Materials System Specification

09-SAMSS-070
16 July 2011
Qualification Requirements for Splash Zone
Epoxy Compound (APCS-19A) and (APCS-19B)
Document Responsibility: Paints and Coatings Standards Committee

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

Table of Contents
1

Scope............................................................. 2

Conflicts and Deviations................................. 2

References..................................................... 3

General Requirements................................... 4

Qualification Tests and Requirements........... 4

Method of Packaging..................................... 7

Previous Issue: 28 February 2005 Next Planned Update: 16 July 2016

Revised paragraphs are indicated in the right margin
Primary contact: Mansour, Mana Hamad on 966-3-8760264
CopyrightSaudi Aramco 2011. All rights reserved.

Page 1 of 7

Document Responsibility: Paints and Coatings Standards Committee

09-SAMSS-070
Issue Date: 16 July 2011
Qualification Requirements for Splash Zone
Next Planned Update: 16 July 2016
Epoxy Compound (APCS-19A) and (APCS-19B)

Scope
This Specification defines the minimum mandatory requirements for qualifying
individual coating products for use in Saudi Aramco's approved protective coating
systems APCS-19A and APCS-19B for hand-applied and spray-applied splash zone
coatings. It shall be used when any of the following situations occur:
1.1

Initial Product Approval

This specification shall be given to coating manufacturers, or other vendors of
coating products, who wish to obtain initial approval for products that have not
previously been qualified in accordance with this specification.

1.2

Purchase Requisitions/Purchase Orders

This specification shall be attached to Purchase Requisitions or Purchase Orders
when those documents address the procurement of coating products that have
not been previously qualified in accordance with this specification.
Exception:
This specification should not be included with purchase orders or requisitions for
coating products that have been previously qualified per this specification and in
compliance with the periodic checking. This specification should also not be
included with purchase orders or requisitions for coated items or equipment when
a Saudi Aramco approved protective coating system has been specified.

1.3

Periodic Product Compliance Checks

This specification shall be used for periodic product compliance checks on
previously approved coatings. The periodic product compliance check of this
specification shall be every five (5) years from the date of issuing the revised
standard. The RSA shall notify the supplier/s to recheck their products for
compliance. It shall be made available to the organization conducting the
compliance tests.

Conflicts and Deviations

2.1

Any conflicts between this specification and other applicable Saudi Aramco
Materials System Specifications (SAMSSs), Engineering Standards (SAESs),
Standard Drawings (SASDs), or industry standards, codes, and forms shall be
resolved in writing by the Company or Buyer Representative through the
Manager, Consulting Services Department of Saudi Aramco, Dhahran.

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Document Responsibility: Paints and Coatings Standards Committee

09-SAMSS-070
Issue Date: 16 July 2011
Qualification Requirements for Splash Zone
Next Planned Update: 16 July 2016
Epoxy Compound (APCS-19A) and (APCS-19B)

2.2

Direct all requests to deviate from this specification in writing to the Company or
Buyer Representative, who shall follow internal company procedure SAEP-302
and forward such requests to the Manager, Consulting Services Department of
Saudi Aramco, Dhahran.

References
Material or equipment supplied to this specification shall comply with the latest edition
of the references listed below, unless otherwise noted.
3.1

Saudi Aramco Documents

Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure
SAEP-302

Instructions for Obtaining a Waiver of a Mandatory

Saudi Aramco Engineering Requirement

Saudi Aramco Materials System Specification

09-SAMSS-060

Packaging Requirements for Coatings

Saudi Aramco Engineering Standards

SAES-H-101 APCS-19A Splash Zone Compound, Hand Applied Grade
SAES-H-101 APCS-19B Splash Zone Compound, Spray Applied Grade
3.2

Industry Codes and Standards

American Society for Testing and Materials
ASTM A36

Structural Steel

ASTM D610

Evaluating Degree of Rusting on Painted Steel

Surfaces

ASTM D714

Evaluating Degree of Blistering of Paints

ASTM D1640

Drying, Curing or Film Formation of Organic

Coatings at Room Temperature

ASTM D1849

Package Stability of Paint

ASTM D2794

Resistance of Organic Coating to the Effects of

Rapid Deformation (Impact)

ASTM G42

Cathodic Disbonding of Pipeline Coatings

Subjected to Elevated or Cyclic Temperatures

National Association of Corrosion Engineers

NACE TM-01-74

Laboratory Methods for the Evaluation of

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Document Responsibility: Paints and Coatings Standards Committee

09-SAMSS-070
Issue Date: 16 July 2011
Qualification Requirements for Splash Zone
Next Planned Update: 16 July 2016
Epoxy Compound (APCS-19A) and (APCS-19B)

Protective Coatings Used as Lining Materials in

Immersion Service
The Society for Protective Coatings

SSPC-PA2

Measurement of Dry Coating Thickness with

Magnetic Gages

SSPC-Vis 1

Visual Standard for Abrasive Blast Cleaned Steel

General Requirements
4.1

For purposes of this specification, the Buyer's Representative shall be the

Responsible Standardization Agency Representative (RSA) in the Consulting
Services Department of Saudi Aramco.

4.2

In order to qualify a coating system as acceptable under this specification, the

coating Supplier shall submit a certified test report documenting that the
proposed coating system meets the qualification tests and requirements of this
specification. Preparation and testing shall be performed and/or witnessed by an
independent laboratory or inspection agency that should be acceptable to the
Paints & Coatings Standards Committee in Saudi Aramco. This report shall be
submitted to the RSA for review and approval.

4.3

All initial product qualification tests shall be carried out at no cost to Saudi
Aramco.

