Intelligent Pigging of a Seawater Injection Pipeline in Kuwait

Pigging a 48-km seawater flood pipeline to control and mitigate under-deposit and microbiologically influenced corrosion is discussed. Mitigation methods usually involve continuous injection of biocides, and corrosion and scale inhibitors. There is some benefit in running specifically designed cleaning pigs on a routine basis. Subsequently, intelligent or smart pigs are used to detect and measure the pipe wall defects.