Pipeline Pigging Operations and Safety Training Course

Course Overview

Learning Objectives

• By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
• Explain the operational purposes of pigging, from cleaning and dewaxing to batching and dewatering.
• Distinguish between foam, mandrel, solid-cast, sphere, and gauging pigs and their typical applications.
• Describe the role and basic operating principles of intelligent in-line inspection tools.
• Select appropriate pig types, sizes, and configurations for specific pipeline conditions and objectives.
• Assess pipeline piggability, including bends, valves, tees, diameter changes, and internal restrictions.
• Evaluate launcher and receiver design features, closures, interlocks, and pressure safeguards.
• Plan a pigging program and determine a suitable pigging frequency based on operating data.
• Apply safe procedures for launching and receiving pigs, including isolation, depressurization, venting, and draining.
• Control hazards from debris, liquids, pyrophoric scale, and hydrocarbon releases during pigging operations.
• Identify the causes of stuck pigs and apply effective prevention and recovery strategies.
• Use pig tracking and signaling methods to monitor pig progress and confirm arrival.
• Prepare pipelines for in-line inspection and hand over results to integrity teams with complete documentation.

Who Should Attend

Learning Outcomes

• Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be able to:
• Define clear objectives for operational, commissioning, and inspection-related pigging.
• Select suitable pig types, sizes, and configurations for given pipeline conditions.
• Identify piggability constraints and recommend practical modifications or precautions.
• Evaluate launcher and receiver arrangements for safe and reliable operation.
• Develop pigging programs with justified frequencies and operating limits.
• Execute launching and receiving procedures with correct isolation and zero-pressure verification.
• Manage debris, liquids, pyrophoric scale, and other wastes recovered during pigging.
• Respond effectively to hydrocarbon releases and abnormal conditions at pig traps.
• Prevent stuck pigs and plan safe recovery when a pig fails to arrive.
• Apply pig tracking and signaling to monitor progress and confirm pig location.
• Plan cleaning and gauge runs that prepare pipelines for in-line inspection.
• Communicate in-line inspection results and pigging findings effectively to integrity management teams.
• Document pig runs, findings, and lessons learned to improve future pigging operations.

Course Outline