Subsea Hot Tapping – the State of the Art

15th November 2007

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Subsea Hot Tapping – The State Of The Art
Presentation Overview – Manual Hot Taps
 Introduction & Background
 Animation (courtesy of Shell UK Ltd)
 Technology
 Implementation
 Summary

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Subsea Hot Tapping – The State Of The Art
Presentation Overview – Remote Hot Taps
 Introduction
 Animation (courtesy of Statoil)
 Description
 Summary

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Introduction & Background – Manual Hot
Tapping
 Hot tapping technology proven for many decades
 Hyperbaric welding technology proven also for decades
 Induction heating technology for hyperbaric welding onto
subsea trunk lines developed by Acergy almost 20 years ago
 Combining these gives viable method for connecting into
existing trunk lines under full production conditions
 7 welded subsea hot taps have been carried out by Acergy
during the last 14 years

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Animation – Subsea Hot Tapping Process

 Excerpts, illustrating key points of the subsea hot tapping

process.

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Hot-Tap: Technology
Design 1
 Hot tap branch design consists of
welded nipple and clamped
reinforcement sleeve

 FE design performed for all relevant

cases, including construction stages and
potential failure modes

 ECA performed to establish acceptable

weld defect criteria

 Designs sourced from Pegasus

International

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Hot-Tap: Technology
Design 2

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Hot-Tap: Technology
Welding 1
Buttering Layer:
 Application of a welded ‘Buttering
layer’ onto pipe surface prior to
welding the tapping nipple.

 Apply a thin band of weld to pipe

surface approx 5mm thick x 80mm
wide. (2 layers x 12 passes/layer)

 To provide a known surface material

interface to which the 16” branch
nipple can be welded.

 Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)

Manual process uses coated electrodes
to form a non-active gas shield around
the weld pool. (Protects weld from
effects of atmospheric gases).

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Hot-Tap: Technology
Welding 2

Branch Nipple Weld:

 Branch nipple is welded onto

‘buttered’ area of pipeline.

 Root weld (TIG or GTAW). 1 root

weld + 4 passes are carried using
Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding. TIG
is required to produce high quality and
precision welds for this critical phase.

 Fill & cap welds (SMAW). 45 fill

passes followed by 12 cap welds are
then carried out using Manual shielded
metal arc welding. (SMAW)
Root weld.
 The pipe and branch are pre-heated
using an induction heating process. Buttering layer.

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Hot-Tap: Technology
Induction Heating 1

Pre-heating

 Enables hydrogen to diffuse out of the

weld and reduces the cooling rate to
avoid excessive hardness.

 Product flow through the pipeline is a

major heat sink, beyond the capabilities
of ordinary resistance pre-heat
methods

 Induction coils are installed around the

weld area. A current is applied to the
coils producing a secondary current in
the pipe, resulting in heating of the
weld zone to around 150deg C.

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Hot-Tap: Technology
Induction Heating 2

Pre-heating

 Control of pipeline conditions

during welding important

 Cooling effect of product is

simulated onshore during
qualifications using a calibrated
water-cooled simulator

 Thermocouples used to monitor

pre-heat levels and as input to
temperature control system

 Simulator manufactured from

actual pipeline material

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Hot-Tap: Technology
Non Destructive Examination (NDE) 1

NDE: Methods

Pre-Weld Pipe Inspection:

 To verify acceptable pipe condition and wall
thickness, pre-weld NDE carried out over a
1.5m area using manual & automatic
ultrasonic testing (MUT/AUT).

Post Weld Inspection:

 Post weld MUT & AUT carried out on the
buttering layer and the branch nipple weld.

Manual UT:
 Using an EPOCH4 system with compression
and angled scanning probes.

Auto UT:
 Method using a pulse echo (Nautilus) Veritec’s AUT
scanner developed by Veritec Sonomatic. Nautilis scanner.
Angled probes 45°, 60° & 70° used.

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Hot-Tap: Technology
Non Destructive Examination (NDE) 2

NDE: Data Acquisition &

Interpretation

 Each probe is calibrated separately

and ultrasonic scan results are
processed and imaged as shown.

 Any weld indications (defects) are

highlighted enabling investigation or
repair where required.

 Inspection and analysis is carried out

in accordance with DNV OS F101/ECA
acceptance criteria or similar.

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Hot-Tap: Technology
Tapping 1
Hot Tap

 Drilling into pipeline carried out under

pipeline pressure (e.g. 130 barg).

Hot Tap
 Tapping assembly is a contained system
Machine
and is pressurised with using MEG prior
to cutting.

 Ball valve is opened & a pilot cut is

carried out enabling the larger coupon
to be cut and recovered.

 Upon retraction of the drill and coupon Ball

the ball valve is closed completing the Valve.
hot tap.

 Tapping machines supplied by TD

Wiliamson SA

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Hot-Tap: Manufacture
Reinforcement Sleeve

 Branch nipple machined from suitable

stock

 Reinforcement sleeve fabricated by

Aberdeen Jig & Tool Ltd (AJT)

 Manufactured to close tolerances, as

dictated by detailed design

 2 x sleeves produced, to cover expected

range of pipeline diameters, others
produced for simulators & training

 Nipple penetration produced by cold

forming process

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Hot-Tap: Manufacture
Piping Module & Protection Structure

 Traditional piping and structures

fabrication

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Hot-Tap: Preparation
Training, Trialling, Qualification 1

Welding 1

 Welding team trained in all techniques

and positions prior to qualification

 Welding procedures & welder divers

qualified at National Hyperbaric
Centre

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Hot-Tap: Preparation
Training, Trialling, Qualification 2

Hot Tapping

 Tapping team trained in use of the

machine at TDW Ambergate

 Tapping process fully trialled, on

pressurised simulator, via site
integration testing

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Hot-Tap: Preparation
Training, Trialling, Qualification 3

Welding 2

 Welding & NDE trialled, via full scale dry

welding trails, at Acergy Base

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Hot-Tap: Execution
Welding 1

Habitat Deployment

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Hot-Tap: Execution
Welding 2

Hyperbaric Welding

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Hot-Tap: Execution
Welding 3

NDE

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Hot-Tap: Execution
Tapping

Pipeline Coupon

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Subsea Hot Tapping – the State of the Art
15th November 2007
derek.birnie@acergy-group.com

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