Tag: Pipe Repair Contractor Case

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Case Study: Live Leak Repair of a Cracked 4 bar 250mm PCCP Pipe Stub in Saudi Arabia

A PCCP pipe stub leaking through several cracks undergoes a live leak repair in Saudi Arabia

No more stress over a cracked prestressed concrete cylinder pipe – the SylWrap live leak repair which sealed a PCCP stub

After several failed attempts to repair a badly cracked 250mm PCCP pipe stub with no isolation valve, an engineering company in Saudi Arabia turned to Sylmasta for a live leak repair method

Case Study Data

Site
Industrial Site
Location
Saudi Arabia
Repair Type
Live leak repair
Defect
Cracked 250mm PCCP stub with no isolation valve operating under 4 bar pressure

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Multiple self-fusing silicone repair tapes combined to build a high pressure seal over the leak areas

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Reinforced the initial repair with wrapping extended to protect the entire stub

SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case
Contains multiple Wrap & Seals and SylWrap HD to carry out up to six live leak repairs

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP) stub was connected to a main header operating under 4 bar pressure. Wear and tear had caused numerous cracks to appear in the stub, through which significant amounts of water was escaping and causing flooding.

Because there was no isolation valve, preventing flow to the stub from the main header was impossible. Shutting off the main pipe for carrying out either a repair or replacement was impractical and there was not enough room between the stub and the floor to fit a pipe repair clamp.

A 250mm prestressed concrete cylinder pipe leaking from several cracks
Water was gushing from several cracks on the PCCP stub

A live leak repair method was therefore needed. This proved extremely challenging and after several attempts which failed to make any reductions in the amount of water being lost, the engineers charged with fixing the stub turned to Sylmasta.

As this was a live leak, Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was used to seal the cracks on the stub. Wrap & Seal is made from self-amalgamating silicone and stretches by 300 percent to fuse into a solid rubber band around pipework.

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage being used to reinforce Wrap & Seal as part of a live leak repair on a 250mm leaking PCCP stub pipe
SylWrap HD was applied over the top of multiple Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tapes

Multiple Wrap & Seals were applied down a 200mm area of the stub. In the same way in which a single tape amalgamates to itself, these separate tapes fused together to create a repair with enough pressure resistance to seal the cracks.

Once the engineers were satisfied that the leaks had been suitably arrested, the stub was overwrapped with SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandages.

Repair reinforced with initial layer of SylWrap HD

SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes. It reinforced the repair by providing an impact resistant sleeve around the PCCP pipe stub

After this section of the stub had been sealed, it was decided to reinforce the underground section at the same time. Doing so would protect the remainder of the ageing pipe from future ruptures, which might prove difficult to identify if they were leaking below the floor.

Completed live leak repair of a 250mm PCCP pipe stub in Saudi Arabia
Entire pipe protected with SylWrap after the floor was removed to access the buried section

The floor was dug up around the stub to reach the pipe. Once accessed, a further 200mm section of previously underground pipe was wrapped with SylWrap HD.

One final covering of SylWrap HD was then applied over the bandages already covering the two phases of the repair, encompassing the entire stub and providing reinforcement before the floor was relaid.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Emergency Repair of Hospital 300mm Air Conditioning Pipe on Hottest Day of June

A water return pipe in a Lonndon hospital air conditioning unit undergoes a SylWrap repar to ensure that the system could remain in operation

Keep cool and carry on – a SylWrap repair gets a hospital air conditioning system back in operation on the hottest day of June

On a day when temperatures in London reached 27ºC, a burst 300mm water return pipe forced the shutdown of a hospital air conditioning system until a SylWrap emergency leak repair was made

Case Study Data

Site
Hospital
Location
London, United Kingdom
Repair Type
No pressure leak repair
Defect
Two deep cavities in a 300mm air conditioning water return pipe operating under 12 bar pressure

Products Used

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick
Fast setting epoxy putty used to fill in the deep cavities in the water return pipe

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Multiple self-fusing silicone repair tapes provided additional leak sealing security

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Two layer application completed the repair with an impact resistant protective sleeve

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The 300mm water return pipe was located in a cabinet alongside other service pipes. It burst through a previous repair attempt, requiring an immediate shutdown of the air conditioning system as water escaping the pipe at 12 bar pressure would have caused internal flooding.

This shutdown left the hospital building without any temperature control on the hottest day of the year. The burst was initially discovered in the middle of Sunday night, at which point the hospital immediately contacted their maintenance team.

