Sparc Technologies Limited has announced a binding agreement with Santos Limited to conduct a field trial of its ecosparc enhanced coating at Port Bonython in the Upper Spencer Gulf, South Australia.
The trial, aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of Sparc’s graphene-based ecosparc coating, marks a crucial step toward commercialisation, with potential inclusion in Santos’ specifications for future projects if successful, the company said in an ASX announcement.
Sparc Managing Director, Nick O’Loughlin, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “Sparc is very pleased to be working with Santos, one of Australia’s leading energy companies, to complete field trials of an ecosparc® enhanced coating at Port Bonython in South Australia.”
“The trial is being established with a view to specifying ecosparc® enhanced coatings which would allow for commercial use. This is a key step towards commercialising ecosparc and we thank Santos for the innovative approach they have shown by supporting this trial.”
According to Sparc, Port Bonython’s highly corrosive environment makes it an ideal location for testing the coating’s durability and effectiveness.
The trial results will provide essential data on the performance of ecosparc® in a real-world setting, contributing to the ongoing validation of its capabilities.
The field trial builds on over five years of Sparc’s research and development, which has included more than 10,000 data points from accelerated cyclic corrosion tests.
Sparc said its ecosparc technology has attracted interest from global coatings companies, many of whom are currently evaluating its potential in anticorrosive coatings.
The company is also working on expanding its field trials, targeting infrastructure owners in various industries that require coatings for steel structures in corrosive environments.
