Hot Taps & Line Stops: Mechanical Field Services

Pivot head line stops are some of the most widely used in the industry because they are reliable and effective. We start with hot tapping and then install a plug that pivots into place to provide a temporary flow stop for the piping system. These line stops provide isolation for a wide range of applications. Pivot head line stops help minimize product loss, which helps protect revenue, safety, and the environment.

High temperature plugs are much the same as pivot head line stops yet use specialized plugs for piping systems that contain high temperature liquids or gases. These plugs are made of a flora green seal with an aluminum backup plate for additional support. High temperature plugs can provide line stops for systems up to a maximum temperature of 650°F.

Inflatable line stops utilize inflatable plugs to provide temporary isolation in piping systems. These plugs can help provide line stop solutions for systems with out-of-round pipes, pipes that are thinning near the bottom, or with heavy buildup in the inner diameter of the pipes. They also work well in low pressure systems or systems with flare lines.

After hot tapping, our specialists insert the plug and inflate to the pressure needed to provide a tight seal. Inflatable line stop plugs can be made of many different materials to suit your application.

Double line stops help provide redundancy and backup with two inflatable plugs. This service also allows you to bleed off any seepage that might escape the first plug through the hot tap. For piping systems with flammable or toxic gases, this method also allows you to introduce a purge gas through the hot tap to help prevent escape. With double block line stop services from our team, we utilize just one hot tap for two stop plugs in the line.

Inflatable flow stop services provide faster isolation in piping systems without depressurizing the line. These utilize smaller hot taps to deploy inflatable plugs to seal the area. These can conform to systems with out of round lines, pipe wall thinning, and pipes with buildup along the interior walls. Inflatable flow stops work well on high pressure systems.

Freeze line stops offer isolation without the need for hot tapping. With freeze stops, we attach a jacket around the pipe’s OD. We then flood the jacket with liquid nitrogen to reduce the temperature and freeze the liquid inside. Freeze stops are economical and help maintain pipeline integrity. We perform freeze stops on pipes up to 30” in diameter and with liquids with suitable freeze points.

Isolation test line stops utilize plugs for temporary isolation typically to allow for testing or hot work. These isolation test plug services can help with local isolation so you can perform hot work without the need to clean or decontaminate the entire piping system. They can also provide isolation for localized hydrostatic testing for specific welds, joints, or OD nozzles. Isolation test plug services provide solutions for testing specific localized areas to reduce downtime, costs, and safety hazards.