How Does Pipeline Pigging Work?

Cleaning and maintaining a pipeline of any shape, size or type can take a lot of work. Pipelines are complex and often extremely lengthy – which can make cleaning and investigating their interiors all the more tricky. That’s why pipeline pigging has proven so popular over the years – but how does pipeline pigging work in practice?

If you are new to the art of pigging and are considering hiring Pigtek to help you take back control of your pipes, keep reading, and we will fill you in on the basics.

Pipeline pigging – at a glance

Pipeline pigs are tough, cylindrical or bullet-shaped implements that are designed to fit the diameter of a given pipeline. They are designed to not only fit the interior of your pipe so that they can make it through a relatively tight gap, they are also designed to ‘go with the flow’ – quite literally.

Pipeline pigging involves a trap or launcher, as well as a receiver at the other end of the line. Pigs are therefore deployed at the head or source of a pipeline, either with some force to encourage movement, or with the flow of any product in transit.

Pigging essentially involves the encouragement of this pipeline pig to travel down the line and clean or inspect the pipe network ahead. This means that there will be no need for you to take apart the pipework yourself, or to even enter the piping! A pipeline pig is designed to travel down your network as smoothly as possible, with tools attached to clean and analyse on route.

What about pigging tools?

Of course, there are different types of pipeline pigs, and what’s more, they will arrive with different tools and attachments so that they can carry out the work expected of them. For example, a cleaning pig will largely have brushes attached along the outside, so that they can attack any ground-on dirt or debris without allowing for the pig itself to get stuck along the way.

Other pipeline pigs will be used purely for inspection and analysis. While it’s possible to use acoustic monitoring to track pigs above ground and outside the pipeline, fitting magnets to the pigs will allow you to track them even clearer than ever before – giving you immense confidence as to where your pigs may be, and how they are proceeding. You can, of course, also combine inspection, pig tracking and cleaning technology together – if you need your pig to tackle several issues at once!

Is pipeline pigging worth it?

Whether you are cleaning and inspecting your pipeline for the first time, or are looking for fresh confidence in your pipes, pipeline pigging is absolutely worth the time, money and effort. Consider what you may normally need to do to make sure your pipes are clean and clear – it would require a lot of intrusive work!

Therefore, it makes sense to reach out to the team at Pigtek who can design perfect pigs and deploy them for you as soon as you need them. With reliable, trackable pigs fitted with a variety of tools and features, you can be sure your pipeline is clean and clear in no time.

We highly recommend you clean and inspect your pipelines regularly, especially if your customers and end users rely on your essential product from day to day. If you are new to pigging and pipeline cleaning in any shape or form, be sure to reach out to Pigtek today to learn more. Call now or email us via web form at your convenience – don’t let your pipes suffer!