Pipeline pigging services

The removal of wax deposits on the pipe wall is crucial for collecting good data, and as a result, AGR PipeTech AS has developed a system to remove debris and growth from the pipelines, as well as wax deposits on the pipe wall, before an inspection.

Cleaning is preformed by running single or dual module cleaning/scraper pigs inside the pipeline. In order to be able to execute a cleaning program, a pig launcher and receiver needs to be fitted onto the pipeline. The cleaning program is then carried out in several stages and will often use three to five types of cleaning pigs with different configurations for different tasks.

• Polly/Foam pig: This pig will be introduced into the pipeline to perform a reconnaissance survey to find out if there are any restrictions in the pipeline. The result of this survey will form the basis for the continuation of the project (one run).
• Polly/Foam pig with gauging plate: After the reconnaissance survey is completed, the Polly pig with gauging plate will be introduced. This is to make sure the pipeline is cleanable. If the pipeline condition is well known and the pipeline has been cleaned regularly, a standard maintenance Bi-Di pig with gauging plate can be used for this task.
• Bi-Di scraper pig (1): Given that the previous pig runs have performed to the contractor’s and the company’s satisfaction, two runs with a Bi-Di scraper pig will be performed.
• Bi-Di scraper pig (2): Upon completion of the previous cleaning run, the intention is to start the most aggressive cleaning operation by introducing a Bi-Di cleaning pig with magnets and brushes/scrapers mounted. The number of runs required is at this stage unknown, but it is not uncommon to perform 6-10 runs in order to obtain the required cleaning result.

It is recommended to flush the pipeline after the cleaning program has been completed.