Standing water in natural gas pipelines can spell disaster. When water is introduced to a pipeline it can have two main effects. The first is flow restriction. Water lying in the bottom of a pipe reduces interior diameter, requiring greater pressure to maintain flow rate. While inconvenient, this is not always detrimental. The more serious concern is corrosion. Pipes transporting natural gas are not meant to hold water, which can degrade the material. Over time, corrosion reduces wall thickness, leading to leaks or – in a worst case scenario – burst pipes. When valves were left open at a compressor station in Mississippi, large amounts of water entered the pipes, flooding them with damaging water.
The crew at the compressor station could not dewater the pipes using the tradition pigging technique. Pigs are small tools introduced into the pipeline that can be used for cleaning, maintenance and fluid separation. At the Mississippi station, the pipe system’s unusual configuration, small diameter and termination in a large indoor receiver tank meant pigs were not a viable option. Air was required to dry the pipes, and the contractor tried an initial compressor solution without success. The seven machines could not remove the water from the pipe system.
A week of heavy downpours compounded trouble at the station. A deluge continuously pummeled the pipes, unleashing as much as six inches of rain in one day. With production at a standstill and no answer in sight, Spencer Snow, Atlas Copco area sales manager, stepped in and delivered a successful solution.
The answer was 100 percent oil-free compressors and a customized heat exchanger package that produced hot, dry air even in the saturated conditions. The team was thrilled by the outstanding and immediate results.
The wasted effort and resources spent on ineffective responses added up to a high cost that could have been offset by finding the right partner with the right expertise the first time. With innovative packages for a variety of worksites and applications, Atlas Copco Rental provides quick and efficient compressed air solutions that help your team save time, energy and money.
How have Atlas Copco Rental solutions helped your team? Let us know in the comments below.
