Line stops are crucial in isolating sections of pipelines to facilitate quick and convenient valve repair, modification or replacement. Valve repair services are required for any colossal supply infrastructure including oil pipelines, gas outlets, sewage lines, and city water mains. Line stopping eliminates system shutdowns which may cause contamination, backflow, and service interruption, among other financial implications.
How line stops isolate sections of pipelines for maintenance
- The technician identifies the section of the pipeline to be repaired and attaches a line stop device as well as a temporary valve.
- The crew taps the pipe and removes the tapping machine.
- The next step is to install a solid plug, which enables the crew to repair or replace the isolated valve while the rest of the line is under pressure.
- Finally, they remove the line stop machine and place the flange and completion plug.
Benefits of line stops
There are many benefits of using line stops to isolate sections of your pipeline for valve service. Some advantages include:
1. They reduce downtime
Line stopping drastically reduces off-peak hours that would be scheduled for shutting down the entire pipeline. By contrast, it would take quite a long time to contact the authorities and notify the members of the public about a scheduled interruption.
However, with line stops, the fluid supply continues with little or no disruption as the operators avoid draining and backfilling time. Therefore, crew service time on valve field repair reduces considerably as they work on a target section.
2. Line stops save service costs
Line stopping also reduces cost to a large extent. It cuts down on three main costs: loss of revenue, compliance costs, and possible litigation costs in the case of a full shutdown. Every company wants to minimize maintenance costs yet provide quality fluids.
The businesses selling commodities such as oil and gas would count losses if the supply was withheld for a while when they ran out of stock. Also, every supplier wants to retain their customers and keep them satisfied with service. Line stopping minimizes routine maintenance and overtime costs as well as service interruptions.
3. Safe maintenance
Also, stops prevent the risk of contamination of the product and the likely effect on the consumer. There is little or no loss of the fluid in the line. It is noteworthy that the leakage of natural gas or oil may cause environmental hazards as well as fire and explosion risks.
Additionally, the repair crew mind their safety and this line stopping guarantees the best as everything is in control on the isolated section of the pipeline. They seamlessly check the pressure, temperature, the shape of the interior and the material.
4. Line stopping is a versatile process
Line stops are useful in multiple applications, including valve, vacuum and pressure installations. It is also ideal for fire hydrant upgrades, new construction tie-ins and by-pass piping systems. Stops are also ideal for a range of pipeline materials including copper, PVC, steel, cement, asbestos and cast iron.
Valve repair services are critical in sustaining a unidirectional flow of the liquid or gas. Line stopping allows our teams to service valves and other critical equipment in practically any pipeline infrastructure.
Quality Service from Leverage Mechanical Services
Whenever your pipeline equipment is off-line there is loss of revenue and a potential safety hazard. Our team at Leverage Mechanical Services helps you prevent downtime and get you back to normal as soon as possible. We provide a wide range of specialty mechanical and machining services for industrial infrastructure. We are located in Texas and Louisiana and travel to locations throughout the Gulf Coast. Our team is on standby 24/7 for quick response to any emergency valve field repair requests and we guarantee quick turnaround. Contact us today to get a quote.