Hot Tap Clamp Supplier: Everything You Need to Know About Live Pipeline Tapping
You need to install a branch line into an operating high pressure oil or gas pipeline. The pipe is full of fluid at 80 bar and flowing thousands of barrels per day. If you take the line off-line to make the connection you’ll lose millions of dollars and take days to schedule the work. Instead, you use a hot tap clamp to hot tap the line. You make the connection without stopping the pipe from flowing. Zero production lost. Zero downtime.
Hot tapping is one of the most advanced technical procedures in pipeline and hot tapping with a hot tap clamp is what makes it possible. If you’re an engineer or procurement professional in need of a dependable hot tap clamp supplier, read on. We’ve compiled everything you need to know.
What Is Hot Tapping and How Does It Work?
Hot tapping, sometimes called pressure tapping or live tapping, is the method of connecting to an existing pressurised pipeline without shutting down the system. The steps to hot tapping include welding or mechanically attaching a hot tap clamp to the outside of the pipeline at the point where the connection will be made, attaching a valve to the outlet side of the clamp, attaching a specialised hot tap cutting machine to the valve and using the machine to cut into the pipe wall while the line is energized and under pressure. After cutting into the pipeline, the cutting tool is pulled back through the valve, which is closed, and the branch line connection is completed. At no time during this process is the system depressurised, so all of the fluid that is in the pipeline remains contained within the system while the connection is made.
The first step in hot tapping is attaching a hot tap clamp to the pipe. The hot tap clamp must create a pressure-tight, structurally secure connection to the host pipeline which can withstand the operating pressure and temperature of the pipeline during and after the tapping process. It should also provide the appropriate outlet size and configuration for attaching the valve and tapping machine.
Types of Hot Tap Clamps
Hot tap clamps are available in a few different configurations. Your hot tap clamp vendor should be able to supply any of these.
Mechanical hot tap clamps are bolt-on fittings that secure to the host pipeline mechanically, with no welding. They utilize a dual seal system – a seal against the pipe surface and a backup seal – which allows the clamp to maintain pressure integrity. Mechanical clamps are used when welding is not possible or not allowed: where there are hazardous materials present, on lightweight wall pipes, or on pipes containing flammable gases.
Weld-on hot tap clamps are saddle-type fittings which are welded to the host pipeline. As the name implies, these clamps provide a permanent connection with higher strength than is possible with mechanical attachment only. Weld-ons are used whenever possible in high pressure applications where the specifications call for a welded connection. Once welded, these clamps operate the same as mechanical clamps.
Split-sleeve hot tap clamps are full-encirclement style fittings that surround the entire host pipeline. They are used when the host pipe wall has been compromised or when the maximum amount of structural support is needed. Full-encirclement clamps are required by most pipeline codes for hot tap connections made to high pressure transmission pipelines.
Applications of Hot Tap Clamps
The majority of hot tap clamps are used to install new branch connections on flowing pipelines without shutting down the system. This is commonly required when expanding a pipeline distribution network, installing additional monitoring/instrumentation connections, installing bypass lines around pumps or valves during repair or replacement, or connecting new customers/facilities to existing pipelines.
Hot tap clamps are also used to install pressure and temperature measurement points on piping that is in operation, chemical injection points for corrosion inhibitor or hydrate inhibitor injection, or sampling ports to monitor fluid quality.
Hot tap clamps are used very commonly in the water supply industry by municipal water utilities to install new service connections to water mains without shutting off the water to existing customers. They are also used by many utilities in the gas distribution industry to expand their distribution network without having to disrupt the supply to their residential and commercial customers.
Why Choosing the Right Hot Tap Clamp Supplier Is Critical
Hot tapping should never be taken lightly. If something goes wrong with the hot tap clamp while tapping – a seal leak, structural failure, improper fit – the results can be disastrous. Fires. An uncontrolled release of flammable fluid in a confined area.
That’s why selecting a hot tap clamp supplier should never be based on price alone.
Your hot tap clamp supplier should be able to demonstrate technical competency around hot tapping in general, and manufacture clamps that match the outside diameter, wall thickness, material grade and operating conditions of the host pipeline exactly. They should be able to provide full pressure ratings and design calculations. They should be able to supply gasket material that is compatible with the fluid in the pipeline. And they should only ever supply hydrostatically tested and certified products prior to delivery.
