BJ Services Company has completed a major pipeline precommissioning and commissioning operation for Reliance Gas Transportation Infrastructure Limited (RGTIL) on the East West Gas Pipeline (EWPL), which is designed for a capacity of 80 MMSCMD. The EWPL originates from an onshore terminal at Gadimoga in Andhra Pradesh on the east coast and terminates at Bhadbhut in Gujarat in western India.

BJ Services supplied precommissioning services, including swabbing, magnetic cleaning, caliper surveying and vacuum drying, in addition to a range of commissioning gas-in works on the EWPL and associated facilities, including the system’s Spur pipelines. The primary segments of the pipeline network consist of nine 48-in. x 130 to 162 km sections that total 1,369 km, and three Spur pipeline segments that measure 24-in. x 30.5 km, 28-in. x 27.7 km, and 30-in. x 16.5 km.

Following completion of engineering plans and equipment delivery, BJ Services commenced operations in March 2008. BJ Services completed work on the requisite lines, including the commissioning of the first section from CS-10 to CS-9, which included 48-in. x 130 km and 30-in. x 16.5 km Spur segments at CS-10. “This represented a major milestone for both BJ Services and RGTIL. Natural gas was transported via a temporary 4-in. x 100 m jumper line from GAIL’s Dahej -Vijaipur Pipeline (DVPL) at Ankot Gas Station, and introduced through the temporary commissioning skid into the EWPL pipeline at CS-10 by an eight-man commissioning team from BJ,” said Bill Pitt, project manager - Middle East region - process and pipeline services for BJ Services.

To ensure that procedures were carried out safely and efficiently, BJ Services acquired two new 9,000 scfm dry air spreads, each consisting of three 3,000 scfm air dryers and nine x 1150 scfm air compressors that were custom-designed and installed in protective 20-ft containers. In addition, a newly-designed vacuum fleet was developed that features eight pneumofore 5,000m3/hr pumps, which were installed in four 20-ft protective containers. The new air-drying systems were designed and built by BJ in Houston, and the vacuum units were supplied in Dubai.

While the overall operation was managed by BJ Services in Mumbai, BJ personnel supported the operation from bases in India and Dubai. Specialist caliper services and equipment were supplied by BJ’s pipeline inspection services team in Blyth, England.

“India is a key market for us as we continue to expand our services internationally. The process and pipeline services group has operated in India for over 20 years, and has successfully provided services to a number of operators in the region,” said Lindsay Link, general manager – process and pipeline services for BJ Services. “It is our hope that we will continue to cultivate a solid relationship with RGTIL, and provide them with excellent service in the future,” he added.

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