This NACE International standard practice provides current technology and industry practices for the use of field-applied heat-shrinkable-sleeve coating systems. The standard is intended for use by corrosion control personnel, design engineers, project managers, purchasers, and construction engineers and managers. It is applicable to underground steel pipelines in the oil and gas gathering, distribution, and transmission industries.

The standard practice presents guidelines for establishing minimum requirements to ensure proper application and performance of field-applied, heat-shrinkable sleeves to the external surfaces of coated pipe. Included are methods for (1) qualifying and controlling the quality of a heat-shrinkable sleeve, (2) guidelines for proper application, and (3) inspection and repair techniques to ensure its long-term performance. The standard is applicable to coating systems used to prevent corrosion in conjunction with cathodic protection, and heat-shrinkable wraparound- or tubular-type sleeve coating systems on underground steel pipelines. 

Key Words: Alyeska shear test, cathodic protection, dry film thickness, external corrosion, field-applied, heat-shrinkable-sleeve coating systems (HSS-CS), hot-melt adhesive layer, Lap shear, mastic-based adhesive layer, oil and gas distribution, polyolefin, SP0169, STG 03, submerged steel pipelines, surface preparation, developed by TG 248, tubular-type heat-shrinkable-sleeve, weld-after-backfill, wraparound-type heat-shrinkable-sleeve