purging and leak testing

Pipeline Purging and Leak Testing: What It Is and Its Benefits

A significant number of industrial processes are sensitive to moisture and require an oxygen-free environment to ensure the final product’s quality remains intact. Damage caused by water vapor and oxidation is another critical challenge faced by industrial manufacturers.

To address these challenges, nitrogen purging and leak testing of pipelines are conducted regularly within related processes.

What Is Nitrogen Purging?

Nitrogen purging is an industrial process where unwanted gases and substances are removed from a production system using nitrogen gas. Due to its inert nature, nitrogen can effectively displace oxygen and other oxidative gases from industrial processes without chemically reacting with the infrastructure.

Why Is Nitrogen Purging Necessary?

The benefits of nitrogen purging are numerous. However, the primary reasons for using nitrogen gas include:

• Preventing chemical changes in products.
• Avoiding equipment damage related to moisture or even combustion risks.

Moisture or oxygen-rich air can negatively impact many industrial production processes. Oxidative damage caused by these unwanted contaminants reduces the quality of final products and leads to costly equipment issues. Nitrogen purging eliminates moisture and gases that can adversely affect oxygen-sensitive operations.

Applications of Nitrogen Purging Systems

Nitrogen purging is widely used in various industrial processes. Below are key examples of its applications across different industries:

• Extending the shelf life of beverages in production storage facilities.
• Filling void spaces in ships, tanks, and flammable environments with nitrogen gas.
• Purging transformers and explosion-sensitive electrical environments with nitrogen.
• Removing organic compounds in the chemical and petrochemical industries.
• Eliminating toxic gases from processing rooms (e.g., sputtering equipment).
• Drying and purging pipelines to limit oxygen concentration—contact Petro Tamin Arsham for more information about pipeline maintenance services.
• Removing moisture, oxygen, and other gas contaminants from food packaging plants using nitrogen.
• Metal production, where nitrogen purging systems remove compounds that may affect welding quality.

Nitrogen Purging Systems

Several nitrogen purging systems are available, with the final selection depending on operator preferences and requirements. Below are four primary types of nitrogen purging systems:

1. Displacement Purging with Nitrogen
   This technique is suitable for equipment with simple cross-sections, such as pipelines. During this process, a “pig” is propelled through the pipes using compressed nitrogen gas. The pig and gas displace gaseous contaminants and particles from the pipeline.
2. Dilution Purging with Nitrogen
   This method mixes nitrogen gas with the gas to be removed. The mixture exits through an outlet located at the farthest point from the gas entry. Effective for both simple and complex systems with diverse cross-sections, such as furnaces, reactors, and columns.
3. Pressurized Liquid Transfer
   This method involves introducing liquid nitrogen at high pressure into a tank. The conversion of the liquid nitrogen to gas fills the tank, reducing oxidation risks associated with liquid transfers between two process tanks.
4. Pressure-Barrier Reaction
   For processes where direct purging with nitrogen is not ideal, process tanks can be pressurized with compressed nitrogen. This method is typically used for equipment with one outlet, and the process is repeated until the tank is adequately purged.

Pipeline Purging and Leak Testing

Pipeline purging with nitrogen is a critical step in commissioning natural gas pipelines. This process removes oxygen, water vapor, and other contaminants left in newly installed pipeline networks. Failure to remove these substances can degrade the quality of the fluids transported through the pipelines.

Nitrogen purging is a straightforward process where compressed nitrogen gas is pushed through selected pipelines, driving out all gaseous contaminants and particles.

Nitrogen Purging of Pipelines, Processes, Tanks, and Reactors

Petro Tamin Arsham, leveraging over two decades of expertise and a wide range of modern and efficient equipment—including cryogenic storage and injection tanks, evaporators, injection units, instrumentation, flexible hoses, and high-pressure transfer hoses—provides nitrogen purging services for various industries. These include oil and gas, petrochemicals, steel, and pipelines transporting oil, gas, and derivatives.

• Purging pipelines onshore, up to and exceeding 100 inches in diameter.
• Purging pipelines offshore, up to and exceeding 64 inches in diameter.
• Injecting up to 280 tons of liquid nitrogen per day, with an injection rate of 000 Nm³/h at ambient temperature.
• Gradual cooling (Cool Down) of tanks and reactors.
• Gradual cooling of LPG tanks, including butane and propane, in gas refineries using the Piston Effect method.
• Injecting nitrogen into oil wells (EOR method) to increase pressure in inactive wells and revive them.

Leak Testing

Petro Tamin Arsham, equipped with advanced equipment such as high-pressure isotanks, reciprocating and centrifugal cryo pumps, high-pressure evaporators (up to 700 bar), manifolds, high-pressure gas transfer hoses, and fluid monitoring and measurement devices, provides comprehensive leak testing services both onshore and offshore:

• Leak testing of pipelines and process facilities in oil and gas refineries and petrochemical plants.
• Pressurizing and leak testing pipelines, processes, tanks, and reactors up to 300 barg using nitrogen gas, with an injection capacity of 1,000 Nm³/h.

Safety Precautions for Pipeline Purging and Leak Testing

Nitrogen purging in an industrial environment involves certain risks. Operators must follow these precautions to ensure safe pipeline purging:

• Ensure accuracy in the use of tools and equipment.
• Properly train and evaluate personnel on safe task execution.
• Design emergency protocols for shutdowns and evacuations, providing multiple exit points.
• Mandate personal protective equipment (PPE) for all staff involved in purging operations.
• Use up-to-date, certified equipment that meets industry standards.

Petro Tamin Arsham’s Purging and Leak Testing Services

Over the years, Petro Tamin Arsham has delivered the best nitrogen production solutions and purging services tailored to the unique requirements of diverse industrial processes.

Contact Petro Tamin Arsham today to request pricing or specifications for our products and services.