What Is Hot Tapping

"It's A safe control entry into a pipe or vessels operating at vacuum,pressured or....without losing product and process interuption." Hot Tapping applications includes the following :
* Prevent shutdowns
* New construction tie-ins
* Installation of by-pass systems
* Pressure and vacuum gauge installation
* New pipeline construction
* Sight glass installations
* Quality control sample points
* Valve installations
* Thermowell coupling installation
* Orifice taps for flow meters
* Offshore and underwater service
* Pipe inspection
* Temperature indicators
* Sparger installations

14th January 2009 I was assigned to ensure work site preparation are in order and safe for the activity in compliance to the PCSB SHe and work pack requirement.

The challenge of this activity is performing welding on the life pipeline which carries aproximately 40 KB/D crude gas and water at 10000 kpa pressure.To ensure this activity can be perform safely the pipeline flowrate,post weld temperature are maintain at 150 degrees C and not exceeding 250 degree C.

Among the tools are use for temperature monitoring are temperature sensors that will disable the welding activities as the temperature reach 230 Degrees C. Thermography Flir P65 camera to study the heat pattern on the welded surface during welding and also the infra red thermometers for spot measurement.

The pipe was finally drilled on January 27th @ 2220 hrs.