The maintenance team arrived at Sylmasta HQ first thing on Monday morning to collect the products needed to carry out a repair. Sylmasta technicians were also able to offer technical assistance based on photos of the burst air conditioning pipe.

Coarse fibreglass strands remained on the pipe from the previous repair. It was decided to cut these away to enable the maintenance team to locate the actual leak site and have a better chance of sealing it.

  • Deep cavity in a 300mm air conditioning water return pipe requiring repair
Cavities in the pipe and the remains of the previous failed repair through which water was escaping

Two distinct leak areas were stripped back, revealing two deep cavities in the pipe. These were filled with Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty, a fast curing putty supplied in stick format.

Superfast Steel is kneaded by hand and pushed into areas of damage whilst soft. Within 5 to 10 minutes, the putty had hardened to seal the cavities in the pipe.

  • Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty used to fill in deep cavities during the repair of a 300mm pipe in a London hospital's air conditioning system
Superfast Steel used to fill in the cavities

Because of the inconsistent substrates in this case, it was decided to take a ‘belt and braces’ approach to the repair and use Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape to provide additional leak sealing security.

The entire leak area was wrapped with multiple layers of Wrap & Seal, a self-amalgamating silicone repair tape which fuses to form a solid rubber band for high-pressure resistant repairs.

Combining Superfast Steel and multiple Wrap & Seals created a repair with resistance to the required 12 bar and ensured that there was no chance of seepage of water around the epoxy putty.

  • Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape applied in a Sylmasta repair of a burst 300mm pipe in a hospital air conditioning unit
Wrapping the entire leak area with Wrap & Seal reinforced the repair made with Superfast Steel

Once it had been established that the leak had been completely sealed, the application was finished with the wrapping of two SYL866HD SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandages over the repair.

SylWrap HD is a water activated composite wrap which sets rock hard in minutes. It provided a protective sleeve around the pipe, reinforcing the repair even further.

As the temperature began to heat up during Monday morning when the pipe remained out of operation, numerous alarms in the hospital building were triggered as equipment and machinery began to overheat without any air conditioning.

A 300mm water return pipe in a London hospital's air conditioning system is repaired using a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Repair completed with SylWrap HD

The ease and speed with which the products in the SylWrap Pipe Repair range can be applied meant that by Monday afternoon, the pipe was fixed and the air conditioning system back in operation.

Without the air con pipe repair method and the technical assistance provided by Sylmasta, the hospital could have gone days without any air conditioning – a clearly unsustainable situation when temperatures in London were peaking at 27ºC.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Buried 600mm Asbestos Cement Pipe Leaking Sleeve Repair in Mexico

A leaking asbestos cement pipe with water escaping from a sleeve undergoes repair in Mexico using a SylWrap Pipe Repair Kit

The 600mm asbestos cement pipe repair which showed Sylmasta have all kinds of tricks up their sleeve

When a water utility company in Mexico discovered that a 600mm asbestos cement pipe was leaking from both ends of a sleeve, they needed to access the buried line and seal the gaps with a repair method flexible enough to be effective when applied in a trench.

Case Study Data

Site
Pipeline
Location
Mexico
Repair Type
No pressure leak repair
Defect
Leaking sleeve on a 600mm asbestos cement pipe

Products Used

Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick
Fast-working epoxy putty pushed into gaps between the sleeve and the pipe to seal the leaks

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-amalgamating silicone repair tape used to force Superfast Copper further into the gaps, strengthening the repair

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Applied over the sleeve to provide an impact resistant layer of protection

SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case
Products were supplied as part of a Contractor Case, capable of making up to six live leak repairs

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The water utility company had been carrying out maintenance work on a 500mm buried pipeline outside the city of Morelia, around a four hour drive from Mexico City.

Whilst undertaking this work, it was discovered that there was a failure in a 600mm asbestos cement parallel line. Water was escaping from both ends of a sleeve on the 600mm pipe.

  • The asbestos cement pipe whilst buried
  • A pipe made from asbestos cement leaking from both ends of a sleeve prior to being repaired with a SylWrap Pipe Repair Kit
    A trench was dug to access the pipe
  • The pipe passed under a building close to the leak
  • Inspection of the pipe prior to repair with a SYL-PRO-50-150

To replace this damaged section would have been difficult; the pipeline passed under a building less than 10 metres away from the location of the leaking sleeve. Excavation of the pipe would also have been challenging.

A trench was dug to access the asbestos cement pipe, affording 500mm of space on one side, 1.7 metres on the other and minimal space between the line and the ground. Any repair method therefore needed to be effective in tight spaces.

  • Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick used to seal gaps between a pipe sleeve and the surface of an asbestos cement pipe
  • Repair of an asbestos cement pipe leaking through gaps between the surface and the sleeve made using Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty
Superfast Copper sealed the gaps between the sleeve and the pipe

Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty was used to plug the gaps between the sleeve and the surface of the pipe, through which water was escaping.

The Putty was kneaded by hand and pushed firmly into the gaps at both ends of the sleeve. Within 10 minutes, the Putty had begun to harden to seal the space.

  • Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Rape used to repair a leak on an asbestos cement pipe in Mexico leaking from a sleeve
Wrap & Seal Tapes forced the Putty further into the gaps

To further reinforce the putty and add another leak sealing layer, each joint was wrapped with a Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape. Despite the space constraints, the Tape was stretched by the maximum 300 percent to form a solid silicone band.

Completing the application, a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was used to encompass the entire sleeve. SylWrap HD provided one final, impact resistant layer of protection to the pipe before it was re-buried.

Repair was completed with a protective shell provided by SylWrap HD

All the products required for the repair were supplied as part of a SYL-PRO-50-150 SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case, containing enough products to make up to six live leak repairs.

In this instance, the Case was the most suitable product as multiple Wrap & Seal and SylWrap HD were required due to the size of the asbestos cement pipe requiring repair.

The purpose of the Contractor Case normally though is to allow regular users to carry out several repairs. It is designed to be kept on-site or on the van, enabling rapid response to leaks when they are identified.

With the water utility company currently investing in leak detection technology, Sylmasta are providing assistance as to how the problems that the new technology identifies can be repaired as quickly as possible.

The Contractor Case works hand-in-hand with leak detection, equipping contractors with everything they need to fix leaks and burst as soon as they are discovered.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Extending the Life of 20m Pipe Bridges Through Leak Repair & Reinforcement

Pipe bridges leaking from rusting riveted joints undergo a leak repair and reinforcement using SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

Bridging the gap until replacement – the lifespan of two leaking pipe bridges is extended with a SylWrap leak and reinforcement repair

The complex repair of numerous corroded leaking joints on two 20m gravity-fed pipe bridges is followed by the entire reinforcement of both bridges to extend lifespan and offer maximum gain on investment.

Case Study Data

Site
Pipe Bridges
Location
Lancashire, United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak repair & pipeline reinforcement
Defect
1.5m x 20m pipe bridge and 1.8m x 20m pipe bridge leaking from corroded riveted joints

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-fusing silicone repair tape used to seal the numerous leaks on the two pipe bridges.

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Four-layer application over the entire length of the bridges for protection, strengthening and life-extension.

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The two gravity-fed pipe bridges in Lancashire which were constructed of steel riveted plates had become corroded over time. They were now leaking in several places, allowing foul wastewater to fall into a stream below.

Although it was planned to replace these pipe bridges at some point in the future, an immediate solution was required to stop the leaks. At the same time, the lifespan of the bridges also needed extending so that maximum benefit could be gained from the investment required for such a complex repair.

Pipe Bridge in Lancashire, UK prior to undergoing a SylWrap repair and reinforcement application
One of the pipe bridges prior to undergoing repair

These complexities included building scaffolding on the riverbed and sourcing materials for the repair and reinforcement of such substantial pipe bridges: one being 1.5m x 20m and the other 1.8m x 20m.

A previous attempt had been made to seal some of the leaking joints using ratchet straps with a rubber pad. These however had proven unsuccessful and further leaks had appeared since.

A pipe bridge leaking from rusting joints before undergoing a SylWrap repair and and reinforcement
A previous repair attempt had been made the the leaking riveted joint

Sylmasta were consulted on the repair, and it was decided that Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape would be used over the leak areas. Wrap & Seal is a heavy duty repair tape made from self-amalgamating silicone which, when stretched by 300 percent across a leak, forms a tight rubber seal. Multiple layers increase the pressure applied until the leak stops.

Once all leaks had been addressed, the entire structure was wrapped with SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage. SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water-activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes, providing protection and reinforcement to pipework.

Pipe bridge leak repair and reinforcement carried out using SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Completed repair of the first pipe bridge
Repair of first pipe bridge as seen from underneath

Four layers of SYL1266HD (300mm x 20m) were applied to each of the pipe bridges along their 20m length, providing a substantial protective sleeve, completing the repair and guarding against future leakage and corrosion.

