LTP-0029 (Pigging, Pig Launchers and Receivers)

Equion Internal
Pigging, Pig Laucnchers and Receivers
Información del Documento

**Sitio: EQUION ENERGIA Autor: Carlos Cáceres
**Vicepresidencia: HSE & ENG Clasificación: EQUION interno
**Área: Gerencia de Ingeniería y Fecha Última Rev.: 30-Nov-11 Próx. Revisión: 30-Oct-13
Seguridad del Proceso
**Tipo de Doc:: Práctica Número Anterior: GP 43-50
La información contenida en este informe es sensible desde el punto de vista de Número del Documento Rev.
seguridad y también puede ser sensible desde el punto de vista competitivo.
Las decisiones relativas a la divulgación de este documento a terceros se deben tomar
conjuntamente con el Departamento Legal de Equión. LTP-0029 1
Rev. Detalle de la Revisión Elaboró Fecha Revisó Aprobó

01 Emisión del Documento Carlos Cáceres 13/Oct/11 Carlos Cáceres Ignacio Alonso
Pigging, Pig Laucnchers and Receivers (Rev:01) Equion Internal
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Partes Interesadas (Stakeholders)

Cargo Nombre
Gerente de Operaciones Edgar Castelblanco
Reinaldo Rodríguez
Gerente de Seguridad Industrial y Salud César Aragón
Gerente de Intervención de Pozos Eber Castro Neira
Gerente de Integridad y Aseguramiento Técnico Luis Eduardo González
Superintendente de Operaciones Orlando Estévez
Remberto Pacheco
Javier García
Sergio Hernández
Superintentedente de Mantenimiento e Integridad de Antonio Abril
Activos Guillermo Alzate
Lider Senior de Ingenieria Jaime Rodríguez
Ingeniero Lider de Procesos Jaime Pinzón
Ingeniero Senior de Procesos en Operaciones Oscar Huertas
Lider Senior de Construcción Javier Tavera
Néstor Rueda
Lider de Alistamiento de Proyectos Flaminio Álvarez
René Villarreal
Gerente de Proyectos Jurgen Loeber
Ingeniero Senior de Instrumentación y Control Lenin Silva
Marco Fidel Suárez
Asesor de Integridad e Intervención de Pozo Claudio Castañeda
Ingeniero Lider de Corrosión Antonio Patio
Ingeniero Lider de Integridad Nelson Mejía
Ingeniero Líder de Mecanina Luis Earles Delgado
Ingeniero Lider de QAQC y Equipos a Presión Edgar Antonio
Ingeniero Lider de Líneas de Flujo Carlos Cáceres
Especialista Senior de Planeación y Desempeño Marcela Recamán
Pigging, Pig Launchers, and Receivers (Rev:01) Fecha de Impresión: Noviembre 30/2011
Copias en papel no son controladas valida solamente en el momento de Pagina 2 de 62

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Forework
This revision of Local Technical Practice (LTP) LTP-0029 is the result of extensive operational
comment and consultation as well as significant lessons learned from recent pig trap failures.
The document has been restructured to bring relevant topics together while adding
information on ATEX requirements and the Global ILI Framework Agreement. The new
structure is as follows:
• Guidance on pig selection.

• Basic requirements for pigging operations.
• Design of pipelines and facilities for pigging.
• Specific guidance on design, inspection, and maintenance of pig trap closures.
Because revisions were so extensive, revisions have not been identified in the margin as is
normal practice.

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Tabla de contenido
1. Scope………………………………..................................................................................................... 6
2. Normative references…………..................................................................................................... 6
3. Symbols and abbreviations......................................................................................................... 7
4. Pigging overview……………….. ................................................................................................... 8
4.1. Reasons to pig ..................................................................................................................... 8
4.2. Pig types............................................................................................................................... 9
4.3. Pig selection, design, and maintenance............................................................................ 9
4.3.1. General ........................................................................................................................................................... 9
4.3.2. Pig design requirements........................................................................................................................10
4.3.3. ATEX requirements for potentially explosive atmosphere service.........................................11
4.3.4. Maintenance and inspection of pigs.................................................................................................11
4.4. In-line inspection pigging requirements ........................................................................ 12
4.5. Pigging operational considerations ................................................................................ 12
4.5.1. General .........................................................................................................................................................12
4.5.2. Safety and risk assessment ...................................................................................................................12
4.5.3. Operating procedures.............................................................................................................................14
4.5.4. Contingency plans....................................................................................................................................15
4.6. Pig trap operations, inspection and maintenance ......................................................... 16
4.6.1. General .........................................................................................................................................................16
4.6.2. Operating procedures.............................................................................................................................16
4.6.3. Flushing and purging of pig traps .....................................................................................................17
4.6.4. Inspection and maintenance ................................................................................................................19
4.6.5. Inspection and revalidation of pig traps..........................................................................................19
5. Pipeline design for pigging ...................................................................................................... 20
5.1. General ............................................................................................................................... 20
5.2. Internal diameters of linepipe ......................................................................................... 21
5.3. Bends for pigging.............................................................................................................. 21
5.4. Valves, check valves, tees, and wyes ............................................................................... 21
5.5. Pig handling equipment ................................................................................................... 23
6. Design of pig trap installations ................................................................................................ 24
6.1. General ............................................................................................................................... 24
6.2. Service conditions and code requirements .................................................................... 28
6.3. Layout requirements......................................................................................................... 29
6.3.1. General .........................................................................................................................................................29
6.3.2. Onshore additional requirements ......................................................................................................30
6.3.3. Offshore additional requirements and vertical pig traps ..........................................................31
6.4. Structural supports and lifting lug design...................................................................... 31
6.5. Pipework and pressure and instrumentation requirements ......................................... 32
6.5.1. General .........................................................................................................................................................32

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6.5.2. Kicker and bypass lines ..........................................................................................................................33

6.5.3. Balance line .................................................................................................................................................33
6.5.4. Pressurising lines.......................................................................................................................................33
6.5.5. Drain line......................................................................................................................................................34
6.5.6. Vent/flare/blowdown lines....................................................................................................................34
6.5.7. Other service lines and storage facilities .........................................................................................35
6.5.8. Thermal relief and pressure gages.....................................................................................................35
6.5.9. Pig passage indicators ............................................................................................................................35
6.6. Valves.................................................................................................................................. 36
6.6.1. General .........................................................................................................................................................36
6.6.2. Pig trap valve..............................................................................................................................................36
6.6.3. Other valves ................................................................................................................................................36
6.7. Barrel design...................................................................................................................... 37
6.7.1. General .........................................................................................................................................................37
6.8. Pig trap end closures ........................................................................................................ 39
6.8.1. General .........................................................................................................................................................39
6.8.2. External clamp ring closures.................................................................................................................40
6.8.3. End closure design and testing requirements...............................................................................41
6.9. Materials, fabrication, welding, and marking ................................................................ 45
6.9.2. Fabrication...................................................................................................................................................46
6.9.3. Marking ........................................................................................................................................................46
6.9.4. Inspection and hydrotest of new and refurbished traps ...........................................................46
6.9.5. Inspection and testing of existing pig traps...................................................................................47
7. Special applications……………. ................................................................................................. 48
7.1. Subsea traps....................................................................................................................... 48
7.2. Pigging of flexibles ........................................................................................................... 48
7.3. Tanker/barge loading lines .............................................................................................. 48
7.4. Temporary pig traps ......................................................................................................... 48
Annex A (Informative) Recommended pig trap closures ............................................................. 49
Annex B (Informative) Tie rod type design pig trap closures ...................................................... 51
Annex C (Informative) Onshore gas terminal incident at 16 in sphere receiver ........................ 58
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................... 62

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1. Scope
a. This LPT provides requirements for:
1. Pigging practice.
2. Pipeline design to accommodate pigging.
3. Selection and design of pig traps, end closures, and appurtenances.
b. The scope of this LPT includes:

1. Onshore, offshore, and subsea pipeline systems.
2. Horizontal and vertical launcher and receiver pig traps.
3. Oil, gas, chemical, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) service conditions.
4. All pig types (i.e., utility pigs, intelligent pigs, and spheres).
5. New and existing facilities.
c. This LPT is relevant to the pipeline technical authority (TA), as well as design, installation, and
operations personnel.
2. Normative references
The following referenced documents may, to the extent specified in subsequent clauses and
normative annexes, be required for full compliance with this LPT:
• For dated references, only the edition cited applies.

• For undated references, the latest edition (including any amendments) applies.
EQUION
LTP-0030 Inspection and Integrity Assessment of Pipeline Systems.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section II - Part A - Ferrous
Material Specifications.
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section II - Part B -
Nonferrous Material Specifications.
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section II - Part D -
Properties.

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ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII - Rules for
Construction of Pressure Vessels Division 1.
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII - Rules for
Construction of Pressure Vessels Division 2 - Alternative Rules.
ASME B16.5 Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings: NPS 1/2 through NPS 24.
ASME B16.9 Factory-Made Wrought Buttwelding Fittings.
ASME B31.3 Process Piping.
International Standards Organization (ISO)

ISO 13628-1 Petroleum and natural gas industries - Design and operation of
subsea production systems - Part 1: General requirements and
recommendations.
Manufacturers Standardization Society of the Valves and Fittings Industry (MSS)

MSS SP-44 Steel Pipeline Flanges.
MSS SP-75 Specification for High Test Wrought Butt Weld Fittings.
3. Symbols and abbreviations
For the purpose of this LPT, the following symbols and abbreviations apply:
ATEX Explosive atmosphere (EU standards).
D Diameter.
ESD Emergency shutdown.
FEA Finite element analysis.
GIS Geographical information system.
HIC Hydrogen induced cracking.
ID Internal diameter.
ILI In-line inspection.
LEL Lower explosive limit.
LPG Liquid petroleum gas.

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MAOP Maximum allowable working pressure.
MFL Magnetic flux leakage.
NDE Nondestructive examination.
NGL Natural gas liquids.
OD Outer diameter.
PPE Personal protective equipment.
ROC Rapid opening closure.
ROV Remotely operated vehicle.
UT Ultrasonic technique.
4. Pigging overview
4.1. Reasons to pig
a. Pipeline pigging is a key part of managing the integrity of pipeline systems. Pipelines require
pigging at the start and end of life. Pipelines are normally pigged for:
1. Commissioning and decommissioning.
2. Cleaning or wax removal.
3. Inventory management (sweeping out liquids, batching products, etc.).
4. Corrosion and scale control.
5. Inspection.
6. Isolation and special operations.
b. New pipeline designs may consider permanent or temporary pig launcher and receiver
facilities.
1. Requirements shall be agreed with operations.
2. The project shall provide necessary equipment to facilitate pigging.
3. If traps are removed after commissioning, safe isolations and space for re-
instatement of pig traps should be left such that future inspection pigging
can be safely achieved.

