【Learning from Others: HaiChuan】JiangHan Petroleum Engineering Achieves Non-invasive Repair of Underground Pipelines through \"Pipe Swap\" Method

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Jianghan Petroleum Engineering achieves non-invasive repair of underground pipelines through \"pipe swap\" 2025/6/5      According to reports from our newspaper, recently, the damaged pipeline in the Jiaoye 62 platform of the Fuling shale gas field was repaired and passed pressure tests, allowing gas transmission to resume. In pipeline repair projects, Jianghan Petroleum Engineering Company used coiled tubing for the first time to carry out pipeline replacement tasks over long distances in complex terrains, thus filling the gap in non-invasive repair technologies for underground pipelines in the oil and gas field sector.   Previously, this section of pipeline was damaged due to long-term operation and the effects of the mountainous environment; traditional repair methods required digging through farmland, mountains, and streams, resulting in a long construction period and high costs. The Jianghan Petroleum Engineering Technology team innovatively proposed a trenchless crossing solution based on the \"pipe swap\" method. Using coiled tubing as a pulling medium, new pipelines can be inserted directly underground to replace the damaged sections; this approach requires only minor, localized construction efforts, thereby minimizing disruption and damage to the surface. It reduces the construction time by 70% and significantly cuts down on costs.   Facing a 55-meter vertical drop and complex curved paths for the pipeline, the company’s technical team developed adaptive traction heads and multi-stage alignment devices to ensure the pipeline is propelled precisely along the predetermined path. During construction, they used 3D modeling to accurately locate the challenging areas, and designed high-strength composite pulling and alignment tools. After 5 days and nights of continuous work, they finally completed the crossing of the 847-meter-long pipeline. This project overcame the challenges associated with long distances, large height differences, and complex pathways in non-excavation repair methods, providing a standardized solution for the restoration of old pipeline networks in domestic shale gas fields.