to address the challenges head-on:

• Understanding the Application: We initiated a site visit to fully grasp the usage scenario of the rollers. This firsthand insight allowed us to confirm the exact performance standards the polyurethane coating needed to meet for CNOOC’s specific offshore application.
• Leveraging Experience for Precision: Faced with incomplete dimensional data, we drew upon our extensive experience in polyurethane applications and the maritime/oil & gas sector to deduce the likely required dimensions. These were subsequently validated, saving crucial upfront time.
• Building Client Confidence: We invited DS Global to visit our factory. This transparency allowed them to see our facilities, meet our team, and understand our processes firsthand. They left confident in our capacity and commitment to meet their urgent demand.
• Dedicated Resources & Overtime: Recognizing the “all-hands-on-deck” nature of the project, several of our teams worked overtime through the holiday period. This was a commitment we readily made, as we were determined to do everything within our control to support DS Global and CNOOC. Our integrated facilities meant we could manage the entire process, from old coating removal to new PU application, efficiently.

The chosen polyurethane formulation was selected for its superior durability, abrasion resistance, and anti-corrosive properties, critical for assets in demanding marine environments associated with the oil and gas industry.

Results: mission accomplished, exceeding expectations

Our rapid response and dedicated execution yielded remarkable results:

• Record-Breaking Turnaround: We successfully coated all 77 steel rollers and 60 support plates with high-performance polyurethane within an astonishing 7 days. This monumental effort cut the usual production timeline for such a volume (estimated at 15 days) by more than half!
• Significant Cost Savings: DS Global estimated that our swift delivery and operational efficiency resulted in savings of at least RMB 200,000 for their project, by avoiding potential delays and higher docking charges.
• Holiday Period Heroics: Our ability to deliver during a national holiday, when many others couldn’t, was a critical factor in the project’s success, ensuring continuity for CNOOC’s operations.
• Enhanced Client Confidence: The success of this high-pressure project significantly strengthened our relationship with DS Global and showcased our capabilities as a reliable partner for critical polyurethane solutions to large end-users like CNOOC.

The satisfaction an achievement of delivering polyurethane protective solutions of the highest quality for critical ship and offshore infrastructure demonstrated our deep commitment.

Conclusion: your go-to partner for demanding polyurethane solutions

This project with DS Global and CNOOC underscores our commitment to not just meeting, but exceeding client expectations, even under the most challenging circumstances. Our expertise in polyurethane solutions and agile production capabilities enabled us to provide rapid, reliable, and high-quality polyurethane solutions for the maritime, shipbuilding, and oil and gas industry.

When faced with tight deadlines, complex requirements, or critical projects, you need a partner who can deliver. We thrive on these challenges, prioritising your success.

Faced with a demanding roller coating challenge?
👉 Explore our custom polyurethane solutions
👉 Discover our wide range of industrial polyurethane products

Don’t let project constraints compromise your objectives. Contact us today to see how we can help you achieve your goals.