Skip to content

Replacement of Metal Pipe with PE-X for Formation Water

Installation of a Pexgol Line for the Transport of Formation Water in an Oil Company.

Case Study Nº

116

Customer

Enap Sipetrol Ecuador
Ecuador

|

2022

Working Conditions

Pressure: 25 psi | Temperature: 71°C / 160°F

Pexgol Pipes

Pexgol 225 (8″), Class 24

Application

Formation water transport

Lenght

160 m / 525 ft

Categories

Installation of a Pexgol Line for the Transport of Formation Water in an Oil Company.

The Challenge

Enap Sipetrol Ecuador, is a branch of the Chilean state oil company Enap.

At their plant, they needed to transport formation water with 65,000-70,000 ppm of sodium chloride, which also had high salinity. This formation water has its origin at the outlet of a three-phase separator, up to a water storage tank. The existing metal pipes in the local market that are used for these processes corrode quickly and present leaks along the way. This situation made it necessary to apply chemical treatment to the pipes, with the cost that this represented, and even so, the treatment did not guarantee the integrity of the pipe.

Pexgol Solution

It was decided to use Pexgol pipe due to the working conditions that it can withstand for these applications and that also has a longer lifespan than the metal pipes usually installed, after the tests carried out, it was satisfactorily observed that it has not been any inconvenience, there are no leaks, no presence of corrosion and no solids adhered.

The installation of the 160 m of 225 mm diameter pipe was carried out with the collaboration of 12 people due to its dimensions and weight, in addition, locally manufactured “cradle” type supports were placed. For the assembly of the pipe, a horizontal unwinding machine was used, a crane truck, mobile roller stations for displacement, mechanical keys, torque meter and manual tools, 4 flanged couplings were installed for the terminations with their respective fixing clamps since that line it was installed in 2 sections.

Related Case Studies

The mine was facing scaling issues with their existing HDPE pipes, which required replacement every two weeks. The introduction of Pexgol pipes drastically reduced scaling.

Pexgol: Significant Pipe Wall Scale Reduction

Copper Mine
USA

 | 

2022
Replacement of a HDPE Pipe for a Pexgol Pipe

Compressed Air Transportation

Saucito S.A. de C.V. Mine
Mexico

 | 

2017
Reduction of material build-up in brine and brine/acid lines

Mineral Processing – Brine Transportation

SQM,Pedro Valvidia Mine
Chile

 | 

2010
In an engineering challenge, the Pexgol 225 mm (8”) Class 15 pipe proved to be the perfect solution for transporting tailings at the Mina Capela mining complex.

Environmental Protection and Efficiency in Tailings Management

Mina Capella - Grupo Peñoles
Mexico

 | 

2023
Replacement of Titanium Pipes by Pexgol Pipes to Transport Acid Solution.

Process Plant: Transport of Leached Slurry

Barrick Gold – Pueblo Viejo
Dominican Republic

 | 

2018
Transportation of water in more than 150 mining crossroads

Water Transport on Crossroads

Doña Inés de Collahuasi SCM, Collahuasi Mine
Chile

 | 

2012