Pipeline Pig Tracking Through the Internet: A New Use for Existing Technology in the Pipeline Pigging Industry

Pipeline pigs are routinely launched and ran through pipelines to separate batches, clean and inspect the pipe. It is critical to know the location of pigs in the pipeline for numerous reasons; all pigs have a risk of getting stuck in the pipeline and plugging off the flow, pipeline stations and valves often require operational adjustments to allow the pig to pass, and inspection runs need reference markers deployed along the pipeline as the pig passes. While many operational and technical innovations have been developed to assist with the tracking and locating of pigs, there has not been any advancement made in the communications of the pig tracking information to the pipeline operators; until now. This paper discusses the development and field trials of a system to post and view pig tracking information through the Internet.