Shell Oil – Puget Sound, Anacortes Washington – Oil Pipe Lining Job Profile

In 2016 the Shell Oil refinery facility located in Anacortes Washington was experiencing failure in a 36” diameter transmission line. This steel pipe was installed more than 30 years ago. It ran process crude oil from one holding tank to another. The 36” steel pipe ran 1,600 feet from one tank to another and had a working pressure of 80 psi. Due to the fact, that the facility was built on an island off the coast of Washington state made it difficult logistically to get all of the necessary equipment there to install the pipe lining material.

The 36 “diameter oil carrying pipe was disassembled at both upstream and downstream ends. A third point of entry was made in the middle of the run. The pipe was excavated at this point where a 5ft section of existing host pipe was cut and removed. This would provide access points required for the installation process. The pipe was then thoroughly cleaned and descaled using a hot water scouring process utilizing high pressure hot water. Once the pipe was cleaned the US Pipelining crew went to work installing the 1,600 feet of 36” diameter x 9mm thick pressure liner. Once the liner was in place rubber end seals were installed at each upstream and downstream location. This end seal would ensure that no product would ever compromise getting between the liner and the host pipe. Once the end seals were properly installed a flanged steel spool piece was installed at the center entry point while both end locations were reassembled. The pipe was put back on line and tested.