Automatic Multiple

Cleaning Pig Launching

System Passes Test
By Geoff Wilkinson, Pipeline Engineering & Supply Co. Ltd., Catterick Bridge, UK

patented automatic multiple pig

launching (AMPL) system has
been developed and undergone
its first commercial use. The
system individually launches
multiple pigs from a preloaded cassette.
The system requires no modification to the
existing pipeline launcher because the pig
launching process is controlled by a hydraulic system incorporated with the pig.
The new system allows a series of pigs
to be launched into a pipeline at operatorcontrolled intervals while minimizing the
number of times a pig launcher door has to
be opened to access the pipeline. Because
the system is hydraulically operated, it does
not require any external power supply or
additional human intervention. Pipeline pigs
are contained within a custom-fabricated

Figure 1:
Typical Automatic
Multiple Pig
Launching System
Schematic.

cassette designed to suit new or existing pig

launching equipment. Unlike other systems
AMPL does not require additional valves,
launch pins or hydraulic systems to be fitted.
Each AMPL pig has its own hydraulic
launch control mechanism that is designed
in such a way that the next pig to be
launched is only armed when the launcher
has been depressurized after the previous
launch, and so cannot be launched accidentally. It has an additional safety system in
place so that if the control mechanism
fails no pigs can or will launch.
One benefit of the system is that it can be
retrofitted to almost all installed pig launchers, with no adaptation required for the current configuration or the addition of any extra
valving or control systems. The only addition
is the specially designed launcher basket

which can be removed easily if intelligent

or any other non-routine pigging is required.
The pig cassette is loaded with AMPL
pigs that are interlocked together as part
of the fail safe mechanism. To load an
AMPL cassette with pre-loaded pigs into
a launcher, the launcher is depressurized
and the closure door opened. Once the cassette has been loaded into the launcher the
closure door is shut. The number of AMPL
pigs inserted in the cassette is determined by
the length of the launcher and other cleaning
and commercial considerations.
One key feature of the system is that the
launcher will not be required to be accessed
again until all the pigs loaded in the cassette
have been launched into the pipeline and a
new pigging campaign is required. A launcher which uses the AMPL system therefore

minimises launcher interventions.

A schematic of the system is shown in
Figure 1. In this case four AMPL pigs are
shown pre-loaded within a cassette fitted
within a standard pig launcher. Each pig
is interlocked with the subsequent pig and
is fitted with a trigger mechanism. This
mechanism when engaged allows fluid
to bypass the preceding pigs in the cassette
through open bypass ports until the lead pig
is reached. This lead pig (the first pig)
is loaded in the armed position, with its
bypass ports closed, forming a seal in the
cassette. The fluid flow into the launcher
then causes the first pig to launch leaving
the remaining pigs in the launcher. The first
pig travels along the pipeline functioning as
a standard pigging tool.
The launcher can be isolated ready to arm
the next pig in the sequence. Arming of the
second pig (closure of its bypass ports) is
achieved by a combination of the first pig
launching and a drop the hydraulic pressure in the launcher. This new lead pig (the
second pig) is now ready to be launched.
This launch process can be repeated until all
AMPL pigs have been launched. The failsafe
mechanism built into the pigs ensures that
only the front tool can be armed, ensuring
individually controlled pig launching.
The system substantially reduces the costs
associated with launching pigs and is particularly beneficial for: 1) standard pipelines that
require frequent pigging, 2) remote locations
such as desert pigging stations, 3) unmanned
platforms that are visited routinely for pigging and maintenance purposes, and 4) subsea launchers/lay down heads requiring ROV
intervention between launches.
The use of the multiple pig launching
system offers benefits for pipeline operators,
specifically with respect to the following
key areas:
1. HSE considerations: It is widely recognized within the oil and gas industry that
the operation of pig launchers and receivers presents safety hazards to operators.
AMPL reduces this risk by reducing the
number of interventions.
2. Reduction in labor costs: There is a significant reduction in labor requirements
for the pig loading element of the works.
Based on conventional pigging on a daily
basis there would be a requirement for
365 site visits to reload pigs. In a launcher
loaded with a six-pig AMPL system, there
would be a requirement for 60 site visits
to reload the cassette. A manually operated

