Successful field deployment of a new compact remote controlled subsea hot tapping machine was announced recently by TD Williamson. The lightweight Subsea 1200RC Tapping Machine, described as a ‘topside-driven machine with passive ROV interface’, allows hot tapping to be carried out from the safety of a DSV or platform.
‘The most critical part of the hot tapping process is the point at which the drill penetrates the pipe, which has now been rendered diverless by the Subsea 1200RC Tapping Machine,’ declared Mike Benjamin, TDW vice president, offshore pipeline solutions. ‘The direct control and visibility from a laptop will revolutionize hot tapping, giving way to a more efficient and safer process.’
While the installation of the hot tap assembly and subsequent removal of the machine will still require diver assistance when a preinstalled tee is not present, the performance of the tap itself is remotely-controlled by a TDW technician onboard the DSV or platform.
According to TDW business development manager George Lim, the machine was tested and successfully deployed from a DSV in 91m of water, with flow through the existing 28in gas pipeline continuing uninterrupted throughout. The tap size was 16in and the cutting operation itself lasted approximately two hours.
‘We were thrilled with how well the machine performed,’ said Lim.
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