8. Conclusion

A coating is an essential element of corrosion protection for buried and underwater pipelines. Its correct selection and application, whether in the factory or on site, are of prime importance. There are numerous products available within industry: it is up to network operators to master the qualification of systems and application methods.

The ageing of coatings is a major challenge, because it must not affect the normal operations of structures. Fluid transport network operators need to consider this issue as part of their maintenance policy.