Although the utilities company responsible for the pipe bridges were only seeking a temporary solution, using SylWrap HD in the repair provided reinforcement and additional strength which will last for 20 years.

Repair of the second pipe bridge with scaffolding erected

Once the repair was completed, it was estimated that a saving of approximately £250,000 had been made compared to the cost of replacing both pipe bridges, so Sylmasta’s solution was very much welcomed by all involved.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Leak Repair & Encapsulation of a Steel & Iron Welded Pipe Joint

Pipe repair of a central heating system in a church which had begun to leak around a welded joint suffering from corrosion

Good deed done – Sylmasta answer a church’s prayers with a welded pipe leak repair and encapsulation

A church central heating system had suffered heavy damage caused by corrosion and begun leaking at the point where a 100mm cast iron pipe met a 50mm steel pipe via a welded steel plate, leading to a challenging leak repair and encapsulation application.

Case Study Data

Site
Church
Location
United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak Repair
Defect
Leaking welded joint between a 100mm cast iron pipe, a 50mm steel pipe, and a 6mm steel plate

Products Used

Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty
Epoxy putty with two-hour work time allowing for careful application and watertight encapsulation of the leaking joint

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-fusing silicone repair tape used initially to seal leaks on the 100mm cast iron pipe

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Applied over Wrap & Seal to provide a rock hard, impact-resistant layer to the initial repair.

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

Several years previously, the central heating system in the church had undergone renovations when a 100mm cast iron pipe had been stepped down to a 50mm steel pipe.

To facilitate this, a 6mm thick steel plate had been attached to the end of the larger cast iron pipe with a hole cut into the middle, through which the smaller steel pipe was attached and welded.

Since the work had been carried out, the system had become badly corroded and was now leaking from numerous areas around the welded joint.

When a similar problem had developed on another heating pipe, the church had fitted a pipe repair clamp at considerable expense. Such a repair method was not possible on this occasion as the new leak was in a restricted space with no room for a clamp to be applied.

Initially, the church called in welders to try and fix the problem, but this just caused further leakage and left an even more uneven pipe surface needing to be sealed.

Diagram showing the repair in question

The main leak was between the steel plate and the 100mm cast iron pipe with particularly heavy corrosion at the point where they met. Once the corrosion was filed back, this was relatively straightforward to repair using a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit.

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was applied around the pipe, fusing to form a solid rubber band over the problem area to seal the leak. This was then overwrapped with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage, providing a rock hard, impact resistant shell to reinforce the initial repair.

More challenging was the repair of the joint between the smaller 50mm steel pipe and the steel plate. Here, leaking was caused by uneven welding, whilst a threaded section of pipe close by was also suffering from a leak.

It became clear that a softer repair material was needed to smear into the threaded section and to penetrate into the weld. Because of the complexity of the repair, Sylmasta recommended Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty.

  • Leaking 100mm cast iron pipe prior to repair
  • Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty used to encasuplate a leaking welded joint as part of a pipe repair application
    Completed repair with AB Original encapsulating the welded joint

AB Original is a smooth-setting epoxy with a two hour cure time. This longer working time allowed for the putty to be more carefully applied, encapsulating the whole section where the 100mm pipe, the 50mm pipe, and the steel plate all met.

The church were supplied with 1kg of Sylmasta AB, more than enough for their application. Unused AB Original stays fresh when left in its original packaging, ensuring the church has a supply of epoxy putty for any future applications.

Sylmasta AB Original putty was smoothed over the welded joint, filling in all imperfections and sealing all leak areas. It has excellent corrosion resistance, further protecting the pipe from future attack, and provided a smooth, ceramic-like finish to the application.

When the church first contacted Sylmasta, they had been looking for a repair method that would temporarily fix the leaking central heating system until funds allowed for either a longer lasting solution or for a new pipe to be installed.

Instead, the repair provided by Sylmasta will be permanent and was made at a fraction of the cost of other options, saving the church a considerable amount of money.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Stainless Steel Pipe Repair Inside a Biomass Plant Heating Tank

A stainless steel pipe in a biomass power plant at a UK farm required a different live leak repair using a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit

SylWrap and biomass – the repair of an inaccessible stainless steel pipe in a biomass plant heating tank

Small pieces of farmyard debris had inadvertently entered a Norfolk farm’s biomass plant as part of feedstock, breaching a stainless steel pipe at the top of a 20 feet tall heating tank which now required a flexible and lightweight repair carried out from a ladder.

