NFPCA rewarded for innovation

The National Facility for Pipeline Coatings Assessment (NFPCA), based at Deakin, Waurn Ponds, has been recognised with an Excellence in Innovation Award by the Cooperative Research Centres Association (CRCA).

An initiative of the Energy Pipelines Cooperative Research Centre (EPCRC) and Deakin University, the NFPCA is unique in Australia, providing critical support for the EPCRC’s research into coatings, corrosion and cathodic protection, and independent National Association of Testing Authorities Australia (NATA) accredited commercial testing services.

The EPCRC is a world recognised research provider and is part of the Commonwealth Government Cooperative Research Centre Programme.

“The NFPCA is essential for building up and maintaining a critical capability for performing standard and custom-designed pipeline coating tests to fulfil the needs of the Australian energy pipeline industry in coating selection, research and development,” said Professor Mike Yongjun Tan, Program Leader, Energy Pipelines Cooperative Research Centre.

“Over the past three years, the NFPCA has been established at Deakin as one of the flagship activities of the EPCRC and has supported ten EPCRC funded research projects with funding of approximately $3.5m.

“These projects, which include the development of new methods for evaluating pipeline coating flexibility, are contributing to achieving the goal of cost effectively extending the life of pipeline infrastructure by mitigation of corrosion and environmentally assisted degradation, and the development of holistic asset management tools.

“Results from this testing and research work have the potential to contribute to relevant Australian Standards and construction and maintenance practices for new and existing pipelines.”

EPCRC CEO Professor Valerie Linton thanked the NFPCA team and their industry advisors for their work in establishing the facility and for continuing to support the strong team of researchers and students at Deakin, while CRCA CEO Professor Tony Peacock congratulated the EPCRC and the NFPCA team for their quality contribution to Australia’s innovative future.

Over the coming years the NFPCA will continue to expand its research and testing capacities as it develops further commercial relationships and provides a quality service to the Australian pipeline industry.

This is the second Excellence in Innovation Award for an EPCRC initiative, the first being the commercialisation of the EPDECOM software, which was recognised in 2014.

More details about the NFPCA and Deakin pipeline research can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAY3Gc0uExA