Method and apparatus for removal of pigs, deposits and other debris from pipelines and wellbores (Amcol International)

CATEGORY: PIPELINES: PIGS
Method and apparatus for removal of pigs, deposits and other debris from pipelines and wellbores (Amcol International)

Type	Patent
Inventor	James R. Crawford
Inventor	James B. Crawford
URL	Free Full Text Source:  http://www.google.com/patents/US9248478
Assignee	Amcol International Corp.
Patent Number	US9248478 B2
Issue Date	Feb 2, 2016
Abstract	A carrier assembly having at least one sealing cup, a fluid bypass and adjustable wash nozzles, as well as a spear assembly having a central through bore, are attached to the distal end of a length of continuous tubing and inserted in to the flow bore of a pipeline. Fluid is pumped through the annular space between the carrier assembly and the pipeline, providing motive force for advancing the carrier assembly within the pipeline. Fluid can bypass the carrier assembly, enter the central bore of the spear assembly, and return to the surface through the central bore of the continuous tubing. A stuck pig or other obstruction is speared, and thereafter retrieved from the pipeline on the continuous tubing.

Condition-Based Pigging for Pipeline Network

CATEGORY: PIPELINE PIGGING 
Condition-Based Pigging for Pipeline Network

Type	Conference Paper
Author	S. Zainal Abidin
Author	A. Norman
URL	http://www.onepetro.org/doi/10.4043/24927-MS
Publisher	Offshore Technology Conference
Date	2014
Abstract	Pigging conducted for flow assurance and pipeline integrity. It ensures maximum throughput and minimizes internal pipeline wall corrosion by removing debris, asphaltene, sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) and other impurities from the pipeline. At PMO, pigging is conducted per time-based as required by the Corrosion Management Plan (CMP). The pigging frequency is revised when there are changes to the amount of water holdup inside the pipeline. Since there is no reliable way to predict how much water holdup and heavies will deposit, pigging frequency can be optimized only by learning system behavior. Improved understanding of system behavior enables optimization of condition-based pigging frequency. Researchers conducted a mathematical study utilizing numerical method analysis using mass balance analysis of the recorded pipeline discharge and landing flowrate. Daily flowrate discrepancies between inlet and outlet flow were plotted. Cumulative flowrate discrepancies were calculated via a numerical method analysis technique. Data delay was also considered based on pig traveling time and/or fluid velocity in pipeline. A pipeline simulation model was developed using iCON with OLGAS 3Phase flow correlation to validate liquid hold up findings from numerical analysis. The study resulted in an accurate approach to quantify the amount of liquid hold-up volume as well as other operating parameters such as velocity, pressure profile, flow regime and temperature to identify the pigging requirements for the pipelines for Tapis-P to TCOT pipeline.

Probing tribological properties of waxy oil in pipeline pigging with fluorescence technique

CATEGORY: PIPELINE PIGGING 
Probing tribological properties of waxy oil in pipeline pigging with fluorescence technique

Type	Journal Article
Author	Gui-Bin Tan
Author	De-Guo Wang
URL	http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301679X13003745
Volume	71
Pages	26-37
Publication	Tribology International
Date	March 2014
Abstract	Describes the results of a study of the tribological behavior of waxy oil under a sliding soft contact in a pipeline pigging process using fluorescence technique. Authors report results for a soft line contact between an elastomer cylinder and a glass plate, lubricated by a model wax–oil system. Researchers observed that, for waxy oil, the wax particles were entrapped at inlet region and passed through the contact region. Study results revealed that pigging efficiency was a function of Young’s module in rubber and the different lubricated soft contacts in pipeline pigging could be observed in situ. Experimental results indicated that the efficiency of pigging process decreased with the increasing degree of wear in sealing disc and was determined by the flow property of waxy oil.

Experimental study on dynamics of rotatable bypass-valve in speed control pig in gas pipeline

CATEGORY: PIPELINE PIGGING 
Experimental study on dynamics of rotatable bypass-valve in speed control pig in gas pipeline

Type	Journal Article
Author	Xiaoxiao Zhu
Author	Shimin Zhang
URL	http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263224113004302
Volume	47
Pages	686-692
Publication	Measurement
Date	January 2014
Abstract	Periodic pigging of oil and gas pipelines for dewatering, cleaning and inspecting is standard industry procedure. A speed control unit is required to control the speed of the pig, especially in large diameter and high pressure gas pipelines. A rotatable bypass-valve is a needed part in the speed regulating unit, which is used to control the speed of pig by changing the amounts of the bypass flow across the pig body. However, the dynamics of the bypass-valve is complex and indeterminate during bypassing. Accordingly, researchers set up an experiment facility to simulate actual working conditions and determine the dynamic characteristics of bypass-valve. The relationship among the torque, the opening of bypass-valve and the differential pressure over bypass-valve can be obtained in this experiment, which can provide the references to make control algorithm for speed control pig.