In total, Halvorsen delivered six pigging receiving stations in 2019.

– Six «pig receivers» in one year is an unusually large number, says John Vester Nielsen, head of fabrication at Halvorsen.

In the oil industry, «pigging» is a term for a pipe-cleaning process. Brushes are inserted into the pipe and pushed along the pipeline to clean out rust, wax, and debris. The scraping sound that occurs during the process can resemble a squealing pig – hence the name «pigging».

The brush is placed in a «pig launcher,» which is a type of launch station, and is then pushed down the pipe until it reaches the receiving station – the so-called «pig receiver.».

– We started work on the last two «receivers» in July. There are high quality requirements for the welding. We’re talking about a product with a thickness of between 20 and 30 millimetres, so the job is demanding. But the result has been very good, says Nielsen.

«Pigging» has been used for many years to clean large offshore pipelines. However, it is becoming increasingly common in smaller diameter pipelines as operators seek increased efficiency and reduced costs.