When operators want to tap into an existing pipeline while it remains in service, they often run into the same obstacle: the hot-work permit. Where explosion-protection rules, flammable media or site conditions rule out any form of welding, conventional hot-tapping has not been an option — until now. HSOS has developed a procedure that eliminates heat input entirely. Instead of a welded branch fitting, the connection is built up as a composite laminate directly on the pipe wall. The fibre-reinforced polymer laminate is applied layer by layer and cured under controlled conditions. Once curing is complete, the bore is cut mechanically — with the plant in full operation throughout. The result is a permanent, structurally integrated branch connection: no welding, no hot-work permit, no production loss. The method is suited to any situation where a conventional welding approval cannot or should not be granted — without the need to shut down the installation. The cold hot-tap process completes the HSOS portfolio — alongside conventional hot tapping, leak sealing and composite repair — into a seamless offering for pressurised in-service maintenance. Contact us if you would like to find out more about applying the technique at your plant.