US 2019/0293226 A1 · AUTOMATED PIPELINE PIG HANDLING SYSTEM

Abstract

Certain aspects of the subject matter described here can be implemented as a method. A location of an entrance to a pipeline pig launcher configured to launch a pipeline pig into a pipeline is determined by an automated pipeline pig handling system positioned at a starting location. The pipeline pig is self-aligned with the entrance to the pipeline pig launcher by the automated pipeline pig handling system. The entrance to the pipeline pig launcher is open. The pipeline pig is inserted by the automated pipeline pig handling system into the entrance to the pipeline pig launcher. The entrance to the pipeline pig launcher is closed by the automated pipeline pig handling system after the pipeline pig is inserted into the entrance. The automated pipeline pig handling system is self-returned to the starting location after inserting the pipeline pig into the entrance to the pipeline pig launcher.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method of handling a pipeline pig, the method comprising:

determining, by an automated pipeline pig handling system positioned at a starting location, a location of an entrance to a pipeline pig launcher configured to launch a pipeline pig into a pipeline, wherein the entrance to the pipeline pig launcher is open;
self-aligning, by the automated pipeline pig handling system, the pipeline pig with the entrance to the pipeline pig launcher;
inserting, by the automated pipeline pig handling system, the pipeline pig into the entrance to the pipeline pig launcher, wherein the entrance to the pipeline pig launcher is closed after the pipeline pig is inserted into the entrance by the automated pipeline pig handling system;
and
self-returning, by the automated pipeline pig handling system, to the starting location after inserting the pipeline pig into the entrance to the pipeline pig launcher.

2 more elements

A method of handling a pipeline pig, the method comprising:

determining, by an automated pipeline pig handling system positioned at a starting location, a location of an entrance to a pipeline pig trap configured to receive a pipeline pig from a pipeline, wherein the entrance to the pipeline pig trap is open;
self-aligning, by the automated pipeline pig handling system, the automated pipeline pig handling system with the entrance to the pipeline pig trap;
removing, by the automated pipeline pig handling system, the pipeline pig out of the entrance to the pipeline pig trap, wherein the entrance to the pipeline pig trap is closed after the pipeline pig is removed out of the entrance by the automated pipeline pig handling system;
and
self-returning, by the automated pipeline pig handling system, to the starting location after removing the pipeline pig from the entrance to the pipeline pig trap.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automated pipeline pig handling system

Life of this patent

Automated pipeline pig handling system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14