The
above picture shows an RCC with a cavity containing a transmitter. In
this specific instance the 8” pipeline reduced to just over
3” due to heavy build-up on the pipe wall. By using the
pig tracking system the users were able to locate this section of
pipe for removal and repair without excavating the entire line.
Pig Tracking System
Pig Tracking is a method of verifying either the pigs location or
movement through the line. Tracking the movement reduces the
search area in the event a pig does become lost or stuck in the line. This
is very beneficial in lines that are not pigged routinely and especially
in lines that have never pigged before.
The pig tracking system consists of a Transmitter and a Pig Tracking
Receiver (PTR). The transmitter is inserted and secured into
the pig prior to its launch. Polly, Turbo and Mandrel pigs can
all be made to hold the appropriate size transmitter. The transmitter
uses low frequency signals to penetrate the pipe walls. When
these signals are picked-up by the PTR it emits both an audio and visual
notification.
The standard method of using the pig tracking system is setting up stations
and moving down the pipeline in a “leap frog” manner, which
leave smaller sections of the line to search in the event the pig does
not reach the 2nd station.
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