Bakken Operator Slashes $1.7 Million in First-Year Opex with SureLaunch®

Is an automated pigging system worth it? While it’s not for every line, for the right system the returns can be huge. Here’s an example of how the SureLaunch® system transformed pigging efficiency and economics for one midstream operator’s Bakken pipeline system.

With remote distances and a liquids-rich natural gas line necessitating frequent pigging, this pipeline operator wanted to streamline its pigging program in North Dakota to maximize value for unit holders. The system in question is a 36-mile stretch of 20” line connecting a gathering system to a processing facility in Western North Dakota, United States. The line requires pigging six times daily. Its manual deployment system required technicians to be employed full-time to make three trips up the line and back each day. In addition to the significant expense and crew utilization constraints, the region experiences extreme weather and is a hazardous place to drive five months out of the year.

Upgrading to a SureLaunch® system enabled the operator to launch up to seven pigs automatically at set intervals without a manual reload per single pig launch, which necessitated only one trip up the line each day rather than three. This was a significant upgrade, which meant:

Reducing program operating costs in the first year by more than $1.7 million with a projected annual opex savings of more than $2.4 million in years two through five
Freeing up 2/3 of the technicians’ time for more value-added duties
Reducing crew costs based on overall utilization
Minimizing the program’s carbon footprint through reduced drive time and less frequent opening/closing of launcher and receiver
Slashing driver liability risk and helping keep the technicians safe by cutting drive time associated with pigging operations from six hours to just two each day

Figures based on: 1) 20″ pipeline. 2) 36-mile distance between launcher and receiver. 3) six pig launches per day. 4) using three pigs for manual launching and six for automated. 5) two-man crew at launcher and two-man crew at receiver.

For more information on how a SureLaunch system could benefit your pipeline or other WeldFit services in Canada, contact Rusty Hurl at [email protected].

About WeldFit

WeldFit offers services and engineered products that make pipelines more productive without compromising ESG objectives. With more than 50 years of experience, WeldFit solutions include hot tapping, plugging and methane reduction solutions that are safe, efficient, and reliable. A leading supplier of state-of-the-art pigging systems, WeldFit also produces high-quality fittings, slug catchers, extruded headers, and manifolds. Read more at www.weldfit.com.