1. PropSpeed Anti-Fouling Coating Test
Offshore Gulf of Mexico

2. PropSpeed Coating Test
Problem
Fouling of submersiblepumps with marinegrowthcauses frequent pump
failure due to overheating and lossof suction
Current Status
Copper Ion Systemsare being used in some East GOM locations and have
proved successful in preventing marine growth on SubmersiblePumps
Objective
Totestacoating thatcould beapplied to newand repaired pumps toadd
an additional layer of protection to further improvereliability
Note:
Thesetestswereconducted on a Production Platform Offshore of
Louisiana on a Major Oil Company's Platform with assistance from their
personnel

3. Afterresearching many available anti-fouling coatings it was
decided to testPropSpeed
PropSpeed is an environmentally safecoating thatdoes not
contain copperor tin. It is basicallya Silicone Polymer
It prevents theattachment of marinegrowth by lowcritical
surfacetension
Twotests wereconducted
• Coated Test Plate suspended off a platform at a 20’ depth
• Test plate to be monitored for MarineGrowth
• Coated Pump installed fora 1 yeartestof thecoating
PropSpeed Coating Test

4. Vendor was contacted and agreed to
supplyuswith thecoating and pump
to test
Coating wasapplied toa new pump at
DXP’s Repair Facility in HarahanLa
Photoshows pump being prepared forcoating process
PropSpeed Coating Test

5. PropSpeed Coating Applied to Pump
PropSpeed Coating Test

6. PropSpeed Coating Applied to Pump
PropSpeed Coating Test

7. Conditionof Pumpthatwasreplaced
with PropSpeed CoatedPump
Condition of PropSpeed CoatedPump
after 355 Days of Service
PropSpeed Coating Test

8. Very Little Fouling on Coated Pumpafter355 Days
Significant Marine Growthon
Pump thatwasnotcoated
Note:This pumpwasswapped outwith
thecoated one fortesting.
PropSpeed Coating Test

9. Typical Foulingon Pump thatwas
removed for the test
Very Little Fouling on CoatedPump
after 355Days
PropSpeed Coating Test

10. Clusterof Barnacleson
Pump beforeWashing
Barnacles removed from Pump with
a Tap from aWrench
Noticethatthereisn’tany Barnacle
Plateslefton thepumpeither
PropSpeed Coating Test

11. Pump after washing off with a water hose
PropSpeed Coating Test

12. A Stainless Steel Platewassuspended off theplatform for testing
and wassubjecttoseaconditions (Wavesand Current)
One Sidewascoatedwith PropSpeed theothersidewas left bare to
testtheeffectivenessof thecoating
2/19/2013
2/19/2013
TestPlate
PropSpeed Coating Test

13. TestPlate
PropSpeed Coating Test

14. Test Plateafter being suspendedoff theplatform for
134 daysof exposuretoseaconditions
Coated Side of TestPlate Uncoated Side of TestPlate
PropSpeed Coating Test

15. Un-CoatedSide
Test Plateafterwashing off withawaterhose
CoatedSide
PropSpeed Coating Test

16. Test Plateafterremoving Barnacleswitha Scraper
The uncoated side requiredmore effort to remove
the barnacles and barnacle plates were leftbehind
Barnacles on the coated side just fell off with hardly
any effort except in the area the coating wasmissing
PropSpeed Coating Test

17. Test Results Conclusion
• Coating did reducetheamountof marinegrowthon the pump
• Pump had justacoating of slimeand a few Barnacles
• Barnacleswereeasily removed on both the pumpand testplate
PropSpeed Coating Test

18. SUPPLYING THE INDUSTRY