Petrobras develops anti-corrosion adhesive made from 100% recycled plastic bottles

Among the patents filed by the Petrobras Research, Development, and Innovation Centre (Cenpes) this year is an anti-corrosion adhesive based on 100% recycled plastic bottles. The product, unprecedented in the market, is easy to apply and can be used in industrial installations, such as platforms and refineries, building installations and even in domestic use. Developed in partnership with the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), it resulted in a partnership with the company Karoon Energy. The company participates with Petrobras in the construction a pilot plant where the first 60,000 units will be manufactured for testing and final product validation.

"Petrobras is an innovation factory, and we can say that this is a product that literally adheres to the company's commitments: sustainability, emissions reduction, capability of adding value to the business, and contribution to the safety of our operations. Yet another result of our responsible investment and attention to society's demands," says Jean-Paul Prates, the company's president.

Petrobras expects to obtain an estimated return of R$9 million/year, considering maintenance costs, labor, and the number of repair interventions. 

"We have an approved scope plan, and we will expand field testing with the final product on platforms in the Campos, Santos, and Espírito Santo basins.  Petrobras wants to advance in developing the product's application and format, and we are consulting the market to identify partners for manufacturing and commercialization after the final test," said Carlos Travassos, director of Engineering Technology and Innovation. 

The material can be used on any metal surface that has paint damage. Called PET Adhesive, it doesn't require any preparation such as sanding, simply wiping the area to be treated with a damp cloth. Initially available in a format similar to adhesive tape, it is easy to handle. After removing the tape that protects the adhesive part, simply apply the material to the surface needing repair, preventing corrosion from spreading.  In a more aggressive marine environment, PET Adhesive stops the corrosive process until the necessary team is mobilized in a planned campaign to treat this condition.

"For Karoon, it is essential to take part in initiatives that encourage innovation in the industry to develop solutions that mitigate damage and guarantee the quality of installations and the business, such as the anti-corrosion adhesive, developed in partnership with universities and Petrobras' Cenpes, a benchmark in the oil and gas industry," comments Rudimar Lorenzatto, the company's Senior VP of Production and Production Development.

PET Adhesive has already been tested in the laboratory, on platforms, and in refineries such as Duque de Caxias (Reduc) in Rio de Janeiro, and the company expects to complete the product development cycle in September this year. 

Recycling 

The creator of PET Adhesive, Teresa Cristina Villano, believes that, with the development of this functionality, she has reached the peak of her career, postponed "until her two children were more independent." A professional with several humanities degrees, it wasn't until 2005 that she entered the labor market. She applied for a job at Petrobras, worked in the engineering department, and then at Cenpes. "There, I began looking for research avenues to help the company's day-to-day operations. On a visit to UFMG three years ago, Professor Fernando Cotting introduced me to some work they were doing with recycled plastic bottles." For three years, she and her colleagues Fernando Cunha and Pedro Villalobos worked in partnership with the people at UFMG. The green patent was granted in January this year.