HOT TAPPING PROCESS

This method is used in order to create new interconnections and thus power supply hydrocarbons or water to new facilities, during the system is in operation as is intervention or modification thereof. It is also used to make maintenance repairs of pipes or containers at high pressure, without interruption of flow or spills.

Oil companies develop this type of process to expand or modify your existing systems, install new valves or repair old ones, have access lines during emergencies etc. Where it is required to remove a portion of the system service and purge the gas or liquid to the atmosphere to ensure safety at the time of making the connection.

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This process consists in doing interconnection to adhere a derived and connection to one valve to the external part of the pipeline in operation, and then shuts off the wall of the pipe within the derivation and removed the section through the wall section to through the valve. The use of this process is carried out in order to prevent lost product, methane emissions and the suspension of the service. Through this process is very efficient since it does not cause emissions or loss of product satisfying customers and lowering the cost in dismantling or total elimination of the system or the existing pipeline. In addition, this technique allows extension, relocation, replacement of abandonment of pipelines without interruption or stop a process critical.

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Hot tapping or pressure tapping is the method of making a connection to existing piping or vessels without interruption to the system. Hot tapping is also the first procedure in line stopping, where the hole saw is used to make an opening in the pipe, so a line plugging head can be inserted. hot tapping services include tapping 1/2" to 96" on natural gas, water, sewage, steam, petroleum products, and chemicals.

1. Saddle, sleeve, weld fitting or weld nozzle is installed, valve installed, assembly pressure tested and hot tapping machine is attached.
2. Valve is opened, hot tap completed, coupon or cut portion retained by spring wire on pilot drill. Pressure is contained within hot tapping machine.
3. Cutter and coupon retracted inside adaptor and valve closed. Fluid is drained and hot tapping machine removed.

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During this process you should consider considerations where the conditions where required based on the following service should be evaluated: presentation of the case, the solution, results and benefits.

Evaluation of the case, here is the low case a group of multidisciplinary engineers are observed and presents the scenario as the type of pipes, diameter, the service, the conditions are going to get the job done (temperature and if it is subject to) strong winds), arises the detail of the process used for the rehabilitation of the service and the factor more important than it is time since this leads to costs, and the time available to perform the operation.

The solution, after the evaluation of the aforementioned aspects executes engineering raised depending on the situation, is defined and analyzed to then execute the work to be performed, taking into account the effort which will be subject to the pipe that is more chord and where does not imply risk of HOT TAP to implement type and the STOP LINE associated with the process. This proposal must be duly approved in order to achieve the objective in the required time, improving the integrity of the pipeline in record time.

The results are well established since the purpose of these processes is perform it safely and achieve the goal set at a minimum operation affecting the process in the re-establishment of the service without any mishap that they could unleash additional costs to the operation of the process.

And the benefits that this process has finally is done accurately and without accidents, which spill of product or fluid, and the speed will not occur during the operation (cut and obstruction).

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I hope that this brief summary is to your liking and so know a little more about the HOT TAPPING process applied in the industry.

Bets Regards....