Extending Equipment Life on Alaska's North Slope: Metal Repair Without Welding

Belzona 1111 Repair Material

North Slope industrial equipment operates under conditions that would be considered abusive anywhere else: eight months of sub-zero temperatures, corrosive produced water, abrasive drilling fluids, and thermal cycling that can exceed 130°F between winter lows and summer highs. In this environment, pump casings crack, valve bodies erode, and rotating shafts wear down to the point of failure.

Traditional thinking says these metal components need welding or replacement. But both options present serious problems in Alaska's Arctic industrial zone.

The Welding Problem in Arctic Operations

Welding might seem like the obvious solution for damaged metal equipment, but it creates cascading complications on the North Slope:

Permit Complexity: Hot work permits in areas with hydrocarbon production require extensive safety protocols, atmospheric monitoring, fire watch personnel, and management approval chains that can take days or weeks.

Material Challenges: The carbon steels and alloys used in oilfield equipment become increasingly brittle at low temperatures. Welding these materials in winter requires:

• Extensive pre-heating (sometimes to 200-300°F)

• Specialty low-temperature welding electrodes

• Controlled cooling rates to prevent brittle weld zones

• Post-weld heat treatment for critical components

  
  

Weather Limitations: Wind chill below -50°F makes welding dangerous and unreliable. Even with wind breaks and heated shelters, maintaining proper weld quality becomes extremely difficult.

Removal Requirements: Many repairs require removing the component from service, transporting it to a warm shop, performing the work, and reinstalling—downtime measured in days or weeks.

The Replacement Problem

Simply replacing worn components sounds straightforward until you consider Alaska logistics:

• Common parts may require airlift from Anchorage or the Lower 48, costing thousands per shipment

• Winter weather regularly delays cargo flights for days

• Specialized equipment may have 8-12 week lead times

• Even with parts in hand, installation often requires the same hot work permits as welding

  
  

For North Slope operators, the question becomes: How do we repair metal components quickly, reliably, and without the complications of hot work or long equipment lead times.

Belzona's Metal Repair Chemistry

Belzona 1111 (Super Metal) represents a different approach based on polymer composite technology:

The material is a two-part epoxy-based system filled with ceramic and metallic particles. When properly applied, it creates a metallurgically bonded repair that:

• Adheres to steel, cast iron, aluminum, and most industrial alloys

• Machines like metal (can be drilled, tapped, and precision-finished)

• Resists compressive loads over 10,000 psi

• Maintains dimensional stability across temperature ranges from -40°F to 250°F

• Achieves bond strengths exceeding 4,000 psi to prepared steel surfaces

  
  

The key difference from welding: This is a cold-cure system that requires no heat input and no hot work permits.

Practical Applications on North Slope Equipment

Let's look at specific repair scenarios that demonstrate the versatility of this approach:

Pump Casing Erosion Repair

A centrifugal pump handling produced water develops erosion damage on the volute (the spiral chamber that collects flow from the impeller). The damage is approximately 1/8 inch deep over an area about 4 inches in diameter.

Traditional approach: Replace the pump casing ($15,000 part cost, 6-8 week lead time) or attempt weld buildup (requires removing pump, transporting to shop, preheating, multiple weld passes, heat treatment, machining, and reinstallation).

Belzona approach:

1. Remove pump from service and drain (2 hours)

2. Abrade damaged area to bright metal (30 minutes)

3. Apply Belzona 1111 in thin layers, building up to slightly above original contour (1 hour including material cure time between layers)

4. Machine to final dimension if needed or leave as-applied (30 minutes)

5. Reassemble and return to service (2 hours)

   
   

Total repair time: One shift. Material cost: Under $500. The pump returns to service with a repair zone that's often more erosion-resistant than the original casting.

Valve Body Crack Repair

A 6-inch gate valve body develops a hairline crack near a bolt hole due to over-torquing combined with thermal stress. The crack is about 2 inches long but hasn't yet penetrated through-wall.

Traditional approach: Replace valve ($8,000-$12,000 for a quality unit) or weld repair (requires removing valve, preheating casting, careful crack excavation, specialty welding procedure, and probable post-weld stress relief).

