Pigging – sending a device called a “pig” through a pipeline – is essential for cleaning, product separation, and maintenance. Among pig types, foam and poly pigs stand out for their versatility. Here’s what sets three Matador Oilfield Supply’s options apart:

Standard Cylinder Foam Pigs with Poly Backing

  • Description: Cylindrical, open-cell polyurethane foam cores with a resilient polyurethane (poly) backing.
  • Function: Excellent for general-purpose wiping, cleaning, and drying operations. They compress to fit inside the line, scraping off light residue.
  • Applications: Ideal as proofing pigs to verify line integrity, then to remove water, light debris, or remnants post‑hydrostatic test.

Bullet Nose Foam Pigs with Poly Backing

  • Design: Foam body shaped like a bullet’s front, backed with a tougher poly coating.
  • Benefits: The bullet nose ensures smooth entry through fittings, tees, and valves, reducing resistance.
  • Use Cases: Best for extended runs and tougher cleaning jobs where navigation through complex geometry is required.

Poly Pigs

  • Construction: Entirely made or fully coated in dense polyurethane elastomer—sometimes with spiral or wire-brush patterns.
  • Strengths: Outstanding abrasion resistance and sealing; used for aggressive cleaning, scale removal, or long-haul dewatering and batching.

Highlights:

Full criss‑cross poly coating improves wiping action.
Reinforced outer coatings enhance durability and allow longer pig life.
Suitable for heavy-duty cleaning and precise product batching in multi-product lines.

When to Use Each Pig Type

Standard Cylinder Foam Pig – For quick proof runs, water removal, and light cleaning.

Bullet Nose Foam Pig – When navigating longer pipelines with fittings or performing tougher clean-out tasks.

Poly Pig – Heavy-duty cleaning, de-scoping, pipeline commissioning, multi-product batching, and full line drying.

 

Why Shape, Density & Coating Matter

Feature Role & Benefits
Foam Density Light: cleaning/de-watering; Medium/Heavy: stronger wiping and durability 
Bullet Nose Smooth navigation through curves and fittings, with less chance of snagging.
Poly Coating Adds abrasion resistance, sealing, and improved cleaning on long runs.
Criss‑Cross & Brushes Adds friction to dislodge adherent deposits and enhances debris removal.

Matador Oilfield Supply: Your Trustworthy Partner

Matador Oilfield Supply isn’t just a vendor— our professional team will guide you to choose, customize, and maintain the best pig for your pipeline challenges.

Expert Application Support

Our experts assess your pipeline system (length, bends, diameter, product type) and recommend the ideal combination of pig shape, backing, density, and coating. This ensures efficient pigging and prevents bypass, blockages, or stuck pigs.

Customized Solutions

Standard sizes are available, but Matador Oilfield Supply can also tailor pigs to your specifications, adding features like transmitter cavities, braided ropes, double-dishes for bi-directional flow, or specialty coatings for abrasive flushing.

Rapid Delivery & Inventory

Maintaining stock of standard cylinder and bullet-nose foam pigs means Matador Oilfield Supply can quickly supply replacements or add-ons—minimizing downtime.

Value‑Added Services

  • Technical consulting to improve pigging efficiency.
  • Training on best practices: launch/receive procedures, pressure ramping, diameter selection, shape optimization.
  • Ongoing support during operations and post-pigging analysis for continuous improvement.

Matador Oilfield Supply is a trusted source for high-quality supplies and equipment tailored to the pipeline industry. Our extensive range includes premium welding tools, essential oilfield materials, safety gear, and a variety of specialized products designed to support every phase of your project.

We will help you match each pig to your application, guiding you from pilot run to performance optimization. Reach out today for more information!