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Pipeline pigs are devices that are placed inside the pipe and traverse the pipeline.
Contents
1 Uses
o 1.1 Hydrostatic testing
o 1.2 Pipeline cleanup
o 1.3 Batch transportation
o 1.4 Prevention of solid accumulation and corrosion
o 1.5 Coating
o 1.6 Inspection
2 Intelligent pigs
4 Pig selection
5 Slug catchers
6 Nomenclature
7 References
9 External links
10 See also
Uses
Pigs may be used in hydrostatic testing and pipeline drying, internal cleaning, internal
coating, liquid management, batching, and inspection. Fig. 1 shows several types of pipeline
pigs.
Hydrostatic testing
Pigs are used during hydrostatic testing operations to allow the pipeline to be filled with
water, or other test medium, without entrapping air. The pig is inserted ahead of the fill point,
and water is pumped behind the pig to keep the pipe full of water and force air out ahead of
the pig. Pigs are then used to remove the test waters and to dry the pipeline.
Pipeline cleanup
Operations may conduct pigging on a regular basis to clean solids, scale, wax buildup
(paraffin), and other debris from the pipe wall to keep the pipeline flow efficiency high. In
addition to general cleaning, natural-gas pipelines use pigs to manage liquid accumulation
and keep the pipe free of liquids. Water and natural-gas liquids can condense out of the gas
stream as it cools and contacts the pipe wall and pocket in low places, which affects flow
efficiency and can lead to enhanced corrosion.
Batch transportation
Pigs are used in product pipelines to physically separate, or batch, the variety of
hydrocarbons that are transported through the line. Product pipelines may simultaneously
transport gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oils, and other products, which are kept separated by
batching pigs.
Coating
Pigs may be used to apply internal pipe coatings, such as epoxy coating materials, in
operating pipelines. Pigs may also be used with corrosion inhibitors to distribute and coat the
entire internal wetted perimeter.
Inspection
Pigs are being used more frequently as inspection tools. Gauging or sizing pigs are typically
run following the completion of new construction or line repair to determine if there are any
internal obstructions, bends, or buckles in the pipe. Pigs can also be equipped with cameras to
allow viewing of the pipe internals. Electronic intelligent, or smart, pigs that use magnetic
and ultrasonic systems have been developed and refined that locate and measure internal and
external corrosion pitting, dents, buckles, and any other anomalies in the pipe wall.
Intelligent pigs
The accuracy of location and measurement of anomalies by the intelligent pigs has continued
to improve. Initially, the electronics and power systems were so large that intelligent pigs
could be used only in lines 30 in. and greater in size. The continued sophistication and
miniaturization of the electronic systems used in the intelligent pigs has allowed the
development of smaller pigs that can be used in small-diameter pipelines. Newly enacted
DOT pipeline-integrity regulations and rules acknowledge the effectiveness of the intelligent
pigs and incorporate their use in the pipeline-integrity testing process.
Fig. 2Typical sphere launcher and receiver traps (courtesy of AMEC Paragon).
Pig selection
Pig runs of between 50 to 100 miles are normal, but pig runs exceeding 200 miles should be
avoided as the pig may wear and get stuck in the line. Cleaning pigs may be constructed of
steel body with polyurethane cups or discs and foam pigs with polyurethane wrapping, solid
urethane disc, and steel body with metallic brushes. Drying pigs are usually low-density foam
or multicup urethane. The intelligent pigs may be:
Ultrasonic
Elastic/shear wave
Transponder/transducer
Or combinations thereof
Internal-coating pigs are generally multicup urethane type. Batching pigs are typically
bidirectional, multidisk rubber, which maintain efficiency up to 50 miles. Pigs used for
obstruction inspection are typically urethane, multicup type fitted with an aluminum gauge
plate or a gel type.
Spheres are generally sized to be approximately 2% greater diameter than the pipe internal
diameter. Cups and discs are typically sized to be 1/16 to 1/8 in. larger in diameter than the
pipe ID. Foam pigs have to be significantly oversized. Foam pigs 1 to 6 in. in diameter should
be oversized by 1/4 in.; foam pigs 8 to 16 in. in diameter should be oversized 3/8 to 1/2 in.;
foam pigs 18 to 24 in. in diameter should be oversized 1/2 to 1 in.; and foam pigs 28 to 48 in.
in diameter should be oversized 1 to 2 in.
Slug catchers
The receiving end of the pipeline should have surge containment to accommodate the slugs of
liquid carried by the pigs. For liquid lines, additional storage capacity (tankage) will provide
surge containment. Gas and multiphase lines need specially designed "slug" catcher systems
to handle the intermittent liquid slugs generated by the pigging activities. When a normal gas
flow is pushing the pig through a gas pipeline, the velocity can be quite large and the flow
rate of liquids being pushed ahead is given by
(Eq. 1)
where
QL
Qg
T
P
and
Z
=
=
=
=
In most systems, the instantaneous liquid-flow rate and "energy" surge ahead of the pig will
exceed the processing design capacity and capability of the receiving facility. The slug
catcher provides excess storage capacity within the receiving facility and helps dissipate the
excess energy generated by the high-velocity liquid slug. The basic slug catcher is essentially
a liquid-separation system where the incoming liquid enters a larger-diameter pipe or a
vessel, which provides additional volume for the liquid surge and provides for separation of
the vapor from the liquid stream. The additional volume provided by the slug catcher reduces
the stream velocity and dissipates the excess energy produced by the liquid slug.
Another typical slug-catcher design employs an inline liquid header system attached to a
series of horizontal liquid accumulators which may be several hundred feet in length. The
liquid-slug stream enters the header and disperses into the accumulators, while the gas
continues through the system and exits at the vapor-outlet collection header. The slug catcher
may incorporate vortex breakers or other impingement devices to slow the liquid and mist
extractors at the vapor outlet to capture entrained liquids. The liquid is transferred from the
accumulators to the facility processing or storage. Fig. 3 shows an example slug-catcher
design.
(Eq. 2)
where
(Vol)SC
Vol
and
Qd
(Eq. 3)
where TR = time during which slug is processed, in days. The volume of the slug catcher
should be designed with a minimum 25% safety factor.
Nomenclature
QL
Qg
T
P
Z
(Vol)SC
Vol
Qd
TR
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=