METHANOL SWABBING OF PIPELINES

After a completed pipeline is filled with water and hydrostatically tested, conventional pigging runs remove the bulk of the water. Inevitably there is a certain amount of water which passes the pigs and remains in the line. This residual water might form solid hydrates with the methane in natural gas under certain temperature and pressure conditions. The Gas Council, the Southern Gas Board, and other area boards use methanol swabbing, which involves passing a quantity of methanol down the pipeline between pigs. Any residual water present dissolves in the methanol, and any fluid passing the pigs contains only a small proportion of water, but a large proportion of methanol. This helps to prevent any subsequent formation of hydrates.

• Corporate Authors:

  King (Walter) Limited

  Holborn Hall, 100 Gray's Inn Road
  London WC1,   England 
• Authors:
  • Crawford, GDH
• Publication Date: 1970-3-18

Media Info

• Pagination: 3 p.
• Serial:
  • Gas Journal
  • Volume: 241
  • Issue Number: 5549
  • Publisher: King (Walter) Limited

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cleaning; LNG pipelines; Operations; Pipeline transportation; Pipelines
• Old TRIS Terms: Pipeline cleaning; Pipeline operating problems
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Maintenance and Preservation; Marine Transportation; Pipelines; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00056233
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: American Petroleum Institute
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 15 1974 12:00AM