launcher would still require an operator

each day to cycle the valves. Automating
the launcher for remote operation would
further reduce the labor requirement.
3. Reduction in unaccounted for gas: Prior
to loading a pig, the launcher needs to be
vented. This results in loss of production
and an effect on the environment. An
example: Consider a 24-inch pipeline
with a six-pig AMPL system running at
1,000 psi, and a requirement for daily
pigging. For conventional pig launching
the total annual volume released to the
atmosphere is in the order of 320,000
cubic feet. Utilizing the AMPL system
requires intervention just 60 times. This
reduces the release to 19,500 cubic feet/
annum, based on the specific requirement
of only requiring a 150-psi reduction in
pressure to arm the AMPL pig. This is of
financial and environmental benefit to the
pipeline operator.
4. Impact on the environment: It is estimated that the above example of a reduction
in vented gas results in a four-metric ton
carbon equivalent reduction in emissions.
5. Reduction in wear and tear on launcher
facilities: A common component failure
of any pig trap over time is the moving
parts associated with the pig trap closure
doors. Hinge mechanisms become worn,
seals need constant replacement and door
vent screws can become cross threaded
and jam. Reduction in door operations will
reduce the maintenance associated with
these items.
6. Reduction in nitrogen purging: The system has no requirement for nitrogen purging once the pig cassette is loaded into the
launcher, thus saving time and money for
each pig-launch operation.
Each AMPL system is custom-designed
to meet the specifications and requirements
of the pipeline. It is essential that accurate
pipeline parameters be supplied for this engineered solution to be successful. Within the
term parameter the following items need to
be considered: 1) pipeline medium, 2) maximum and minimum operating pressure, 3)
maximum and minimum operating temperature, 4) maximum and minimum production
flow rates, 5) pipeline launcher and receiver
geometry, 6) pipeline geometry and features,
and 7) frequency of pigging.
The first stage of the design is to produce a
pig to negotiate pipeline features and provide
the correct level of efficient pipeline cleaning. The second stage of the design involves

incorporating the technology within the proposed pig.

The pig design is based on mandrel body
pigs with either cups or discs used as the
interface between the pipe wall. Depending
on the environment and pipeline construction, pigging disc and body material are
selected. The maximum number of installable pigs is determined by the length of the
existing / proposed pipeline launcher and the
frequency of pigging. Additional standard
pigging items such as brushes, magnets,
scrapers etc. can be fitted depending on the
cleaning requirements.
The principle behind the system involves
using mandrel body pigs with a high percentage of bypass designed into the pig
body (typically >30%). Given the maximum
operating flow rates, the design is optimized
so that the pigs remain stationary in the
launcher under full operating flow. The
hydraulic arming mechanism will then be
used to close off this bypass, thus allowing
the pig to be launched.
However, there is potential for the flow
rate to reach its maximum bypass, generating
enough flow to create a differential pressure
equaling the frictional forces between the pig
seals and the pipe wall, launching the pig
unintentionally without it being armed. This
issue of mis-launch will be controlled using
the specifically designed pig cassette which
controls the diversion of flow when the pipeline operates at higher flow rates than the pig
bypass can accommodate.
The AMPL pigs are armed by utilizing
the pipeline pressure within the launcher to
close off the bypass. At the point an armed
pig launches, the pressure within the arming
unit in the subsequent pig is stored. Upon
partial depressurization of the launcher the
differential pressure between the launcher
and arming unit activates the pig (seals the
bypass). To prevent activation of the incorrect pig, there is a failsafe mechanism built in
to the pigs which only allows the front pig in
the train to be activated. The hydraulic circuit
in the preceding pigs remains open, allowing
the pressure within to drop with the launcher,
hence preventing the pig from launching. The
pigs are set to arm at a pre-determined drop
in pipeline pressure, typically 15Bar.
Whether the launcher is concentric or
eccentric, a custom cassette is designed to
house the system. The cassette includes a
buffer nose seal for sealing in the neck of the
reducer. There is also an adjustable backing
plate to allow for positional adjustment and

to ensure a positive seal. From the specified maximum and minimum flow rates the
cassette contains an arrangement of flow
ports (varying in size and quantity) to allow
launch of armed pigs and restrict the launch
of unarmed pigs. If production flow rates
were to reduce or increase from the initial
specified limits, the cassette could be reconfigured to suit the new flow rates.
Each system design undergoes testing
before being used in the designated pipeline
to ensure that the system performs to specification. The AMPL system has been tested in
both liquid and gas systems
To better understand the hydraulic behavior of the AMPL pigs and provide the basis
for future engineering tools, computational
flow dynamic (CFD) models are used to
optimize the system design (Figure 2 shows
typical outputs). The results of these models
are compared with actual test data recorded.
The theoretical model used is based around
orifice theory, specifically Borda theory.
This theory treats the AMPL pig (unarmed,
bypassing) as a single long orifice to calculate the flow rate required to generate
a desired differential pressure drop. The
calculation is based on a derived differential
launch pressure and will vary depending on
the density of the pipeline product.
In orifice theory, as a fluid passes through
a constriction there is a pressure drop from
one side to the other. This pressure drop can
be used to calculate the flowrate if both the
coefficient of contraction and the orifice area

