Consider this scenario: Your production plant is in a valley. It’s a strategic location, but the lower elevation is less than ideal. That means having to keep constant vigilance for potential flooding due to liquid collection in the pipelines. Whether due to water or liquid hydrocarbons, once you have enough buildup, you’re risking decreased flow or even stoppage. When pipelines are allowed to accumulate liquid, your employees and your facility may be at risk of dangerous consequences: emergency shutdowns, freeze ups, and excessive corrosion, to name just a few.

You know the manual pig launchers you’re using upstream of the plant are good, but they require direct attention, and as a result, your pigging maintenance schedule occasionally gets sidetracked due to unforeseen circumstances. You wonder, “If I invest in one of the new auto-launch pigging systems, will it really make things safer and more efficient?”

The answer is “Yes!”

Preparing for AutomationAuto-launch systems allow operators to set predetermined schedules for routine pigging. These programs can help keep lines clear of elements that can reduce efficiencies or shut down production, potentially exposing personnel and the environment to unintended consequences or uncontrolled conditions. They can also be used as part of a preemptive pigging program: Operators can launch inline inspection pigs to measure and monitor pipeline integrity conditions and identify potential safety problems before they escalate into dangerous scenarios.

Of course, being preemptive and proactive sometimes requires a bit of creativity and a lot of expertise — especially when it comes to ensuring an auto-launch system is the right fit for a given location. For some older pipelines, installation issues arise due to the pre-existing location of a power source or the production facility. But as piggability isn’t always the highest priority during site selection or construction, even newer installations may contend with site topography issues.

This is one reason why it’s critical to perform a thorough site survey before investing in any new auto-launch system. A site survey will help you identify any logistical impediments, and give you the answers for a best-case automated launcher installation and setup.

Sometimes, assuring a safe and efficient installation is as simple as providing adequate sumps, drains, and containment to areas where

S A F E T Y M AT T E R S

Making Safety Automatic

The importance of automated launchers

in regard to safety for workers and the

environment cannot be underestimated.

There’s really only one “Golden Rule” for the safe operation of an auto-launch system: start up well.

spills might be likely. It might come down to making sure there’s a place to vent gas pressure from the launcher before it’s opened, or employing different-sized feeding pipes or throttling valves to compensate for anomalous flow characteristics.

“The Golden Rule” As many experienced oil and gas professionals will tell you, there’s really only one “Golden Rule” for the safe operation of an auto-launch system: start up well.

That means having an expert engineer on-site to conduct initial system testing and pressure-up during commissioning. It also means making sure every member of your crew is well trained and comfortable with the system’s operation. In addition to field operations practice, classroom training is essential to fully leveraging the benefits of an auto-launch system, teaching your crews how to troubleshoot, reconfigure passwords, and manually reboot and reprogram the electronics, should the system go offline.

Automated launchers may only be one small component in a vast operation, but their importance in respect to safety for the crew and the local environment cannot be underestimated. Operators who become familiar with this technology soon realize its benefits.

“Since field personnel don’t have to blow down

an auto-launcher system as often, their exposure potential is greatly reduced,” notes Lee Shouse, Manager of Special R&D for pipeline service provider T.D. Williamson. Shouse, who spent decades on the construction and operations side prior to his current role, has educated dozens of major operators on the setup and safe operation of auto-launch systems, including the use of necessary components such as the D-2000 quick-opening closure.

As auto-launcher performance is largely independent of technician interaction, operators also appreciate their benefits with regard

to consistent operation and long-term maintenance. In other words: “Pigs are running as they should, rain or shine,” says Shouse.

FlowingSo, your new auto launcher is in place. It’s been specifically configured to address the concerns of your location. It’s been commissioned, your crew

is trained, and you’re now officially online. Thanks to the pre-programmed routine — whether liquid removal with spheres, regular maintenance and cleaning with pigs, or inline inspection — your product is flowing efficiently and safely. Flow restriction due to flooded lines and the drawbacks of manually launched pigs are a thing of the past.

When pipelines are allowed to accumulate liquid, your employees

and your facility may be at risk for dangerous

consequences.

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