Frozen pork? No, it's ice pigging!

Have you ever looked for a chemical-free and cost-effective pipe-cleaning method? SUEZ has pioneered a unique method that minimises downtime, ensures quality water and wastewater services, and prioritises environmental sustainability, called ice pigging.

Over time, drinking and wastewater infrastructure may develop issues that affect water quality and network reliability. Iron, manganese, and biofilms can cause water quality problems, discolouration, consumer complaints, and health risks. Iron and manganese can accumulate due to poor filtration at the water treatment stage or with the deterioration of water network infrastructure. Biofilms are biological growths on the internal surface of pipes that typically grow in environments with high manganese or aluminium content or where the chlorination of water is not possible.

This is where SUEZ steps in with its ice-pigging solution. It is a pipeline-cleaning process in which an ice slurry is pumped into a pipe and forced through under pressure. This process removes sediment and deposits to leave the pipe clean.

A semi-solid ice slurry can be applied uniquely because it is pumpable like a liquid but behaves as a solid when an ‘ice pig’ forms within a pipe. Ice pigging can clean pipelines ranging from 60 to 700 millimetres in diameter without excavating the pipe. It’s fast, effective, and exceptionally low risk using significantly less water than most comparable techniques. If the ice pig were ever to become stuck within a pipe, it would quickly melt and be washed away.

Ice pigging is also used in the wastewater network as an extremely effective and low-risk way of cleaning pumped sewer mains. It reduces blockages and significantly improves flows and pumping efficiency (up to 150%). Its gentle yet thorough cleaning action preserves pipe integrity, making it a preferred choice for maintaining water supply, sewage, and industrial systems.

This method has been widely adopted across municipalities and industries worldwide, lauded for its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Unlike traditional mechanical or chemical cleaning methods, ice pigging is environmentally friendly, minimises water usage, and significantly reduces downtime.

Further developments will see the creation of the Beer Pig. This technique would freeze the product itself rather than water, so that the ‘waste’ produced is consumable, saving money for both the producer and the customer.

Who does this?

In Australia, it’s people like Ed Petts, who graduated from Southampton University, have played a pivotal role in advancing ice pigging technology. Starting his career as a Graduate Engineer, Petts developed this technique for the water industry, where ice pigging was first established. His contributions have helped make ice pigging an essential tool for pipeline maintenance worldwide.

As the Product Manager at SUEZ Australia and New Zealand, Petts works with clients nationwide alongside Jerome Douziech, the General Manager of Operations. Both found themselves in the water industry with the desire to do better and have a positive impact on society.

SUEZ has led the charge with ice pigging across Australia and New Zealand, delivering its cutting-edge equipment to any location across the country. While there are other players in the field, SUEZ has made significant strides, undertaking projects in diverse regions nationwide. This technology isn’t limited to urban centres; regional areas have also harnessed the benefits of ice pigging, witnessing remarkable improvements in pipeline maintenance and efficiency.

“We have worked across Australia, in every state and territory,” Petts said. “We have a semi-mobile setup for ice pigging. We travel to the site with four twenty-foot sea containers, which include our ice machine. It takes about two days to set up and about a day to pack it back down again. However, once we are set up, it’s a straightforward process, with up to 5,000m of pipe being cleaned each day.”

Aside from the vast size of Australia, the current equipment in Australia limits ice-pigging to pipes of no more than 450 millimetres. In Europe, available equipment allows for the cleaning of pipes of up to 700 millimetres in diameter.

Why this process?

Ice-pigging sounds like a challenging process, but it is thought to be twice as fast as traditional cleaning technologies.

“One of the biggest benefits is that you only need one pass of the ice slurry,” said Douziech. “Other techniques might require multiple passes to get the job done properly, but ice-pigging does not have that problem.”

“There’s also no need to drain the pipeline at all,” Petts added. “We can isolate the pipe from mains pressure and then pump the ice in. That tends to take between 10 and 15 minutes, depending on the diameter and length of the pipe. An upstream valve is then opened to push the slurry to the other end of the pipe. The whole process tends to take two to three hours.”

Many customers that Petts and Douziech work with have mentioned the ease of the process. In most cases, those customers do not need to undertake any pre-works, as the ice-pigging process can use existing fittings, such as hydrants, for the ice to enter and exit the pipe. This eliminates the need for new infrastructure.

“We provide a wide range of services on the water network in Australia, and SUEZ is known in Australia for its experience and capabilities in water production or wastewater treatment,” Douziech said. “However, when you look at our global footprint, just over half of our activities are on the water or wastewater network. SUEZ focuses on low-customer impact, environmentally focused, and asset-friendly services.”

It’s a competitive area, which is why SUEZ opted to retain the patent relating to its ice-pigging operation. It has invested heavily in this capital-intensive technology and machinery while also training operators to use the technology effectively.

The future of ice-pigging

Ice-pigging has been a positive process for SUEZ. PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, has used the technology and has enhanced its reputation in Australia. SUEZ has demonstrated its ability to design, construct, and operate large treatment facilities while developing other business streams simultaneously.

“We see ice-pigging as part of a set of services we can deliver to a water distribution or wastewater collection network,” said Douziech. “SUEZ is keen to invest in its team and capabilities to provide high-quality network services. We believe that our people in this space could be the right team to deliver other types of service on water and wastewater networks, including advanced leak detections. It’s why we are investigating the opportunity to deliver a range of services.”

For more information, visit https://www.suez.com/en