We develop the cleaning programs specifically adapted to particular lines, based on the product and debris analysis, our vast experience and best industry practices.

Pipelines must be cleaned for a number of reasons – to maintain product transport efficiency, to ensure purity of the product and to successfully run inline inspection tools.

Debris and sludge may seriously affect process by reducing the effective pipeline cross-section which leads to higher consumption of the energy required to propel the same amount of product through the same line.

In case a pipeline is not regularly cleaned then the purity of oil or gas is affected that consequently has a negative impact on the downstream facilities and processes.

LIN SCAN runs both routine and pre-inspection cleaning campaigns on all kinds of pipelines of hydrocarbon industry.

The cleaning operations we perform are tailored to particular project conditions and the equipment is crafted to remove specific type of sludge, debris and/or dust that is found in particular pipeline.

We design and manufacture all standard types of cleaning pigs as well as custom design pigs for specific applications
Our cleaning campaigns may involve chemical and mechanical methods:

Please refer the following pages for more information:

• Wax
• Gas
• Dust Separation
• Utility Pigs

Being the inspection and integrity service provider, LIN SCAN is a manufacturer and supplier of a wide range of utility pigs.

These pigs are manufactured in accordance with unique design solutions adaptable to specific applications and include the following types:

Magnet Brush Cleaning Tools (MBCT): used to clean the pipelines using strong and flexible steel brushes supported by powerful magnets to improve cleaning performance.

Profile Tools (PR): equipped with aluminum discs to identify any critical obstruction in the pipeline to ensure the inspection tools can be run safely.

Bidi Brush Cleaning Tools (BBCT): used to clean the pipelines using strong and flexible brushes. These pigs are equipped also with polyurethane guiding and sealing discs configured in a manner allowing pigging operations in case the flow is reversed.

Cup Brush Pig (CBT): equipped with steel brushes supported by springs and softer polyurethane cups. Used for lighter duty cleaning purposes being also more flexible tool.

Bidi Cleaning Tools (BCP): a general purpose cleaning tools equipped with polyurethane guiding and sealing discs configured in a manner allowing pigging operations in case the flow is reversed.

Scrapper Cleaning Tools (SCT): used for heavy duty cleaning of pipeline inner surface, normally from scale or solid mineralized sediments. These pigs are equipped with scrapper steel blades.

Batching Pigs (BP): function as moving seals in a pipeline to separate two different products into batches for transportation in the same pipeline. Various design solutions are available.

Cup Pigs (CP): supported and driven by cups made of a resilient material such as neoprene or polyurethane. At least one of the cups forms a piston-like seal inside the pipeline.

Foam Pigs (FP): produced from polyurethane foam with coating of various types. These tools are compressible, expandable, lightweight, and flexible. Foam pigs can negotiate multiple diameter pipelines, abrupt bends and practically any imaginable pipeline obstructions. They are used normally for pipeline proving and initial cleaning. Various coatings and PU densities are available.

Heavy Duty Magnet Brush Tools (HDMBT): used to perform challenging cleaning tasks such as removal of black powder from gas lines. These tools are specially designed to travel long distances picking up large quantities of debris by brushes and magnets and carrying them to a receiver.

Bidi Magnet Cleaning Tools (BMCT): designed in the manner similar to general BiDi tools enhanced with permanent magnets to pick up ferrous debris.

Wax Removal
Certain wax concentration is typical for oil pipelines and also it is typical for wax to crystallize in the pipe walls. Solid wax deposits on pipe walls reduce operational efficiency of oil pipelines.

Cleaning of wax requires a special approach as solid wax can combine with other mineral deposits and removal of it by conventional cleaning pigs may become impossible.

We have vast experience in cleaning oil pipelines with high wax content using specially developed de-waxing pigs.

These pigs are equipped with polyurethane blades, steel scrapers and other arrangements ensuring effective cutting and removing wax sediments. However, in many cases the wax cannot be fully removed by mechanical pigging means as the large part of wax content can be dissolved in oil.

Then we are ready to offer chemical cleaning solution. We will carry out engineering assessment, select chemicals and their volume, and develop the cleaning program. We will run the cleaning pigs along with pumping the batches of chemical solutions dissolving and bonding wax. LIN SCAN may perform such operation on turn-key basis having provided machinery, equipment, chemicals required.

Black Dust Removal
Presence of dust is a common problem of gas pipelines as it affects the gas purity, causes extensive erosion growth in pipelines and piping and may lead to blockage of filters and failure of other downstream facilities.

Removal of significant amount of dust is a serious challenge as abrasive nature of dust particles causes accelerated wear of polyurethane discs and cups thus reducing the cleaning pigs performance.

We developed a range of cleaning pigs with supporting wheels to shift the load from the cups and discs to ensure that cleaning effect is preserved for the whole run duration.

We also use a specifically casted extra-durable self-lubricating consumable parts made of heavy-duty polyurethane to withstand the wear. We adopt these cleaning pigs by installing strong magnets to carry the ferrous debris and front nozzles designed to remove any dust buildup that may clog the pig in the pipeline.

However in certain cases the dust cannot be cleaned by pigging methods. Then we suggest our cyclone solution.