Case Study Data

Site
Biomass plant on an agricultural site
Location
Norfolk, United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak Repair
Defect
Damaged stainless steel pipe

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Repair tape with high pressure and temperature resistance to seal the leak

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Provided an impact-resistant layer to protect the pipe from further damage

SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit
The products were supplied to the farm in a Universal Pipe Repair Kit

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

Anaerobic digester biomass plants are becoming more common on farms in the United Kingdom. They turn waste organic material – known as feedstock – into gas used for fuel and nutrients for crops. Feedstock can include specially grown plant matter, other waste plant material and animal manure.

At the core of a biomass plant system is its digester. Here, the feedstock is fed into an airless container where it ferments. A gas called biogas is captured from the process and used for fuel. The farm uses this fuel to power itself and can even sell surplus energy to the national grid.

The remaining material is known as digestate and is separated into liquid and solid form. The liquid digestate is sprayed back onto the farm as fertiliser. The dried-out solids have multiple uses, including in animal bedding and creating fibre plant pots.

Before adding the initial feedstock to the digester, the biomass plant on the farm in Norfolk had a pre-heating tank. Here, the farm mixed feedstock with some liquid digestate and heated it to the same temperature as the main digester. This enabled them to avoid adding cold feedstock straight to the digester, which can impact on the fermentation process.

A leaking stainless steel pipe in a biomass power plant boiler is repaired with a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit
The damaged pipe was located high up the inside of the heating tank

Multiple stainless steel pipes were located around the inside of the heating tank. It was one of these towards the very top which had become damaged when small pieces of farmyard debris had inadvertently been mixed in with the feedstock and dropped into the tank from the inlet above.

The farm’s preferred method of dealing with pipe repair applications was to weld. This though was not feasible; the leaking stainless steel pipe was located in a confined space at a height of 20 feet with access only available via a ladder.

To repair the leaking pipe in the biomass boiler power plant, the farm therefore needed a flexible repair method involving lightweight materials which could be easily applied from the top of a ladder.

The damaged section of steel pipe was only accessible from the top of a ladder

Sylmasta recommended a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit for the application. Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was wrapped around the pipe, fusing into a solid rubber band over the leak area for a high-pressure repair.

A SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was then applied over the top of the Wrap & Seal. SylWrap HD features a water-activated resin. It cures within five minutes to provide a rock-hard, impact resistant layer to the pipe.

The materials in the SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit are temperature resistant to 200ºC, enabling the repair to withstand conditions within the heating tank. To further protect the pipe, a steel deflector plate was tied to the top of the SylWrap HD Bandage.

A steel deflector plate was tied to the top of the SylWrap HD Bandage after completion of the repair

Completing the repair took less than 30 minutes, cutting downtime of the biomass plant to a minimum. It was carried out by the farm’s own engineers, negating the need to hire contractors, and cost a fraction of fitting a replacement pipe.

The engineer in charge of the repair told Sylmasta afterwards he was pleased with how straightforward the application had been. With pipes a huge part of biomass systems and agriculture in general, Sylmasta are now advising on other ways in which their pipe repair solutions could benefit the sector.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Argentina Oil Well 900mm Steel Pipe Surface Restoration & Repair

A 900mm steel pipe in an oil well in Argentina was badly corroded and leaking before Sylmasta carried out a repair

Well, well, well – A SylWrap pipe repair keeps the oil pumping at a well in Argentina

An oil well in Argentina needed to repair a badly corroded, ruptured 900mm steel pipe if they were to keep the oil pumping. When a pipe repair clamp failed because of the leak being positioned on a tee, they turned to a more versatile Sylmasta repair

Case Study Data

Site
Oil well
Location
Argentina
Repair Type
Leak repair and corrosion protection
Defect
Pitting and cracking on a 900mm steel pipe

Products Used

Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick
Fast-working epoxy putty sealed cracks in the pipe and smoothed off pitting caused by corrosion

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Repair tape with high chemical resistance used to reinforce the epoxy putty

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Applied over the repair to provide a layer of protection to a vast section of pipe

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Review

The 900mm steel pipe pumped water into the well, filling it and in turn pushing oil towards the top for extraction. If the pipe was unable to supply the well with sufficient levels of water, then removing oil became extremely difficult.

Corrosion to the pipe had caused heavy pitting and a number of ruptures to appear. The oil well initially attempted to seal the pipe using two repair clamps.

A 900mm steel pipe in an oil well at Argentina with a pipe repair clamp applied
The initial repair using a pipe repair clamp failed

Problematically, the leak area was located close to a tee and a welded joint, preventing the repair clamp from working effectively.

