In Moulton, Texas, a 4-in. ID, 7,600 ft crude oil pipeline was blocked by significant paraffin deposition, and a pig was also stuck in the line. Oil between the departure point and the blockage had been pre-sold and accounted for through the sales line meter; contaminating the pre-sold oil during remediation had to be avoided. It was also necessary to remediate from the end of the lateral, at an elevation 61.4 ft below the blockage. This required remediating the line uphill.
SYSTEM DETAILS
Line Type: Crude oil pipeline
Size: 4.5-inch (OD); 4.0-inch (ID)
Volume: 118 bbls
Length: 7,600 feet
Elevation: 61.40 feet
IDEAL'S RESPONSE
The operator chose PipeRenew® treatment, the only non-hazardous, environmentally responsible remediation solution that effectively removes paraffin and asphaltenes. PipeRenew® treatment reacts with the portion of oil that contributes to the acid value, to make a simple soap. This breaks up the paraffin and allows it to be pumped out.
IES connected a high-pressure pump and lancing unit, and began injecting PipeRenew® treatment at low rates. The pipeline fluids were displaced and the line was packed with 118 bbl of treatment fluid. A 500-psi pressure drop overnight indicated penetration through the blockage.
The operator began intermittently pumping with the crude oil injection pump, causing the paraffin plug and stuck pig to move slowly down the pipeline, creating consistent returns at the receiving end of the pipeline.
PROJECT CHRONOLOGY
Day 1
Contacted by American Midstream regarding a 4-inch pipeline plugged with wax deposition and a pig stuck in the pipeline.
Received MSA from Ryan Wendland with Republic Midstream Group, owners of the pipeline.
Day 2
Received a call from Joey Taylor with American Midstream (pipeline operating company) of Shiner, Texas, to depart to execute the project.
2:30 p.m. - Departed Lafayette, Louisiana for Moulton, Texas, for arrival on location at 6:00 a.m. on March 30, 2017.
Day 3
6:00 a.m. - Arrived on location in Moulton, Texas, conducted pre-project rig-up meeting, and surveyed the location with Paul Remmers, Pipeline Operator.
7:00 a.m. - Positioned equipment and began the rig- up process.
2:00 p.m. - Began treating the line with PipeRenew®.
5:30 p.m. - Managed to lance out to 220 feet. Injected 2.5 bbls of PipeRenew®. Shut in the pipeline with 0 psi pressure overnight.
Day 4
6:00 a.m. - Arrived on location and blended 6 bbls of PipeRenew®. Began injecting solution into the line at a rate of 2-3 gallons per minute through a 1/4-inch 16K lancing hose.
Received medium grade crude oil and PipeRenew®.
Continued this process until 6:00 p.m.
Lanced out to 275 feet.
Removed lance and shut in the pipeline with 0 psi pressure overnight.
Day 5
6:00 a.m. - Arrived on location and noticed a slight pressure increase overnight.
Resumed injecting PipeRenew® at a rate of 2-3 gallons per minute through a 1/4-inch lance until 1:00 p.m.
Shut down operations for the day due to inclement weather.
Shut in the pipeline with 0 psi pressure overnight.
Day 6
6:00 a.m. - Arrived on location and discovered pressure had increased to 50 psi overnight.
Resumed lancing at 2-3 gallons per minute, with lance deployed to 320 feet.
Increased injection rate to 6 gallons per minute, and began receiving small traces of solids in returns.
2:00 p.m. - Returns were mainly PipeRenew®, with small traces of paraffin.
4:00 p.m. - Removed lance, pressured up the line to 1,450psi, and shut in the pipeline overnight.
Day 7
6:00 a.m. - Arrived on location and noted pressure had dropped to 500 psi overnight.
Opened the pipeline and monitored returns, receiving PipeRenew® and traces of paraffin.
Resumed injecting PipeRenew® at a rate of 6-8 gallons per minute through the 1/4-inch lance, with maximum distance achieved of 351 feet. Continued to monitor returns.
The volume of solids in returns continued to increase throughout the day.
6:00 p.m. - Pressured up the line to 1,500 psi and shut in the pipeline overnight.
Day 8
6:00 a.m. - Arrived on location and noted pressure had dropped to 300 psi overnight.
Opened the pipeline and continued monitoring the returns.
After checking the departing end of the line, we noted the PipeRenew® had penetrated the plug overnight.
Pipeline Operator reported an increase in pressure of 250psi at the pig launcher.
Instructed Pipeline Operator to begin pressurizing the line slowly with his crude oil injection pump.
8:40 a.m. - Began receiving paraffin solids with small amounts of PipeRenew®, which continued throughout the day until 5:00 p.m., when the pipeline pressure began to steadily increase.
This indicated the pig had landed in the gate valve on the receiving end of the line.
HIGH PERFORMANCE RESULTS
Approximately 1,351 ft of paraffin between the recovery point and the production facility was removed and a 4-in., poly-coated foam pig recovered. The project was completed in six days, incident free. Oil in the line was recovered without contamination, and the line was placed back into full production.
For more information about how non-hazardous, environmentally responsible PipeRenew® remediation treatment can cost-effectively remove paraffin and asphaltenes from your pipeline, contact your Ideal Energy Solutions representative today.
