If you have a pipeline with a lot of issues, stopping your operations just to fix the problems can be costly. You might have to suspend work for some time until the leaks or clogs are repaired. As a result, money is going down the drain while the services are indefinitely suspended.

Fortunately, lots of companies can offer you repair and maintenance services without the need for downtime. Some of the pipeline intervention services are done by experts who are knowledgeable in fixing the issues in the fastest possible time. Some will offer you reliable and specialized services that will cover your needs. Here are some of the things to expect during repair operations.

What You Can Benefit from the Experts

• Some can offer you gel technology, chemical, or mechanical cleaning so the debris can be removed easily. These processes are done with lesser downtime. Regardless if you have a pipeline for natural gas, crude oil, water, refined products, and other petrochemical compounds, the right experts will be able to offer you outstanding services that exceed your expectations.
• Get bespoke nitrogen and temporary pump packages and services to make inspections easier.
• If you have a gas pipeline, there’s a need to reduce its impact on the environment. Fortunately, some companies offer temporary gas transfer methods in an affordable package. Rest assured that the solutions that they are offering are always environment-friendly.
• After the maintenance is finished, a hydro-testing is done to ensure that the system restart is successful. The nitrogen services can provide revalidation and allow for a smoother transition from the maintenance to the re-opening phase.

Other Services that May Help

Technologies such as line plugging and hot tapping help if repairs, maintenance, and modification work. These technologies allow the operators to isolate the pipes’ problem into a single section and bypass other parts. As a result, they can complete leak repairs without losing products or shutting down the entire system.

Line Plugging and Stopping

This is the method of safely isolating a section of the pipeline to modify a pressurized system. Owners may do isolation for several reasons, including installing a new valve, repairing a damaged part of the pipe with corrosion, ruptured line repairs, separation of compressors, and line re-routing. If you think that these apply to your company, you can ask your contractor if this is the best method. You may also request for plant alterations, roadways, and tying new sections of pipelines if you are trying to modify your system.

Plugging Techniques

While your system is under pressure, the pros will insert a plug head through a hot tap. There’s often a temporary valve assembly created so that the plugging head can quickly go through. After the plugging head sets into the pipe, they remove the pressure into the isolated area, and this is done by equalization fitting.

Completion Mode

After the changes have been made, the plugging head is removed. The line is equalized, and there’s a retraction on the plugging head. The temporary valve is also removed after the work is done. A completion plug is fitted into the place of the temporary valve while removing the equipment.

About Pipeline Pigging

Many companies use pipeline pigging technique to perform maintenance, inspection, cleaning, and dimensioning in many systems. The “pigs” or tools used are usually made up of rubber or polyurethane open-cell foam. You can read more about how pigging works when you click here.

One of the intervention services done for leak repairs is to insert a pig launcher in your pipeline’s rear. The calculation is done when multiplying the cross-sectional area of the back of the tool and its tail’s applied pressure.

Most experts can insert a pig that has a large enough diameter to cover the interiors. The size will cause a kind of interference that will remove the debris and clear the dirt along the device’s way. Some of the factors considered ineffective cleaning include the speed, flow rate, temperature, pressure, and debris volume. When the tool runs its course throughout the pipe, it is captured in the end by a receiving station. This section safely removes the pig since it is contained in an isolated shut-off valve.

Do You Have to Pig your Pipelines?

Many companies see their pipelines as a very efficient system when it comes to transporting gases or liquid across many districts in their area. These systems are significant commitments for some stockholders since they protect the goods, water, or gas that are precious investments. Maintenance must regularly be taken to get the maximum performance when it comes to deliveries.

If you are in charge of maintaining a new pipeline, the pigging can be beneficial if you want to check their capabilities. For most states, the system should be able to meet the designated maximum allowable operating pressure, which can be tested using the pigs. The lines’ interior is filled with water during the testing phase, and the liquid is removed after a successful hydrostatic trial.

Other benefits that you can get with the pigging method are removing rusts, moisture, scale, and other accumulated debris inside your pipeline. The tools can also remove debris from construction and ensure that the interiors are dry.

A Final Word

These are just some of the methods used by many major pipeline companies to repair or maintain their systems. You must talk to the right people about what you need to assist you with your needs. Note that these projects should not be undertaken lightly. It would be best to have experienced professionals who have the right tools to complete the job most efficiently and safely. The experts will tailor their approach based on the results that you wanted to see.