DNV GL Approves Pipeline Isolation Tools

Pipeline engineering specialist STATS Group has received the DNV GL seal of approval for its Tecno Plug and BISEP range of pipeline isolation tools.

DNV GL has issued certificate P-15082 for the 3-48” range for both Tecno Plugs and BISEPs.

Obtaining type approval from DNV GL ensures clients that STATS Group products are fully compliant to the highest standards and are ‘ready to go’ without the need for further work or adaptation by the end-user.

To date, UK-headquartered STATS have completed more than 200 Tecno Plug deployments, including recent isolations in Oman, Malaysia, Canada and the UK Central North Sea – with high profile projects including the isolation of the Forties Pipeline System (FPS) for Apache North Sea Ltd.

STATS patented BISEP provides high pressure intervention and isolation through a single hot tap penetration. Since its development less than 10 years ago, STATS has deployed over 60 hot tapped isolations, enabling maintenance work to be carried out safely and efficiently while meeting industry-led double block and bleed requirements.

Continued expansion in the US has led to a contracts worth more than $15 million for the provision of intervention and isolation services to one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in North America.

The DNV GL Type Approval verifies that the design criteria satisfies the requirements for Pipeline Isolation Plugs to provide dual seal and isolation in accordance with Offshore Standards; DNV-OS-F101 (Submarine Pipeline Systems) and recommended Practices; DNV-RP-F113 (Subsea Pipeline Repair) and in compliance with the following code; ASME BPVC Section VIII, Division 2.

The DNV GL certification covers the complete process from design premise, tool designs and design calculation methods, materials of construction, fabrication process, non-destructive examination methods, in-service risk assessment procedures, quality and inspection plans to factory acceptance process.

STATS Group technical director, Bill Herron, said: “The DNV GL certification of our tools is effectively an international benchmark on the quality of our products and services, from design concept all the way through to final customer delivery.

“It gives our technicians and engineers set standards to be achieved on every tool we build, but equally important, it gives our clients the reassurance that every product in those two ranges is designed, built and tested to the exacting standards required by the oil and gas industry.”