lines to bypass the 14-inch and 20-inch main
gasline pipelines (MGL) that extend from
the TLA and TLD platforms to the L-PRO
platform, as well as the 24-inch MGL pipeline
that extends between the L-PRO and a port
onshore. Pertamina EP wanted to isolate the
affected lines while the bypass lines were
installed – keeping gas flowing to Jakarta.
TDW specializes in isolating pipelines
using hot tapping and plugging. Hot tapping
involves connecting a piece of equipment to
the pipeline, then making an opening in the
pipeline so that the plug can be inserted.
The company’s STOPPLE® plugging system
is used for hot tapping and plugging. It helps
isolate sections of pipeline, then allows the
rerouting of the product through a temporary
bypass so that the isolated section of pipeline
can undergo maintenance. This procedure
allows the operator to keep the oil or natural
gas supply flowing while repairs are made.
After the pipeline is repaired, a diving team
comes in and plugs the openings created
for bypass.
Sani assured Pertamina EP that the line
intervention and temporary isolation project
wouldn’t be an issue – but then Pertamina EP
revealed that TDW needed to get their part
of the project done in just four months to
avoid the gas shutdown – an unprecedentedly
short timeline.
PLANNING FOR SUCCESS
TDW Project Manager, Mohamad Ameen, came
on board to manage Pertamina EP’s isolation
and rerouting project. Ameen knew he would
have to go to extreme lengths to meet the client’s
tight deadline.
“Typically, a subsea hot tap and STOPPLE
isolation takes several months – but TDW was
asked to plan, research, and execute in less than
four,” explains Ameen. “We had never completed
a project of this type so quickly. In fact, I don’t
think anyone in the industry has completed such
a big project in such a short time.”
Ameen and Edmund Ang, a TDW Operations
Manager, didn’t waste a second. They, along with
others at TDW, came up with a unique plan: To
safely bypass the pipelines and keep gas flowing,
they would need to perform nine hot taps, then
execute STOPPLE isolations in six different
locations. In order to complete the project in the
four month timeline, the team would have to
execute all nine hot taps simultaneously, followed
by performing, concurrently, all six STOPPLE
plugging operations.
Not only did TDW need to get the project
done quickly, they needed a lot of equipment and
personnel to complete it. Usually, the company
uses equipment from its nearest location and
builds more if necessary. “Because our timeframe
was so short, we opted to mobilize equipment
from other locations around the world,” says
I N N O V AT I O N S • A P R I L - J U N E 2 0 1 4
C O V E R S T O R Y
17
In order to complete the project in the four month
timeline, the team would have to execute all nine
hot taps
simultaneously
, followed by performing,
concurrently
, all six STOPPLE
®
plugging operations.
