How It Works: Smart Tool Technology

Colonial uses many different tools to test the integrity of its pipeline and identify areas of concern, from aerial flyovers, new smart balls to cathodic protection and smart pig technology. Smart pigs are one of the most effective tools because they allow Colonial to preemptively identify potential problems along the system.

The term ​“pig” is an acronym derived from pipeline inspection gauge, the proper – though rarely-used name – for the technology. Some people also say that the noise they make when moving through the pipeline sounds like a squealing pig. Smart pigs are highly-advanced devices that travel through Colonial’s system with the flow of the product while gathering information about anomalies in the wall of the pipe. They can detect dents, pit corrosion, cracks and faulty weld seams as small as a half-inch in size. 

There are different types of smart pigs, but they are all used to identify potential weaknesses in the pipeline system. Smart pigs are a type of in-line inspection technique, which means that they operate within the pipe. The pigs travel at speeds up to 10 miles per hour and can weigh two tons. 

There are four basic steps when using a smart pig: launch, data collection, retrieval and analysis. Colonial identifies which section of the pipeline will be analyzed, inserts the pig at the appropriate section, retrieves it at the desired end point and then reviews the data that it collected. Sensors in the smart pigs are able to measure the thickness of the pipe wall and tell Colonial exactly where potential problems exist that may need to be addressed. 

Many of the anomalies identified by smart pigs are inconsequential, but the sensors collect enough information to help Colonial determine which ones are more likely to result in a breach of the pipe wall. Colonial uses the information to prioritize which sections should be excavated, visually assessed – and repaired, if needed.

In addition to smart pigs, Colonial uses ​“dumb” pigs to separate batches of products that should not mix. These plastic spheres travel with the product but are not capable of collecting any safety information. Other types of pigs can be used to clean the pipeline. 

Colonial is deeply committed to protecting the integrity of its pipeline and the environment, and smart pigs play a crucial role in this process.