Case Study: MegChem improves crude pipeline surge safety with Datacor Fathom and Impulse

MegChem prevents pipeline surge with Datacor, setting MOV closure at 150 seconds

MegChem, an engineering company in the oil and gas industry, faced a challenge when a client upgraded a crude pipeline system. The installation of new motor-operated valves (MOVs) and the use of a drag-reducing agent created a risk of dangerous pressure surges that could rupture the pipeline. They turned to vendor Datacor and used its Fathom and Impulse software for pipe flow modeling to accurately design a safe valve closure time and identify other potential safety flaws.

Using Datacor's Fathom and Impulse software, MegChem's engineer modeled the system and determined a precise, safe valve closure time, avoiding impractically long conservative estimates. The analysis also identified that a pressure safety valve was too small for the increased flow, preventing a potential catastrophic failure. The solution saved substantial research and design time, allowed for a less conservative design, and ensured the system was protected against overpressure without requiring physical changes to some existing pipelines.

MegChem