Re-design of Pig Insertion Trolley for Offshore Pipeline Operations
Offshore pipeline operations
PIG’s devices for cleaning and inspecting pipelines are used in offshore oil & gas pipelines. These are heavy cylindrical units (typically 300–750kg, up to 2000kg) that must be safely aligned and inserted into pressurised pipeline systems using specialised trolleys.
Due to the explosive operating environment, powered systems are not permitted, meaning that solutions must rely on manual mechanical systems for safe operation.
Improve reliability and usability
MMG Ocean & Partners Ocean Kinetics (Shetland) identified a critical usability issue. The existing pig trolley required excessive manual force to operate and had an inefficient push mechanism and poor mechanical advantage.
Current design limitations included:
- Underperforming gearbox and worm wheel
- Short handle limiting applied torque
- Misaligned components affecting efficiency
The target requirement for both companies included the enablement of a safe, ergonomic manual insertion of loads up to 1500kg, the need to maintain compliance with hazardous area constraints and too improve reliability and usability for offshore operators.
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Irish Company
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Direct funded project
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Redesign process
“PEM’s expertise and support were instrumental in helping us optimise this design. Their practical engineering approach, combined with advanced analysis and modelling capabilities, provided valuable insight throughout the development process. We greatly appreciated the collaborative nature of the project and look forward to future opportunities to work together.“
Martin McGuinness, Managing Director, MMG Ocean
MMG Ocean & PEM Technology Gateway partnership
PEM Technology Gateway has specialist expertise in precision engineering, Design for Manufacture (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), and mechanical engineering. Working in collaboration with MMG Ocean, the team delivered a comprehensive engineering redesign process, combining applied research with industry-focused engineering expertise.
This included:
- Engineering Assessment & Problem Definition
- Design & Analysis
- Digital Engineering
- Simulation & Validation
The end result represents significant value to MMG Ocean & Ocean Kinetics as it reduced operator strain and improved safety in hazardous environments, increased reliability and operational consistency, enabled engineering confidence through simulation and validated design and provided a platform for further product development and commercialisation.