Pig cleaning for pipelines – How effective is it?

Are you looking into pig cleaning for your pipes? Whether you are considering investing in pipeline pigs for the first time or would like to check on what your money is going into, then this article is for you.

Pipeline pigs are currently the best pipeline cleaning and damage prevention tools available.

But what are pipeline pigs exactly, and how do they work? Are they really as efficient as they are proclaimed to be?

What does pig cleaning involve?

In order to truly understand just how important pipeline pigging is, it is first of all essential to understand what exactly it entails.

Pig cleaning pipelines involves sending devices known as pigs into pipelines in order to scrub the inside walls of the pipes to clean them. As they scrape away the dirt on the walls, they also push through any lingering debris that could be clogging up the pipeline.

Moreover, pigs are also very proficient at detecting any potential damage that could be starting in the pipeline, often detecting issues that cannot be detected in any other way. By locating the issues (which could be cracks, corrosion, deformation, etc.), the problems can be dealt with accordingly, before any severe damage is caused, which could lead to more serious issues.

One of the best qualities about pigs is that they do not disrupt any oil flow, meaning that work can continue on as usual without losing any time or money.

Why is pig cleaning important?

If you are in the pipeline business, then you know how important efficiency is in all respects. Be it time, cleanliness, money, and more.

Pig cleaning is, first of all, an essential part of keeping pipelines efficient. Your pigs will be specifically designed to scrape the inside walls of the pipelines without damaging them. By scraping the sides, the pig will remove any dirt, build-up and potential debris that will naturally be reducing the amount that the pipeline can send through and increase the amount of time that it will take to send a set amount through. As you know, the longer it takes, the more money it will cost to move.

As mentioned, pigs are also fantastic for locating and understanding underlying issues in pipelines such as cracks and corrosion. These kinds of issues can be early signs of the pipeline breaking, thus causing expensive damage and potentially endangering the surrounding environment.

Obviously, by locating any issues, you as a company will have the opportunity to repair any damage before it becomes a dangerous problem, thus saving yourself money, time, and any future problems!

How efficient is pig cleaning?

Over the years, pipeline pigs have proven to be extremely efficient tools, saving pipeline companies extensive amounts of money whenever they are used.

To be as efficient as possible, pipeline pigs should ideally be used weekly, bi-monthly, monthly, or at least quarterly. By using them as frequently as possible, you will help to maintain the pipelines’ flow better, greatly reduce your risks of having a dangerous environmental impact from damaged pipelines, and maintain your regular money flow.

Why choose Pigtek Ltd?

Pigtek is a UK-based pipeline pigging company that has been working for over two decades, having started in the year 2000.

Having provided our services for companies such as BP, Chevron, Shell, Yorkshire Water, Texaco, and more, you can trust that we not only have years of experience, we also have experience working in multiple different sectors, with companies and pipelines of different sizes and requirements.

As a design, research and manufacturing company, we can be with you from the initial designs of the pigs right through to the completion of the cleaning of the pipelines.

We also provide pig tracking and pig removal services for the pigs that can get stuck and lost down the way.

Having been in the business for as long as we have, we have been able to work with some of the world’s most proficient pipelines. We are proud to say that we have always been able to provide an adequate solution to suit all kinds of issues, whatever the problem!

If you are interested pig cleaning and inspection, then please do not hesitate to contact one of our friendly team members on 012468 502 20, or simply e-mail us at sales@pigtek.com.