Company:

The Shell Petroleum Development

Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC)
Contractor:

NEMBE CREEK CAWTHORNE CHANNEL TRUNKLINE

REPLACEMENT PROJECT
Company Contract No.:

Type of Document:

PROCEDURE
Company Document No.:

Revision:

NCT-PRO-N01-00001

Company Document Type:

A01

N01

Document Title:

Dewatering Method statement and Work Procedure

STATUS CODE

TICK

ACCEPTED
Do not resubmit unless document is modified
operation may proceed
ACCEPTED AS NOTED
Revise to incorporate comments & resubmit
operation may proceed

A
B

NOT ACCEPTED
Revise to incorporate comments and resubmit
operation may NOT proceed

INFORMATION ONLY
No impact on construction programme

A01
R01
Rev.

SIGNATURE

04-02-08
09-01-08
Date

AFU
IFR
Status

Approved For Use/Design

COMPANY CODE:

Samuel O.

Michael N.

Samuel O.

Originator

Checked

Vincent
Lori

Issued for Client/ Comment

Issued for

CONTRACTORS DOCUMENT IDENTIFICATION: NO3-GPP-896

JOB CODE:

Michael
Nnanna

Approved

NEMBE CREEK-CAWTHORN CHANNEL

TRUNKLINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT

Dewatering Method Statement and Work Procedure

NCT-PRO-N01-00001

A01

CHANGE RECORD PAGE

REV. N

Status

Description of Revision

R01

IFR

Issued for Client/ Comment

A01

AFU

Approved for Use/Design

This Document is controlled and when printed is uncontrolled

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NEMBE CREEK-CAWTHORN CHANNEL

TRUNKLINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT

Dewatering Method Statement and Work Procedure

NCT-PRO-N01-00001

A01

Table of Content
1.0

Introduction

2.0

Purpose

3.0

Scope

4.0

Reference Documents

5.0

Abbreviations / Definitions

6.0

Organisation / Responsibilities

7.0

Procedure

8.0

HSE Plan

9.0

Quality Plan

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NEMBE CREEK-CAWTHORN CHANNEL

TRUNKLINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT

Dewatering Method Statement and Work Procedure

NCT-PRO-N01-00001

1.0

A01

Introduction
In line with Standard Practice and Contract Requirements, dewatering shall be carried out on
newly installed NCTL pipelines, after successful hydro-testing of a completed pipeline
section, in order to protect the pipeline from possible hydrates or corrosion as a result of the
test water.
This is usually carried out with the aid of spheres or swabbing pigs driven in a controlled
process as to allow a continuous water removal operation.

2.0

Purpose
The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that all dewatering operation for the NCTL
Pipelines are carried out in accordance with the applicable Specifications and SPDCs
requirements.

3.0

Scope
This document shall apply to all the dewatering activities that will be carried out on the NCTL
Project by NestOil

4.0

Reference Document

5.0

Specification for Pig Launcher and Pig Receiver NCT-CME-N22-00003-C01

Pre-Commissioning and Commissioning Manual and Procedure NCT-CME-V02-00002C01
Pressure Testing SCS Section 29
Pipeline Engineering SCS Section 25
Hydrostatic Pressure Testing Of New Pipeline DEP 31.40.40.38 Gen.
Pipeline Engineering DEP 31.40.00.10 Gen.

Abbreviations / Definitions

NCTL Nembe Creek Trunk Line.

HSE Health Safety Environment.

JHA Job Hazard Analysis

Pig launcher - A pig trap for launching pigs.

Pig receiver - A pig trap for receiving pigs.

