Pipeline Cleaning

General Information About The PS Engineering Pipeline Cleaning

Why clean pipelines matter?

All pipelines regardless of what they are transferring require internal cleaning. This is one of the most important rules of proper pipeline maintenance. Regular cleaning removes dust, sludge, and construction debris (at commissioning stage) from inside the pipeline, preventing blockages of internal pipe bore and restoring pipeline transport capacities.

The use of pigs to clear pipelines is well practiced in the oil industry today. Pipes carrying both crude oil and its derivatives can often suffer from a build-up of waxy deposits, sometimes caused by changes in pressure or temperature in the pipeline. Significant wax deposits and blockages can be potentially catastrophic for the continued operation of the pipeline.

Waxes can vary greatly in texture from a viscous liquid to soft deposits with varied properties – textures from boot polish through to candle wax at its most solid. The deposits can reduce pipeline diameter, which can cause a large pressure drop and in the worst case the build-up becomes so severe that the pipeline blocks and oil transmission may cease completely.

WHY CLEAN?

Improved Flow
Prevent Corrosion
De-water
Line Prep for inline inspection

How to clean an oil pipeline?

WAX Removal

Certain wax concentration is typical for oil pipelines and also it is typical for wax to crystallize in the pipe walls. Solid wax deposits on pipe walls reduce operational efficiency of oil pipelines.

Cleaning of wax requires a special approach as solid wax can combine with other mineral deposits and removal of it by conventional cleaning pigs may become impossible.

We have vast experience in cleaning oil pipelines with high wax content using specially developed de-waxing pigs.

These pigs are equipped with polyurethane blades, steel scrapers and other arrangements ensuring effective cutting and removing wax sediments. However, in many cases the wax cannot be fully removed by mechanical pigging means as the large part of wax content can be dissolved in oil.

Then we are ready to offer chemical cleaning solution. We will carry out engineering assessment, select chemicals and their volume, and develop the cleaning program. We will run the cleaning pigs along with pumping the batches of chemical solutions dissolving and bonding wax.

CLEANING – THE RIGHT WAY

Our cleaning pigs, which include metal and urethane bodies, bi-directional and dual diameter, can clean any pipeline – dirt, sand, wax, water, gravel, debris – whatever the need, PS Engineering’s got it covered.

PIG TRAINS – PIG LINKS

The Pig Link concept allows various configurations and adaptations of cups, discs, and body links. The heavy duty of the metal body link allows the pig to pass bend radius as small as one diameter even when attached to additional link sections.

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