Darran Pledger, STATS Group, UK, explores how combining equipment can lead to safe and efficient isolations for subsea pipeline repair and maintenance. The global oil and gas industry is reliant on the long term dependability of pipelines. Pipelines are vital to the safe and efficient transportation of hydrocarbons and failures of these pipelines can have huge energy supply, environmental, safety and reputational implications. As the global demand for energy increases, so do the consequences of any potential pipeline failure. In many instances, pipeline operators encounter difficulties when attempting to isolate and depressurise a section of their pipeline to facilitate repair or maintenance activities, especially when suitably located valves are not available or are not functioning correctly. Often it is the isolation valves themselves that need to be replaced, repaired, or retrofitted.
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