Subsea pig recovery concepts
The project focused on engineering design. The results are presented in the contents of this report, and are supported by the additional data in the report appendices. The project produced two subsea pig receiver preliminary designs, configured for branchline installation at a branchline/trunkline interface in water depths from 100 ft. to 800 ft. Both systems are designed to receive a minimum of twelve spherical pigs without requiring a control system or diver intervention or one inspection pig with the aid of divers. The removal of pigs from the systems is accomplished using divers to either retrieve the removable receiver to the surface or to remove the pigs from the system subsea. Branchline diameters of 12'' and 8'' were addressed in the project. The systems can be installed from a small construction barge in all water depths under consideration and can be maintained using a Diving Support Vessel (DSV). Surface air technology is adequate for the shallow water (100 ft.) situation. Both system designs use existing, proven components and technology except for the pig indicators. Estimates of the capital cost associated with the procurement and installation of either system varies from $1.94 million to $2.48 million depending on the branchline diameter and installation water depth. The annual maintenance costs associated with the retrievable receiver are anticipated to be between $.27 million and $.58 million, depending on the installation depth. All costs have been compiled without consideration for downtime and do not include any contingency provisions. The continued development of these systems is technically feasible. Expensive system installation and operation costs, however, combined with the complexity of gas pipeline pigging, and labor intensive retrieval procedures, continue to make branchline pigging an operationally questionable procedure.
- Research Organization:
- American Gas Association, Inc., Arlington, VA (United States). Pipeline Research Committee; Mohr (H.O.) Research and Engineering, Inc., Houston, TX (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- AGA; American Gas Association, Inc., Arlington, VA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 6877421
- Report Number(s):
- AGA-93007105; CNN: Project-209-018
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
BP Exploration`s Pompano subsea development: Operational strategy for a subsea project
Workover and recompletion of subsea completions in the Gulf of Mexico
Related Subjects
032000* -- Natural Gas-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
42 ENGINEERING
420200 -- Engineering-- Facilities
Equipment
& Techniques
CAPITALIZED COST
COST
DIVING OPERATIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY SOURCES
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLANGES
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
INSPECTION
JOINTS
MAINTENANCE
NATURAL GAS
OFFSHORE OPERATIONS
OPERATING COST
PIPELINES
PIPES
PROGRESS REPORT