• SPECIAL TOPIC •
lowers upfront costs. Maintenance savings are also notable, with pig ball valves requiring less maintenance than traditional systems( Harris & White, 2023).
• Statistical data: Pig ball valves reduce installation costs by 15 % and operational costs by 20 % over their lifecycle( Garcia & Martinez, 2024).
Wafer monoblock valves:
• Material savings: Wafer monoblock valves use less material due to their monoblock design, lowering manufacturing and material costs( Zhang & Li, 2024).
• Lower lifecycle costs: Despite a higher initial cost, the durability of wafer monoblock valves and their reduced maintenance needs lead to lower lifecycle costs( Chen & Zhao, 2024).
6. Simplified Installation Both pig ball valves and wafer monoblock valves simplify the installation process, resulting in significant savings in time and labor.
Vietsovpetro Offshore Platform technician demonstrating the use of advanced pig ball valve technology, replacing traditional pigging systems for improved efficiency and space optimization.
Pig ball valves:
• Streamlined design: The integrated design reduces installation complexity, saving time and costs( Harris & White, 2023).
• Faster setup: With fewer components to install, the setup is quicker, allowing offshore platforms to resume operations faster( Evans & Brown, 2023).
Wafer monoblock valves:
• Ease of deployment: The singlepiece design of wafer monoblock valves eliminates the need for multiple connections, leading to faster
and simpler installation( Zhang & Li, 2024).
• Seamless integration: Their compact nature also simplifies integration into existing systems, speeding up the overall installation process( Chen & Zhao, 2024).
7. Improved Efficiency Both pig ball valves and wafer monoblock valves contribute to improved efficiency in offshore operations by optimising pipeline maintenance and enhancing flow control.
Pig ball valves:
• Enhanced pipeline efficiency: The streamlined pigging process with pig ball valves reduces downtime and enhances pipeline maintenance( Chen & Zhao, 2024).
• Improved flow control: Pig ball valves provide better flow control, ensuring smoother pipeline operations with minimal disruptions( Evans & Brown, 2023).
Figure 3. Used pig ball valve in the Vietsovpetro Offshore Platform: enhancing pipeline efficiency and space optimization.
26 Valve World Americas | November 2025 | www. valve-world-americas. com