Live bypass at a petrochemical plant in Rotterdam: four hot taps, stopple line stops and spark-free clamshell cold cutting — completed within 48 hours without interrupting the flow of medium.
Situation
At a petrochemical plant in Rotterdam one requirement was clear: the flow of medium through the line could not be interrupted at any point. We solved it with a bypass while the line stayed in service.
Approach
Four hot taps were made — four tappings into the live line. Through the two outer tappings we diverted the medium into a flexible hose bridging the work area. The line was then blocked through the two inner tappings using stopple (line stop) technology, leaving the section in between free of medium while production continued. Only then was the line cold cut with clamshell machines — no sparks, no heat input — so that the actual work on the line could be carried out.
Result
Thanks to the preparation and the specialised equipment the job was completed within 48 hours.