FAQ
There are many advantages in using Fiberglass pipe versus steel, some are listed below:
No corrosion in Fiberglass piping, longer life span.
Better flow efficiencies, smoother bore, less horsepower required to move product.
Lighter product and much easier to install with less equipment required.
Less of a carbon footprint due to less trucking required to transport lighter product.
Fiberglass pipe has a continuous inside diameter, no loss of I.D. due to fitting installs.
Fiberglass piping is 100% non-metallic versus steel fittings used on composite piping in a flexible system.
No worries of Fiberglass piping collapsing due to rapid de-pressurization, Fiberglass pipe can handle full vacuum and has no liner to worry about.
Cyclic service is a non-issue with conventional stick Fiberglass.
With Fiberglass pipe you are not restricted to smaller diameter and lower pressure ratings.
Absolutely and it has been done for over 40 years in all different types of service.
Depending on the pressure rating and diameter of the Fiberglass being inserted the lengths it can be pulled vary, however, as an example you could pull 1500m of 4″ 1000 series Star aliphatic amine cured epoxy pipe in one section and when connecting to a subsequent section of pipe the fitting to do that job would cost $290.00 versus a costly metallic fitting that is used on flexible piping systems.
Western Fiberglass has inserted from 1 ½” – 12″ pipe in pressure ratings from 450 psi up to 4000 psi ranging in temperature applications up to 85° celsius.
In a liner application when using stick Fiberglass you DO NOT need to qualify your existing steel pipelines integrity prior to inserting our product, it IS your pressure barrier so there is no need to spend money on pre-testing the steel line as you would in inserting poly.
Yes, there are THREE different resin systems products available. Western Fiberglass distributes the original “STAR ALIPHATIC AMINE CURED EPOXY PIPE, STAR ANHYDRIDE EPOXY PIPE, AND STAR AROMATIC AMINE EPOXY PIPE. There is a detailed document in our TECHNICAL DATA section of our website explaining the different resin systems and their advantages.
Western Fiberglass has developed a process to track vital QC information in the installation of their product(s) and can be implemented in the install of both Star Fiberglass tubular as well as RED THREAD HP products.
Western Fiberglass can arrange to have a NOV Fiber Glass Systems TQ1 certification training course conducted with your chosen contractor. This course leads to a proficiency ticket from NOV on the installation of their products.
Western Fiberglass has inventory in both Star high pressure piping and Red Thread HP products in both our Estevan Saskatchewan and Red Deer Alberta locations.
We have facilities in Red Deer Alberta and Estevan Saskatchewan servicing areas from Norman Wells NWT to Manitoba.
Western Fiberglass has a very active down hole tubing program with the most activity being out of our Estevan office running tubing in injection wells, disposal wells, source wells and as liner systems in horizontal wells.
See the tubing section for more detailed information.
As with any product if it is not installed correctly it is possible that it could fail. Western Fiberglass prides itself with the level of commitment we put into helping our customers from product selection, assisting in system design, and technical assistance.
In evaluating Fiberglass failures in the past the areas of most concern are that of settlement which can come from uneven ditch bottoms or at road crossings where there is an area of over excavation and proper support is not introduced under the pipe. These are very simple things to address through the use of a NOV TQ1 certification program and a certified install crew on site helps in addressing these concerns.
Yes we do know of a number of contractors with a high degree of skill in installing Fiberglass pipe and hold a NOV certification ticket, call us and we can help you find one in your area.
Absolutely, but with that being said there are some different installation techniques used which can be found in our installation manuals. When it comes to weather it is the installation crews ability to perform in the cold that limits the products installation.
Absolutely. When using our Star epoxy pipe products it can be done as simple as cutting into the middle of the joint and removing the two sections and threading in the new piping configuration. This joining system uses a Teflon based lubricant which does not “set up” so un-threading a connection can be achieved with minimal work.
When tying into a Red Thread HP piping system it is achieved by cutting into the piping with either a hacksaw or reciprocating saw, removing any unnecessary piping and applying a taper with a tapering tool then bonding the desired fitting onto the line.
