On an oilfield or rig coating job, ethyl acetate is a fast-evaporating solvent that cleans spray equipment and prepares steel. The main application of ethyl acetate on site is flushing spray guns, pumps and lines between coats, wiping oil and grease off steel before painting, and dissolving the resins found in many industrial paints. If you run a coating crew for a PDO contractor, a Duqm yard or a Nizwa workshop, the sections below cover what the solvent does, how to use it safely in Oman's heat and how to order it from us in Barka Industrial Area.
What ethyl acetate is: grade, purity and key properties
Ethyl acetate (ethyl ethanoate, CAS 141-78-6) is a colourless ester solvent with a fruity odour. Technical grade is typically 99.5 to 99.7 wt% minimum purity by GC, with typical maximums of about 50 ppm acidity (as acetic acid), 0.05 wt% ethanol and 10 Pt-Co colour.
For coating work, the reference is ASTM D4614, the standard specification for ethyl acetate grades used as solvents in paint and related coatings. It sets limits for purity, alcohol content, specific gravity, distillation range, acidity, water, colour, nonvolatile matter and odour, so you can ask for a grade against it when your coating specification calls for one.
The boiling point is about 77 °C, with a typical distillation range of 75.5 to 78.0 °C. Typical density is 0.900 to 0.905 g/mL, so it is lighter than water. It is only partly soluble in water (typically about 8 percent, roughly 80 g/L at 20 °C) and mixes with alcohols, ethers and most organic solvents. We list it as ethyl acetate solvent, part number RXSOL-19-1168-210, and under RXSOL-19-1168-025.
Main application of ethyl acetate in paints and coatings
Its main industrial use is as a solvent in coatings. It dissolves cellulosic (nitrocellulose), acrylic, epoxy, urethane and vinyl coating resins and evaporates fast, which is why paint makers use it as a primary solvent in paints and varnishes. It also works as a solvent and diluent in adhesives, as a replacement for aromatic solvents such as toluene, and as a component of activators or hardeners in some paints, varnishes and lacquers.
The same solvency explains its use in flexographic and gravure printing inks, in rubber- and cellulose-based adhesives and sealants, and in cleaning formulas, including flux removal from circuit boards. You will find it with our other paint and cleaning solvents.
Thinner or cleaner: follow the coating maker
On a rig, do not use ethyl acetate to thin a ready-made epoxy or polyurethane system unless the coating manufacturer names it. Thin only with the thinner and the percentage given on the coating data sheet. A different solvent can change cure, film build and flow, and the coating warranty on a rig structure usually depends on following that sheet. Ethyl acetate earns its place on site as a cleaner: flushing equipment and wiping steel.
Cleaning spray equipment and solvent-wiping steel on rig coating jobs
Fast-evaporating, residue-free cleaning solvents are used for metal degreasing, final cleaning before paint application, and cleaning brushes and spray equipment. Ethyl acetate suits that work on rig structures coated with epoxy or polyurethane, provided the paint is still wet. Once a two-pack coating has cured inside a hose or pump, solvent flushing will not remove it and the parts need mechanical cleaning or replacement.
Flushing guns, pumps and lines
- Flush the gun, pump and lines straight after the last coat, well inside the pot life of the mixed paint.
- Pump the solvent into a closed metal waste container, not an open bucket, and keep the lid on between flushes.
- Ground and bond the pump, hose and receiving container during every transfer.
- Check hoses, seals and plastic parts against the pump maker's solvent chart before first use. Strong ester solvents can swell or soften some seals and plastics. Typical data sheets list metal drums, fluorinated polyethylene bottles and poly pails with spouts as compatible containers.
Solvent-wiping steel before coating
Use a clean, lint-free rag wetted from a closed safety can, wipe in one direction and change to a fresh rag as soon as it picks up dirt, so you lift the oil off instead of spreading it. A second dry rag removes what is left. Close the solvent container after each wetting, and put used rags in a closed metal bin, because soaked rags left in the sun are a fire risk. Let the surface flash off fully before the coating goes on, and follow the surface preparation clause of your coating specification for anything beyond oil and grease removal.
Ethyl acetate, methyl acetate or acetone: choosing the solvent
Methyl acetate is a fast-evaporating, mild-odour active solvent for nitrocellulose, CAB, vinyls, acrylics, epoxies, alkyds and polyesters, used in marine, industrial maintenance and wood coatings and in cleaner blends. It gives lower solution viscosity than ethyl acetate. In the US it is exempt from federal VOC and HAP regulation, though it may contain up to about 2.5 percent methanol, which is a VOC. If your client's specification limits VOC, ask us about methyl acetate (RXSOL-19-1361-210).
Acetone is a ketone, not an ester, so it is a different chemical with its own data sheet and its own behaviour on seals and coatings. Xylene is an aromatic solvent that evaporates more slowly and is common in epoxy thinners. Choose by three points: how fast the solvent must leave the surface, which resin it has to dissolve, and the flash point your permit to work allows in that area.
