asked TDW to add hydraulics to the control system
for use in their smaller diameter lines. According to
Anderson, not only do operators see the technology
as desirable, some believe it’s a necessity.
Anderson cites an example of an operator
working in the Gulf of Mexico who sees hydraulic
locking capabilities as a requisite part of its
plugging operation.
“For this operator, the hydraulic locking
capability is a ‘must-have’ safety feature,”
Anderson says. “The client needs to isolate a
smaller diameter pipeline, but the previous
control system for this particular size of
SmartPlug tool didn’t yet have the ability to
hydraulically lock the tool in place.”
This need expedited the introduction of the
next generation of control module that will bring
the tool within the client’s operating guidelines and
provide the requisite level of safety and redundancy.
All SmartPlug control systems are operated
topside by laptop computer. The system uses
extremely low frequency technology to enable
communication so the operator can send commands
and receive real-time, two-way, through-wall data
about plug, pipeline and other key conditions.
The newest control module continues to expand
the locking options for operators of smaller diameter
lines. But, regardless of diameter, operators continue
to rely on the DNV-certified, double block safety of
the SmartPlug® isolation system.
Risk is defined by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) as, “the
qualitative or quantitative likelihood of an accidental or
unplanned event occurring, considered in conjunction with
the potential consequences of such a failure. In quantitative
terms, risk is the quantified probability of a defined failure
mode times its quantified consequence.”
The SmartPlug isolation system provides operators with
options for self-locking technology in high pressure lines
and hydraulic locking for use in low pressure. Both choices
provide a double-block method to greatly reduce risk, as
every SmartPlug tool receives a Type Approval Certificate from
DNV, confirming compliance with DNV-OS-F101 standards.
Certification includes a detailed Failure Mode, Effects, and
Criticality Analysis study based on a Fault Tree Analysis.
Doubling Risk Reduction
SmartPlug® isolation technology featuring
hydraulic locking in low pressure lines
