THE INTEGRITY OF A PRIMER IS WELL KNOWN TO INFLUENCE THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF PIPELINE COATINGS. CONVENTIONAL PRIMER SYSTEMS INCLUDING CHLORINATED RUBBER BASED PRIMERS HAVE LONG BEEN USED WITH COAL TAR ENAMEL BASED PIPELINE COATINGS. WHILE THESE OFFER HIGH PERFORMANCE AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES IN FIELD APPLICATION. HIGH TEMPERATURE PERFORMANCE ABOVE 71 C IS LIMITED. THERE IS A NEED FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE PERFORMACE IN OIL AND GAS PIPELINES. ESPECIALLY NEAR COMPRESSOR STATIONS FOR NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION AND IN THE TRANSPORT OF HIGHER VISCOSITY CRUDE OILS. THE PERFORMANCE OF A NEWLY DEVELOPED EPOXY PRIMER THAT ENHANCES A COAL TAR BASED PIPELINE COATING SYSTEM IS DESCRIBED. LABORATORY TEST RESULTS ARE REPORTED WHICH DEMONSTRATES IMPROVED HIGH TEMPERATURE RESISTANCE AS MEASURED BY ADHESION, CATHODIC DISBONDMENT, AND WATER RESISTANCE. A PILOT PLANT APPLICATION OF THE SYSTEM IS DESCRIBED ALONG WITH THE TEST RESULTS OF PLANT APPLIED EPOXY/CTE COATED STEEL PIPE COMPARED TO PLANT APPLIED FBE COATINGS.