Finally, any hot tap clamp supplier worth their salt should be able to offer some degree of engineering support. While many hot tap clamp manufacturers provide excellent technical support when it comes to selecting the right clamp for your job, installing it correctly, and interfacing it with your hot tap machine and valve.
Pipeline Products Inc. — Trusted Hot Tap Clamp Supplier in India
Pipeline Products India is an industrial manufacturer and supplier of Mechanical Hot Tap Clamps which can be used for oil and gas pipelines, water mains and industrial process piping.. Based in Mumbai, India, Pipeline Products Inc. is an established hot tap clamp supplier offering complete lines of hot tap clamp configurations for 2″ through 72″ pipe, covering working pressures up to 150 bar.
Pipeline Products Inc. hot tap clamps are engineered with a dual seal arrangement for added reliability and are made of ASTM- grade carbon steel or stainless steel. All hot tap clamps are supplied complete with design calculations, material test certificates and hydrostatic test reports. Special configurations including special outlet sizes, high pressure ratings and non standard pipe sizes are also available.
Cost and Time Savings of Hot Tapping
Hot tapping makes economic sense. The cost of shutting down a conventional branch connection on a large transmission pipeline can range from a few lakhs to a few crores of rupees, depending on the throughput and value of the product that is lost due to production downtime. Factor in the cost of planning, line isolation, purging, and recommissioning the line and the costs of a conventional solution are very high.
Hot tapping with a properly designed hot tap clamp reduces nearly all of these costs. The line continues to operate at full capacity during the entire procedure. There is no purge, no isolation and no recommissioning of the line. A hot tap is typically completed in a matter of hours, not days.
Conclusion
Hot tap clamps allow engineers to do one of the most valuable things possible on a pipeline: add connections and make repairs to pressurized pipelines without shutting the system down. When there is no downtime option, hot tapping is your only choice and the hot tap clamp is your solution. Selecting a hot tap clamp supplier that is technically capable, experienced, and well certified is critical to the safety and success of your live tap. Pipeline Products Inc. has over 50 years of experience manufacturing hot tap clamps. We’re ready to assist you with your next job.
FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q1: What pipe sizes and pressure ratings are available for hot tap clamps?
Hot tap clamps are available for pipe diameters from 2 inches up to 72 inches. Pressure ratings range from low-pressure water service at a few bar to high-pressure oil and gas transmission service at 100 bar or more. Always specify your exact pipe outside diameter, wall thickness, operating pressure, and fluid when inquiring with a hot tap clamp supplier.
Q2: Can hot tap clamps be used on all pipe materials?
Hot tap clamps can be used on carbon steel, stainless steel, ductile iron, and cast iron pipelines. For plastic or GRP pipes, special designs are required. The pipe wall must also have sufficient thickness and strength to support the tapping operation. Your hot tap clamp supplier will advise on suitability based on your pipe specifications.
Q3: Is welding required to install a hot tap clamp?
Mechanical hot tap clamps do not require welding and can be installed entirely with bolts and seals. Weld-on designs require welding to the host pipe and are typically used for permanent high-pressure installations. In hazardous areas or on thin-walled pipes, mechanical clamps are preferred to avoid the risks and complications of welding on a live line.
Q4: What is a dual seal arrangement and why is it important?
A dual seal arrangement consists of a primary seal that provides the main pressure barrier between the inside of the pipeline and the outside environment, and a secondary backup seal that provides an additional layer of protection in case the primary seal is compromised. The dual seal design is a critical safety feature in hot tap clamps, ensuring that there is always a backup containment barrier during the tapping operation.
Q5: How long does a typical hot tapping operation take?
A typical hot tapping operation on a medium-sized pipeline takes between 4 and 12 hours from start to finish, including fitting and pressure-testing the hot tap clamp, installing the valve, attaching the tapping machine, performing the cut, retracting the cutter, and closing the valve. Complex jobs on large-diameter, high-pressure lines may take longer. The key point is that the pipeline continues to operate throughout the entire process.