A more flexible repair method was required and so the oil well turned to Sylmasta for a solution. Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty was used to plug the holes in the pipe and to smooth off the damage caused by corrosion, restoring the surface profile of the pipe.

A 900mm steel pipe showing signs of serious surface damage caused by corrosion
Surface damage caused to the steel pipe through corrosion
Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty applied to a leaking steel pipe in an oil well
Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty applied to seal cracks and restore surface profile

Because the exterior of the steel pipe was extremely oily, the oil well decided to reinforce the Superfast Copper with Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape.

Combining a self-fusing silicone repair tape like Wrap & Seal with Superfast Copper increased pressure resistance and chemical protection.

The entire repair was then overwrapped with SylWrap HD Pipe Bandage. The flexibility of SylWrap HD meant that it could be easily applied to the pipe around both the tee and the welded joint.

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape applied to a 900mm steel pipe
Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape provided further pressure and chemical resistance
SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage applied to a badly corroded, leaking 900mm steel pipe at an Argentinian oil well
The repair of the 900mm steel pipe was completed with SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandages

SylWrap HD provided an impact-resistant, rock-hard layer to the repaired damage area, protecting a vast section of pipe from future corrosion, breaches, and general wear and tear.

Despite the size of the pipe and the challenges posed by the tee and welded joint, the repair was a complete success.

Within two hours, water was again filling the well. Oil extraction could resume at a fraction of what a replacement pipe would have cost in new fittings, installation and downtime whilst the oil well was out of operation.

Although this particular repair was made with Superfast Copper, Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick would have been equally effective had it been available at the time.

Superfast Steel, Wrap & Seal Pipe and SylWrap HD can all be purchased as part of the SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit for fixing live leaks.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Heavily Corroded Pipe Repair Keeps a District Heating System Running

Repair of a heavily corroded pipe in a district heating system made using a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit

Winter warmer – The corroded pipe repair which kept a local council’s district heating system running

After heavy corrosion caused several breaches to pipes in a district heating system, a local council in the United Kingdom required a repair method to avoid fitting replacement parts, a process which would have left residents without heating for days in the depths of winter

Case Study Data

Site
Domestic district heating system
Location
Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak repair
Defect
Breaches caused by heavy corrosion

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Flexible waterproof repair tape sealed the breaches on even the most inaccessible sections of pipe

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Applied over the Wrap & Seal for an impact resistant layer of protection to the repairs and pipework

SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit
Wrap & Seal and SylWrap HD were supplied in the Universal Pipe Repair Kit

SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case
For future emergencies, a Contractor Case provides enough equipment for up to six live leak repairs to pipes of all types and diameters

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Review

District heating is the provision of hot water for heating from a central source to several houses or flats, often managed by district councils. 

The hot water is usually derived from a conventional boiler, although it may also come from a variety of sources including solar power, an incineration plant or an on-site power station.

A network of pipes runs underground both to and from the source, delivering water to the boiler and then taking the hot water into properties where it is used for heating.

Such schemes were popular in the United Kingdom in the 1960s and 1970s. Most came with a 50-year guarantee, meaning that many district heating systems are now reaching the end of their lifespan and parts subsequently need replacing.

This was the issue facing a local council in the north of England. Subsidence, damage caused by roadworks and underground flooding had led to corrosion causing several breaches to pipework within a district heating system supplying heat for a number of council-owned properties.

Water was leaking from a breach at the bottom of this section of pipe, caused by corrosion

Unfortunately for the council, the problem reached its nadir in the depths of winter. Replacing the leaking sections was therefore not feasible as it would have meant shutting the district heating system down for several days, leaving residents without any heat.

The council needed a pipe repair method which could keep the district heating system fully operational until the Spring, when the damaged pipes could be replaced once warmer weather arrived.

Sylmasta recommended the use of a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit to provide repairs temperature resistant to 200ºC and with the flexibility needed for such a challenging application, given the location of the pipework.

The pipes were located underground, requiring a flexible repair method that was effective in confined spaces

The pipes requiring repair were situated underground in extremely tight workspaces. Initially, the council had researched the possibility of using pipe repair clamps, but they realised very quickly that there would be insufficient room to manoeuvre and attach a heavy, bulky clamp to the pipes.

Working in such confined space was not a problem for the Universal Repair Kit. There were however some complications to overcome; one of the leaks was close to a welded joint which had to be worked around. Another was in a ‘low spot’ section of tunnel which remained flooded for prolonged periods of time, effectively leaving the pipe underwater.

