CD42 Pipeline Pig Location & Tracking System
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Chapter 1 - Introduction
The CD42 is an extremely useful, rugged and reliable piece of field equipment that allows simple yet powerful
tracking and locating of pipeline pigs.
The customer feedback that we receive regarding the CD42 system is exceptionally positive. We have many
customers in all corners of the world that use this system and appreciate its usefulness, simplicity and ruggedness.
If, for whatever reason, a customer is dissatisfied with our products, we work without reservation to insure that the
situation is resolved.
This manual explains the step-by-step use of the CD42, but just as importantly this manual explains many of the
more generic techniques used for pig tracking and location. Familiarizing yourself with these techniques will allow
you to use CDI‟s equipment to its fullest.
Who Is CDI?
CDI is an electronics product development company located in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma near Tulsa. Founded
in 1982, CDI has spent many years in the oil and gas industry creating a variety of industrial electronic products.
Our diverse design and implementation experience in many fields give us a unique capability to meet the needs
of the pipeline pigging industry with more rugged, powerful and easy to use electronic devices.
The Purpose of the CD42
The CD42‟s primary purpose is to allow an operator to both track and locate pipeline pigs. A pipeline pig is a
device that is usually made of solid polyurethane or a polyethylene foam and is often shaped roughly like a
bullet. These devices are placed into oil and gas pipelines for three primary purposes:
To separate two fuel products from one another.
To clean the inside of the pipeline.
To detect corrosion on the inside and outside of pipe walls.
Pigs, once placed into the pipeline, are normally propelled through the pipeline by the movement and pressure of
the product behind them. A pig‟s journey through the pipeline can be as short as a few hundred feet and a few
minutes, or as long as several hundred miles and several weeks.
Initially it doesn‟t seem like much can go wrong with this simple process. You put the pig in one end, it‟s
pushed through the pipeline by flow and it drops out the other end. As with most jobs, however, pipeline
pigging is hard work fraught with difficulties. In pigging, a “difficulty” is usually defined by a pig becoming
stuck in the pipeline. Sticking a pig can occur when the pipeline has an unexpected bend, valve or dent, or has
perhaps sagged and buckled from vibration or soil erosion. When the pig becomes stuck in the pipeline, the flow
is constricted considerably, sometimes completely. To correct the problem, the pipeline usually needs to be
excavated and the dented section of pipe replaced. This is where the CD42 comes in. By attaching a transmitter
to the pig before it is launched, operators on the surface can easily and quickly find the trouble spot and begin
excavation.
