Final test to confirm pipeline leakage repair in the Philippines

Once the final test proves that the pipeline of the Lopez-led First Philippine Industrial Corp. has no leaks, PILIPINAS Shell and Chevron Philippines could expect to resume normal business operations.

FPIC has started preparations for the concluding test that would confirm if its petroleum pipeline is ready to resume operations. The pipeline delivers fuel products from refineries and importer terminals in Batangas to the storage depots in Pandacan.

Because of a leak, the pipeline has been out of operation for almost a year. This final test, made up out of a pressure test, requires approval from the Supreme Court since it involves the transfer of oil through the pipeline.

Energy Undersecretary Jose Layug said the pressure test would confirm if the pipelines still have holes.

The actual testing is set to run for two days and a recommendation could be provided a week later, Layug said.

Layug added that if there is a leak, the pipeline would have to be shut down at once. There are 10 fixed sites along the entire length of the pipeline with monitoring wells, in addition to five teams patrolling the pipeline every two hours to check for leaks.

"By Monday we will see whether (the pressure) is stable. If it’s not stable, (that means there’s a leak). We would have to shut that down," he said.

The test will be carried out in two stages. Firstly, a scraper pig is run to eliminate air gaps within the 117 km Batangas to Manila white oil pipeline, before the pressure controlled leak test is carried out.

The first stage involves running the cleaning pigs through each of the three segments of the pipeline – the Chevron and Shell spur lines and the main line from Lipa to the Pandacan depot. The cleaning pigs will remove any voids, gas pockets and dirt inside the pipeline segments, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the leak test.

The presence of gas pockets is likely since the pipeline has not operated for more than a year. It was closed by the FPIC on 27^th October 2010, after it was discovered as the source of the oil that leaked into the basement of West Tower Condominium in Barangay Bangkal, Makati. This was before the Supreme Court issued a writ of kalikasan on November 2010 that required FPIC to stop operations.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/15122011/final_test_to_confirm_pipeline_leakage_repair_in_the_philippines/