Pipeliners succeed in Pig retrieval of PJPL LPG Pipeline
New Delhi   20-Mar-2015

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PJPL Pig Retrieval

A series of nine pigs were successfully run in Nabha–Jalandhar Section of Panipat-Jalandhar LPG Pipeline as part of internal cleaning process of the Pipeline. The acute need of clearing the pigs arose when due to total stoppage of flow in the Pipeline section on 26th February 2015, the magnetic Bi-Di pig launched a day prior got stuck.

The stuck pig posed major problems of containment at Panipat Refinery and delivery to Jalandhar LPG Bottling plant also stopped. All out efforts were initiated to dislodge the stuck pig through various methods including building up differential pressure, pressure pulsation etc but all efforts failed. Northern Region Pipelines (NRPL) Team led by Mr. Arvind Kumar, General Manager (Technical) and Mr. J.P. Sinha, Dy. General Manager (Technical), mobilized to site, after detailed study and discussions with experts and convened the work of locating the stuck pig till next day through hammer sound testing and confirmed through X-Ray testing.

Due to uncertainty regarding behaviour of entrapped LPG during welding, the opinion of Welding Research Institute, BHEL Trichy was also sought.

Team NRPL led by Mr. Arvind Kumar, along with dedicated and tireless assistance from Mr. J. P. Sinha, Dy. General Manager (TS), PLHO, Noida, Mr. B. K. Soni, Manager (HS&E), WRPL, Viramgam and Mr. A.R. Santosh Kumar, Manager (Inspection), PLHO, Noida, commenced the task of hot tapping and welding commenced at site on March 06, 2015 and got success in making the line operational after retrieving the stuck up pig on March 13, 2015, one day ahead of the planned schedule.

It was an unparallel success story and experience of hot tapping, line stop activity and welding in a cross country LPG pipeline with ‘total stuck up-no flow’ condition for IndianOil and was carried out for the first time all over India and probably across the globe.

Mr. Anish Aggarwal, Director (Pipelines), Mr. J. P. Ojha, ED (I/c) NRPL, Panipat and Mr. R. K. Samtani, ED, NRPL, Panipat provided the much needed guidance and expert advices during the whole operation.

Kudos to the relentless perseverance of the team and the expert guidance of the senior officials of Pipelines Division!