The West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCO), on Wednesday, started the cleaning up and inspection of its pipelines from Lagos Beach Compressor Station in Nigeria, after a successful shutdown of the about 500 km pipeline from Lagos to Takoradi in the Western Region of Ghana on Monday.
WAPCO launched its first ‘pig’ on Wednesday in Nigeria and the company is expected to receive it at their Takoradi Regulating & Metering Station in about seven days’ time.
In all, about seven of them are expected to be launched within 49 days.
A ‘pig’ in the pipeline industry is a tool that is sent down a pipeline and propelled by the pressure of the product flow in the pipeline itself.
In a statement posted on its website, WAPCO said the cleaning up and inspection of its pipelines is in consistent with regulatory requirements and also important maintaining the integrity of the pipeline to ensure efficient and reliable operations.
The statement added that in addition to cleaning the pipeline of debris, pigging will provide critical information on the condition of the pipeline to improve decisions on effective maintenance of the pipeline, prolong its lifespan and to improve safety of the pipeline operations.
The General Manager for Corporate Affairs Mr Kwasi Agyeman Prempeh told energynewsafrica.com that the exercise is currently going on smoothly.
“The ‘pig’ is on its way to Takoradi in the Western Region,” he said.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