Avoiding blushing in humid Muscat, Duqm and Salalah air
Very fast-evaporating acetate solvents can cause blushing, a moisture haze in the coating, and too much fast solvent harms flow and levelling. On the coast at Muscat, Duqm or Salalah, humid early mornings make this more likely because the evaporating solvent cools the surface and moisture condenses on it. Keep ethyl acetate out of the paint itself, let wiped steel dry fully, check the dew point margin before you spray, and if the coating maker allows a slower thinner for hot or humid conditions, use that one.
Hazards, PPE and storage in Oman's heat
Ethyl acetate carries the GHS classes Flammable Liquid Category 2 (H225), Serious Eye Irritation 2A (H319) and drowsiness or dizziness (H336, STOT SE 3), with EUH066: repeated exposure may cause skin dryness or cracking. The signal word is Danger. The flash point is typically about -4 °C (closed cup), and typical explosive limits in air are about 2.0 to 11.5 percent by volume.
Typical vapour pressure is about 97 hPa at 20 °C, and the vapour is about 3 times heavier than air, so it collects in low areas such as cellar decks, pits and tank bottoms. The occupational exposure limit is typically 400 ppm TWA (OSHA PEL, ACGIH TLV and NIOSH REL). Wear chemical safety goggles or a face shield, chemical-resistant gloves and clothing, and an organic-vapour respirator, or supplied air in confined spaces. Use non-sparking tools and explosion-proof equipment, and have eyewash stations available.
Store drums in a cool, dry, well-ventilated flammables area away from heat, sparks, open flame and direct sunlight, with containers tightly closed. In a 45 °C desert yard that means shade and airflow, drums kept outside rig hazardous zones, and grounding and bonding during transfer. Keep it apart from strong oxidisers, strong acids and bases (which hydrolyse it) and alkali metals. Combustion produces CO and CO2. Ethyl acetate is readily biodegradable with low aquatic toxicity (typical fish LC50 about 212 mg/L over 96 h), but contain any spill and recover it as flammable waste.
Specification, packing and documents
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Part number | RXSOL-19-1168-210, RXSOL-19-1168-025 |
| Chemical | Ethyl acetate (ethyl ethanoate), CAS 141-78-6 |
| Typical purity | 99.5 to 99.7 wt% minimum by GC (technical grade, typical for this product class) |
| Application | Coating solvent for nitrocellulose, acrylic, epoxy, urethane and vinyl resins; cleaning spray equipment; solvent-wiping steel before coating |
| Flash point | Typically about -4 °C (closed cup) |
| Transport | UN1173, Ethyl acetate, Class 3, Packing Group II, not a marine pollutant |
We confirm the pack size, grade and quantity on each quote. For HSE approval on PDO or contractor sites, ask about the safety data sheet when you request your quote and check that the delivery carries UN1173 Class 3 transport labelling. If your coating specification names ASTM D4614 or asks for a batch certificate, tell us when you order so we can confirm what we can supply with that batch.
Where to buy ethyl acetate in Muscat and Oman
Oman Chem (Muscat & Barka for Business Trading), Barka Industrial Area, Sultanate of Oman. Phone +968 77333599, WhatsApp +968 77333599, email muscatchem@gmail.com. Send us your delivery site and we will confirm availability and lead time on the quote.
The same ethyl acetate is also listed on our Sohar site, and on Muscat Chemical. To request a quote, send the quantity, grade and delivery site through our quote request page or on WhatsApp at +968 77333599.
Frequently asked questions
What is ethyl acetate used for in industry?
Its main industrial use is as a solvent in coatings, where it dissolves nitrocellulose, acrylic, epoxy, urethane and vinyl resins and evaporates fast. It is also used in adhesives, sealants, flexographic and gravure printing inks and cleaning formulas. On rig and oilfield coating jobs in Oman it is mostly used to clean spray equipment and solvent-wipe steel before coating.
Can ethyl acetate clean spray guns and paint equipment?
Yes. Fast-evaporating, residue-free solvents such as ethyl acetate are used to clean brushes and spray equipment and for final cleaning before painting. Flush the gun, pump and lines while the paint is still wet, ground and bond the equipment, collect the waste in a closed metal container and check seals and hoses against the pump maker's solvent chart.
What is the flash point of ethyl acetate?
The flash point is typically about -4 °C (closed cup), and typical explosive limits in air are about 2.0 to 11.5 percent by volume. It is a highly flammable liquid, transported as UN1173, Class 3, Packing Group II, so keep it away from heat, sparks, open flame and direct sunlight.
What is the difference between ethyl acetate and methyl acetate?
Both are fast-evaporating acetate solvents for coatings. Methyl acetate has a mild odour and gives lower solution viscosity than ethyl acetate. In the US it is exempt from federal VOC and HAP regulation, though it may contain up to about 2.5 percent methanol, which is a VOC. We list both on our site.
Where can I buy ethyl acetate in Muscat or Oman?
Oman Chem lists ethyl acetate (part numbers RXSOL-19-1168-210 and RXSOL-19-1168-025) and is located in Barka Industrial Area. Call or WhatsApp +968 77333599, or use the contact page on omanchem.com to request a quote and confirm availability and delivery for your site.