Portable receiver 1

[QuickFlange]

HI,

We are in the process of designing a 30" crude oil line where the client wants to put a portable scraper trap.Does any one have an idea about portable scraper trap and how it looks (space occupied, etc.,) and the principle of operation. A sketch will help me in understanding.

Thanks in advance.

 

[zdas04]

This is not a standard contraption, and I would expect it to be incredibly heavy. If you don't know where to start, you need to hire someone who does.

David

 

[GregLamberson]

bartee

I've used portable pig traps before, typically in a scenario where you have allot of small gathering lines that are the same size(not over say 12") that need to be pigged occasionally and the client didn't want to build a bunch of pig traps - we just had connections on each end of every one (a flanged, full bore valve) and a trailer mounted receiver & launcher that could be flanged up to which ever line needed to be pigged. Works good in that scenario, have not seen it for a single 30" line before or anything over around 12". Not sure what the drivers behind wanting portable traps are? It would help to know.

In my experience on these portable traps, they are not conducive, simply because of the size, to larger diameter pipelines. Again, it would help to know the rationale (if there is any) behind the clients request.

Greg Lamberson, BS, MBA
Consultant - Upstream Energy
Website:

http://www.oil-gas-consulting.com

 

[BigInch]

Reminds me of an old "Have Gun, Will Travel" episode for some reason.

It doesn't make sense to have a portable launcher/receiver when the pigs themselves really arn't all that portable either. You need a 18 wheeler to move more than 10 of the heavy ones. Maybe that is considered portable .. in some parts of the world. Or if it comes with its own D12 track rack? Is the connection made with braided "pig tails"?

Let your acquaintances be many, but your advisors one in a thousand’ ... Book of Ecclesiasticus

 

[QuickFlange]

Thanks for your responses zdas04, GregLamberson, BigInch. Please see attachemnt showing something regarding a trap which is not a conventional receiver and is very small like a tee and used is a pig trap. Your comments are appreciated.

Thanks once again.

 

[BigInch]

This is essentially a "pig receiving valve", which as already mentioned above is very commonly used in smaller sizes, so the technology is well known, although I don't see how you remove the pig in your drawing. Otherwise you seem to be trying to scale pig valves up, which probably will work until you hit the ease of transportability wall. I think you're still under that for this system, unless you try to carry a lot of balls around with it too. I'll let you think about the full implications of that problem.



Let your acquaintances be many, but your advisors one in a thousand’ ... Book of Ecclesiasticus

 

[GregLamberson]

bartee

Big Inch is correct. Need to look at the client's reasoning behind this request - is it cost, schedule, space limitations.

Also need to ask the client what type & frequency of pigging will they be doing. Will inteliigent pigs be used? The type of pigging will drive the length & configuration of the trap. There are nmany possibilities for pigging requirements and all need to be looked at:

For construction and commissioning:
- Debris removal
- Sizing platf/pig
- Hydrotest
- Dewatering
- Drying
- Geometry survey
- Pipe defect survey

For operations:
- Product segregation
- Scale and/or wax removla
- Solids removal
- Inibitor batching
- Condensate removal
- Pipleine internal inspection
- Geometric survey

How will these "traps" be tied into a drain system or collection area?

Typically, a min of 1 pig length (pig length depends on the type & manufactuer of the pig) of straight run pipe should be installed between bends & outlets coming into the trap.

Also, how will the pgis be detected - are there any pig sigs? Pig traps on one hand are pretty simple devices, but they be complex depending on the applications.

Greg Lamberson, BS, MBA
Consultant - Upstream Energy
Website:

http://www.oil-gas-consulting.com

 

[BigInch]

Actually what I'm having the hardest time imagining is why a crude oil line operator (especially at the 30" size) wants to mess around with building and hauling around a portable anything. That size should guarantee to make enough money that, if you really need these things, or any other piece of equipment, you buy one and weld it down. Hauling around a 30" valve on a regular basis seems like it must be a false economy and, if you only need it once every few years, there are probably other and far better solutions around.

Let your acquaintances be many, but your advisors one in a thousand’ ... Book of Ecclesiasticus

 

[GregLamberson]

Agree 100% BigInch - that's why I asked the question of why - generally there is some logic in decisions made, but it is not always obvious what that logic is or if it makes practical sense. I struggle to see it on 30".

Greg Lamberson, BS, MBA
Consultant - Upstream Energy
Website:

http://www.oil-gas-consulting.com

 

[BigInch]

If you're some nickle & dime operation trying to keep the last drops of an EOR well running downhill on its own, OK, I get it, but not for a 30". That's gotta be raking in 1 MM/day on startup flows alone.

Let your acquaintances be many, but your advisors one in a thousand’ ... Book of Ecclesiasticus

 

[BigInch]

What I mean is that it simply wouldn't do to have to shut down the 1 $MM/day money flowrate because you had a flat tire on your pig trap moving vehicle, the access road washed out, or somebody missed the turn-off.

Let your acquaintances be many, but your advisors one in a thousand’ ... Book of Ecclesiasticus