Transcript How well do you now your pipeline?

How well do you now your pipeline?
PPSA Seminar – Aberdeen
18th November 2009
Paul Birkinshaw
The industry challenge
Choosing the right pigging options
for in-service pipelines
with little or no pigging history
‘Pigging The Unpigged’
(not the unpigabble!)
The challenge for Penspen
 Penspen Integrity
 Have been providing of pigging related consultancy
services for more than10 years
 Penspen O&M Services (GreyStar UK)
 Significant growth area within Penspen in the UK
 Providing O&M services for onshore pipelines
 Pipeline operators (our clients) with little or no
knowledge or experience in pigging
 Particularly UK power station gas supply pipelines
We are increasingly being asked to deliver
‘Turnkey Pigging Solutions’
Wearing the operators shoes!
 We need to get to know their
pipeline intimately
 Gathering all the available pipeline
data
 Collating and carefully assessing
the available data
 Understand the main drivers (why
are we pigging it?)
 Defining the key objectives (what do
have to achieve?)
 Identify the key challenges and
uncertainties
 Identifying the major constraints
A lot to think about!
What data do we need?
 As-built data:
 Route maps/drawings
 Site / AGI plans
 P&IDs
 Isometric Drawings (usually of AGI plant)
 Pipebook / weld records or charts
 Construction POs and related procurement
documentation
What data do we need?
 Operational data
 Current operating conditions
 Historical operating conditions
 Suspected or known issues (e.g. evidence of dusts /
sludge in filters)
 Other useful data sources:
 Commissioning records (including pigging reports)
 Construction reports
 Third party incidents
 Repair and maintenance records
Why do we need it?
Good ILI data is essential
1. 0
0. 9
Repair
d/t (normalised defect depth)
0. 8
0. 7
0. 6
Rejection
0. 5
DESIGN PRESSURE (72 percent SMYS)
Safety Margin
0. 4
0. 3
HYDROTEST PRESSURE (100 percent SMYS)
Acceptance
0. 2
0. 1
0. 0
0. 0
1. 0
2. 0
3. 0
4. 0
5. 0
2c/(R t)^0.5 (nor m alised defect length)
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
Getting hold of the data
 Review the data from
proposal stage
 Often limited to diameter,
length, service, location
 Send an initial data
request (the pipeline
questionnaire)
 The first sign of trouble!
Getting hold of the data
 Follow-up with meeting and site survey
 To establish what's really on site (the AGI equipment)
 To find out more about the buried pipeline
 Your first introduction to the clients Data Room!!
The data room!!
Getting your head around your client’s document management
system can sometimes be difficult!
Preparing for an ILI operation
 Preparations
 Confirming pigging feasibility – can you get a pig
through the line ?
o
check bores, bends, tees, line pipe data etc.
 Verifying the operating conditions are adequate for
pigging
o
flow rate, pressure, temperature etc.
 Identifying the pipeline the necessary pipeline
preparations or adaptations
o
access arrangements, fitting temporary traps , bridle
pipework etc.
Preparing for an ILI operation
 Setting out the scope of work
 Defining the overall objectives
 Identifying the requirements for the preparatory
pigging (pig selection and sequencing of pig runs)
 Choosing the right ILI services (geometry, metal loss
inspection etc.)
 Identifying any ancillary services required (pig
tracking / location etc.)
 Identifying all general site services required
(manning, lifting, handling, tools, waste management
etc.)
Preparing for an ILI operation
 Procuring the equipment and services
 Preparing specifications and procurement of all prep
pigs and associated services
 Preparing ILI technical and contract requirements
specifications
 Preparing and administering an ITT for ILI services
 Performing tender evaluation (technical and
commercial)
 Selecting and procuring ILI services (in conjunction
with client)
Preparing for an ILI operation
 Executing the services at site
 Preparing method statements and operating
procedures
 Risk assessment
 Checking the serviceability of the existing pipeline
equipment
 Carrying out the site preparations
 Provision of operators (to operate valves and run
pigs)
 Provision of all ancillary and general services
 Carrying out preparatory pigging
 Management of and supporting the ILI pigging
 Provision of pig cleaning equipment and waste
handling
Preparing for an ILI operation
 Delivering the final results
 Providing a preliminary assessment based on the ILI
preliminary report)
 Reviewing the pipeline inspection report
 Delivering a integrity integrity assessment
Having access to reliable pipeline data for all
stages of the project is essential!
Penspen approach
We start with a ‘Piggability Study’
 We basically take our time to gather, properly
collate and to assess all the available pipeline
data before embarking on a pigging campaign
 This has been found to be essential, particularly
for turnkey jobs…
….even if the job looks to be straight forward!
The piggability study – the questions
 Can the pipeline be pigged?
 What do we know about the pipeline?
 As built data
 Operational data
 Construction / commissioning records
 Operational history
 What preparations (or adaptations) are
required?
 Serviceability of existing facilities
 Adaptations (fitting temporary traps etc.)
 Adjustments in operating conditions
 What are the operational constraints?
The piggability study – the questions
 What are the notable pipeline features?
 Connections
 Major crossings (e.g. road, rail, water)
 What kind of ILI is required?
 To facilitate a full integrity assessment
 Which pig(s) to start with?
 Proving and gauging
 How much cleaning?
 How much contingency?
The piggability assessment provides..
 A piggability assessment
report
 For the client and
ourselves
 An assessment summary
 An overview of the issues
 A pipeline data file
(collating all the relevant
data)
 For the client and to
disseminate within the
project team
The data drives everything!
Piggability study – key outputs
 Confirm pigging feasibility (hopefully!)
 Identify any necessary pipeline adaptations and
modifications
 Identify any areas of uncertainty for further
investigation
 Scope out the appropriate preparatory pigging
operations and related tasks
 Collate key technical data for pig selection and
specification
 Identify the key requirements for ILI pigging (the
ILI service requirements specification)
Piggability study – outputs
 Identify any appropriate ancillary services (e.g.
pig tracking)
 Develop a project plan for the operations
 Provide key input data for the development of
method statements and reliable operational
procedures (none routine procedure)
 Provide a sound basis for risk assessment and
the development of mitigation measures
 Provide valuable input data for ILI data analysis
process the final integrity assessment
Power station gas supply pipelines
 Owned by power
station operator
 Utility companies or
private operators
 High pressure lines