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c. Pipelines should be pigged for operational and inspection purposes on a regular basis.
1. The timing for inspection is dependent on the corrosion risk assessment and
the effectiveness of detection.
2. Requirements on frequency of inspection are given in LPT-0030
d. Projects shall hand over new pipelines to operations that have been verified to be free of
debris, defects, and obstructions. A baseline ILI inspection should have been completed prior
to handover.
4.2. Pig types
4.3. Pig selection, design, and maintenance
4.3.1. General
a. The selection and type of pig to be used and its optimum configuration for a
particular task in a pipeline shall be based upon several criteria, including:
1. Purpose (e.g., linefill, batching, cleaning, or inspection).
2. Type of information to be gathered (e.g., from an ILI pig run) and data
requirements.
3. Line contents (e.g., gas, oil, or water), with or without contaminants (e.g., wax)
that may need to be displaced or removed during conventional pigging
operations.
4. Required driving pressure versus available pressure.
5. Minimum and maximum internal diameter, including diameter restrictions or
changes (e.g., corrosion probes, coupons, instrument taps, valves, check valves,
barred or sphere tees). When multi-diameter pipelines are pigged, excessive
wear of components in the smaller diameter line section shall be considered.
6. Presence of tees and wyes that may require a longer pig to ensure that the
pressure driving force is maintained as the pig traverses the connection.
7. Minimum bend radius, bend angles, and position of back to back bends.
8. Distance the pig needs to travel and the internal condition of the pipe, with
regard to wear on the cups or discs. Large diameter pigs in gas pipelines may
require wheeled supporting structure.
9. Operating velocity range of the pig.

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10. Elevation profile (e.g., pig acceleration during linefill, slack line conditions for
operating oil pipelines).
11. Maximum temperature and/or fluid pressure permitted.
12. Ability to drive pig in the reverse direction (e.g., for a bidirectional pig).
13. Requirements to track or communicate with the pig.
b. Cleaning and brush/scraper pigs shall be configured to limit the amount of material
that can be removed in a single pass to the amount that can be contained in the
receiver.
c. Some pigs should be run in combination with other pigs (e.g., cleaning pig ahead of
a batch pig) to determine wax quantities and number of cleaning runs required.
d. If multiple module pigs are used, the components shall be designed to allow
removal if the toll separates into component parts.
e. If inflatable spheres are utilized the following shall apply:
1. Spheres shall be filled with a water/glycol mix and ring gaged to ensure
that they are of the correct diameter.
2. Inspected to ensure that the filling plugs do not leak and are replaced, if
necessary.
4.3.2. Pig design requirements

a. Pig body and materials
1. The pig body shall have sufficient strength to resist the load imposed on it,
including fatigue. This includes proper design of the body attachments, pig
nose, and lifting lugs.
2. Materials shall be selected to suit the pipeline contents. This may include
sour service or the special selection of plastic components when used in
chemical service.
b. Cups and seals
The correct material shall be specified for the cups and seals based on the pipeline
service, temperature, and travel distance. The shape of the cup and seal are
important to achieve the desired cleaning results.
c. Pig Connections
Nuts, bolts, and welds shall be appropriately sized and designed to avoid failure
due to direct loading conditions or fatigue.

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d. Bypass
By utilizing differential pressure across the pig, a fluid path is created front to back
of the pig creating turbulence in front of the pig. This assists in the cleaning process
and can be used to optimize cleaning.
e. Cleaning elements
A number of types of cleaning elements are available to suit the application if
pipeline cleaning is required. Expert advice should be sought for difficult or unusual
cleaning problems.
4.3.3. ATEX requirements for potentially explosive atmosphere service
a. Pigs and associated equipment containing electronics shall have the correct
certification for area of operation.
1. This shall be consistent with ATEX regulations
2. Pigs used in hydrocarbon service or pigs deploying high powered lithium
batteries shall comply with Zone 1 ATEX requirements.
b. If ATEX compliant tools are not available or do not meet this classification, additional
procedures shall apply.
c. A suitable cross bonding shall be used between the pig trap and any equipment
necessary to perform the pigging operation (e.g., launch/receipt tray). To facilitate
this, the pig trap should be designed with suitable lugs onto which the bonding
cables can be attached.
d. Pigging procedures shall address potential of ILI tools being damaged during
operation, thereby exposing cables and/or components.
4.3.4. Maintenance and inspection of pigs

a. Formal maintenance and inspection procedures shall be developed for multi-use
pigs to ensure optimum performance and reduce the chance of failure during
operations.
b. Each pig should have a unique reference number to facilitate record keeping on
number of runs and maintenance/repair.
c. The pig should be cleaned after each run with debris and cleaning materials disposal
according to regulatory and HSSE requirements.

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d. The pig manufacturer’s recommendations shall be followed for disassembly and

maintenance and/or replacement of components. Components should be inspected
for fatigue and unusual wear patterns.
e. Pigs should be stored either in cradles or on end prior to use to prevent damage to
cups/disks.
4.4. In-line inspection pigging requirements

a. The performance standards for the inspection run(s) and reporting requirements
shall be agreed between the operator and the ILI supplier.
b. Operational requirements of the (pre-inspection) pigs and inspection vehicles shall
be reviewed in conjunction with operational envelope of the pipeline.
c. Operator and ILI supplier shall agree on acceptable cleanliness levels ahead of the
inspections and verify the cleanliness before launching the inspection pig.
d. Pipeline cleaning programme may require modifying, depending on the quantity of
debris being removed from the pipeline and the condition of the pigs being
recovered.
e. A final calliper or gaging pig run shall be performed just before launch of the ILI tool
to verify that the inspection tool will not get stuck.
4.5. Pigging operational considerations
4.5.1. General
a. Pigging operations shall be carried out using formally documented operating
procedures.
b. Only competent personnel who have had the necessary training, experience and
assessment shall be used in pigging operations.
c. There are specific requirements associated with the operation, maintenance, and
inspection of pigging facilities. These are addressed in 4.6.
4.5.2. Safety and risk assessment

a. Pigging operations shall have a suitably documented operating and risk assessment.
b. Personnel involved in the pigging activities shall be fully informed and aware of the
associated hazards and risks.
c. The risk assessment shall include:
1. Operating procedures including:

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a. Understanding of pipeline condition and facilities.

b. Previous pigging experience.
c. Level of available documentation.
d. Previous successful use of the procedures.
e. Competency of personnel.
f. Management of Change procedures.
g. Simultaneous operations.
2. Pig selection and handling including:
a. Pig performance (refer to 4.3).
b. ATEX requirements.
c. Cleaning requirements and assessment of pipeline condition.
d. Effect of pipeline fluid on pig components.
e. Potential for separation of multi-module pigs.
f. Handling of pigs.
g. Effect of pigging on pipeline pressure fluctuations during pigging
operation.
3. Effect of pigging operations on upstream and downstream process facilities
including:
a. Handling the pig and any associated materials and fluids (e.g.,
inhibitor slugs).
b. Effect on batch processes (e.g., introduction of methanol, biocide, and
inhibitor slugs) and requirements for product separation.
c. Impact on processing requirements and filtration systems.
d. Impact of pigging operations on alarms, trips, and shutdown systems.
e. Impact of process conditions on pigging operations.
f. Handling and disposing of waste from the pipeline found in the
receiver pig trap (e.g., wax, contaminants, such as mercury and
radioactive scale and pyrophoric material).
4. Pig trap facilities including:
a. Effectiveness of isolations.
b. Purging of pig traps.

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c. Flammability of deposits.
d. Operation and maintenance of trap end closures/doors.
e. Lighting (may be required for 24 hour operation).
f. Access and lifting.
5. Potential failure of operation requiring a contingency plan including:
a. A stuck, damaged or lost pig.
b. Pig location.
c. Removal or recovery of a stuck or damaged pig or pig components.
d. Communications.
4.5.3. Operating procedures

a. A survey shall be performed to establish the physical constraints and condition
of equipment found along the system, including valves position, sealing, and
maintenance.
b. A review shall be carried out of previous operating history, including any
operating limits or restrictions.
c. A pigging plan, including documented operating procedures, shall be
developed for each pipeline based on the risk assessment. Special
consideration shall be given to new and existing pipelines:
1. That have not been pigged before or recently.
2. That have been modified since the last pigging operation (e.g., hot
tapped or repaired).
3. If there is uncertainty about the condition of line (e.g., corrosion or
excessive buildup of deposits, such as hydrates and wax, or the
potential of water ingress into dry gas lines, illegal hot taps, and other
third party interference).
d. The pigging plan shall address the number and sequence of pigs to be used in
the pipeline.
1. If there is any doubt about condition of the bore, a foam pig should
be initially run in pipeline
2. Only one pig should be allowed in the pipeline (or a pipeline section
between pig traps) at any time, and pig should be received and
evaluated before running the next pig.

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3. If two pigs, including a dual module pig, are run in the line at the
same time, second pig should be capable of driving first pig in the
event of seal failure of the pig.
4. Multiple pigs should only be deployed for specific reasons, such as
commissioning, line purges, and special cleaning operations.
e. Pipeline inlet and outlet pressures and flows shall be monitored and recorded
throughout the pigging operation.
f. Effects of pigging on the downstream process shall be assessed in design
process and prior to commencement of any pigging operation.
g. Pigging operations shall be formally recorded, including the quantity of
material removed from the pipeline and the condition of the pig.
h. Pigging procedures shall address what actions are to be taken in event of a
stuck pig or loss of components from the pig before pigging operations begin.
i. If the known location of the pig is required, transponders should be fitted to a
pig to aid detection. The type of transponder used should consider the length
of time required to mobilize and detect the pig.
4.5.4. Contingency plans

a. Potential contingencies available in the event of a stuck or damaged pig include:
1. Increasing the driving pressure (this shall not exceed the MAOP) and/or
reducing the downstream pressure in order to place a higher differential
pressure across the pig.
2. Monitoring pressure and flows carefully.
a. If the pig moves, it may accelerate and drive a high speed slug of debris
downstream.
b. This may damage the inspection tool or downstream facilities and
therefore requires assessment before pigging operations begin such
that procedures are clear and can be effectively communicated to all
personnel involved.
c. If hydrates are the likely cause of restriction, decreasing the pressure on
both sides of the pig should melt the hydrate plug.
3. Sending a driving pig behind the stuck pig, if the first pig has become stuck
as a result of loss of sealing and hence driving pressure.
4. Reversing the direction of flow if the stuck pig is of the bidirectional type.

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5. Detection of the pig and investigation of the pipeline in the vicinity to

establish the cause of the blockage.
6. In an extreme case, selecting the option to resort to cutouts, replacement
pipelines, or abandonment.
b. A contingency plan shall be prepared to cover loss of components from the pig. The
plan may require installation of strainers and use of a pig to sweep out the
components.
4.6. Pig trap operations, inspection and maintenance
4.6.1. General
a. Operators shall have formal training of pig trap operation, maintenance, and door
interlock system.
b. Detailed launch or receive procedure shall be developed for each location and for
the type of pig being launched and/or received.
c. Detailed procedures shall be developed and used for each pig trap door type, pig
trap facility, and associated fittings and equipment. These shall include the relevant
manufacturer’s operating, maintenance, and inspection requirements.
d. Manufacturers’ requirements and recommendations shall be reviewed and
supplementary information shall be developed if these are vague or unclear.
e. Procedures shall be prepared to address the inspection, maintenance, and
replacement of components with recommended frequencies.
f. Elastomeric and polymeric seals shall be selected for suitability with process
conditions, including any trace media, such as methanol, glycol, and corrosion
inhibitors. Seals used in gas service shall also be selected for resistance to explosive
decompression.
g. Pig trap end closures shall comply with the requirements of 6.8.
4.6.2. Operating procedures

a. Pig traps shall be regularly inspected to ensure containment and verify that the
pressure within the trap is in accordance with operating procedures.
b. Spheres shall not be left in pressurised launchers/receivers for extended periods.
c. Risks of leaving the pig trap pressurised and online shall be assessed, including
appropriate settings for relief valves.