Qualification Tests and Requirements

5.1

Physical Property Tests

5.1.1

Package Stability of Paint

When stored at 52 + 1C for 6 months in accordance with ASTM D1849,
the sample shall meet the following requirements:

5.1.2

a)

Weight loss - 0

b)

Skinning, pressure and corrosion - 10

c)

Settling - 6 or better

d)

Grains, lumps, or streaks - 8 or better

Adhesion Test
5.1.2.1

Prepare test panels as described in paragraph 5.2 and allow the

coating to cure for 7 days at 25C 1C.
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Document Responsibility: Paints and Coatings Standards Committee

09-SAMSS-070
Issue Date: 16 July 2011
Qualification Requirements for Splash Zone
Next Planned Update: 16 July 2016
Epoxy Compound (APCS-19A) and (APCS-19B)

5.1.2.2

5.1.3

Determine the adhesion of the splash zone coating to the

substrate by using an adhesion tester, 450 kg capacity. Lightly
sand the coated surface and the aluminum dolly and apply an
epoxy adhesive. Allow the adhesive to cure as directed by the
adhesive supplier. Scribe the coating and adhesive around the
dolly prior to testing. Make a minimum of three trials and
report the average. The average shall be at least 4125 kPa
(600 psi) to be acceptable.

Application Properties
The ready mixed paint shall be easily applied by hand and/or spray to a
minimum dry thickness of 2500 micrometers (100 mils) on vertical
surface with no tendency to sag, creep or run.

5.1.4

Drying Times
When tested in accordance with ASTM D1640, the Dry-Through
(or Dry-To-Handle) Time shall be 16 hours or less.

5.1.5

Cure Times
When applied at the recommended thickness the compound shall cure to
solid, tough, non-sticky condition within 24 hours at 25C.
When applied and cured underwater at 25C the compound shall cure to
a solid, tough, non-sticky condition within 7 days.

5.1.6

Usable Potlife
At 40C, the viscosity of the ready-mixed compound shall remain within
the range recommended by the manufacturer for hand (APCS-19A) or
spray (APCS-19B) application without adding thinner for not less than
the following times:
APCS-19A: 30 minutes
APCS-19B: 20 minutes

5.2

Steel Panel Preparation

5.2.1

Surface Preparation
a)

Make the test panels from ASTM A36 hot-rolled steel

approximately 100 mm X 150 mm. Prior to preparation of the
surface, the condition of the test panel shall be equivalent to

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Document Responsibility: Paints and Coatings Standards Committee

09-SAMSS-070
Issue Date: 16 July 2011
Qualification Requirements for Splash Zone
Next Planned Update: 16 July 2016
Epoxy Compound (APCS-19A) and (APCS-19B)

SSPC-Guide to Vis 1 Rust Grade C, Rusted. The minimum

thickness of the test panels shall be 5 mm.

5.2.2

b)

The surface cleanliness of the test panels shall meet (but not
exceed) the requirements of SSPC SP10, Near White Blast
Cleaning (SIS Sa2-, Very Thorough Blast Cleaning).

c)

The profile of the blasted surface shall be 75 micrometers

(3.0 mils) minimum.

Coatings Application
a)

Mix, apply, and cure the coatings in accordance with the Vendor's
recommendations. Recommended application is wet-on-wet to
build up the required thickness.

b)

Measure and record the dry film thickness in accordance with

SSPC PA2.

c)

The dry film thickness shall be 2500 - 3000 micrometers

(100 - 120 mils) except where otherwise stated.

Hand-applied grades shall be applied to the panels using appropriate

hand techniques. Spray-applied grades shall be applied to the panels
using appropriate spray techniques.
5.3

Performance Tests
5.3.1

Impact Resistance
When applied to a dry film thickness of 1000 micrometers on a sanded 1mm thick, cold-rolled steel panel and tested in accordance with
ASTM D2794, the sample shall pass impact of at least 1.25 N-m
(11 in-lb). The fully cured compound shall show no cracking or chipping.
The impact resistance shall not decrease more than 20% of this value
after immersion testing per paragraph 5.3.2 and subsequent panel
conditioning.

5.3.2

Immersion Tests
Test panels shall be prepared in accordance with paragraph 5.2. All tests
shall be performed in duplicate. The fully cured coating systems shall be
tested per NACE TM-01-74, Procedure A-One Sided Testing. Coating
systems shall be tested in a brine solution (5% by weight sodium
chloride in water) at 80C 2C.

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Document Responsibility: Paints and Coatings Standards Committee

09-SAMSS-070
Issue Date: 16 July 2011
Qualification Requirements for Splash Zone
Next Planned Update: 16 July 2016
Epoxy Compound (APCS-19A) and (APCS-19B)

At the conclusion of six months exposure, the coating system shall be

evaluated for and shall meet the Table 1 criteria.
Table 1 Immersion Tests
Standard

5.3.3

Acceptable Rating

ASTM D714, Evaluating Degree

of Blistering of Paints

No blisters

ASTM D610, Evaluating Degree of

Rusting on Painted Steel Surfaces

9 or better

NACE TM-01-74, Hardness and

Adhesion

When tested in accordance with

paragraph 6.2.4 of TM-01-74, the
coating shall show no more than a
two pencil hardness change and the
adhesion between wet and dry
portions of the panel shall be
similar. After conditioning in a
laboratory for seven days there
shall be no difference.

Cathodic Disbonding Test

When tested in accordance with ASTM G42, at 80 + 2C, there shall be
no disbonding of the coating beyond the artificial defect after 30 days.

Method of Packaging
Coatings shall be packaged in accordance with 09-SAMSS-060.

16 July 2011

Revision Summary
Revised the Next Planned Update. Reaffirmed the contents of the document, and reissued
with editorial revision to remove the committee members list.

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