STATS Group’s BISEP® is a temporary line plugging solution using leading technology.
Pipeline hot tapping and line stopping are critical techniques to ensure the safety and reliability of pipelines.
One of the primary benefits of these techniques is the ability to minimise downtime and maintain product flow. Shutting down a pipeline for maintenance or repair can be a time-consuming and costly process, and can result in significant product losses, adverse environmental effects, and increased risk.
Hot tapping and line stopping allows operators to perform necessary work while the product is still flowing, reducing the requirement to depressurise, vent and purge large sections of pipeline.
STATS’ BISEP is a temporary line plugging tool available in 3–56 inches and pressures up to 153 bar.
Achieved using patented and DNV-type approved technology, the BISEP provides a fail-safe double block and bleed isolation deployed through a single hot tap penetration, without the need for additional hot tapped bleed or vent ports.
The solution offers safety advantages over traditional line stop technologies, with the hydraulically activated dual seals providing leak-tight isolation.
The dual seal isolation barrier is confirmed once each seal is independently tested with full pipeline pressure in the correct direction and the pressure between the seals is vented, creating a zero-energy zone.
The zero-energy zone between the seals is monitored throughout the work scope, confirming the isolation integrity with zero leakage which increases worksite safety.
The BISEP provides a fail-safe isolation as the seals are activated and maintained by two independent mechanisms, hydraulic activation and pressure differential across the seals provided by the pipeline pressure. The differential pressure maintains self-energisation of the seals, ensuring isolation integrity independent of the hydraulic control circuit.
The BISEP can be configured with an integrated bypass through the launcher, which ensures no interruption to flow, maintaining production throughout the maintenance activities.
The fact it is installed into the pipeline unset allows deployment into a flowing pipeline, resulting in no interruption to production and saving time on-site.
This configuration includes many of the benefits of the standard BISEP; however, the addition of an integrated bypass reduces the work area and number of fittings required, reducing project costs and timescales.
Reducing venting and flaring
Pipeline operators face challenges associated with eliminating greenhouse gas emissions during pipeline maintenance and facility upgrades.
STATS’ double block and bleed pipeline isolation technology reduces carbon emissions by minimising the length of pipeline that needs to be depressurised during repair and maintenance work. This prevents entire pipelines being depressurised, thereby avoiding the need to discharge significant quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
With investment in carbon capture and storage and hydrogen accelerating, there is a growing focus on how existing infrastructure can be repurposed. This makes isolation and intervention technology to isolate critical energy pipelines safely and efficiently for repair, maintenance and modifications is increasingly important.
STATS Group’s double block and bleed isolation technology is already proven to provide high integrity isolation in both hydrogen and high-pressure liquid CO2 pipelines.
STATS strives to drive higher levels of safety to the energy industry while supporting the transition to a low-carbon future.
This article featured in the September edition of The Australian Pipeliner.
Subscribe to The Australian Pipeliner for the latest project and industry news.