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d. When pig traps are left offline, a path for thermal pressure relief, complete with
suitable discharge, shall be included to protect against temperature and pressure
changes.
e. Air that may have been introduced into a pig trap from loading pigs or spheres
should be removed before repressurising the pig trap. Removal can be achieved
through direct gas or liquid purging or with nitrogen.
f. Pig trap door seals shall be tested before the pig trap is left unattended.
g. Sour gas or wet gas service traps should be left purged and depressurised.
4.6.3. Flushing and purging of pig traps

a. Selection of flushing and purging method shall depend on the:
1. Fluid or product transported.
2. Expected contents of pig trap receiver. Pigs shall be cleaned immediately on
removal from the pig trap if pyrophoric material is present.
3. Design of the pig trap.
4. Frequency of pigging operations.
5. ATEX rating of pigs and equipment used.
b. Risks associated with the use of the selected purging medium shall be assessed.
c. For a gas pipeline that has potential for water dropout (which would be disturbed by
pig, leading to hydrate blockage), a slug of hydrate inhibitor should be introduced in
front of pig.
1. Availability of purge medium onsite.
2. Competency of personnel.
d. For managing risks associated with pig trap operations, purging shall not be taken in
isolation to the other mitigation measures available. See Table 1.
Media Hazard Mitigation

Gas Explosion Design to zone.
Natural venting.
Purge.
Procedures.

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Asphyxiation or PPE (breathing apparatus).

narcotic Purging to give safe atmosphere O2 rich (can still cause asphyxiation).
Remote actuation.
Procedures.
Liquids Explosion plus As above for gas.
asphyxiation or Zone design.
narcotic plus
Verify empty before opening door.
spillage
Containment.
Flush trap.
Mercury Flush and use of protective clothing and equipment.
Solids General Flush.
Zone design.
Pyrophoric material Purge/flush and keep wet.
Radioactive scales Flush and use of protective clothing and equipment.
Table 1 - Managing risks of pig trap purging operations
e. Specialised equipment shall be used to determine effectiveness of an inert gas purge.

f. Subject to local conditions, equipment available, and risk assessment outcomes,
Table 2 summarises recognised practices.
Product Comment
Sour gas Purge to bring toxicity levels down.
Chemicals Product specific - purge if highly flammable or toxic.
Dry gas (sales gas - water Purging can be effective, but should be site specific, as it
and hydrocarbon liquid dry) depends on frequency of operation and introduces new
risks. Purging needs a risk evaluation.
Wet gas (hydrocarbon Limited effect depending upon pig trap design.
liquids and water present)
NGL/gas condensate Limited effect depending upon pig trap design.
Aviation fuel Purging has limited effect, as it is difficult to remove
hydrocarbons. N2 may introduce additional risks.
Multi products Purging has limited effect, as it is difficult to remove
hydrocarbons. N2 may introduce additional risks.
Live crude Light oil flush followed by water flush.
Stabilised crude Water flush.
Pyrophoric material Purge and keep wet.
Radioactive scale Flush and use containment.
Table 2 - Recognised purging practices across the Equion Energy Limited

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4.6.4. Inspection and maintenance

a. End closure
1. The end closure shall be included in the pipeline or facility integrity management
system and shall be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s
recommendations.
2. The pig trap and end closure shall be regularly inspected for damaged or worn parts
in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. The trap shall not be used
unless it meets these requirements or is repaired.
3. Some surfaces on clamp type designs should not be greased because the retention
of the pig is part based on friction.
4. Dismantling and close visual inspection of main load bearing components for any
sign of deterioration, including corrosion, distortion, deformation, cracking, wear or
loss of surface finish on sealing surfaces, shall be undertaken as recommended by
the closure manufacturer.
5. Seals shall be inspected each time door is opened and shall be replaced as necessary.
6. Replacement is required if seals show signs of compression set (permanent
deformation), extrusion, splitting, blistering, softening, hardening, aging, and/or any
mechanical damage, such as scuffing.
7. If failures are repeated, a failure investigation shall be conducted, with a view of
selecting alternative materials.
8. Seals shall be replaced in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.
9. Spare seals shall be stored in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.
10. If there are problems in obtaining leak tightness of end closure, causes should be
investigated and, if appropriate, a leak test should be performed. Bolting shall not be
over tightened.
11. Bolts and threaded fittings shall not be tightened or loosened under pressure.
4.6.5. Inspection and revalidation of pig traps

a. Pig traps shall be inspected and revalidated for continued operation at regular
intervals not normally exceeding 5 yr. Local regulations, requirements, or service
conditions may require more frequent inspection and testing.

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b. Inspections shall be performed by a competent engineer, who shall make reference

to the manufacturer recommendations for inspection and maintenance of end
closures.
c. Revalidation may require periodic hydrotesting in accordance with manufacturer’s
recommendations.
5. Pipeline design for pigging
5.1. General
The following design requirements shall be considered for pigging:
a. Strategy for selecting equipment should be developed early in the project to ensure that
equipment will operate as intended (pig compatibility with wyes and tees, etc).
b. Design of pig trap facilities should include input from operations personnel.
c. Type of pigging activities required (construction, operation/inspection/maintenance,
shutdown, or repair).
d. The beginning and end of a pipeline shall have pig launchers and receivers. Intermediate
pigging station requirements should be dictated by changes in pipeline diameter, pig driver
cup wear, and the quantities of solids or liquids likely to build up in front of a pig.
e. Type of product, including any contaminants or additives.
f. Minimum and maximum design velocities for oil and gas service are driven by pressure drop,
noise, and vibration. The optimum pig speed is typically 1 m/s to 3 m/s (3 ft/s to 10 ft/s).
aRelative position and distance between valves, tees and/or laterals, type of
bends (cold, heat inducted, fabricated), and bend radii.
h. Pipelines should be designed to allow deployment of isolation pigs for safe pipeline and
facilities maintenance.
i. Proven capability of a multidiameter pig to pass through pipeline system if significant bore
changes are present in the pipeline system.
j. Potential for enhanced internal corrosion if the pipeline requires frequent use of scraper
pigs.
k. Use of temporary tankage to collect debris.

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5.2. Internal diameters of linepipe

a. Consideration should be given to minimize changes to the internal diameter of the
pipeline, including ovality tolerances.
b. Internal diameter changes should be made with a minimum transition slope of 1:4.
c. If the use of plugs is anticipated, required tolerances on ID should be strictly controlled.
d. New pipelines should be designed to allow deployment of an isolation plug beyond the
ESD valve.
e. Diameter changes should occur only at the ends of the pipeline system or pipeline
section (at pig traps, valves, subsea sleds, etc.).
5.3. Bends for pigging

a. Bends for pigging should be limited to an out of roundness of 5% of diameter.
b. Bends for pigging should be 3D or greater (where the radius is three times the
nominal pipe diameter).
c. Offset bends of 30 degrees or greater should have a minimum straight length
between them of 2D. Back to back bends should not be used, as they may limit
suitability for ILI.
d. Mitred bends shall not be used.
e. If there is the potential need for the use of a tethered pig for inspection, use of bends
should be kept to a minimum to avoid excessive loads on the cable connection.
5.4. Valves, check valves, tees, and wyes

a. Valves specified for pigging purposes should be full bore, with specified minimum
internal diameter, limited or zero bypass, and compatible with product. Valves shall
facilitate uninterrupted passage of pig.
b. Check valves should be through conduit (full bore) type valves or have method of
externally locking flapper in fully open position for inline inspections.
c. Check valves and wyes shall be verified to confirm that pig length between front and
rear cups is longer than any opening or cavity.
d. Barred or sphere tees shall be installed on branches larger than 50% of pipeline
diameter and if sphere or foam pigs are intended to be used.
e. If spheres or foam pigs are to be used, sphere tees should be installed in preference
to barred tees.

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f. Wyes shall have a demonstrated capability for passage of inspection pigs (i.e., test at
full scale before using the pig in the pipeline).
g. Barred tees
1. Barred tees shall be designed such that the barring does not cause excessive
stresses at the junction of bars and tee crotch area as the tee dilates under
pressure.
2. A minimum of two guide plates should be used to prevent the pig from
entering the branch pipe.
3. Guide plates shall be welded across the tee branch pipe and along the flow
direction to prevent pigs from becoming stuck at the junction or from being
wrongly diverted with the flow
4. Welds shall be ground to avoid stress concentrations where tee branch pipe
connects to main pipe and where guide plates are welded to and tapered
along blend radius.
5. Guide plates and weldments shall be smooth and free from sharp edges to
prevent damage to pipeline pigs.
6. Guide plate thickness and plate to plate spacing varies depending on tee
branch size. A nominal guide plate thickness of 9 mm to 19 mm (0,375 in to
0,750 in) and guide plate spacing of 64 mm to 76 mm (2,5 in to 3,0 in) are
typical.
7. Optimum guide plate spacing is equidistant from adjacent plates and tee
branch pipe walls.
8. Figure 1 provides barring design details.

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NOM. NO. OF
T H
PIPE SCRAPER
IN. (MM) IN. (MM)
SIZE BARS
6” 2 ⅜ (9.5) 1 (25.4)
8” 2 ⅜ (9.5) 1 (25.4)
10” 3 ⅜ (9.5) 1½ (38.1)
12” 3 ⅜ (9.5) 1½ (238.1)
14” 3 ⅜ (9.5) 1½ (38.1)
16” 4 ½ (12.7) 2 (50.8)
18” 4 ½ (12.7) 2 (50.8)
20” 4 ½ (12.7) 2 (50.8)
24” 5 ¾ (19) 3 (76.2)
30” 6 1 (25.4) 5 (127)
36” 7 1 (25.4 5 (127)
NOTES:
• MAX. CLEARANCE = 6 mm (¼”) AND MIN. CLEARANCE = 0.
• SCRAPER BARS SHALL BE EQUALLY SPACED OVER THE INTERNAL
DIAMETER OF THE TEE.
• SCRAPER BAR MATERIAL SHALL BE THE SAME MATERIAL AS THE TEE.
• MATERIAL SHALL BE APPROPRIATE TO PIPELINE DESIGN CODE
Figure 1 - Barred tee design detail
5.5. Pig handling equipment

a. Permanent pig handling facilities, such as anchor points, winches, and a lifting gantry
or hoist to facilitate loading or removal of pigs from the pig trap, may be required,
depending on the size and type of pigs used and frequency of operation.

