Slug Catchers

Combining multi-pig launching — the SureLaunch system houses and releases up to 10 pigs individually and at predetermined intervals to reduce slug volume — with slug catching operations improves the overall efficiency of the pipeline system. More specifically, it does the following:

• Helps customers avoid the potentially catastrophic results of pushing larger slugs through the pipeline, overwhelming downstream facilities.
• Reduces maintenance and operational costs.
• Potentially reduces the capital cost associated with the slug catcher through optimization of liquid slug size.
• Improves safety and optimize personnel productivity by reducing trips to the launcher and limiting the number of times the launcher door is opened.
• Boost pipeline capacity.
• Reduce methane emissions associated with frequent pigging.

Planning with Clarity Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

CFD provides a detailed visualization of fluid flow, including velocity, pressure, and turbulence intensities within the slug catcher. This detailed insight helps engineers optimize designs to ensure efficient separation of gas and liquid phases, minimizing the risk of carryover and ensuring the system operates within its intended parameters.

• Enables customization and flexibility. Every pipeline system has unique characteristics and operational challenges. CFD software enables WeldFit to tailor slug catcher designs to specific operational conditions, accommodating varying slug volumes, flow rates, and pipeline configurations. This customization ensures maximum performance and extends the equipment’s lifecycle.
• Supports process guarantee. WeldFit can validate the design under various operational scenarios before the slug catcher is even built by using CFD simulations. This pre-validation provides clients with a high level of confidence in the system’s performance and reliability, thus offering a robust process guarantee. It ensures that the equipment will perform as intended in real-world conditions, reducing the risk of operational downtime and maintenance costs.
• Promotes innovation and improvement. CFD allows WeldFit to iteratively refine slug catcher designs based on actual performance data and new research insights. This capability to innovate based on precise, simulation-driven feedback helps WeldFit stay at the forefront of technology in the industry.

The Innovation Advantage

The SureLaunch system enables operators to maintain a consistent and predictable pigging schedule. Its electric drive feed mechanism — controlled by a logic-driven, PLC-based control system — is designed to launch seven to 10 cleaning pigs automatically.

As for the harp-style slug catcher, its modular design enables streamlined field installation, including skid mounting and custom connections, and facilitates future expansion.

The impact of Total Integration isn’t just about product design, but project design, as well. WeldFit’s integrated flow assurance solution combining a SureLaunch Multi-Pig Launching System and a harp-style slug catcher represents a genuinely new approach to the issues of pipeline pigging and liquids handling.