Understanding Hot Tapping and Plugging as an Effective Procedure to Facilitate Relocation, Repair, or Modification of Water Infrastructure When Uninterrupted Operation is Necessary

Hot tapping and plugging procedures can be an effective and economic means to enable the efficient execution of projects to relocate, modify, or repair water and waste water infrastructure as well as oil and gas transmission lines without interrupting operations and/or services. The application can result in significant costs savings in tens of millions of dollars when large diameter pipe lines are involved. However, the general concepts, possible configurations, and sequences of the procedure appear to be known to a limited number of design, construction, and operations professionals, which may be detrimental to effective project execution or lead to the selection of another costlier option. This paper will discuss helpful information to facilitate effective use of hot taping and plugging procedures through a better understanding of the: general concepts and possible configurations to achieve isolation needed to enable project execution; tapping and plugging sequences; considerations for the design and selection of the appropriate tapping and plugging fitting corresponding to the type of pipe to be tapped; installation of tapping and plugging fittings; sequence and control for the tapping and plugging operation; and addressing the forces developed by the operation of the tapping and plugging machines.