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b. Cassette and cradle pig handling equipment shall be designed and installed as an
integrated part of the trap to preserve its integrity as a pressure vessel.
6. Design of pig trap installations
6.1. General
a. Design of pig trap facilities shall include input from operations personnel and take
account of layout, access, lighting, equipment handling, cleaning, etc.
b. Typical pig launchers should be configured as shown in Figure 2 and pig receivers as
shown in Figure 3.

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Horizontal Launcher
Vent
Vertical Launcher
Balance
Kicker
Line Relief
Line
Valve
Concentric Reducer
Pressurising Kicker
Line Valve Tra
p
Sump or Purge
Isol
Closed Connection
atio
Drain Tel-Tale Vent
n
Valve
Isolation Val
Valve
Bypass
Valve
Chemical Injection
ESDV
Valve
Main Line
TRAP ISOLATION VALVE
Typical Lengths
LONGEST ILI PIG
XI
TO CONFIRM
PIG ENGAGED XI
TO CONFIRM
PIG CLEARED
TRAP VALVE
LONGEST ILI PIG SHORT AS POSSIBLE

*
* 3 M IF REQUIRED FOR
Note: Kicker and balance lines and purge points omitted to simplify drawing. ISOLATION PLUG BUT MAY
NOT BE NEEDED IN MOST
INSTALLATIONS

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Figure 2 - Typical pig launcher

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Horizontal Receiver
Bypass Valve
Balance Line
Relief
Valve
Vertical Receiver
Bypass
Line
Balance
Line
Pressurising Bypass
Line Valve
Trap Isolation
Sump or
Closed
Valve
Drain
Tell-Tale
Valve
Isolation
Valve
Bypass
Valve
Chemical
Injection
Valve
Typical Lengths
TRAP ISOLATION VALVE
TO CONFIRM MORE THAN LONGEST ILI PIG

PIG ARRIVAL XI
TO CONFIRM
XI PIG CLEARED
TRAP VALVE
LONGEST ILI PIG + 0.5 M

*
* BARREL LONG ENOUGH TO
Note: Kicker and balance lines and purge points omitted to simplify drawing. HOLD DRIVE MODULE + DEBRIS.
(SOME PIGS MAY HAVE DRIVE
ON LAST MODULE)
Figure 3 - Typical pig receiver

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c. In addition to the factors for pipeline design, in 5, design of pig traps should
incorporate the following:
1. Applicable design codes.
2. Service conditions.
3. Minimum temperature.
4. Physical interface with pipeline (e.g., insulation flange).
5. Types of pigs to be run.
6. Pigging schedule.
7. Materials of construction (compatibility with product, brittle fracture).
8. External loadings (from pipework, particularly subsea).
9. Operating cyclic loading and nozzle reinforcements (e.g., as a result of
repeated trap pressurisation and depressurisation).
10. Structural supports and lifting lugs.
11. Wind and seismic loadings.
12. Snow and ice loadings.
13. Blast loading, if applicable.
14. Transportation loads.
15. Pig handling systems (e.g., lifting gantry, pig trays).
16. Permanent or modular skid mounted unit.
17. Trap closure mechanism.
18. Barrel venting/draining rate.
19. Volume of debris (e.g., wax) to be removed and capable of being retained in
the trap.
6.2. Service conditions and code requirements

a. Pig trap is part of the pipeline system, and applicability of pipeline design code
should extend to the trap, pipework, and up to and including the first isolation valve
out of the pig trap.
b. Pig traps, including barrel, fittings, and attachments, shall be designed, fabricated,
and tested as part of pipeline system. Pig trap door closure shall be designed in
accordance with relevant pressure vessel codes.
c. Design pressure of pig trap shall be no less than pressure of pipeline.

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d. Pig trap shall be:

1. Suitable for testing with pipeline.
2. Assessed for stresses during pipeline hydrotest condition and pressure vessel
hydrotest condition, whichever is greater.
e. Pig trap system may be hydrostatically tested either together with or separately from
pipeline.
f. Cyclic loading shall be considered for trap and trap closure mechanism due to
temperature and pressure.
g. Maximum design temperature shall not be less than maximum temperature that the
pig trap system could attain or to which it could be exposed during operation,
startup, or shutdown.
h. Consideration shall be given to pressure increases arising from thermal gain in the
event of shut-in conditions (e.g., due to solar radiation).
i. A minimum design temperature shall be stated and shall be based on minimum
ambient temperature and on the conditions (e.g., blowdown, which could occur
during operations).
j. An internal corrosion allowance should be considered, even if such an allowance has
not been made for pipeline to which it is connected. A corrosion allowance may be
required because of the different internal and external conditions associated with
the trap.
6.3. Layout requirements
6.3.1. General
a. Pig traps shall be designed to allow access to the pipeline for inspection and
maintenance.
b. Pig traps shall generally be:
1. Located based on overall site risk assessments, considering potential release
of hydrocarbons, potential for ignition, and classification of areas.
2. Adjacent to each other for ease of pigging operations.
3. Orientated with their end closures pointing away from personnel and critical
items of equipment.
c. Suitable access space should be provided beyond the end closure door for
pig handling.
d. Suitable access space should be provided for maintenance of equipment.

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e. The trap should normally be horizontal, with vertical traps used if space is a
premium.
f. The elevation of the bottom of the end closure on horizontal pig traps
should be approximately 700 mm (28 in) and not more than 1 100 mm
(43 in) above the working surface to provide sufficient room to slope the
drain lines, as well as facilitate easy handling of end closure and pigs.
g. A platform shall be provided adjacent to any equipment (e.g., valve, pig
signallers) that is:
1. More than 1 500 mm (60 in) above grade (centre of the handwheel
in the case of a valve).
2. Used during pigging operations and/or for maintenance.
h. Consideration shall be given to the requirements for handling of
contaminated pigs and displaced solids.
i. Pig trap layout should be such that operation and maintenance of
equipment, valves, and instruments shall be possible without temporary
ladders and scaffolding.
j. Access ways shall be provided to and from pig storage area.
k. Pig traps shall drain by gravity into appropriate drainage area.
l. Consideration should be given to potential blockage of permanent drains
and tanks.
m. If a drain system is not available, provision shall be made for waste to be
collected for disposal to designated disposal area.
n. Adequate lighting shall be provided for pigging operations if 24 hr
operations are required.
o. Spading is not recommended as a regular method of providing positive
isolation of the launcher/receiver vessel.
p. Protection of door and locking mechanism from the elements/weather
should be considered for traps in exposed locations and may be subjected to
sea spray or debris from drilling operations.
6.3.2. Onshore additional requirements

a. Pig traps generally should be located at least 15 m (50 ft) away from any type
of equipment that could provide a source of ignition.

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b. Pig trap systems should be fenced (either separately or as part of adjoining

facilities), and facilities should be provided for vehicle access.
c. If the facility is unattended, valves shall be secured and locked in their proper
position.
d. A catch pit or tray shall be constructed directly underneath end closure with
sufficient volume and surface area to prevent any oil or debris contamination
of surrounding ground. Pit or tray shall be easy to empty and clean and shall
have a safe means of access.
6.3.3. Offshore additional requirements and vertical pig traps

a. Pig traps shall be installed in open areas to ensure adequate ventilation.
b. Vertical pig traps shall have a pig lifting facility.
c. Convenient access to the door locking mechanism should be provided,
particularly for vertical traps in which the barrel and end enclosure are above
deck level.
d. A vertical ladder or local stairway shall be provided to allow access between
deck levels local to pig trap.
e. Barrel drain port should be located near main trap valve on vertical
launchers.
f. Any branch connection reinforcement shall be designed for minimum weight.
g. Vertical vessels shall have lifting lugs or trunnions to facilitate handling
during transport and erection at site.
h. During each operation, door centralising mechanism/lugs should be
inspected to ensure correct landing of door each time it is used. Any damage
to this system shall be repaired as soon as possible.
6.4. Structural supports and lifting lug design

a. Permanent supports/clamps shall be used to support and restrain pig traps.
b. Supports/clamps shall be designed to carry the weight of the pig trap system
filled with highest density fluid likely in service (usually water), together with
the weight of intelligent pigs, if applicable.
c. Saddle supports shall be designed to applicable pipeline code or vessel code
being applied to trap.
d. Supports under the barrel should normally be sliding/clamp type to
compensate for expansion of unrestrained part of pipeline.

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e. Welded supports, if used, shall comply with applicable pipeline design codes.
f. If there would normally be a potential for corrosion occurring under clamps,
isolation material shall be used between clamp and pipe and provisions shall
be made to facilitate inspection.
g. Piping supports may be fixed if design calculations indicate that sufficient
flexibility is incorporated in pipework to compensate for axial and transverse
movements of trap.
h. Electrical isolation joints, if used, shall allow sufficient movement to avoid
stressing of joint above its design limit.
i. Supports may need to be electrically isolated if isolated joints are not used.
j. Supports should be positioned such that pig trap valves can be removed for
maintenance or replacement without removal of barrel.
k. Lifting lugs and trunnions shall comply with ASME VIII, DIV 2
l. Launchers and receivers shall be bonded into earthing (grounding) grid for
facility. Integrity of the pipeline cathodic protection system shall be
maintained.
m. Electrical surge arrestor installation should be considered for insulation joints
in launcher/receiver pipework.
6.5. Pipework and pressure and instrumentation requirements
6.5.1. General
a. Pipework not designed to the pipeline code should comply with ASME B31.3.
b. Closed drain systems should be designed to handle debris flushed from pig
traps.
c. Pipework connections should be flanged to allow maximum flexibility during
commissioning and future modification, if required.
d. Pipework should be a minimum of 50 mm (2 in) for robustness. Sizing of
drains, vent lines, and pressure gage tappings shall take account of trapped
volume, phase of product, and risk of blockage.
e. For pipelines above 350 mm (14 in) and any prone to waxing or other
blockage, consideration shall be given to using 100 mm (4 in) connections off
trap to first valve, even if it is reduced thereafter.
f. System interlocks

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1. System interlocks or special provisions shall be used to ensure the

safety of personnel operating the pig trap and prevent accidental
release of pressure from the pig trap.
2. Interlocks should be provided between the closure and isolating
valves, namely main inlet and outlet, vent, and drain isolating valves.
3. System interlocks or special provisions may be incorporated to
prevent accidental opening of both end closure and any valves (e.g.,
particularly remotely operated pig trap valves and isolating valves)
exposed to pipeline pressure while the trap vessel is open.
4. The interlock mechanism should allow for precommissioning and
commissioning of the system (e.g., by providing additional keys).
6.5.2. Kicker and bypass lines

a. For launch traps the kicker line shall be connected to major barrel as close as
possible to the end closure.
b. For receiver traps the bypass line shall be connected as close as possible to
the reducer.
c. Kicker line should be at least 25% of the pipeline diameter and not
positioned at bottom of the barrel.
d. For receive traps where the kicker and bypass lines are more than 50% of the
pipe diameter a barred tee or sphere tee design shall be used.
6.5.3. Balance line

a. Launchers shall have product balance lines to enable barrel to be filled and
pressurised on both sides of pig at the same time.
b. Receivers shall have balance lines or vents as specified in 6.5.6 to ensure
depressurisation on both sides of pig.
c. Balance line that branches off from kicker line shall be connected to minor
barrel as close as possible to the pig trap valve.
6.5.4. Pressurising lines

a. Pressurising lines should be provided around kicker valve and mainline
bypass valve to facilitate pressurisation of pig trap.
b. Size of pressurisation lines should be appropriate for line size.

