Aquasol is proud to announce that Bechtel has elected to use our I-Purge inflatable purge bladders for their work on the Shell Petrochemical Complex in Pennsylvania. This state of the art facility will be constructed along the banks of the Ohio River in Pennsylvania and will include an ethane cracker, multiple polyethylene derivative units and a gas-fired combined cycle generation unit.

Pennsylvania Chemicals will use ethane sourced from the Marcellus and Utica shale basins to produce an estimated 1.6 million tons of polyethylene per year. Polyethylene is used in the manufacturing processes of many housewares and everyday items such as toys, milk jugs, and shrink wrap.

Bechtel will use the I-Purge bladders to weld hundreds of kilometers of pipeline with internal diameters ranging from 2 to 36 inches. I-Purge bladders will help to create an inert environment within the pipe so Pennsylvania Chemicals will have clean, strong welds that stand up to the most rigorous tests and inspections. The innovative modular design of Aquasol’s I-Purge system will enable welders at the site to accomplish a number of different purge requirements with one interchangeable solution.

I-Purge bladders have an array of features and advantages that drove the decision to use them for such a major construction and engineering project. The connecting harness of the double-bag system is highly resistant to heat while maintaining flexibility that allows it to easily navigate elbows and tees over 90°. The quick connect fittings throughout the system are resistant to corrosion and allow for rapid assembly of various components. Preset relief valves and multiple gas hoses efficiently inflate the bladders to form a secure seal and decrease the risk of over-inflation, while expediting purge time.

Made in the USA, I-Purge is the most advanced and versatile solution for pipe purging. The unique versatility of the system enables easy conversion into an I-Purge Isolator one sided plug or a Reducer.

We’re thrilled to have our purge bladders used on a project that is already having a profound impact on a rust belt region that has watched good industrial and manufacturing jobs leave the area for decades. Shell will oversee the improvement of infrastructure such as roads, railways, bridges, and river docks to bring parts and equipment in and efficiently ship polyethylene out when production begins. The site will create 6,000 construction jobs while eventually having 600 full time employees.

For more information on this project, please visit https://www.bechtel.com/projects/pennsylvania-chemicals/.