Pipeline cleaning is the most typical and frequently performed in-line operation. Pipeline operators and contractors use different types of cleaning tools to perform various tasks at all stages of pipeline construction and operation, such as pipeline cleaning before commissioning, routine cleaning, wax removal, cleaning before diagnostics, displacement or separation of product, etc.
During the operation of oil and gas pipelines, deposits of various origins and in various states, such as paraffin, “black dust”, scale, accumulate on the inner surface of the pipeline, which have a tendency to compaction and crystallization. This process reduces the effective internal diameter of the pipeline, which in turn leads to a decrease in the flow rate of the pipeline, or to an increase in the energy consumption of compressor/pumping stations required to pump the same volume of product in a contaminated pipeline. Also, in gas pipelines, liquids such as gas condensate or water can accumulate in the lower part of the pipe, leading to a similar effect. Deposits can clog and render unusable filters, rotating equipment downstream, and cause accelerated corrosion growth.
To prevent such consequences, all pipelines must be cleaned with in-line cleaning pigs (or scrappers). Moreover, some pipelines may require special cleaning solutions to remove special types of contaminants. We, at Industria LLC, provide our customers with a wide range of cleaning services. Our fleet of in-line cleaning tools includes various equipment for working on pipelines with a nominal diameter from 6” to 56” inches. The R&D department of Industria LLC will design and manufacture specially designed cleaning tools for you, if necessary.
In the most severe conditions, when the sediments harden and mineralize, we apply the principle of “progressive pigging” and plan the work in such a way as to first run pigs with a high level of flexibility (polyurethane foam scrapers - light duty pigs) and then gradually increase the “rigidity” of the pigs launched (cleaning pigs with cast polyurethane cuffs, with hard metal brushes, etc.).