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6.5.5. Drain line

a. Drain lines that may be prone to blockage and minimum size of pipework
shall comply with d and e.
b. Potential for blockage shall be addressed in the risk assessment and pressure
rating for the system.
c. For pipelines larger than 305 mm (12 in), minimum size of pipework shall be
100 mm (4 in).
d. Provision shall be made for flanges and break points to add extra
connections and temporary tankage or to clear blockages.
e. Dead legs shall be avoided.
f. The barrel drains shall:
1. Be located near trap end closure on horizontal launchers.
2. Be located near main trap valve on horizontal receivers susceptible to
presence of liquids.
3. Have two drain points located together near the trap end closure and
be separated by half a sphere diameter on receivers that are sloped
for sphere pigs such that drains cannot be blocked by the spheres.
g. Barrel drain lines should be sloped at least (1:300) towards closed drain
system or designated open drain.
h. Drain point near end closure shall have a 50 mm (2 in) branch connection
incorporating a 25 mm (1 in) telltale valve to provide a means to check that
liquid is drained before opening the end closure.
i. If pig traps are used for both launch and receive operations, special
requirements apply.
6.5.6. Vent/flare/blowdown lines

a. A vent line shall be provided to vent/purge the barrel. The vent should be
connected to a drain or vent system to minimise the potential for ignition.
b. Barrel blowdown/vent lines shall be at least 50 mm (2 in) and positioned near
trap end closure or the highest point on the trap barrel assembly.
c. Vent lines shall also be positioned near pig trap valve to ensure
depressurisation behind a pig in the event of being stuck in minor barrel.
d. High pressure gas systems shall have a blowdown line, incorporating a globe
valve or restriction orifice, for controlled depressurisation.

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Note: If a restriction orifice is used in the vent line, pipework

upstream of orifice should be designed and hydrotested to
withstand full line pressure.
e. Pig traps can contain air or air/hydrocarbon mixtures, which shall be taken
into account if connecting to flare systems.
6.5.7. Other service lines and storage facilities

a. Facilities shall be provided for cleaning and purging of sand, wax, and debris
from receivers and launchers. Facilities may include nozzles for the injection
of steam or hot oil for the removal of residual wax.
b. Chemical injection points shall be fitted as illustrated in Figure 2. See 6.1.
6.5.8. Thermal relief and pressure gages

a. Thermal relief valve shall be provided at trap locations in which the
anticipated shutin pressure of the product could possibly exceed the design
pressure of the trap (e.g., as might arise from solar radiation in liquid
pipelines).
b. Pressure gages with a gage dial of 100 mm to 150 mm (4 in to 6 in) diameter
shall be located at the 12 o’clock position on the barrel to be visible to trap
operator.
6.5.9. Pig passage indicators

a. Pig passage indicators shall have a mechanism that provides a position
indication that a pig has passed and that can be installed, removed, or
replaced without pipeline shutdown.
b. Pig passage indicators shall be bidirectional, installed flush with the internal
pipe wall, and retractable/replaceable under pressure.
c. Pig passage indicators
1. Pig passage indicators shall be considered on both sides of the main
trap valve.
2. On launchers, one sited upstream of the mainline trap valve and one
sited downstream of the mainline valve at a distance at least the
length of longest pig anticipated to confirm the pig has left the trap
and valve.
3. On receivers, one sited on the trap neck piping and separated
upstream from the mainline trap valve by a distance that is equal to

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the length of the longest pig anticipated to confirm receipt of the pig
and that the pig has cleared the valve.
4. An indicator should be provided upstream of the main pig trap
isolation valve to confirm arrival of the pig at the installation.
6.6. Valves
6.6.1. General
a. Double block and bleed isolation is required for any pigging operation.
Preference is always for two separate pig trap isolation valves, especially for
pipelines in which pigging is a frequent activity or critical to ongoing
operations and failure of a seal cannot be tolerated.
b. A strategy shall be developed to facilitate maintenance or replacement of pig
trap isolation valves.
c. Isolation of the main pig trap should be designed to facilitate maintenance
and/or future modifications to the pig trap and pig trap isolation valve
without a pipeline shutdown.
d. Appropriate valve seats shall be selected for the particular service conditions.
6.6.2. Pig trap valve

a. For mainline valves on sphere traps, consideration shall be given to
designing for multisphere launching with or without automated valve
actuation.
6.6.3. Other valves

a. The bypass valve shall be a tight shutoff ball, lubricated balanced plug valve,
or slab type gate valve.
b. Kicker line valves in gas service shall be capable of withstanding high
velocities if used in throttling mode against differential pressure. Kicker line
valves shall also be capable of opening against differential pressure and
providing acceptable shutoff.
c. Lubricated balanced plug valves are recommended. Metal seated ball valves
are also acceptable.
d. If there may be a throttling requirement, soft seated ball valves and gate
valves of any kind shall not be used for this duty.
e. Pressurising valve arrangements shall include an isolating valve and,
preferably, include a throttling valve.

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f. Isolating valve shall be installed on bypass line side for tight shutoff of the
pressurising line, and the throttling valve shall be installed on the balance
line side to control the flow in the pressurising line.
g. A balance valve shall be provided in the balance line such that flow can be
diverted behind the pig by closing balance valve.
h. Drain valves for receivers shall be quarter turn valves having a high degree of
abrasion resistance, such as tungsten carbide coated ball valves and
stellite/carbide coated balanced plug valves.
i. Vent valves may be globe type but shall have a tight shutoff isolation valve
(soft seated ball or balanced plug) in series.
j. For gas service, blowdown valve shall be a tight shutoff ball or balanced plug
valve with a downstream globe valve or orifice restriction.
k. A 50 mm (2 in) isolating valve and a 50 mm (2 in) check valve shall be
installed in purge connection, if applicable. The isolating valve shall be
installed on the barrel side for tight shutoff of purge connection.
l. Chemical injection connection, if required, shall include a tight shutoff valve
of minimum diameter of 50 mm (2 in). Diameter of the connection shall be at
least 50 mm (2 in).
m. For LPG service, a double valve arrangement shall be installed in each drain
and vent. Second valve in a double valve arrangement shall be placed
sufficient distance apart from the first to provide an alternative means of
closing the line.
n. Unless isolating valves are provided on each side, modified ball valves having
a side entry point that allows the insertion and removal of pigs shall not be
used on a live system.
6.7. Barrel design
6.7.1. General
a. Trap barrel shall be capable of launching one and receiving two standard
cleaning or batching pigs.
b. For launchers, the length of the barrel shall be sufficient to launch the
longest ILI pig anticipated (See Figure 2).
c. For receivers, the length from the taper to the main valve shall be at least as
long as longest pig. Total length of the major and minor barrel should be

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greater than the longest pig or the cleaning pig and maximum amount of
debris (see Figure 3).
d. For receivers, the length of pipe before expanding into the barrel shall be
sufficient to ensure that the ILI tool fully passes through the receiver isolation
valve.
e. The major barrel shall be at least D plus 50 mm (2 in) for D less than or equal
to 400 mm (16 in).
f. For larger diameter, the major barrel shall be at least D plus 100 mm (4 in).
g. The trap reducer shall be:
1. Eccentric design for horizontal traps without an internal tray or basket
and for inclined launcher traps (with the bottom of the entire barrel at
the same level).
2. Concentric design for vertical traps, inclined sphere receiver traps, or
horizontal traps with an internal tray or basket.
h. Internal diameter of the minor barrel (neck pipe) shall be the same as that of
the pipeline.
i. If a trap may be used for facilitating hydrotesting or commissioning, an
additional connection with a blind flange may be added.
j. Transitions in the internal diameter due to wall thickness variations greater
than 2,4 mm (0,094 in) shall be tapered to a minimum angle of 14 degrees to
the pipe axis to allow for the smooth passage of pig.
k. For horizontal receivers, barrel should be sloped (typically 1:100) down
towards the drain at the end closure to improve draining of liquids from
barrel.
l. Horizontal launchers should be sloped (typically 1:100) down towards the
pipeline.
m. Sleeves may be required to facilitate launching in concentric vertical traps or
if multiple module tools are used.
n. Sleeves may be used to facilitate launching of separate cleaning tools to
avoid the need to open the pig trap between launches.
o. Universal pig traps may be used in some locations. These can be used to
both launch and receive pigs.
p. Sleeves and specialist launching systems may be used to facilitate multiple
launches without the need to open and close pig trap between each launch.

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q. Length of the receive pig trap needs to be able to accommodate all pigs
launched together with any products or debris that may be removed.
r. If automatic sphering is intended:
1. Major barrel length for launching and receiving shall be based on the
number of spheres to be handled.
2. Launcher barrel shall be inclined at sufficient angle to allow spheres to
roll forward for launching and launcher barrel shall include retractable
launcher pins.
3. Receiver barrel shall be inclined at sufficient angle to allow spheres to
roll away from the minor barrel/reducer.
s. Sphere release mechanisms, depending on environment location and
pigging schedule, shall be of the mechanical finger, flap, or valve type.
6.8. Pig trap end closures
6.8.1. General
a. End closure of new traps shall be designed in accordance with functional and
safety requirements of the pressure vessel code.
b. New trap closures shall have a double locking mechanism to prevent
opening of closure under pressure.
c. Recommended trap closures for new construction and replacement closures
on existing launchers and receivers are one of the following:
1. GD Engineering BANDLOCK2 type, which has a duplex stainless steel
conical band fitted between the door and neck to transmit loads
uniformly to the full 360 degree circumference of the neck.
2. Pipeline Engineering (PE) (UK) ROC which is similar in design to the
GD engineering closure.
d. Guidance on end closure selection and testing requirements is given in
Tables 3 and 4.
e. Closure mechanisms involving the use of external clamp rings and threaded
screws are not preferred but specific TDW, FAI, and LTS end closures are
acceptable. Guidance on the use of external clamp type closures, including
three acceptable vendors is provided in Annex B.
f. Corrosion resistant overlays shall normally be provided on sealing surfaces.

