What is Pickling?
When odorized natural gas flows through a newly commissioned pipeline, the odorant, an organosulfur compound known as mercaptan, is adsorbed into the pipeline interior making the gas odorless and consequently a hazard to all end users. Until the pipeline is coated with odorant, or pickled, significant odor fade will occur. This naturally occurring pickling process can take a couple of days to several months depending on pipe length, pipe diameter, flow rate, etc. Engineered pipeline pickling is the process of injecting odorant into the pipeline and gas stream to expediate the pickling process and protect end users.
Why is Pickling important?
Pickling occurs naturally when odorized natural gas flows through a new or modified pipeline. Pipeline Conditioning designs and executes temporary odorization plans to expediate the pickling process and ensure complaint, odorized natural gas is sent to customers.
How does Pipeline Conditioning approach Pickling?
Pipeline Conditioning provides pickling services for steel, plastic, or coated lines with flows up to 100 MMSCFH to below 0.001 MMSCFH, allowing us to support any transmission, distribution, or residential gas system operated by our clients. Our temporary odorizers allow the pipeline system to be put back in service immediately resulting in no additional downtime during the pickling process.