O&G - Electric Heat Trace for remote pipeline valve station

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csc_wyo

csc_wyo

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Denver
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EI&C Engineer - Oil & Gas/Heavy Industry
I need to provide freeze protection at a few remote oil pipeline valve stations. These would be at above-grade pig launcher/receivers and tie-in locations where we have drain valves. No utility power is readily available or cost-effective to bring into the area, we are in NE Colorado where we can experience cold snaps that last 2-5 days at or below -0degF, and will experience freezing issues if we don't apply some sort of heat trace freeze protection.

Has anyone designed for a similar installation? We have a vendor pushing us hard on their solar-powered, dc heat trace packaged system, but I'm concerned of it's serial number of 0001. Has anyone else utilized DC heat trace? Experience with it?

I know this can't be a unique situation and would really appreciate some feedback, tips/tricks, outside the box thinking, etc.

Thanks in advance!

~T
 
csc_wyo said:
I need to provide freeze protection at a few remote oil pipeline valve stations. These would be at above-grade pig launcher/receivers and tie-in locations where we have drain valves. No utility power is readily available or cost-effective to bring into the area, we are in NE Colorado where we can experience cold snaps that last 2-5 days at or below -0degF, and will experience freezing issues if we don't apply some sort of heat trace freeze protection.

Has anyone designed for a similar installation? We have a vendor pushing us hard on their solar-powered, dc heat trace packaged system, but I'm concerned of it's serial number of 0001. Has anyone else utilized DC heat trace? Experience with it?

I know this can't be a unique situation and would really appreciate some feedback, tips/tricks, outside the box thinking, etc.

Thanks in advance!

~T
Click to expand...

Doesn't seem like you have a lot of choices!
Is the DC system rated at least CID2?
 
Maybe look at McMaster Carr. They have all kind of heat trace, including dc.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#heat-trace/=15ygsk5

i have installed a few of theirs with the termination kits and the indicator lights at a local anhydrous plant we regularly work at, and it seems to work great. My installs were AC. I see their DC selection are 12, 24, and 36V. Their shipping has always been fast for us, but I'm not sure where they ship from either.
 
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Dr Duke said:
Maybe look at McMaster Carr. They have all kind of heat trace, including dc.
Click to expand...
Never a big fan of installations design out of Grainger or McMaster, but they've saved my hide before when I've been in a pinch. I did look at your link and they're limited to 3w/ft with their DC product. That may be good for some smaller installations, but doesn't provide the necessary heat for freeze protection with our type of system. Thanks for your input though, Dr. Duke!
 
If gas is available you might try looking for a skid-mounted steam generator and heat trace with steam. Couple of control circuits and an isolated steam shed and you're in business. Worked like a charm at a nitroglycerin plant I worked in many years ago.
 
Sounds more like an operational issue than an electrical issue. Consider: after receiving, drain the receiver. When going back to normal operation, flow around the receiver, not through it. Residual oil will settle into valve, but water should already be drained at that point. Maybe your design drawings assumed heat trace was needed but no one in engineering discussed with operations staff.


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csc_wyo said:
... I did look at your link and they're limited to 3w/ft with their DC product. That may be good for some smaller installations, but doesn't provide the necessary heat for freeze protection with our type of system. ...
Click to expand...
What Watt density do you need?

2 runs @ 3W/ft = 6W/ft
 
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