Oil Spill Response Equipment Corrosion Protection | OSRL Case Study
1. Business Name & Industry
Company Name: OSRL
Industry Sector: Oil Spill Response
Location: Southampton, UK
2. Background & Challenges
What does your business do?
We are the global industry cooperative for oil spill preparedness and response. We deliver technical expertise, comprehensive preparedness services, and 24/7 response capability — anytime, anywhere.
What challenges or problems were you facing before using Lanoguard?
We were presented with a problem involving a Power Pack that had been on long deployment and left sitting on a quay wall for an extended period. When it returned to our Southampton base, it had suffered significant corrosion to both the ferrous and non-ferrous metals within the Power Pack.
Why were you looking for a solution?
The cost to bring the item back to a suitable standard, both operationally and visually (we work hard to ensure equipment looks presentable), was approximately £30,000. It would also have meant the Power Pack being out of service for around 3–4 months.
3. Choosing Lanoguard
How did you discover Lanoguard?
Our Europe Surface Asset Lead/Project Manager, Andrew West, had known of Lanoguard for several years and had started using it on his personal vehicles.
What made you choose Lanoguard over other solutions?
Andrew was impressed with the results he’d experienced on his own vehicles, finding it easy to apply and reasonably priced for the results achieved.
He investigated the product further and found that some of Lanoguard’s customers included well-known names such as Multi Hog, JCB, and most UK international airports for their de-icing machinery. This provided a strong benchmark for us to begin using the solution.
He carried out field trials over the winter of 2023/24 on two old water pumps. One was treated with Lanoguard and the other left untreated for six months. Both were left outside in harsh winter weather and regularly exposed to salty water.
We were also impressed with Lanoguard’s environmental credentials.
Lanoguard is non-hazardous to apply, ecologically friendlier, and safe for aquatic life and the environment. It can be applied to rubbers, plastics, electrics, exhaust manifolds, and engine bays due to it being non-perishing, non-conductive to 70kV, and non-flammable.
It does not require special handling or protective clothing, although for general health and safety, light PPE (such as a face mask and goggles) is advisable.
In addition to using high-grade lanolin, the base is made from bio and sustainable resources, working towards 100% bio-renewable content. Lanoguard uses the cleaner fraction of hydrocarbons, which are low in toxicity and non-irritant, giving the product strong environmental credentials while maintaining heavy-duty corrosion and rust protection.
We did not investigate alternative solutions as we were impressed with the results and keen to support a local family-run business.
Pump post-application of Lanoguard – Nov 2023
Pump untreated – November 2023
Pump treated with Lanoguard – May 2024
Pump untreated – May 2024
4. Implementation & Experience
Which Lanoguard product(s) did you use?
We used Moto Spray and Moto Grease.
How did you apply it?
We used hand-operated spray bottles for smaller areas and a hand-operated spray gun for larger containers.
How easy was the process?
The application was very easy. There was no need to wear a mask, it provided great coverage, and there was minimal overspray.
Any feedback on application, coverage, or durability?
The product was easy to apply and had excellent coverage, with a small amount going a long way.
If our Power Pack is run in hot weather and left in the sun, the Lanoguard can become slightly wet again, but the solution re-cures once it cools down.
5. Results & Benefits
What improvements have you noticed since using Lanoguard?
We found there was less light corrosion on all metal surfaces.
How has it benefited your business?
There was excellent coverage, and we only needed a small amount per piece of equipment.
“Lanoguarding” is now part of our commissioning process, allowing our equipment to last longer and look better for longer. This demonstrates to our members that we are protecting their investment.
Any unexpected advantages?
We trialled this in Southampton initially and have now made it part of our process there.
Our Senior Management Team were impressed with the results, which has led to trials at our other bases globally. Our EHS team now also use Lanoguard on their equipment.
6. Photos
Before and after photos: Available (Water Pump treated vs untreated – Winter 2023/24 to May 2024).
7. Would You Recommend Lanoguard?
We would recommend Lanoguard, as we have seen great results since we started using it on our equipment.
Thank You
We’d like to thank OSRL for sharing their experience using Lanoguard for corrosion protection in demanding marine and oil spill response environments. Protecting critical response equipment from saltwater corrosion and reducing costly downtime is essential in offshore and quay-side operations, and we’re proud to support OSRL’s global asset protection programme.