A leaking and heavily corroded pipe in a district heating system in the UK
The second section of pipe leaking from around a welded joint

This explained the considerable damage this section had suffered – several inches of insulation material surrounding the pipe had been eaten away – as the district heating system had not been designed to undergo such environmental stress.

Despite the numerous issues that needed mastering, the Universal Kit was able to successfully repair the leaking sections. Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was applied to seal the initial breaches. The tape was stretched despite the space limitation to three times its length, after which it fused to form a solid rubber band over the leaking areas.

Successful repair of the first section of corroded pipe

A SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was then wrapped over the top of the Pipe Burst Tape applications. SylWrap HD provided a rock hard, impact resistant layer to the initial repairs, helping to protect them from future damage caused by corrosion, building and maintenance works, or flooding of the tunnel in the low spot.

Any repair made with a Universal Pipe Repair Kit is permanent, giving the local council the option of relying on the SylWrap application if they wished to avoid going down the route of replacing the damaged section of pipe at a later date.

Repair to a welded pipe joint which was part of a district heating system in the UK
Wrap & Seal and SylWrap HD applied around the welded joint, sealing the leak on the second section

For future repairs to other district heating systems or pipes for which the council is responsible, Sylmasta recommended the use of the SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case.

The Case contains enough products to make up to six live leak repairs at a cheaper cost-per-repair than buying individual Pipe Repair Kits. A Case can be easily stored on-site or on the van, meaning it is always to hand for whenever problems arise.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Leak Repair of a Pierced 300mm Plastic Pipe in a Quarry Wash Plant

A pierced plastic pipe in a quarry wash plant undergoes a leak repair using a SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit

Keeping it clean – a pierced plastic pipe in a quarry wash plant undergoes a rapid leak repair

A quarry in the United Kingdom needed to carry out a leak repair after a plastic pipe feeding the aggregate wash plant became pierced during day-to-day operations at the site.

Case Study Data

Site
Quarry
Location
United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak repair
Defect
Pinhole leak in 300mm plastic pipe

Products Used

Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick
Fast-working epoxy putty used to seal the hole in the plastic pipe

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Composite wrap reinforced the repair and protected the pipe from further damage

SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit
Superfast Epoxy and SylWrap HD are supplied together in the Standard Pipe Repair Kit

SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case
Contains enough products to make up to six live leak repairs, the perfect kit for keeping on-site in harsh environments like a quarry

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

One of the plastic pipes feeding the aggregate wash plant in the quarry had become pierced, resulting in a jet of highly pressurised water shooting out of a pinhole leak.

The quarry needed to carry out a repair to keep downtime to a minimum. To replace the damaged section of pipe would have been extremely disruptive to operations on the site.

A pierced plastic pipe in a quarry wash plant before undergoing a rapid leak repair with a SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit
Pierced plastic pipe prior to undergoing repair

Sylmasta supplied the quarry with a SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit. The Standard Kit enables any user to fix a leaking pipe where water pressure can be turned off.

Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick was used to seal the pinhole in the plastic pipe. The epoxy putty is supplied in a pre-formatted stick which is kneaded by hand and pushed into the hole whilst soft.

Following the application of the epoxy putty, the pipe was then wrapped with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage SYL633HD for pipe diameters 150mm to 300mm.

SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water-activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes, providing an impact resistant layer of protection to pipework.

When used in conjunction with Superfast Copper, SylWrap HD creates a reinforced repair with pressure resistance up to 30 bar, more than enough to withstand the pressure that the plastic pipe operated under.

Pierced plastic pipe at a quarry wash plant repaired using a SylWrap Pipe Repair Kir
Completed repair overwrapped with SylWrap HD

With pipe failures at quarries being a frequent occurrence due to the abrasive nature of the contents of slurry being moved around, Sylmasta have since recommended that the quarry take stock of the SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case.

Each Case contains enough products to make up to six emergency live leak repairs in under 30 minutes. The Case is easy-to-store on-site, meaning that next time pipework at the quarry is damaged, all the materials needed are at hand for an immediate repair.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Repair and Reconnection of a Ruptured 20bar Cast Iron Water Supply Pipe

A ruptured cast iron water supply pipe is removed, repaired and then reconnected to the water network in a Sylmasta pipe repair

The Only Way is Sylmasta – A complex pipe repair in Essex reconnects a block of flats to their water supply

After removing a damaged section of water supply pipe connected to a block of flats, a contractor discovered new fittings were not available – they now needed a repair for the initial rupture which could hold up to 20bar and to reconnect the pipe with the rest of the line.

