It obviates the need for ‘time to trap’ reed switches
and/or mechanical position locators. These often fail from
physical usage and are costly to repair, as it requires pipeline
intervention, possible shut down and is significant in field
activities. The use of OptaSense to track the position gives
immediate feedback from the waterfall display and map icon
of the pig location. Clients using this technique, confirm that
the use of OptaSense changes the dynamic of the operational
activities – rather than having to contend with having to
visit hard to reach or insecure locations for maintenance and
consider costly replacement of devices – the use of DAS for
time to trap alerts is:
)
)
Maintenance free.
)
)
Often comes as a small add on as part of a wider package
of right of way surveillance (leak prevention) or leak
detection activities.
)
)
Can save hundreds of man-hours a year in terms of
reduced maintenance burden.
)
)
Keeps maintenance staff working in safer locations on
frees them up to work on more strategic problems.
It can also move pigging from being a ‘fire and forget’
activity, to being an informed actively monitored function.
At all times, a glance to the screen gives comfort in knowing
the precise pig location. In circumstances where field
listening equipment and human presence may be deployed
for active monitoring (e.g. during expensive instrumented
inspection runs), these costs can be eliminated, as the listening
equipment is continually present.
Instrumented inline inspection runs have a precise speed
tolerance metric for the device to ensure quality control of
output, as well as device longevity. This is largely controlled
by flowrate, and so a cautionary approach is taken. OptaSense
can provide a dynamic feedback loop to the controller
providing instantaneous speed display and warning of
limits being reached. In addition, the provision of historic
information allows for forensic analysis in the event of issue.
However, the biggest cost saving is in the case of a stuck
device. In traditional circumstances, there are a number
of costly actions that can be taken to try and remedy this
situation – and to find out where the device is stuck. In a gas
line, an inspector can carry out a costly unbalancing operation
by underpressuring one side (venting) and over pressuring the
other, in an attempt to unstick the device. OptaSense has
helped clients save hundreds of thousands of dollars of lost
production time and wasted product in venting operations
by providing an immediate response when the stuck pig starts
moving again.
A second pig may be injected in an effort to free the first
– or to track where it is reached (only applicable if there is
some residual flowrate). This would normally be an intensive
operation burdened with heavy manpower in an effort to
Unmatched
Performance
and Proven
Results
GIRARD INDUSTRIES
6531 N. Eldridge Pkwy
Houston, TX 77041-3507, USA
Toll Free: 800.231.2861
Phone: 713.466.3100
Fax: 713.466.8050
www.
GirardIndustries
.com
