Pipelines

The MycelX Desalter system was failing due to Black Powder contamination, costing $100,000 USD per month in hydrocarbon contaminated water disposal. A Pentair system was installed upstream of the MycelX system, but was ineffective in removing Black Powder. In order to save costs, single use Pentair filters were changed from 10 microns to 30 microns filter size to extend change-out cycles to 7 days. The cost of each filter element change-out was $13,000 USD, including disposal.

Black Powder contamination larger than 30 microns in size causing cavitation and pump failure.
Black Powder contamination under 10 microns down to and below 1 micron flow through the strainer, damaging equipment components downstream and degrade product quality.
Unscheduled maintenance for pump replacement. The repairs require switching to standby pumps, while the pump and pipe is removed to access cone strainers for cleaning. Often, the line leading to the strainer would also plug off. The line would require manual cleaning to the back of the valve.

Black Powder contamination in the condensate stream leaving a fractionator is accumulating on the pipeline walls. During pigging operations, the contamination is liberated back into the product…