When a refinery hot-swap turned up unexpected corrosion damage, Curran International stepped in with a fast-turn coating application that protected critical equipment and kept the turnaround schedule on track.

The Problem: Unexpected Pitting & Corrosion

During an exchanger bundle swap-out, the maintenance crew discovered general pitting and corrosion across the channel’s internal surfaces. Before reinstallation, the reliability engineer decided the equipment needed urgent repair — on a critical path, expedited schedule.

The channel was sent to a fabricator, where crews:

  • Replaced pass partition plates
  • Performed weld build-up on gasket surfaces
  • Conducted a shop hydro test to ensure integrity

Once repairs were complete, the channel and cover were hotshotted to Curran International for immediate coating application.

The Curran 1500 Advantage

For this project, Curran 1500 — an advanced epoxy coating rated for high-temperature immersion service up to 365°F — was selected.

Coating process:

  1. First coat encapsulated and filled existing pits in the channel and nozzle IDs.
  2. Second coat brought total dry film thickness (DFT) to 46 mils.
  3. Holiday testing confirmed 100% coverage.
  4. Force curing in Curran’s shop oven prepared the equipment for immediate installation back at the refinery.
curran surface prep and coating
Channel, with new pass plates welded-in, masked, and ready for Curran surface prep and coating.
before after curran coating
Contrasting images of before and after Curran coating, generalized pitting found across channel and nozzle IDs.

Why Curran’s Shop is Built for Turnarounds

Curran’s Gulf Coast shop specializes in rapid, expert coating services that meet or exceed all coating manufacturer procedures. With NACE-trained coating inspectors, Curran ensures every application meets strict quality standards while delivering the speed refineries need during turnarounds.

Protecting Fixed Equipment, Extending Service Life

This hotshot turnaround project is a prime example of how Curran’s coating expertise integrates seamlessly into refinery maintenance strategies — protecting critical assets, reducing corrosion risk, and supporting fast return to service.

📩 Contact: Ed Deely, Curran International

📧 edeely@curranintl.com | ☎ 281.339.9993

🌐 Curran International – Corrosion-Resistant Coating Applications