T.D. Williamson SA Carries Out First STOPPLE® Train Intervention Operation in Europe
Posted on
1/20/2010
Pipeline Isolation for ExxonMobil in Italy
Delivers Enhanced Safety and Reduced Costs
NIVELLES, Belgium
– January 20, 2010 – T.D. Williamson SA, a leading supplier of
pipeline services and equipment, announced that it has performed its first STOPPLE®
Train intervention operation on a pipeline in Europe. The operation took place in Italy
at the SARPOM Refinery (Raffineria S.A.R.P.O.M.), which is owned by ExxonMobil
and ERG Petroli. The refinery is located on the border of the Piedmont and Lombardy
regions in the heart of the Po Valley.
In preparation for scheduled line maintenance, T.D. Williamson (TDW) was retained in
March 2009 by ExxonMobil to provide STOPPLE intervention services to ensure that
a key hydrogen sulphur line could be cut, plugged and safely isolated without shutting
it down. The only other alternative would have been to shut the line and production
unit down, resulting in a complete halt in production, which was deemed
unacceptable.
Pipeline Securely Isolated in Just One Day
Using equipment from the company’s base in Nivelles, Belgium, a team of TDW
technicians from Italy, Belgium and the United States commenced work on the
intervention operation at 9:30 a.m.on November 18, 2009. TDW used a standard 660
tapping machine to hot tap the line, and one six-inch simple position STOPPLE Train
double-block and bleed plugging system to plug the line. The operation was
successfully completed at 16:30 on November 19, 2009, in just one day.
Isolation Creates Safe Working Environment for Scheduled Maintenance
As a result of TDW’s experience and careful preparation, the line was isolated,
creating a secure environment in which critical maintenance and servicing could be
carried out. The fact that the line was isolated with a minimum amount of equipment
and required only one fitting also meant that costs associated with welding and fittings
were significantly reduced.
“We are extremely pleased that TDW’s first ever STOPPLE Train intervention
operation in Europe went so smoothly, and that ExxonMobil benefitted in terms of
enhanced safety and reduced costs,” said Rutger Schouten, General Manager,
Europe & Caspian Region for T.D. Williamson SA. “The success of this STOPPLE
Train intervention operation in Italy bodes well for us as we forge ahead with plans to
provide this specialist service to pipeline, refinery and petrochemical plant operators
throughout Europe,” he added.
Building upon its impressive track record in the United States—where TDW has
carried out many STOPPLE Train intervention operations for nearly every major
operator—the company is poised to expand this service throughout Europe. Currently,
TDW is in active negotiations with operators in the region to carry out a number of
STOPPLE Train intervention operations in 2010.
About STOPPLE Train
The STOPPLE Train plugging system is a double-block and bleed design that makes
it possible to insert two plugging heads through a single fitting. The void between the
two plugging heads can be bled down to provide a “zero energy” zone. The sealing
element on the secondary plugging head provides double block features at pressures
ranging from 0 psi to 1000 psi.
As a result of using the STOPPLE Train system, TDW’s customers reap the benefits
of enhanced safety and reduced costs normally associated with fitting, welding,
inspection services, scaffolding and crane rental, excavation services, and fewer “hot
work” permits.
Over time, the STOPPLE Train system has been used successfully for customers
seeking to carry out routine maintenance and emergency repair work on pressurized
piping systems located subsea, in remote onshore environments, and in refineries
and processing plants.
About T.D. Williamson SA
T.D. Williamson SA is a subsidiary of T.D. Williamson, Inc., the world leader in
pipeline equipment and services. The company delivers safe integrity solutions for
onshore and offshore applications. Experts provide hot tapping and plugging, pipeline
cleaning, geometry and MFL inspection, pigging and non-tethered plugging, and pig
technology services for any pressurized pipeline system in the world.
® Registered trademark of T.D. Williamson, Inc.
Note to editors:
An image depicting a cutaway of the STOPPLE Train system and photos taken during
the operation onsite at the SARPOM Refinery in Italy may be obtained by contacting
Sharon Roe below.
For further information, contact:
Rutger Schouten, General Manager, Europe & Caspian Region, T.D. Williamson SA, Nivelles, Belgium
Phone: +31 62 63 86 866, E-mail: rutger.schouten@tdwilliamson.com
Anne Valentin, Marketing & Communications, T.D. Williamson SA, Nivelles, Belgium
Phone: +32 (67) 28 36 91, E-mail: anne.valentin@tdwilliamson.com
Sharon Roe, Spinnaker Communications, St Andrews, Scotland
Phone: +44 (0)1334 473 754, Email: Sharon.roe@tesco.net