During the life of oil and gas transportation sealines, periodic inspection, maintenance and repair in case of major damage are the most important tasks to be considered especially in deepwater installations. In particular the capabilities to perform quick and cost-effective repairs have been of strategic importance in the eighties for SNAM during the development of the S.A.S. (Submersible Automatic System) a diverless and guidelineless repair system for the 20 inch Transmediterranean sealines. The trials on this prototype were successfully completed in early summer 1992, simulating a complete repair procedure at 610 m water depth. Based on the technology we have acquired during the implementation of the system, an upgrading phase aimed at improving the capability to mate the new 26 inch lines is being developed. Considering that at the moment only a few pipeline transportation systems are laid in deep water, but some new installations are foreseen in the near future, technological developments would be necessary in view of different scenarios other than the Mediterranean area. This paper will be focused on an overview of the existing repair technologies and will discuss the possible future pipelines operating scenarios and the envisaged new developments of repair technology. Possible way of approaching and solving in a cost-effective way the needs of Pipeline Operators to have repair systems available will be discussed for the different pipeline scenarios. The discussion shall take into account that a repair system consists of intervention tools, ROVs, naval means, intervention procedures, mission planning and revalidation procedures after repair.
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