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6.8.2. External clamp ring closures

a. Closure mechanisms involving the use of external clamps and threaded
screws shall only be used if all of the following design conditions apply or
have been verified:
1. Full redundancy/safety system of the screws is achieved, as required in
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII, Division 1, Mandatory
Appendix 24, such that even if the screw fails in service, the redundancy device
would safely accommodate the loading. Redundancy device shall be designed
for the same loading as the screw(s) and using the same design method.
2. Redundancy device is connected to the interlock arrangement such that the
redundancy device cannot be removed while the trap is under pressure.
3. The screws are subject to the full stress analysis required by ASME Boiler and
Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII, Division 1, Mandatory Appendix 24,
including requirements for minimum angles and friction coefficients.
4. Supporting devices for the screws, including trunnions, brackets, hinges, and
webs, are designed for the full screw load in accordance with the pressure
vessel calculations.
5. If friction coefficients are critical to design and screw loads, the coefficient of
friction shall be determined by practical trials.
6. Screws shall be subject to strain gage testing during factory tests to
demonstrate that the actual screw loads are less than the calculated values
and that changes in stress with pressure are as predicted.
7. During operation, screws shall be examined in accordance with manufacturer
recommendations to ensure that they are fit for continued operation and are
not excessively worn and have not been over strained.
8. Closure clamp angles (in radians) shall be less than the coefficient of friction
used in design.
9. A full finite element analysis of closure shall be conducted and all deflections
and rotations shall be assessed to demonstrate that design assumptions
remain valid under application of pressure (e.g., clamp angles are not changed
significantly by the pressure loading).
10. Controls exist to ensure that tie rod cannot be overloaded during the
preloading operation (e.g., torque limiting devices).
Note: 1 through 10 are required even if the manufacturer claims

satisfactory previous designs.

impresión
b. Existing end closures of this type shall be surveyed to identify components

that could affect loading on the parts (e.g., wear, tolerances, out of
alignment, damage). If the condition is acceptable, it is recommended that a
redundancy device(s) be fitted, if not previously equipped.
c. If an existing bolted external clamp end closure is non-compliant with a, one
of the following actions shall be taken:
1. Replace the trap end closure or the entire trap.
2. Conduct a formal review of pig trap operating procedures to ensure minimal
risk to personnel using the existing trap.
3. Modify the pressurising system to enable valves to be operated at a safe
distance from the closure).
6.8.3. End closure design and testing requirements

a. The design shall include:
1. Pressure vessel calculations and supporting stress analysis, typically in
accordance with ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII,
Division 2, Part 4.
2. If the design is justified by calculation, a full design file shall be
provided.
3. Sealing areas and joints shall be assessed for relative displacement,
deflection, opening, and/or closing of gaps.
4. A full finite element analysis shall be provided for any new design.
5. Use of materials other than those listed in the relevant pressure vessel
codes shall be subject to agreement with Equion Energy Limited.
Allowable stresses for these materials shall also be subject to
agreement with Equion Energy Limited.
b. End closure testing
1. Additional requirements, to the ones listed in Table 3, apply if the size
and pressure rating are above the current range of operating
experience.
2. Proof testing, typically in accordance with requirements provided in
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII, Division 1, UG 101,
is given in Table 4.
3. Test reports and evidence of successful relevant operational
experience of the closure shall be established.

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c. Design and testing requirements for closures up to 1500 ANSI are

summarised in Table 3.
Note: Additional requirements apply if the required pressure rating

is above 1500 ANSI.
Size and pressure ≤ size and Size and pressure above those Size and pressure > 1,2 x size
pressure made before of same made before but < 1,2 x size and pressure made before or
design. and pressure. any new design.
GD, PE, and other Review track record. Check Design verified by scaling Full design review in
internal and design calculations. Design in previous designs. Review shall accordance with ASME VIII,
approved type accordance with ASME VIII, Div 1 include detailed design, Div 2 Part 4, including full
closures or 2, and App 24 requirements. stresses, strains, clearances, FEA of all parts, checking
Supporting calculations and FEA extrusion gaps by scaling. stresses, deflections,
to be included. Satisfactory Design verified by scaling. extrusion gaps, deflections
experience without calculations is Independent design review and fits. Independent design
NOT acceptable. Independent recommended. review required.
design review optional.
External tie rod Full design review in accordance Full design review in Not permitted unless agreed
type (non- with ASME VIII, Division 1, or accordance with ASME VIII, otherwise.
preferred option) ASME VIII, Div 2 with FEA. Tie Div 2 App 4, including full FEA
rods shall have redundancy, and of all parts, checking stresses,
design parameters of App 24 deflections, extrusion gaps,
(including minimum angles) to deflections and fits. Backup
be adopted. (See design section). design in accordance with
Satisfactory experience without Div 1 App 24 also.
calculations is NOT acceptable. Independent design review
Independent design review required.
required.
Note:
Term “size and pressure” refers to product size in mm/inches and pressure in bar/psi.
Table 3 - Pig trap closure design requirements
d. End closure safety and operating gear shall be designed to ensure safety in
operation and comply with the following:
1. Failure of any single component of the locking and holding
mechanism shall not lead to release of closure.
2. Locking mechanism shall incorporate redundancy of critical
components.
3. At least one positively located safety bleed device shall be provided
on the door to relieve any residual pressure before the door can be
opened.

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4. Any release of residual pressure shall be directed away from the

operator.
5. Visual examination of the security and integrity of the locking and
holding elements, if in the closed position, shall be enabled.
e. Allow for full maintenance, including greasing and realignment of mating
surfaces in situ.
f. Manually operated closures shall be easy to operate by one person using
hand tools only.
g. Door closure mechanism shall be able to be maintained without removal of
whole trap.
h. Pig trap door should have mechanical device to ensure that the door cannot
be accidentally dislodged from mountings.
i. Materials for appurtenances, including bleed valve, hinges, locking, and
holding mechanisms, shall be selected to provide good environmental
corrosion resistance, as well as long term reliable operation.
j. If required, end closure shall be suitable for vacuum conditions.

impresión
Size and pressure ≤ size and Size x pressure < 1,2 x size and Size and pressure > 1,2 x size and
pressure made before. pressure made before. pressure made before.
GD, PE, and Hydrotest in accordance Hydrotest in accordance with the Hydrotest in accordance with the
other internal with the design code design code. Check for any design code, with strain gages in
type closures followed by a leak test at a shakedown and dimensional critical stress locations. Check for
minimum of 1,1 x design changes after pressure test. Check any nonelastic behaviour during
pressure at least two cycles, dimensions for any deformation test and for any inconsistencies
using water for liquid service and clearances against design between strain gage and
traps and gas valves. After hydrotest, leak tests at theoretical stress values. Check
(nitrogen/helium) for gas 1,1 x design pressure, 5 cycles for any shakedown and
service traps. Check seals minimum, using water for liquid dimensional changes after
and all moving parts for service and gas (nitrogen/helium) pressure test. Check any
extrusion and degradation for gas service traps. Check seals deformation and clearances
after test. and moving parts for extrusion and against design valves. After
degradation after test. hydrotest, leak test at 1,1 x
design pressure, 10 cycles
minimum, using water for liquid
service and gas (nitrogen/helium)
for gas service traps. Check seals
and moving parts for extrusion
and degradation after test.
External tie Hydrotest in accordance Hydrotest in accordance with the Not permitted.
rod type with the design code. Tie design code, with strain gages in
(nonpreferred rod(s) to be strain gaged critical stress locations including tie
option) during hydrotest, and strain rods. Note: redundancy device to
values judged against design be removed during strain gage test
values. Note: redundancy of tie rod(s). Check for any
device to be removed during nonelastic behaviour during test
strain gage test of tie rod. and for any inconsistencies
After hydrotest, leak test at a between strain gage and
minimum of 1,1 x design theoretical stress values. Check for
pressure at least 5 cycles, any shakedown and dimensional
using water followed by changes after pressure test. Check
5 cycles on gas any deformation and clearances
(nitrogen/helium) for gas against design valves. After
service traps. Redundancy hydrotest, leak test at a minimum
device removed for water of 1,1 x design pressure at least
tests, and installed for gas 10 cycles, using water followed by
tests. Check seals and all 10 cycles on gas (nitrogen/helium)
moving parts for extrusion for gas service traps. Redundancy
and degradation after each device removed for water tests and
cycle. installed for gas tests. Check seals
and moving parts for extrusion and
degradation after each cycle.
Note:
Term “size and pressure” refers to product size in inches/mm and pressure in psi/bar.
Table 4 - Pig trap closure test requirements

impresión
k. Closure hinges and locking mechanisms shall be suitable for repeated

operation.
l. Fatigue calculations shall include the end closure.
m. Fillet welds and the hinges shall be fabricated, designed, and mounted to
prevent sagging of the door, if opened, over the specified design life of the
pig trap end closure.
n. Blind flanges shall not be considered for frequently used trap end closures.
6.9. Materials, fabrication, welding, and marking

6.9.1. Materials
a. Materials shall comply with the pipeline design code. Materials selected shall
be suitable for the design minimum temperature for pig trap.
b. For sour service applications, LTP-0060 shall apply.
c. Plate and forged materials are preferred for manufacture of pig traps.
d. Plate may be subject to HIC testing for sour service applications.
e. Castings shall only be allowed if:
1. Suitable NDE is applied, including volumetric.
2. Repaired welds are mapped.
3. No weld repairs require removal of more than 25% of the weld
thickness.
4. A pilot casting approach has been used.
5. Pouring simulations/finite element analysis of the method has been
used.
f. Flanges shall be specified in accordance with ASME B16.5 or MSS SP-44, as
appropriate according to size, and shall be the same as those of connected
pipeline.
g. Fittings shall comply with ASME B16.9 or MSS SP-75 as appropriate.
Threaded connections shall not be used.
h. Attention shall be given to the compatibility of any weld end pup pieces with
the pipeline.

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6.9.2. Fabrication
a. Fabrication shall comply with applicable pipeline code.
b. Fabrication shall take into account tolerances required for door closure,
timing of any required heat treatment, and machined finish.
c. The inside of the trap shall be free from obstructions that could prevent the
free rolling of spheres or travel of pigs or carriers.
d. External nonmachined surfaces shall be coated.
e. Machined surfaces shall be suitably coated to prevent corrosion and shall be
protected against damage during transport, storage, and installation.
f. If the end closure is manufactured by a different vendor than the pig trap
fabricator, the end closure shall be fully inspected in accordance with
manufacturer recommendations to ensure that the end closure functions
correctly and has not been damaged.
6.9.3. Marking
a. A stainless steel plate shall be fitted to end closure with permanent marking
stating that the operator shall refer to the manufacturer instructions for the
safe operation of the closure.
Each pig trap shall have a nameplate with the following
information:
1. Name of the pipeline in which the trap is installed.
2. Vendor name.
3. Order number and date.
4. Year of manufacture.
5. Design pressure.
6. Maximum and minimum design temperatures.
7. Test pressure.
8. Weight empty.
9. Class of flange connections.
6.9.4. Inspection and hydrotest of new and refurbished traps

a. Inspection shall be performed in accordance with applicable requirements of
the code.

