Deoiling

Deoiling is a common operation, typically carried out during a change of service, maintenance and inspection, or decommissioning. In all cases, achieving the required level of cleanliness is critical to prevent contamination of the marine environment.

A routinely mandated target is 30ppm oil in water - a strict but neccesary standard that can be difficult, time-consuming and costly to achieve, particularly when operations are carried out from a vessel with high daily rental rates.

These challenges often intensify during decommissioning, as pipelines may have undergone numerous modifications over their lifetime, resulting in varying diameters that render them unpiggable. In many cases, access is restricted to a narrow downline from the vessel, adding further operational complexity.

By integrating specialist knowledge in both Gel Technology and Chemical Cleaning, SANCCUS provide a unique, high-performance approach to overcoming these conditions.

Case History

An FPSO off the east coast of India had to be decommissioned. All risers has been thoroughly cleaned of hydrocarbons, gas, sludge, scale, and NORM by our Gel trains.

SANCCUS Solutions

Field-proven across the UK and Norwegian North Sea, our solutions consistently meet the 30ppm target using less than two pipeline volumes of seawater - and frequently less than one. Oil-in-water results below 5ppm are regularly achieved.

Our chemical systems can be used alongside conventional pigs, however, when operating through narrow vessel downlines, mechanical pigging is often not feasible. In these situations, our integrated Gel and Chemical Cleaning trains offer a highly effective alternative, with the entire chemical sequence designed to safely pass through production separators at the end of the process. Given the high daily costs associated with dive support vessels, this combined approach significantly reduces operational time and expense by reliably achieving cleanliness targets quickly.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Pipelines Range

Gel technology is very versatile and can be applied anytime during the lifetime of a field from helping to remove hydrotest fluids when commissioning to the bulk removal of hydrocarbons and solids prior to maintenance or when preparing a pipeline for responsible decommissioning.

Aqualink Gel

Aqualink Gel is an environmentally friendly crosslinked pipeline gel - great all rounder with self-healing ability. On the completion of a job, Aqualink Gel can be chemically broken down and be ejected directly to the sea as long as there is no liquid hydrocarbon contamination.

Aquasurf Gel

AquaSurf Gel is a non-crosslinked water-based gel containing deoiling surfactants. Aquasurf Gel is an excellent combination product for deoiling pipelines where the oil in water requirement is less stringent and avoids having to pump several chemicals in sequence.

Atlas Pig

Atlas Pig is a highly flexible gel pig with shape memory used in situations where a mechanical pig cannot be applied. It is also capable of withstanding pressures up to 600 barg for up to 72 hours. This allows Atlas Pig to be installed during pre-commissioning.

Atlas Pig HT

Atlas Pig HTD is a highly flexible gel pig with shape memory, capable of withstanding pressures up to 600 barg for up to 72 hours. Storage up to 55°C, maximum working temperature 75°C.

Atlas Pig HTD

Atlas Pig HTD is a highly flexible gel pig with shape memory and added trace dye for improved visibility, capable of withstanding pressures up to 600 barg for up to 72 hours. Designed for use at higher ambient temperatures up to 55°C.

Hydro Gel Pig

Hydro Gel Pig is a pipeline pig made from a mixture of gelatine and water. Having a melting point of around 25°C it is typically used in colder climates and as with all gel pigs it is used in situations where a mechanical pig cannot be.

Hyper Gel Pig

Hyper Gel Pig is a highly flexible gel pig with shape memory which is specifically designed for use in environments of extreme temperature. This means that Hyper Gel Pig can be applied under extreme pipe conditions and can also be stored in very hot or very cold climates without damage.

Hypergel A

HyperGel A is a flexible silicone gel pig with shape memory which is designed for use in environments where standard gel pigs are not suitable. Due to its composition, it can be used over a wider range of temperatures circa -15 to +110°C.

M-GeL Pig

M-Gel Pig is a highly flexible gel pig with shape memory used in situations where a mechanical pig cannot be applied. It is capable of extruding through chokes and restrictions up to 50% of its diameter and returning undamaged to its original size and shape once through.

M-GeL Pig Breaker

M-Gel Pig Breaker is an oxidising agent in liquid solution which chemically attacks the polymer structure of the M-Gel Pig and eventually turns the previously elastic solid pig into a liquid.

M-Gel Pig HT

M-Gel Pig HT is a highly flexible gel pig with shape memory, used in situations where a mechanical pig cannot be applied. Storage up to 55°C, maximum working temperature 75°C.

M-Gel Pig HTD

M-Gel Pig HTD is a highly flexible gel pig with shape memory and added trace dye for improved visibility, used in situations where a mechanical pig cannot be applied. Designed for use at higher ambient temperatures between 40°C and 55°C.

Mono Gel Pig

Mono Gel Pig is a pipeline pig made from a mixture of gelled monoethylene glycol and water. Having a melting point of around 30°C it is typically used in colder climates and as with all gel pigs it is used in situations where a mechanical pig cannot be.

Petrolink Gel

Petrolink Gel is an oil based crosslinked pipeline and fracturing gel. It is typically used in pipelines where the presence of water is undesirable due to the risk of hydrate formation or corrosion.

Solclean Gel

SolClean Gel is a pipeline gel specifically designed to clean oil and other hydrocarbons from pipe walls leaving them water wet. It is especially useful during maintenance or decommissioning where strictly low oil in water targets are expected.