Pipeline Evacuation and Gas Recovery Solutions

Pipeline sections must be isolated and depressurized before certain maintenance, repair or modification work can begin. If the remaining natural gas is released directly into the atmosphere, valuable product is lost and methane emissions are generated.

Mobile compressor units allow natural gas to be recovered from the isolated pipeline section and transferred into an adjacent pipeline section or another suitable receiving system. This reduces the quantity of gas that must subsequently be vented and allows operators to retain a larger proportion of the transported product.

The achievable recovery rate depends on factors including the initial and final pipeline pressures, receiving pressure, pipeline volume, gas composition, temperature and compressor operating range. Under suitable project conditions, LMF systems can recover up to 99% of the natural gas contained in the isolated section.

With more than 40 years of experience in mobile gas recovery solutions and more than 80 years of expertise in reciprocating high pressure compressor technology, LMF develops tailor-made mobile compressor units for demanding pipeline operations worldwide.

Recommended Compression Solutions by LMF

Mobile Compressors

Recommended for temporary pipeline evacuation and gas recovery during maintenance, repair, inspection, modification and decommissioning activities.
LMF mobile compressor units are engineered for flexible operation at changing locations. Depending on the package configuration, they can incorporate their own drive system, automation, safety equipment and auxiliary systems for operation where limited site infrastructure is available.

  • Capacity:
    up to 22 Nm³/min
  • Pressure:
    up to 350 bar
  • Power consumption:
    900 kW

Selected References 

Pre-Select a Pipeline Evacuation Compressor with CompXpert

Enter the gas composition, pipeline and pressure data to estimate key process values, pre-select a suitable LMF compressor model and generate an inquiry for our experts.

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FAQs

Pipeline evacuation removes gas from an isolated pipeline section before maintenance, repair, inspection, modification or decommissioning work. The subsequent steps required to establish safe working conditions depend on the operator’s procedure and the applicable regulations.

The mobile compressor withdraws gas from the isolated pipeline section, compresses it and transfers it into an adjacent pipeline section or another suitable receiving system. As the source pressure decreases, the unit continues operating within its defined pressure and capacity range.

Complete recovery cannot generally be guaranteed. The achievable recovery rate depends on the pipeline and receiving pressures, gas volume, temperature, compressor operating limits and project procedure. Under suitable conditions, LMF systems can recover up to 99% of the natural gas.

Initial evaluation requires the gas composition, pipeline volume, initial and target pressures, receiving pressure, gas temperature, required evacuation time, site conditions and available utilities. Transport and regulatory requirements must also be considered.

The current P-Pack 600 configuration is suitable for natural gas and specified hydrogen blends containing up to 12% hydrogen by volume, subject to confirmation of the complete gas composition and operating conditions. It must not be presented as a solution for pure hydrogen. Pure-hydrogen pipeline evacuation requires a separately engineered and approved compressor solution.