impresión
b. Parent material for the main barrel, reducer, and neck shall be subject to
100% visual inspection.
c. Radiographic examination should be by X-ray.
d. Ultrasonic examination shall be used for pig traps intended for onerous
service and for wall thickness over 30 mm (1,2 in).
e. Surface examination shall be by wet magnetic particle.
f. End closure, mating clamp and flange machined surfaces, door hinges, hinge
attachments, and locking mechanisms shall be subject to magnetic particle
inspection (or dye penetrant inspection if fabricated from nonmagnetic
materials).
g. Hydrotest shall be performed with clean fresh water at a temperature not
lower than that permitted by the code.
h. Duration of the test shall comply with applicable code and be at least 1 hr.
i. Any gaskets to be supplied with the pig trap shall be replaced with new ones
following the hydrotest.
j. Closures intended for gas service shall be subject to a gas leak test of 1,1
times design pressure as part of the factory acceptance test and following
the hydrotest.
k. Leakage rates shall be assessed using helium trace and acceptance criteria
shall be 0,14 m3/yr (5 scf/yr).
6.9.5. Inspection and testing of existing pig traps

a. Pig traps shall be inspected and revalidated for continued operation at
regular intervals not normally exceeding 5 yr. Local regulations,
requirements, or service conditions may require more frequent inspection
and testing.
b. Inspections shall be performed by a competent engineer, who shall make
reference to the manufacturer recommendations for inspection and
maintenance of end closures.
c. Revalidation may require periodic hydrotest in accordance with manufacturer
recommendations.

impresión
7. Special applications
7.1. Subsea traps

a. Permanent subsea traps should be avoided, if possible.
b. Design should comply with the applicable pipeline code and ISO 13628-1.
c. Valves requiring onsite subsea operation shall be ROV operable.
d. Anchor points shall be provided to assist pig loading and unloading.
7.2. Pigging of flexibles
7.3. Tanker/barge loading lines

a. For some pipelines that may have been installed with only one pig trap,
pigging shall be performed from one end only. If tethered tools are used,
safe isolation procedures shall be used.
b. Pigging of the line requires use of bidirectional pigs and capability to reverse
the flow, or tethered pigs should be used.
c. The following factors shall be taken into consideration if determining the
piggability of a line:
1. History of the line.
2. Means of reversing the flow and associated modifications required to
the line.
3. Space and equipment requirements needed for the pig trap if not
already installed.
4. The scope to use gel pigs rather than conventional pigs to minimise
intervention for debris removal.
7.4. Temporary pig traps

a. If temporary pig traps are used on several systems, a record shall be
maintained of where and if the traps have been used.
b. Traps shall be visually inspected before each use, with periodic revalidation.

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Annex A
(Informative)
Recommended pig trap closures
Table A.1 and Table A.2 are current recommended pig trap end closures and their
potential operation range based on information provided by vendors.
a. Cells marked with “” indicate that a design is available with supporting
design documentation and test verification data.
b. Cells marked with “?” indicate that a design is available, but further
verification and testing is required.
c. Cells marked with “X” indicate that no design is currently available.

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Table A.1 - GD Engineering (GD): Type BANDLOCK 2
ANSI class 150/300 600 900 1500 2500/5000 10000 15000

Diameter
(in)
<6      X X
8 to 12      X X
14 to 20      X X
22 to 24     ? X X
26 to 30     X X X
30 to 32     X X X
32 to 36     X X X
36 to 40    ? X X X
42 to 46    ? X X X
46 to 52    X X X X
52 to 56   ? X  X X
56 to 60  ? ? X X X X
60 to 72 ? ?  X X X X
Table A.2 - Pipeline engineering (PE)
ANSI class 150/300 600 900 1500 2500/5000 10000 15000

Diameter
(in)
<6    ? ? X X
8 to 12      X X
14 to 20     X X X
22 to 24     X X X
26 to 30     X X X
30 to 32    ? X X X
32 to 36    ? X X X
36 to 40    ? X X X
42 to 46 X X X X X X X
52 to 56 X X X X  X X

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Annex B
(Informative)
Tie rod type design pig trap closures
B.1 Qualification of use requirements for FAI, LTS, and TDW
B.1.1 Introduction
a. There have been isolated failures of pig trap doors on Equion Energy Limited
assets. Most of the failures have been with closures that have external tie
rods securing the doors. While they are not the preferred type, it is likely they
will remain in service as such issues with potential enclosure failure need to
be noted and addressed. This Annex summarises the findings.
b. The tie rod type closure can work reliably, including applications on high
pressure and large diameters, as verified by the reliable operation of several
1 m, 34 MPa (42 in, 5 000 psi) rated closures.
c. The closure designs manufactured by Fauske & Associates, Inc. (FAI), Ledcor
Technical Services (LTS), and T.D. Williamson (TDW) are used in a number of
Equion Energy Limited facilities. A detailed design review was conducted to
clearly understand the designs, potential limitations, and compliance with
this LPT.
B.1.2 What are the main issues?
a. Closures should be built in accordance with the pre 2007 edition of

ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, Division 1, Mandatory
Appendix 24.
b. Most closures quote general design compliance but do not address the
requirement to include a redundancy device/retainer to act in parallel with
the tie rods, as described in ASME, 24-1 (f) of Appendix 24.
c. The use of “nonlisted” materials (i.e., those not listed in ASME Boiler and
Pressure Vessel Code, Section II) seem to be fairly commonplace, although
vendors can usually design and manufacture using listed materials if
instructed.
d. The design using listed materials (i.e., lower strength) is usually heavier than
design using nonlisted and stronger materials.

impresión
e. If nonlisted materials are used, the designer generally uses the methods in
ASME for derivation of allowable stress, even though the materials are not
listed.
f. ASME only permits use of listed materials. This means that closures made
from nonlisted materials cannot be “U” stamped. The LTS closure on Thunder
Horse is designed this way (i.e., using nonlisted materials but deriving stress
intensity values from the methods used in ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel
Code, Section II).
g. A review of accident reports indicated that none of the tie rod type closures
that failed have had redundancy devices fitted.
h. Failures have been the same common to one another: improper makeup of
the clamp and/or wear. If the clamp is not made up properly, the door
separates from the barrel under pressure. The change of door position loads
the clamps further and often changes the contact angle between hubs and
clamp, which in turn increases the tie rod load. If the tie rod then stretches,
the clamp opens further, leading to failure and eventual door opening (see
sketches in B.1.6.2).
i. If Equion Energy Limited stipulates that redundancy is required, most
vendors can offer some device, but design of these may be crude and/or not
fully developed.
j. A carefully designed redundancy device could incorporate a system that
ensures proper assembly of the tie rod components. Device should be
designed such that, if the tie rods and parts are not correctly positioned, the
redundancy device would not engage.
B.1.3 Design of tie rod and associated fittings
The tie rod is required to fulfil three requirements:

a. To provide sufficient preload to ensure the gasket is compressed such that a
seal is produced. In some joints, notably with soft seals, the gasket requires
no preload.
b. To provide sufficient compression such that the joint remains tight under the
action of pressure (the “m” factor in the ASME calculation). In some joints,
notably with soft seals, the joint requires no preload.
c. To be able to withstand the forces acting on it due to the pressure inside the
barrel.

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B.1.4 Gasket compression
a. There are two basic types of gasket: metal and soft/O-ring.

b. LTS closure generally uses a metal seal and the FAI and TDW closures use
O-ring seals.
c. The sealing stress on the metal seal is significant, typically 69 MPa (10 ksi),
but the O-ring seals require zero or virtually zero sealing stress.
d. Generally, the metal gasket requires a significant movement to provide the
required sealing stress as the gasket is mechanically compressed, requiring
considerable load over a considerable distance.
e. The soft seals can be brought virtually to the required contact with minimal
compression force.
B.1.5 Tie rod loading
a. Again, there are two design concepts: designs that have preloaded tie rods
and those that have low or zero preload. The need for preload depends
heavily on the nature of the design of the clamp and the type of seal used.
b. If pressure is applied to the closure, generally, two things occur, the closure
opens slightly and tie rod becomes loaded by the pressure. The degree of
loading in the tie rod due to pressure depends greatly on the angle of the
clamp faces, and these vary from design to design.
c. Clamp angles
1. The greater the clamp angle, the greater the tie rod load due to pressure, with
theoretically zero load if the angle is zero.
2. The clamp angles are acting as a gear, with small angles providing high load
and small movement, with minimum risk of back driving while large angles
give bigger movement, lower loading, and higher risk of back driving.
3. At an angle of zero, there is no risk of back driving, but there is no
compression applied to the faces by the clamp.
d. Metal seals seem to require a larger angle that provides a compressive load
over a longer movement such that the gasket compresses adequately as the
joint is assembled.
e. Ratio of clamp movement to door movement is approximately 2:1 on a
15 degree angle and approximately 10:1 on a 3 degree angle.

impresión
f. Designs that have small angles, like the FAI design, only require sufficient
preload to ensure that the joint stays closed by the action of pressure. This
will be a fairly small angle, and the joint does not require any significant
movement to close, only the small compression of the O-ring.
g. The TDW design has no requirement for any preload. The joint is mounted
on a radial spigot, so even if the joint separates, the O-ring should still
function.
B.1.6 Clamp angles
B.1.6.1 General
a. The clamp angle dictates the type of loading on the door and tie rod. The larger the
angle, the higher geared is the translation from tie rod load to joint load.
b. At zero degrees, there is no translation from tie rod load to joint face. See the
following table.

impresión
Angle Preload on joint faces Effect of pressure on joint Note

face
Large (typically 15 degrees) Relatively large movement Tie rod can be back driven In most cases, the preload
LTS closure. of joint faces as joint is by pressure causing loads. will be intended to be
tightened. Good gasket greater than the separation
compression. force.
Small angles (typically 3 to Relatively small movement Tie rod unlikely to see high This type of joint requires
5 degrees). FAI type closure. on the joint faces as the rod back driving forces, as angle only a small preload.
is tightened. is less than or equal to
friction angle.
Zero Angle. TDW type No movement of joint face. No back driving of tie rod No preload required.
closure. by pressure.
B.1.6.2. Sketches of clamp angle types
Large angle: LTS Small angle: FAI Zero angle: TDW
B.1.6.3. Redundancy in tie rod
If angles are large, there is a greater risk of back loading of the tie rod from pressure.
This means that LTS design inherently has a greater requirement for the redundancy
device than FAI and or TDW designs.
B.1.6.4. What are the risks?
a. Tie rod designs are susceptible to the same basic problem, although the detail of
the problem varies from design to design.
b. If the joint is worn, damaged, too weak, or not made up correctly, there is a very
real risk that the design contact angles are changed. In most, if not all cases, the
contact angles increase significantly as pressure is applied, and the tie rod load
increases as a result.
c. Typical examples are as follows:

impresión
Clamp in contact with outside of hubs, on radius, Misalignment causing localised deformation: increasing
increasing angle (topping out). angle.
Clamp in contact with inside of hubs, on radius, increasing Deformation increasing angles: weak design.
angle (bottoming out).
d. From these four load cases, it can be seen that there is usually a tendency for the
contact angle to increase above the design value.
e. In each load case, if pressure increases the tie rod load, the joint could separate
further.
f. As the joint separates, the angle may increase, further loading the tie rod, opening
the joint further until eventual release of the closure.
B.1.6.5. Materials
a. The use of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII design method in
combination with nonlisted materials is fairly commonplace for high strength
materials, particularly on pipeline components.
b. The approach taken by LTS is reasonable (i.e., using a stress intensity of the lesser of
UTS/3 and 2/3 times yield stress). Additional safeguards should be taken on the
material, such as ductility and elongation.
c. In localised areas and under certain load conditions, ASME Boiler and Pressure
Vessel Code, Section VIII, Div 2, permits 1,5 and 3 times the stress intensity value

