Challenge
A 12” propane pipeline was being re-commissioned by a refinery in Pennsylvania. During the re-commissioning of the pipeline a leak was detected. The leak was isolated between two stations roughly 16 miles of pipeline. In total 12,000 barrels of propane needed to be combusted as quickly as possible.

Solution
Liquid propane was routed to two 200 gallon/hour vaporizers and then to a 20 million BTU/hr thermal oxidizer. In addition to being used as fuel to keep the burners lit, the vaporized gases were sent into the process line to be destroyed. By using the vapors in two ways, the time to depressure the pipeline was completed 4 times as fast.

Benefit
The pipeline was safely depressured and degased of liquid propane. The use of Envent’s thermal oxidizer was safer than running directly to the mobile flare because there is no detonation arrestor on a mobile flare. This safety feature is one of many which helped make the job safe, as well as time efficient.

By using the vapors in two ways, the time to depressure the pipeline was completed 4 times as fast.