Case Study Data

Site
Block of Flats
Location
Essex, United Kingdom
Repair Type
No pressure repair and pipeline reconnection
Defect
Ruptured 70mm cast iron water supply pipe

Products Used

SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case
The complexity of the application required the multiple pipe repair products available in a Contractor Case

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick
Epoxy putty sealed the holes in the pipe which caused the rupture

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Increased pressure resistance of repair and provided watertight seal for reconnecting the damaged section to the supply line

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Provided an impact resistant protective layer over the damaged section and the entire length of pipe once reconnected

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Review

Corrosion had caused the 100-year-old 70mm cast iron water supply pipe to rupture, resulting in a high-pressure leak that was losing a considerable amount of water.

Upon inspecting the pipe, the contractor in charge decided that it was too badly damaged to be repaired and so they removed the effected section with the intention of carrying out a replacement.

It was only once the pipe had been cut away that the contractor discovered replacement fittings of the size and type required were no longer manufactured because of the age of the pipe.

Whilst the damaged section remained unrepaired and disconnected from the supply line, the block of flats was disconnected from the public network and therefore had no water.

  • The leaking pipe was losing considerable amounts of water
  • Contractors cut away the damaged section from the supply line

The contractor needed to find a rapid repair method for the rupture capable of withstanding the 20bar pressure which the pipe was normally under and a way to reattach the removed section to the supply line so that service could be restored to the flats.

The seriousness of the problem was such that the contractor drove from Essex to Sylmasta HQ in West Sussex first thing in the morning to collect a SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case. Sylmasta recommended the use of the Case rather than a Universal Pipe Repair Kit because of the complexity of the repair.

A 100-year-old cast iron water supply pipe which was badly ruptured prior to having a Sylmasta repair carried out
Corrosion had led to the cast iron pipe rupturing

A Sylmasta Contractor Case contains enough products for up to six live leak pipe repairs but on this occasion, the additional Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape and SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage were to be used for reconnecting the pipe after the initial repair had been made to the ruptured section. It was in effect two repairs in one.

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick was used to seal the rupture in the cast iron pipe. The putty was kneaded by hand and pushed into the cracks where it hardened, plugging the leaks. Because of the high pressure that the water supply pipe comes under, it was decided to reinforce the putty with an overwrapping of Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape.

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty used to seal a ruptured cast iron water supply pipe as part of a Sylmasta repair
Superfast Steel sealed the rupture in the pipe
Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape provides a high-pressure repair to a ruptured cast iron water supply pipe
The epoxy putty was reinforced with Wrap & Seal, increasing pressure resistance
A SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage provides a protective layer to the repair of a leaking cast iron water supply pipe
Initial repair is overwrapped with a SylWrap HD Bandage

Wrap & Seal is made from self-fusing silicone and stretches by three times its length, fusing into a solid rubber band. Layers of Tape can be built up to provide a repair which is pressure resistant up to 30bar.

Using Wrap & Seal and Superfast Steel in conjunction increased the pressure resistance of the application in a similar manner. The initial damage repair was completed with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage, providing a rock-hard, impact-resistant protective layer to the Superfast Steel and the Wrap & Seal.

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape used to reconnect a section of cast iron water supply pipe to the rest of the line following removal
Wrap & Seal applied at the joints to reconnect the cut-out section to the supply line
SylWrap Pipe Repair Bandage used to reconnect a section of cast iron water supply pipe with the rest of the line
Additional SylWrap HD used to encompass the entire pipe

For stage two of the repair, further Wrap & Seal was used to reconnect the damaged section of pipe to the supply line. The Tape provided a high-strength, watertight seal between the joints. To further protect the connections between joints and the initial damage repair, another SylWrap HD Bandage was applied.

This final Bandage encompassed the entire pipe; the section which had been removed and the rest of the water supply line which had remained in place either side. Once cured, the bandage was painted black to make it a uniform colour with the rest of the pipe.

The completed repair and reconnection of a ruptured cast iron water supply pipe using a Sylmasta Pipe Repair Contractor Case
SylWrap HD is painted black to appear uniform with the pipe and complete the repair

The entire repair was completed in under two hours, after which water supply to the block of flats was restored. The contractor estimated that replacing the damaged section with specially fabricated new parts would have cost £12,000. Thanks to Sylmasta, the repair was completed for under £300.

Case Study Video

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com