impresión
(see Figure 4, 130.1). The material needs to have sufficient ductility and elongation
to locally allow shakedown and plastic deformation without failure.
d. As a minimum Charpy values should form part of the material specification, as
should a minimum elongation value, suggested to be greater than 20%.
Recommended Charpy values (in Joules) are yield strength (in N/mm2)/10.
e. In some cases, vendors take a pseudo material approach to design. They use high
strength materials, typically F60, which is not listed, but for the purpose of the
calculations, use the allowable stresses of a near equivalent material, such as
ASTM A350 LF2.
f. As many of the ASTM materials have no maximum values to strength, it is possible
to recertify a F60 type material to LF2 requirements as permitted in UG10. This
permits closure to be “U” stamped. The FEA then may be assessed using the actual
material properties.
B.1.6.6. Steps to be taken to ensure closure compliance with LPT 43-50
a. Ideally, use “listed” materials for the clamp, or use the pseudo materials described
in B.1.6.5.
b. Ensure that material specifications have ductility and elongation requirements,
particularly if non listed materials are used.
c. Include the redundancy device on tie rod designs. The risk of the joint failing
incrementally would be greatly reduced if an additional constraint is provided.
d. Use the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, Division 1, Mandatory
Appendix 24, design method. There is a minimum design angle requirement in this
design, even if the clamp angle is zero. This provides some safeguard against tie
rods being loaded by localised deformations.
e. Conduct FEA on the design to check for deformation on the joint and to see
whether angle of contact changes significantly as the joint deforms (i.e., check for
weak clamp as described previously).
f. Ensure clamps that require a preload have a suitable preloading device fitted which
can provide adequate preload but without overstressing.
g. Provide a strain gage on the tie rod(s) during hydrotest/function test to show that
actual strain values are similar or less than design/predicted values. For preloaded
designs, the strain should not change significantly if pressure is applied, so it may
be necessary to measure strain in relaxed, preloaded, and pressurised conditions.

impresión
h. Use realistic coefficients of friction in the design and use realistic lubricants during
test. In general, the lower the coefficient of friction between clamp and hub, the
greater the load in the tie rod(s).
i. For minimising the load transferred from clamp to tie rod, it is preferable not to use
grease or lubricant. Some designs with metal seals, such as the LTS design,
probably need lubricant to ensure that adequate gasket compression is achieved as
the tie rod is preloaded.
j. Provide some arrangement that precludes the incorrect assembly of the clamp and
hubs. Ideally, this should be included in the redundancy device and/or the safety
interlock system such that the assembly cannot be pressurised until correct
assembly is ensured.
k. Check for incorrect machining, wear, and any other mechanism that could cause the
clamp to bottom or top out on the hubs. In factory test, consideration should be
given to “blueing” the surfaces of the clamp and hub to check for even contact.
B.1.7 Acceptable tie rod type design pig trap closures
B.1.7.1 Fauske & Associates, Inc. (FAI) closure
B.1.7.2 Ledcor Technical Services (LTS) closure
ClampTec™
B.1.7.3 T.D. Williamson (TDW) closures
D2000
Annex C
(Informative)
Onshore gas terminal incident at 16 in sphere receiver
C.1. Incident
a. While unloading spheres from a 400 mm (16 in) receiver on 25 October 1983, an
operator fell from the access platform as two spheres were ejected by captive gas
pressure.

impresión
b. Fortunately, the operator was not hit by the receiver door or the spheres, the latter
causing structural damage to steelwork and piping before coming to rest 15 m and
50 m (50 ft and 160 ft) away, respectively.
c. The operator did sustain minor injuries as a result of his fall from the access
structure.
C.2. Cause of the incident
a. The terminal receives gas from offshore gas production platforms through 400 mm
(16 in) and 600 mm (24 in) pipelines. As the gas contains a high proportion of liquid
hydrocarbon condensate, it is necessary to pass spheres through the pipelines at
frequent intervals to prevent undue buildup of liquid in the pipelines. The hollow
spheres are pressurised with a water/glycol mixture up to 830 kPag (120 psig) to
obtain a close fit within the pipelines. The inflation valves are capped off with screw
plugs and O-ring seals.
b. Insertion of spheres into the pipelines is performed at the production platforms,
using purpose built launchers designed to contain a number of spheres held under
pipeline pressure (approximately 4 800 kPag [700 psig]) that can then be launched
individually to meet production requirements. Sphere receivers are installed at the
shore (terminal) end to collect the spheres. These are designed to be isolated and
vented down and the spheres are removed to atmosphere without affecting the
main pipeline operation.
c. At the time of the incident, two spheres had passed into the 400 mm (16 in)
receiver, and attempts were made to isolate the receiver from the main pipeline.
d. After several attempts, isolation was apparently achieved, and the receiver was
vented to atmospheric pressure at its downstream end. Depressuring was
confirmed by operating a bleed screw on the receiver door, and the operator
proceeded to open the door. The spheres were then ejected in the manner
described.
e. Subsequent investigation indicated that gas had entered the spheres from the
pipeline through leaking plug seals, causing them to expand in the enlarged
diameter of the receiver as it was depressured, maintaining a tight fit.
f. Gas had also continued to pass into the receiver through the shut isolation valve,
thus maintaining pipeline pressure in the section of receiver upstream of the
spheres. Unfortunately, this pressure was sufficient to dislodge the spheres just as
the door was opened.

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g. The successful insertion, passage, and collection of spheres had been performed in
the 400 mm (16 in) line between gas production platforms and the terminal for
nearly 20 yr.
h. Pressurisation of the spheres in this case is thought to be a combination of slight
leakage of the plug seals on the spheres themselves and the fact that the spheres
had been held in a fully pressurised sphere launcher for about a month.
i. It is noteworthy that the operator followed the established procedure for
depressuring and venting the receiver before opening the door.
C.3. Recommendations
The following recommendations have been actioned by the terminal management:

a. The individual sphere pressurisation valve plug seals are to be renewed on each
occasion before loading into the launcher.
b. Spheres are not to be left for extended periods in pressurised launchers.
c. An additional vent point has been installed immediately downstream of the
launcher isolation valve and depressurisation procedures amended.
d. The isolation valve is to be overhauled at the next suitable opportunity and
consideration given to an additional isolation valve and bleed system.
C.4. Comment
a. This incident highlights the necessity to take particular care if breaking containment
at sphere or pig receivers and launchers.
b. Fortunately only a minor injury occurred as a result of this incident.
c. Two operators were killed in the U.S. when attempting to open a sphere launcher
door before ensuring that the launcher had been correctly depressured.
d. Theoretically, once the spheres are full of glycol/water mixture there should be no
possibility of gas ingress into the sphere from the outside. The external pressure
applied to the sphere acts through the flexible wall onto an incompressible sphere
of liquid. The design is such that it is impossible to hydraulically fill the sphere, and
a compressible vapour space is always present that is capable of being pressured
up from the outside should the plug seal leak. If the external pressure is released,
any increased internal pressure becomes trapped, resulting in a larger sphere
diameter. It is important, therefore, that spheres are not left in pressurised
launchers for excessive lengths of time to preclude the potential for gas entering
the spheres in the manner described. In addition to modifying their procedures in

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this respect, the terminal management are also pursuing the matter with sphere
manufacturers with a view to achieving an engineering solution to this problem.
e. Sphere launchers and receivers that are permanently installed in a pipeline system
need to be designed to withstand the maximum operating pressure of the system.
Since launchers and receivers have to be opened while the pipeline is in service,
they should always be installed in conjunction with twin high integrity isolation
block valves and have suitable valved connections to allow the flow to be directed
into or out of the launcher/receiver and to allow the launcher/receiver to be
drained. Two vents to atmosphere are essential (one at each end of the
launcher/receiver) and, as an additional safeguard, there should be some form of
device that prevents the door from being opened until the pressure has been fully
relieved. It also needs to be possible to prime the launcher/receiver under
controlled conditions.
f. An incident also occurred in which an instrument mechanic attempted to release a
stuck sphere from a receiver using compressed air. The sphere was eventually
ejected and travelled a distance of 230 m (750 ft), hitting various obstacles in its
path. The report of that incident discusses the dangers of incorrect operation of
sphere launchers/receivers.

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Bibliography
EQUION
[1] LTP-0038, Valves for Pipelines.
[2] LTP-0054, New Pressure Vessels.
American Petroleum Institute (API)

[3] API Spec 6D, Pipeline Valves.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

[4] ASME B31.4, Pipeline Transportation Systems for Liquid Hydrocarbons and Other Liquids.
[5] ASME B31.8, Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems.
British Standards Institute (BSI)

[6] BS EN 13445, Unfired pressure vessels. General.
[7] BS PD 5500, Specification for unfired fusion welded pressure vessels.
International Standards Organization (ISO)

[8] ISO 13628-8, Petroleum and natural gas industries - Design and operation of subsea
production systems - Part 8: Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) interfaces on subsea
production systems.

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LTP-0029 (Pigging, Pig Launchers and Receivers)

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Pigging, Pig Laucnchers and Receivers

Información del Documento

Rev. Detalle de la Revisión Elaboró Fecha Revisó Aprobó

Partes Interesadas (Stakeholders)

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• Guidance on pig selection.

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6.5.2. Kicker and bypass lines ..........................................................................................................................33

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a. This LPT provides requirements for:

2. Pipeline design to accommodate pigging.

3. Selection and design of pig traps, end closures, and appurtenances.

b. The scope of this LPT includes:

• For dated references, only the edition cited applies.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

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International Standards Organization (ISO)

Manufacturers Standardization Society of the Valves and Fittings Industry (MSS)

3. Symbols and abbreviations

ATEX Explosive atmosphere (EU standards).

ESD Emergency shutdown.

FEA Finite element analysis.

GIS Geographical information system.

HIC Hydrogen induced cracking.

ILI In-line inspection.

LEL Lower explosive limit.

LPG Liquid petroleum gas.

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MAOP Maximum allowable working pressure.

MFL Magnetic flux leakage.

NDE Nondestructive examination.

NGL Natural gas liquids.

PPE Personal protective equipment.

ROC Rapid opening closure.

ROV Remotely operated vehicle.

4.1. Reasons to pig

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4.2. Pig types

4.3. Pig selection, design, and maintenance

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4.3.2. Pig design requirements

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4.3.3. ATEX requirements for potentially explosive atmosphere service

4.3.4. Maintenance and inspection of pigs

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d. The pig manufacturer’s recommendations shall be followed for disassembly and

4.4. In-line inspection pigging requirements

4.5. Pigging operational considerations

4.5.2. Safety and risk assessment

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a. Understanding of pipeline condition and facilities.

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4.5.3. Operating procedures

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4.5.4. Contingency plans

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5. Detection of the pig and investigation of the pipeline in the vicinity to

4.6. Pig trap operations, inspection and maintenance

4.6.2. Operating procedures

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4.6.3. Flushing and purging of pig traps