Belzona approach:

1. Remove valve from line (1-2 hours)

2. V-groove the crack to create a mechanical key

3. Degrease and abrade to white metal

4. Apply Belzona 1111, pressing material into the V-groove

5. Build up slightly proud of surface, then file or grind flush

6. Reinstall valve

   
   

Repair time: 4-6 hours. The composite fills the crack, bonds to both crack faces, and prevents crack propagation. Because Belzona 1111 retains some flexibility, it accommodates thermal cycling better than a rigid weld.

Rotating Shaft Wear Restoration

A drive shaft develops wear in the seal area from prolonged contact with a mechanical seal face. The wear is circumferential, approximately 0.020 inches deep, creating a groove that allows seal leakage.

Traditional approach: Replace the shaft ($3,000-$8,000 depending on length and material) or attempt chrome plating (requires shipping to specialized facility, can take weeks).

Belzona approach:

1. Remove shaft and clean thoroughly

2. Abrade wear area to bright metal

3. Apply Belzona 1111 with controlled buildup to slightly above original diameter

4. Machine to final dimension using lathe (Belzona 1111 machines with carbide tooling)

5. Measure final diameter and surface finish

6. Reinstall with new seals

   
   

This approach works for wear depth up to approximately 0.125 inches. The repaired zone is harder than base steel and resists future wear. Many North Slope operators report rebuilt shafts lasting longer than OEM replacements.

Critical Success Factors

Belzona metal repairs aren't "miracle solutions" that work under any conditions. Success requires understanding the principles and following proven procedures:

Surface Preparation is Critical: The bond between Belzona and substrate metal depends on mechanical adhesion. This requires:

• Abrasion to remove all scale, rust, and contamination

• Creating surface roughness for mechanical keying

• Degreasing to remove oil films

• Achieving clean, bright metal before application

  
  

Temperature Management: While Belzona 1111 cures at low temperatures, cure time extends significantly in extreme cold:

• At 70°F: 1 hour to handling strength

• At 40°F: 4 hours to handling strength

  
  

Load Direction Matters: Belzona composites excel under compressive and shear loads but have lower tensile strength than steel. Design repairs to put the material primarily in compression.

Layer Thickness: For buildup exceeding 1/4 inch, apply in multiple layers rather than one thick application. This prevents exotherm (heat from curing) from distorting the repair and ensures complete cure throughout.

Economic Reality Check

Let's compare costs for a typical pump casing repair:

Replacement Option:

• New pump casing: $12,000-$18,000

• Shipping to North Slope: $2,000-$5,000

• Installation labor: $2,000

• Downtime (waiting for parts): 4-6 weeks

• Lost production value: $100,000-$500,000 depending on process criticality

Weld Repair Option:

• Remove, transport to shop: $3,000

• Weld procedure development: $2,000

• Welding labor and materials: $4,000-$8,000

• Machining: $1,500

• Return shipping and reinstall: $3,000

• Total cost: $13,500-$17,500

• Total downtime: 2-3 weeks

Belzona Repair Option:

• Materials: $500-$1,000

• Labor (in-situ repair): $1,500-$3,000

• Total cost: $2,000-$4,000

• Downtime: 24-48 hours

  
  

The cost savings are substantial. But the real value is in the time savings—getting critical equipment back in service in hours instead of weeks.

When NOT to Use Composite Repairs

Belzona metal repair systems have limitations. They're not appropriate for:

• Primary structural members where failure could cause catastrophic collapse

• Components subject to continuous high tensile loads

• Repairs that must meet ASME pressure vessel code requirements

• Equipment operating continuously above 250°F

• Dynamic loads with high vibration amplitudes

  
  

In these cases, traditional welding or replacement remains necessary. But these scenarios represent a minority of the metal repair needs on the North Slope.

Building In-House Capability

The most successful North Slope operators don't just keep Belzona materials on hand—they train their maintenance personnel in proper application techniques. A typical two-day training program covers:

• Surface preparation methods and quality verification

• Mixing procedures and pot life management

• Application techniques for various geometries

• Cold weather cure time estimation

• Machining of cured materials

• Troubleshooting common application errors

This investment in personnel capability creates a maintenance team that can execute repairs without depending on contractor mobilization or weather windows.

Long-Term Performance

Properly executed Belzona metal repairs on North Slope equipment routinely last 5-10+ years. Many operators report that repaired areas outlast adjacent original material because the composite resists corrosion and erosion better than steel.

For equipment operating under Alaska's extreme conditions, the ability to execute high-quality metal repairs without welding isn't just convenient—it's often the difference between maintaining production and accepting extended shutdowns.

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