Since the pipeline industry has no way of stopping anytime soon, experts need to be always on top of their game. It is a type of industry that needs constant maintenance and regular check-ups in order to keep the workflow going.

Companies that surround their work-life around gas transmission and distribution need to make sure that the pipelines they are using have great connections without shutting down the existing system they have been using so far.

There is a major difference in how things were done before and at the moment. People have found new and easier ways to maintain and fix whatever they need without causing chaos or shutting down anything.

In this very article, we are going to focus more on the newer method that experts have found to be very efficient when it comes to keeping the work and progress going without creating any issues and inconveniences.

What is hot tapping?

Whenever people have started to involve themselves in the pipeline industry and were trying to figure out how it was all functioning, there were plenty of things that would cause inconveniences to happen. With every single modification and change happening, it would create a loss of some sort. It would either be a loss of customers, money, sales, products, you name it.

That is something that no company wishes for. So there had to be a change in the scenery. This is where hot tapping would come into play.

Hot tapping is a procedure that was created as an alternative that would make sure that while it was going on, there would be no losses happening to the company. Everything will remain working as usual, and anything that had a need of change or repairment it would get it.

How hot tapping works is by attaching a branch connection on the pipe from the outside as well as a valve. Afterward, the wall within that branch needs to be cut off and removed through the valve.

While this procedure is going on, there would be no interruption when it comes to any product flow or loss of any product. While this procedure is still quite a new practice, it can be done on any hazardous product safely without causing any malfunctions.

So while things were done differently before and hot tapping is still relatively new, it doesn’t disrupt any service or create any sort of loss to the company.

Experts have made newer designs and improvements to make sure that no further procedure will have any kind of complications. If you want to know more about this, follow the link https://www.theprocesspiping.com/introduction-to-hot-tapping-in-piping/.

Hot tapping equipment

Even though this type of procedure is still new, people have been entirely stepping on their game. The equipment made for it is now available for any size and shape of the pipes. It can also be used on different materials.

Since the pipes are transmission and distributing gas, there needs to be equipment that will be available for any kind of issue that might occur at any time. The leading equipment required for the hot tapping procedure is a drilling machine, a fitting (branch), and a valve.

We mentioned these things before, but now we are going to dive in more deeply at how they actually work.

So first, we need a drilling machine that, just like it sounds, is made to drill into things. This machine cuts a hole into the pipe wall with the intention of carving out which parts of the curved section of the pipe need to be removed.

The next thing is the branch fitting which is the one part that makes a connection to the pipe. This connection can be as small as an inch, or it can be the size of the pipe we are using to connect with. This provides additional reinforcement for the pipe and the branch.

And as the last part comes to the valve. One valve can be a block or control valve which will allow the coupon or the part that was cut off to be removed once the procedure is done.

Hot tapping can be done horizontally and vertically mostly. Still, sometimes it can be done at any angle that the pipe is curved. No matter what angle it is done at, there should always be room for the installation of the branch fitting, valve, and hot tap.

The technology we have now allows hot tapping to be done on various materials and types of pipes. There is no problem when it comes to the different diameters of the pipes and the pressures they might have. Even if an older pipe is connected to a newer one, this procedure allows this to happen without any issues.

Summary

When it comes to hot tapping, it can be executed in many different sectors. Like I discussed before, no matter what the material is, a procedure like this can be done without any issues.

No matter what the conditions are or if it has to be done on and offshore, hot tapping is something that sees no stopping because of it.

This technology has been perfected to be done anywhere, no matter what is going around. And many companies have already incorporated it into their line of work. Having these kinds of hot tapping services mean that they will ensure that no loss will appear out of somewhere.

This type of service can be very useful not only for the company but for the customers and the environment as well. Any kind of problem that can be avoided when it comes to pipelines, hot tapping can step in to do it.

More production can be made, and there will be better quality control over the products when you have a system that won’t shut down once it is being checked and fixed. And that is why hot tapping is loved by many and incorporated as much as possible.