Figure 3: Flow Modeling, Theoretical vs. Actual.

are known. Basic hydraulic theory states that

the orifice provides a resistance to the flow,
which can be calculated from the energy loss
over the orifice. The resistance provided by
the orifice drops with the square of velocity and each different orifice has a different
relationship between velocity and resistance.
This theoretical approach has been applied to
the AMPL pigs under compressible and noncompressible pipeline flow.
The CFD modeling has been refined to
give only a 4% error when compared with the

Figure 2: Typical output from computational flow dynamic (CFD) software.

actual test data recorded from physical pig

testing. The example shown in Figure 3 is a
6-inch AMPL pig which required a differential pressure to launch of 1.5 bar. The shape
of the theoretical curve is almost identical to
the test data but is slightly offset.
In this case the 6-inch design is restricted
to the amount of bypass that can be built
into the pig; therefore, if pipeline flow rates
run above 0.4m/s the bypass design would
not be sufficient to allow product bypass.
This would result in uncontrolled multiple
pig launches. Therefore, the solution is to
engineer the cassette to accommodate the
higher flow rate to allow the pipeline flow
rate to be increased without affecting the
pig behavior. The AMPL cassette design has
dedicated flow ports upstream and downstream of the loaded pig train to intentionally
split pipeline flow over the pigs / through the
pigs. Diverting the flow controls the level of
flow that the pigs actually see, preventing
unwanted launches occurring.
First Commercial Use. Following up from
the development of the AMPL system and
a production trial at a UK test facility, the
first commercial project was completed in
the U.S. The client, a major gas operator,
was carrying out a routine of daily pigging
runs which required a significant investment
in time and resources. The client was drawn
by the multiple-launch functionality and the
resulting reduction in launcher interventions.
Project Requirements. The client required
an AMPL-based solution that could be used

Figure 4: 10-inch Automatic Multiple Pig

Launching (AMPL) System Pig.

to deploy 10-inch pigs in a 27-mile, wet gas

gathering system. Details: 1) 10-inch diameter, 27-mile-long wet gas gathering system,
2) daily pigging, 3) operating Pressure: ~
950 psi, 4) production flow rate range: 416
MMscf/d, and 5) black powder removal.
Initially, this involved a thorough evaluation of the pipeline, taking into consideration pipeline flow rates, pressures, temperatures and relevant pipeline geometry.
Following the data gathering, the concept
system design was generated. A six-pig
system, complete with a custom-designed
launch cassette and dedicated loading tools
(Figure 4 and Figure 5) were manufactured
to be retrofitted into the existing launcher.
The number of pigs in the system allows
launcher interventions to be reduced from
365 to 61 over a year. The system design
was optimized through use of CFD and evaluated. A simple test rig was manufactured
to replicate onsite conditions to carry out

Figure 5: 10-inch AMPL

Dedicated Loading System.

Figure 6: Received
AMPL pigs versus
previously used
foam pigs.

physical testing to evaluate the CFD work.

Additionally the use of solid-bodied
AMPL pigs as opposed to the previously
run foam pigs, has resulted in a significant
increase in the effectiveness of the cleaning
with far greater amounts of debris being
removed per run (Figure 6), It is anticipated
that this may also lead to a reduction in the
frequency of pigging required over time. To
support the independent launching of the
pigs and maximize the labor benefits, the

client has invested in fully automating the

launching site. This involved adding valve
actuators, controlled by a SCADA system,
operated remotely from a base away from
the launching site. As a result, the labor
requirement has been reduced by a factor of
six because there is no requirement for daily
cycling of valves to launch pigs.
The new AMPL system also shows potential for efficacious subsea employment but
space does not permit a discussion here. P&GJ
Acknowledgements
This article is excerpted from a presentation at the
Pipeline Pigging and Integrity Management Conference
(PPIM) organized by Clarion Technical Conferences
and Tiratsoo Technical and held in Houston Feb. 16-17,
2011. The author wishes to acknowledge and thank
BP, Shell, Total, Chevron and Petronas for the support
given during the development of the technology and
Regency Gas for permission to publish details on the
first commercial employment.

Reprinted with permission from Pipeline & Gas Journal, August 2011. On the web at www.pgjonline.com.
Oildom Publishing. All Rights Reserved. Foster Printing Service: 866-879-9144, www.marketingreprints.com.

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