Pig

- A device which can be propelled through a pipeline by fluid flow and is

normally used for various internal activities such as separating fluids,
cleaning and inspecting the pipeline. (A sphere is a spherically shaped
pig).
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NEMBE CREEK-CAWTHORN CHANNEL

TRUNKLINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT

Dewatering Method Statement and Work Procedure

NCT-PRO-N01-00001

6.0

A01

Organisation / Responsibilities
The organization that shall be responsible for the execution of this document shall be as
described below:
The Project Manager shall have overall responsibility for the successful and safe
execution of all activities in the NCTL Project.
The Construction Manager shall be responsible for the successful and safe execution of
this document. He shall delegate as may be necessary, all or part of this function to the
Field Project Engineer.
The HSE Manager shall be responsible for the monitoring of the HSE aspects of this
document and shall delegate all or part of this function to the Site HSE Officer.
The Test Engineer shall in addition to undertaking as directed by the Construction
Manager, have direct Site Management responsibility for a safe and successful execution
of this document.
The HSE Officer shall undertake as directed by the HSE Manager and shall carry out Site
HSE surveillance and ensure HSE compliance.

7.0

Procedure
7.1

General
Pipeline dewatering shall not be by draining under gravity. Swabbing pigs or spheres
shall be used to dewater the pipeline section. Prior to commencement of the dewatering
operation, all block valves if installed shall be checked to ensure that they are in full
open condition.

7.2

Dewatering methodology
Bulk dewatering after hydro-testing of pipeline sections for tie-in operations shall be
carried out by running a minimum of two (2) pigs, separated by a batch of fresh water.
The volume of the batch of clean fresh water shall be such that it fills a minimum of
300m of the length of the pipeline section.
The first pig shall be launched, propelled by clean fresh water. When a minimum of
300m of the fresh water has been pumped into the pipeline a second pig shall be
launched, propelled by compressed air. The pig train shall be propelled through the
pipeline to the receiving point, removing all hydro test water plus the clean fresh water
flush.
The line shall be deemed dry when no significant amount of water is found in the
receiving pig trap after receipt of the last pig.
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TRUNKLINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT

Dewatering Method Statement and Work Procedure

NCT-PRO-N01-00001

7.3

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Dewatering during Pre-Commissioning/Commissioning

Dewatering during pre-commissioning / Commissioning activities shall be carried in
order to remove hydrotest water and prepare the pipeline for service.
Considering that the product to be transported will be sweet crude oil liquids, with
entrained water and solids, the test water from the pipeline will be displaced with the
product in order to speed up the new system pipelines into operation.
The water shall be separated from the crude oil by a high sealing disc pig.
Detail of the dewatering during pre-commissioning and commissioning shall be in
accordance with the Project Pre-Commissioning and Commissioning Manual, Doc. No.
NCT-CME-V02-00003-C01

7.4

Acceptance Criteria
Dewatering shall be deemed to be completed when no significant amount of water is
found in the receiving trap after receipt of the last pig.
However acceptance of completion of the dewatering shall be at the discretion of
SPDC.

8.0

HSE Plan
Appropriate HSE plan shall be put in place prior to and during the execution of this document.
As a minimum, job hazard analysis (JHA), shall be carried out; documents approved will be
made available on site during the execution of this procedure.
The content of JHA shall be cascaded to the work crew via a daily tool box meeting in order
to inform and reinforce on the HSE awareness of the work force regarding the activity at
hand.
The JHA shall be fully implemented; including the provision of all required PPE for a safe and
execution of the document shall be enforced.
Good house keeping shall be maintained at all times, to ensure proper control and
management of resultant waste from the implementation of the document. Waste
management shall be in accordance with the project management plan and the JHA
document.

9.0

Quality Plan
The quality plan for this work shall include as a minimum the proper recording and reporting
of all auditable inspections and processes that shall be carried out during the implementation
of this procedure.
Quality inspection and reporting shall be in accordance with the ITP and in line with the
Project Quality Plan, NCT-NST-PRO-E02-00001.

No attempt shall be made to empty the pipeline simply by letting water run out. After
depressurising to the theoretical hydrostatic head at the test point, dewatering shall be
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Dewatering Method Statement and Work Procedure

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carried out by running air-driven spheres or swabbing pigs against a small back pressure to
ensure that the water is removed in a continuous operation - thus preventing segregation of
air and water into the high and low parts of the pipeline profile.
The air compressors shall have ample volumetric output and pressure capacity to enable the
water clearing pigs or spheres to travel at optimum uniform speed and overcome the
hydrostatic head in the system. The maximum air pressure to be used in pigging shall be
agreed with the Company beforehand and shall not be exceeded.

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