Pipeline Services

Any process where a pipeline or other structure is removed from service is considered decommissioning or abandonment. Any new pipeline development is considered commissioning. In many cases, all fluids generated from the cleaning, purging and preparation of such systems has to be accounted for before discharging or delivering to an onshore disposal site.

If water is used, there are a variety of ways to handle the fluids once the project has been completed. The most traditional option is to have the water transported and disposed. One good option is to bring the water to a local refinery or chemical plant. Be sure it will accept the water. There are four major issues to investigate with this option,

1. Is it legal based on the definition of the fluid?
2. Will the plant be able to handle the additional capacit?y
3. What about compatibility?
4. How much and how long will it take?

In many cases the water must be transported to the plant or disposal site which can be extremely expensive and time consuming if the volume is large. There are also numerous technologies available to treat the water on site to discharge based on permit requirements.

Some areas require no more than hay bails to prevent a sheen while many permits require a combination of BTEX, COD, TOC, BOD, oil and grease, TSS and pH criteria to be met before discharge. The latter treatment is where CETCO technology has been developed. At CETCO, we customize every treatment based on customer and discharge requirements. Most discharge criteria is expected in the ppb range which CETCO technology can meet. The focus is on compliance, safety and zero environmental impact.

Pipelines have to be maintained. As part of that maintenance, pipelines may be cleaned, pigged or hydro tested to ensure the integrity of the line. In many of these applications, water is used as the testing or carrier fluid along with a variety of chemical additives. Once the testing or cleaning program has been completed, you may have a very large volume of water to manage.

If water is used, there is a variety of ways to handle the fluids once the project has been completed. The most traditional option is to have the water transported and disposed. One good option is to bring the water to a local refinery or chemical plant. Be sure it will accept the water. There are four major issues to investigate with this option;

1. is it legal based on the definition of the fluid?
2. will the plant be able to handle the additional capacity?
3. what about compatibility?
4. how much and how long will it take?

In many cases the water must be transported to the plant or disposal site which can be extremely expensive and time consuming if the volume is large.

There are also numerous technologies available to treat the water on site to discharge based on permit requirements. Some areas require no more than hay bails to prevent a sheen while many permits require a combination of BTEX, COD, TOC, BOD, oil and grease, TSS and pH criteria to be met before discharge. The latter treatment is where CETCO technology has been developed. At CETCO, we customize every treatment based on customer and discharge requirements. Most discharge criteria is expected in the ppb range which CETCO technology can meet.

As part of pipeline maintenance program, lines must periodically be cleaned. This could be due to testing requirements or an interest in improved pipeline throughput. As a consequence, the contaminated, chemically enhanced byproducts have to be handled once collected at the end of the pig run.

Many operators will clean a small section of line, then collect fluids and clean another small section of line, until the entire line has been cleaned. An advantage for the chemical companies, pigging contractors and operators would be to clean the fluid at each section in that chemistry can be optimized and waste minimized.

CETCO has developed a variety of technologies to help with the process. We design a process based on throughput requirements to re-condition fluids at each junction in that the treated fluid can be re-used. This reduces total chemistry consumption for the entire run and minimizes and waste generated from the cleaning process.

CETCO has also worked closely with chemical suppliers to find unique combinations of chemistry and filtration technology to supply the best possible package to the operating company.

Terminals and tank farms can collect a variety of water-based fluids over time. The fluids can be generated from hydro tests, cleaning, rain water or a variety of other cocktails from sister terminals. Eventually, many of these terminals have to contend with these fluids especially if a product tank has been converted to store water. In essence, a revenue generating tank has been converted to a liability.

There are numerous ways to handle the water. You can ignore it and leave it for the next manager to contend with, transfer it to another terminal, transfer it to a disposal site for re-injection, or send it to a refinery or chemical plant that would be willing to process it. You may also treat it onsite for discharge based on permit requirements.

Each option may have certain merits depending on the company's philosophy. CETCO has focused on providing a variety of technologies to help with the onsite option listed above. CETCO has also worked with many operators in an effort to secure permits and design discharge programs specifically tailored for an individual site.

Some areas require no more than hay bails to prevent a sheen for discharge while many others require a combination of BTEX, COD, TOC, BOD, oil and grease, TSS and pH criteria to be met before discharge. Many of these components will have to be measured in the parts per billion range.

At CETCO, we work at solving the problem at hand with the customer. We have had many instances where our solution had nothing to do with CETCO technology, but it was the best fit for that particular project and customer.

CETCO Pipeline Services’ separation vessels are specifically designed to easily handle considerable volumes of undesirable solids and fluids associated with pigging.

Pigging procedures can be accomplished while the line is in operation. Potential problems occur when the pig nears the receiving station. It is possible, that just ahead of the pig, a sizable volume of detrimental solids and fluids may occur that could foul common separation vessels normally employed to cleanse the line’s clean product.

While using CETCO’s system for separation during on-line cleaning, there will be no concerns, even while the pipeline is still online.

Pigging gas lines "dry" creates unique concerns. The inability to reasonably remove solids generated by this type of operation severely limits the operator’s options to cleanse or determine the integrity of a line. CETCO’s portable, high pressure FilterSeps effectively solve these problems by allowing the operator to remove generated solid particles without interrupting product flow. Of course, by eliminating the need for using chemicals during the project, we also help reduce the operators costs—a potentially significant benefit.

With a working pressure of 1440 psi, CETCO’s FilterSeps units can service virtually any existing line. Out units remove solids down to 3 10ths microns in size and are equally effective in filtering gas or liquids. Capable of gas rates up to 375 MMscfd and liquid rates up to 75,000 blpd.

Portable and extremely quick and easy to set up and operate, our vessels are usually deployed in tandem sets. This allows us to service the filter pods with minimal (or no) disruption to the project flow. Our vessel design is such that service can be speedily performed with a minimum of effort. CETCO will field vessels suitable to safely handle any anticipated flow, even though the rate may be extreme.