Q. Scraper Launchers and Receivers?

Scraper launchers and receivers associated with the pipelines shall be located in open, well-ventilated areas with the opening directed away from pressurized or other critical equipment, where practicable. Mechanical handling facilities shall be provided for spheres, scrapers (also commonly known as "pigs") and line logging devices.

Elevations, relative to grade, of launchers and receivers shall be kept to a minimum, but shall be of sufficient height to allow contents of drain lines to be observed. Launcher and receiver areas are located close to the main pipeline entry and exit points of the plant. The loading and unloading end of these units should point away from other facilities. This equipment should be within a curbed area with wash down facilities. As launchers and receivers are operated whilst adjacent plant is still 'live', safe spacing needs to be maintained.

Slug catchers are located close to the gas pipeline entry point to the plant and are designed to accommodate slugs of liquid that may be present in the gas supply. They can be either vessel type or for larger flows a multipipe type slug catcher can be utilized, both are generally above ground. The multipipe type can occupy a considerable plot area.

Both the launcher and receiver and slug catcher areas can have their own security fence. This can act as a physical code break between on-plot process and pipeline design codes.