PIPELINE SYSTEM
A pipeline system may have a pipeline that is connected to at least a pig selector with the pig selector concurrently housing multiple different pigs in separate pig chambers. A pig loader can be positioned proximal the pig selector and configured to load a pig from a pig chamber of the pig selector into a launch pipe connected to the pipeline.
1 . An apparatus comprising a pipeline connected to a pig selector, the pig selector concurrently housing multiple different pigs in separate pig chambers, a pig loader positioned proximal the pig selector and configured to load a pig from a pig chamber of the pig selector into a launch pipe connected to the pipeline.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pig selector comprises a cylindrical body with the separate pig chambers positioned about a central axis of the cylindrical body.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each pig chamber extends through the cylindrical body parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body.
4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the pig selector is mounted in a stand configured to allow rotation of the cylindrical body about the central axis.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the launch pipe is connected to the pipeline via at least one control valve.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pig loader is a mechanical arm positioned to extend into a selected pig chamber.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a pig chamber houses multiple different pigs.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a pig housed in a pig chamber is sized to pass through the pipeline in response to fluid moving through the pipeline.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each pig chamber houses at least one pig.
10 . A system comprising:
a pipeline;
a controller connected to a pig selector, a pig loader, and at least one sensor, the pig selector housing a plurality of pigs is separate pig chambers; and
a launch pipe connected to the pipeline, the pig loader positioned to deploy a pig into the launch pipe from a pig chamber in accordance with a pigging strategy generated by the controller.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is connected to a plurality of different sensors positioned proximal the pipeline.
12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the at east one sensor is an environmental sensor.
13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect an operational condition within the pipeline.
14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the launch pipe directs fluid from the pipeline into contact with the deployed pig.
15 . A method comprising:
detecting an operating condition of a pipeline with at least one sensor connected to a controller;
generating a pigging strategy with the controller based on the detected operating condition;
selecting a first pig from a pig selector in accordance with the pigging strategy;
deploying the first pig into a launch pipe with a pig loader; and
launching the first pig into the pipeline via the launch pipe.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the pigging strategy determines a type of pig to be selected from the pig selector.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the controller rotates the pig selector to align a pig chamber housing the first pig with the pig loader and launch pipe.
18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the pigging strategy selects a second pig from the pig selector to be deployed by the pig loader into the launch pipe.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the second pig is deployed into the launch pipe and launched concurrently with the first pig.
20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the controller ejects a first body of the pig selector and mounts a second body in the pig selector in response to the pigging strategy.