Connected to NTS

With or without PRS
 Continuous operation
 Must keep the
generators going
 Often no alternative
source of gas supply
 Sole grid connection
Power station gas supply pipelines
 No operational pigging
 No permanent pigging
facilities
 Usually facility to install
temporary traps
 Limited operator
knowledge
 Not core business /
O&M contracted out
 Lack of confidence in
(or availability of)
pipeline as-built records
24” example (turnkey project)
No records of any
commissioning pigging
Doubts about final routing
(fabricated bends?)
Daily revenue from
pipeline £1.2M!
High Gas Flows (3.5
m/s)
Concerns about debris
(dust / liquids build up)
HDD Crossing
800m / 19.1mm
pipe / 16m deep
Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD)
24” Receive pipework
24” example
No records of any
Doubts about final routing
commissioning
pigging
Fabricated
bens?)
Cautious progressive
approach to pigging
/
early geometry pig run (+ bend detection)
Key input to requirements specification (ILI tool
capabilities
High Gas Flows (3.5
HDD Crossing
m/s)
800m / 19.1mm
Concerns about debris
pipe / 16m deep
(dust / liquids build up)
Concerns reduced through further
investigations
After the ILI pig run…
Forged
Bends
Pipe
Joints
Using the ILI mapping data
Piggability study – benefits
 Confirming the adequacy of all launch and
receive facilities
 Pig trap requirements
 Access issues
 Confirming the arrangement s of the existing AGI
pipework
 Quantify the full range of pipe thickness and
bores
 Optimum sizing of pigs and sealing elements
 ILI service specifications
Piggability study – benefits
 Identifying the location and configuration of all
major infrastructure crossings locations
 For risk management and emergency response
planning
 Identification of significant geometrical features
including known minimum bend radius
 For correct pig selection,
 Pig configurations
 Sequencing of pig runs (pipeline proving)
Piggability study – benefits
 Identification of potential debris sources and
contaminants
 For correct pig selection,
 Evaluating risk to downstream plant and for

Preparedness at the receive end (pig cleaning and
debris handling)
 Sound procurement
 Getting the right equipment and service levels (quality
control)
 Managing financial risk
Piggability study – benefits
 Reliable planning and execution
 Managing risk and QHSE
 Delivering effectively and to time and budget
 Reliable data analysis and reporting
 Eliminating uncertainties in the data
 Getting more out of the data
 Assuring pipeline integrity
Summing up
Access to good pipeline records is key to
successful pigging
 Increased effectiveness
 Choosing the right pigs
 Selecting the right ILI services
 Get the most out of the results
 Increased efficiency
 Get it right first time
 Avoiding mistakes
 Take out unnecessary conservatism
 Reduced risk
Smart pigging requires a smart approach!