Liner Pull Solution to Protect a Major River

A top Oil and Gas company operates both water injection and oil production with up to 98% water cut, resulting in high corrosion issues throughout the entire field. Most steel lines have had major repair work completed, but corrosion is an ongoing issue.

There were several areas leaking with short replacement sections and pipe clamping throughout. One of the biggest concerns was a failing 4” steel pipe pulled into a 6” casing that passed 300 meters under a major river. To prevent any major environmental damages, it was agreed to immediately plan a liner pull with Flexpipe.

The project was kicked off by cleaning the 4” steel line before removal with a hydro vac truck to contain the oil recovery. After the line was shut in, the line was cut and the valves and facility pipe were removed. Once the 4” steel line was pulled out, sizing plates were pulled through the 6” casing to remove any potential sharp edges and spurs.
Next, the test section of Flexpipe was pulled through the casing. After this, the team was ready to pull through the 4” Flexpipe. After 14 minutes of actual pull time, the spool pieces and valves on both ends of the casing were installed while the pipe relaxed. Once the end flanges were installed and bolted up, the team completed a successful 24-hour hydro-test and were able to start production back up.

After dealing with weather challenges, the line was successfully installed within one day, and the company is proactively evaluating additional areas in a nearby field for a composite solution.

Flexpipe liner pulls are an exceptionally cost-effective way to quickly remediate an aging pipeline system with minimal excavation and ground disturbance.