DRIVING A PIG

• Pigging is used in both natural gas and liquid lines.

• Pressure is important, the driving force is spongy at low
pressure, stiff at high pressure.
• Very difficult to pig at pressures below 200 psi, typically easy
for pressures above 600 psi.
• The optimal speed is 3-6 mph.
• Not every pipeline operates at this flow rate.
 UNPIGGABLE PIPELINES
• Not all pipelines can be successfully pigged
Companies strive to make their pigs work perfectly the first
time.
Achieve this 90% of the time.
• Many pipelines were built before pigs were first used
In the 1970's, only 30% of gas pipelines could be pigged.
• What makes lines unpiggable?
Small diameters
Flow and access
Bends and Connections
Older Pipelines
 PIPELINE DIMENSIONS
LENTH
• Distance between pig traps must be determined,
• Wear of the pigs and the pipeline product is a major
consideration.
• A Steel pipeline will create less wear than a Concrete
pipeline.
 PIPELINE DIMENSIONS
DIAMETER & WALL THICKNESS
• It is important to determine the pipe diameter and the
pipe wall thickness.
• Large diameter, thin wall pipe is suitable for the
operating conditions but is difficult to install.
• Wall thickness varies with the external conditions such
as population density, highway crossings, railway
crossings etc.
• If the wall thickness inside the pipe diameter is within
the tolerances allowed by the pig suppliers, it shouldn’t
be a problem.
 PIPELINE DIMENSIONS
 DUAL DIAMETER PIPELINES
• Concentric reducers are used for
changes in diameter within a pipeline
so that the center line of the pig can
remain on the same plane as it
transmit from one size to another.
• Eccentric reducers are ideal on pig
traps as the pig trap barrel is oversize
and the center line of the pig when it is
in the trap is almost on the same
center line as the pipe.
 PIPELINE MATERIALS
BASE MATERIALS
• Most pipelines are of steel, however they are also made of
• Cast iron
• Wrought iron
• Asbestos cement
• Reinforced concrete
• Plastic and other materials
• Many existing pipelines are of carbon steel with yield
strengths of 40,000 to 50,000 lbs/sq.in.
 PIPELINE MATERIALS
LININGS
• Helps to protect the pipelines from the effect of the product.
• Provide an internal surface that creates less flow resistance.
• Pipelines are usually internally lined with paint like materials.
• Linings are usually applied at the factory.
• Metal cleaning elements shouldn’t be used in pipelines.
 PIPELINE MATERIALS
COATINGS
• Pipelines are coated to protect them from corrosion.
• For many years, the prime coating material is hot-applied tar.
• Some companies also use bitumen.
• Another coating material made of plastic is also used after
welding.
• Small pipelines are wrapped with manually operated
machines.
• Larger pipes are coated using power wrapping machines.
 BENDS
 FORGED BENDS
• Short radius (one D) bends should not be
used in pipelines if pigs are to be run.
• Pigs can be designed to pass long radius
elbows but are less effective than a longer
radius bend.
• Bends should have radius as follows-
• 10D for pipelines 4” and smaller
• 5D for 6” through 12” lines
• 3D for pipelines larger than 12”
• Ideally, bends shouldn’t be adjacent to one
another.
 BENDS

FIELD BENDS
• It is often referred to as ‘cold bends’.
• Sometimes these are made without a bending machine.
• It should be of a uniform radius and don’t contain any other
localized deformation.
• For pigging, localized deformation should be limited to no more
than 2 or 3%.
 BENDS
 MITER BENDS
• These are made by cutting the end of
the pipe at an angle to achieve a
change in direction of the pipe.
• A bend made of a series of miter joints
is unacceptable.
• Whenever there is a miter bend the
pig supplier must be notified of the
dimensions for providing a suitable
pig.
 OFFTAKES
 BARRED TEES
• Bars must be of substantial design with
full penetration welds.
• These may be subjected to severe shock
loads by pig brushes etc. and cause pigs
to jam if they broken.
• Bars should be installed parallel to the
axis of the run and spaced from about 2”
apart.
 OFFTAKES
 UNBARRED TEES
• This will decrease the chance of the pig
getting stuck.
• Help to guide any other attachments
such as cleaning brushes or blades,
wheels, sensors etc.
• It shouldn’t be installed adjacent to each
other.
• At least three diameters of straight pipe
should be installed between any two
fittings.
 OFFTAKES
 LATERALS
 

• These are offtakes that intersect the

pipeline at any angle other than to the
pipeline.
• In order for a pig to pass the lateral it is
essential that the span of the seals on
the pig be greater than the length of the
opening.
 WYE JUNCTIONS
 CONVERGENCE ANGLE
 

• Most wyes installed to date have a

included convergence angle.
• Shallower angle reduces the impact that
the pig makes with the opposite side.
 WYE JUNCTIONS
 BORES
• A wye with a parallel bore will simplify
machining and reduce manufacturing
costs.
• Special extended body or multi-module
pigs will therefore be mandatory to
traverse this type of wye.
• This allows the pig to “float” through
even at relatively low fluid velocities.