Intumescent Coatings and Their Applications in the Oil and Gas Industry: Formulations and Use of Numerical Models

• Published in: Polymers Vol. 17; no. 14; p. 1923
• Main Authors: Hafiz, Taher, Covello, James, Wnek, Gary E., Melaiye, Abdulkareem, Wei, Yen, Ji, Jiujiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 11.07.2025; MDPI
• Subjects: Acids; Coatings; Efficiency; Emissions; Environmental impact; Environmental protection; Environmental sustainability; Failure; Failure times; Fire hazards; Fire prevention; Fire protection; Flammability; Gas industry; Heat transfer; Hydrocarbons; Industrial plant emissions; Infrastructure; Innovations; Insulation; Kinetic equations; Nanoparticles; Numerical models; Prediction models; Protective coatings; Regulatory compliance; Review; Rheology; Structural failure; Sustainability; Technological change; Temperature; Thermal insulation; Thermal stability; Thermogravimetric analysis; Trends; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; United States; intumescent coating; thermal insulation performance; numerical fire modeling; hydrocarbon fire resistance; oil and gas safety engineering; bio-derived flame retardant; passive fire protection
• ISSN: 2073-4360; 2073-4360
• DOI: 10.3390/polym17141923

The oil and gas industry is subject to significant fire hazards due to the flammability of hydrocarbons and the extreme conditions of operational facilities. Intumescent coatings (ICs) serve as a crucial passive fire protection strategy, forming an insulating char layer when exposed to heat, thereby reducing heat transfer and delaying structural failure. This review article provides an overview of recent developments in the effectiveness of ICs in mitigating fire risks, enhancing structural resilience, and reducing environmental impacts within the oil and gas industry. The literature surveyed shows that analytical techniques, such as thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and large-scale fire testing, have been used to evaluate the thermal insulation performances of the coatings. The results indicate significant temperature reductions on protected steel surfaces that extend critical failure times under hydrocarbon fire conditions. Recent advancements in nano-enhanced and bio-derived ICs have also improved thermal stability and mechanical durability. Furthermore, numerical modeling based on heat transfer, mass conservation, and kinetic equations aids in optimizing formulations for real-world applications. Nevertheless, challenges remain in terms of standardizing modeling frameworks and enhancing the environmental sustainability of ICs. This review highlights the progress made and the opportunities for continuous advances and innovation in IC technologies to meet the ever-evolving challenges and complexities in oil and gas industry operations. Consequently, the need to enhance fire protection by utilizing a combination of tools improves predictive modeling and supports regulatory compliance in high-risk industrial environments.