Rescue

An all too common occurrence in the pigging industry is when a mechanical pig gets stuck in a pipeline. This can be due to a build of wax or debris in front of the pig, though disc wear on long pipelines or they can get stuck at tight bends.

Sometimes it can be back flowed but often a rescue pig is sent in to recover this stuck pig only to end up getting stuck itself. The resultant cost of mechanical intervention can be eye wateringly expensive.

By selecting SANCCUS gel pig or pipeline gel technology as the first option the client massively reduces the risk of a rescue effort.

SANCCUS SOLUTIONS

SANCCUS’s M-Gel Pig is a highly flexible elastic gel pig that can be compressed to half its diameter and survive but if it encounters a choke point it will simply shear through it. If the mechanical pig is stuck in open pipe or at a bend the M-Gel Pig will encounter the stuck pig and energise onto the pipewall with the pressure behind it and re-establish the lost differential pressure to provide enough force to push the pig round the tight bend.

If the blockage is due to wax build up we can offer the Atlas Pig. Like the M-Gel Pig it is highly flexible so will easily negotiate most wax blockage to reach the stuck pig. The Atlas Pig can withstand up to 600barg differential pressure so has a good chance of pushing the stuck pig through the blockage.

SANCCUS also offer a range of crosslinked gels which can be used in the same way. In extremely high risk situations like severe wax accumulation these should be used before moving to solid gel pigs as they will provide extra pressure to the pig but if not enough to restart the pig they will simply shear through any available flowpath.

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