I-Rod® Pipe Support Systems
Prevent crevice corrosion at pipe supports

An introduction

Corrosion at pipe supports is one of the leading causes of process piping failures. Beam supports and pipe saddles create crevices, where water is trapped and held in constant contact with the pipe surface. Once corrosion is initiated, it then undercuts the paint film, moving away from the crevice and causing rapid wall loss. If these conditions are not addressed, entire sections of pipe can fail to the point that they require replacement.

Deepwater developed the I-Rod brand of pipe supports specifically to combat crevice corrosion and ensure a long, safe life for pipelines by eliminating the crevice between the pipe and the support.

I-Rod brand pipe supports have been in service since 1989, when the first new structure specified I-Rod by name. Since then I-Rod has been specified by all of the major operators in the Gulf of Mexico, and several others, worldwide. The I-Rod pipe supports family has grown to include several varieties of the original product, but all still utilize the original I-Rod thermoplastic as the means to their success. The Nu-Bolt™ is our most popular I-Rod product, providing corrosion protection at I-beam supports; the newest addition is the I-Clip, designed to clip onto new and existing saddle-clamp-style supports.

Related Technical Information

Corrosion at Pipe Supports - Causes and Solutions (Paper)

Abstract: Corrosion at pipe supports is one of the leading causes of process piping failure. This paper will discuss the various corrosion mechanisms that occur at pipe supports as well as the successful and unsucessful attempts at controling the problem.

Pipe Supports: A Nagging Corrosion Problem Solved (Article)

From Pipeline & Gas Journal: During routine inspections of offshore oil and gas production facilities in the Gulf of Mexico, corrosion on piping systems seems is prevalant. Deepwater's own I-Rod brand of pipe supports tackles this nagging problem with near perfect results ...

Nu-Bolt 13 Year Field Performance Study

The first structure to specify I-Rod pipe supports was inspected 13 years after original installation. The results are shocking - not a single Nu-Bolt had failed.

I-Rod Compression Lab Test Results

The high-impact nature of I-Rod thermoplastic is one of the key reasons it works so well. View the lab test results for compressive strength testing (PDF Download).

I-Rod Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to many common questions about I-Rod pipe supports. What is it? What other materials are commonly mistaken for I-Rod? etc.

I-Rod imposters discovered in the Gulf of Mexico (Press Release)

In October 2007, some of Deepwater's offshore corrosion inspectors aboard the NEPTUNE SPAR came across pipe supports very similar in appearance to Deepwater's own I-Rod Brand ...

 

I-Rod Brand Products