Pipeline pigging specialist iNPIPE PRODUCTS is targeting further opportunities in the global desalination market after restoring flow rates by more than 50 per cent in two major seawater intake pipelines at a desalination facility in Southern Africa.

The UK-based company progressively cleaned both 1.2m-diameter intake pipelines serving a major reverse osmosis seawater desalination facility.

Flow in the Northern Intake Line increased by more than 55 per cent, from 4,500 to 7,000 cubic metres per hour, while the Southern Intake Line improved by more than 51 per cent, from 5,200 to 7,878 cubic metres per hour.

The success of the project has generated enquiries from desalination operators around the globe and comes as the industry increasingly considers mechanical cleaning as an alternative to traditional chemical methods.

Both intake pipelines had experienced extensive marine growth, reducing flow rates, increasing pumping requirements and creating operational risks.

iNPIPE PRODUCTS developed a progressive cleaning programme using a sequence of custom-built foam pigs to establish that the pipelines could be safely pigged, progressively remove debris and confirm bore clearance.

The equipment was designed and manufactured at the company’s 60,000 sq. ft facility in Brompton-on-Swale, North Yorkshire.

Following cleaning, iNPIPE PRODUCTS also deployed its innovative Phoenix Debris Mapping Tool through the Southern Intake Line to verify cleanliness and assess its internal condition.

Using 39 highly sensitive calliper sensors, Phoenix collected more than 8.3 million measurements during a 12-minute run, providing high-resolution data on the pipeline’s condition.

The project also demonstrates iNPIPE PRODUCTS’ move beyond traditional pipeline cleaning, providing an integrated service that combines specialist equipment, mechanical pigging and detailed inspection data with practical expertise, on-the-ground technical support and training for customer teams.

This full-service approach enables operators to draw on the company’s technical expertise throughout the process, while equipping local teams with the knowledge and skills needed to support the ongoing management and maintenance of critical pipeline infrastructure.

Simon Bell, managing director of iNPIPE PRODUCTS, said: "Desalination plants operate in extremely demanding conditions, and maintaining the performance of seawater intake pipelines is essential to ensuring reliable and efficient operation.

"There is growing recognition of the environmental impact associated with chemical cleaning methods and increasing interest in more sustainable alternatives.

"The results achieved on this project demonstrate how advanced pigging techniques can restore performance while minimising operational disruption, while Phoenix gives operators a detailed understanding of the condition of their assets.

"The success of the project has generated interest from operators in other parts of the world and demonstrates the opportunities that exist for iNPIPE within the international desalination sector."