Williams Field Services Gulf Coast Company, L.p.

Tdw Delaware, Inc.

T. D. Williamson, Inc.

David J Hicks

Richard W McCoy

Oran Tarlton

Donald W Cross

Larry Decker

Gern D Exley

Jack D Lollis

A diverless process of tapping a pressurized subsea pipeline without removing the pipeline from service. The process includes the steps of lowering and landing a measurement tool onto the pipeline in order to check ovality and straightness of the pipeline with the measurement tool. Pipe lift frames are lowered and landed onto the pipeline spaced from a chosen location. The pipeline is lifted by hydraulic actuators or mechanical screws on the lift frames. A hot tap fitting and accompanying orientation frame are lowered and landed on the pipeline between the pipe lift frames. The pipe lift frames are incrementally raised until the pipeline is fully seated in the hot tap fitting and orientation frame. A fitting clamp is secured to the pipeline. A hot tap machine is lowered onto the hot tap fitting and orientation frame. The pipeline is then tapped with the hot tap machine. The pipeline is thereafter lowered by deflating the lift frame bags.

Diverless subsea hot tap system

A diverless process of tapping a pressurized subsea pipeline without removing the pipeline from service. The process includes the steps of lowering and landing a measurement tool onto the pipeline in order to check ovality and straightness of the pipeline. Pipe lift frames are lowered and landed onto the pipeline spaced from a chosen location. The pipeline is lifted by hydraulic actuators or mechanical screws on the lift frames. A hot tap machine and accompanying orientation frame are lowered from the surface and landed on the pipeline between the pipe lift frames. A fitting clamp is secured to the pipeline. A hot tap machine is lowered onto the hot tap fitting and orientation frame. The pipeline is then tapped with the hot tap machine.

Diverless subsea hot tap system with lateral pipe tie-in

A machine for use underwater and therefor subject to ambient hydrostatic pressure for tapping a pressurized pipeline has an elongated tubular tapping machine body with a boring bar therein that receives a cutter at its lower end. A passageway in a lower end portion of the tapping machine body senses the internal pressure of a pipeline after the pipeline is penetrated by the cutter, the passageway being connected to a pressure equalizer having communication with the interior of the tapping machine body to thereby balance hydraulic forces applied to the boring bar during a tapping operation. The machine has a gear case affixed to the tapping machine body to actuate the boring bar, the tapping machine body being sealed from the gear case, and including a fluid isolating equalizer supported to the tapping machine body and having a first communication with the interior of the gear box and a second communication with ambient hydrostatic pressure to thereby at least substantially equalize pressure in the gear box with the ambient hydrostatic pressure.

Pressure balanced subsea tapping machine

A pig trap closure is disclosed which includes a collar adapted to be attached to the end of a pipe, a door for opening and closing the end of the pipe, means for clamping the door to the collar and sealing means for preventing communication between the interior of the pipe and the atmosphere when the door is clamped to the collar. A testing valve is provided for indicating the presence of pressurized fluid in the pipe and means connects the testing valve to a handle used to unclamp the door for preventing movement of the handle until after the presence of pressurized fluid within the pipe has been checked by the testing valve.

Growing community of inventors

Tulsa, OK, United States of America

David J Hicks