N E W S   R E L E A S E   from  FURMANITE  INTERNATIONAL  

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On-line diversion for water main keeps customers on-line

Disruption of the water supply to some 20,000 people in the Abergavenny region was avoided recently thanks to specialist pipeline intervention services from Furmanite, which enabled a water main to be re-routed while flow continued uninterrupted.

A 200 metre section of the 28 inch, 7 bar Welsh Water main, operated by United Utilities, needed to be re-routed due to the construction of the new A465 dual carriageway, as its existing route took it underneath the new road. But shutting down the line to undertake the diversion would have disrupted the water supply to thousands of homes. Furmanite, the technical services company geared to maximising asset uptime, was called in by contractor Daniel Construction to undertake the necessary work while the main remained on-line and under pressure.

Furmanite applied its hot tapping expertise (installing a fitting on the pipeline with an appropriately-rated valve and using an under-pressure drilling machine to cut into the operating main) to tap into the pipeline at each end of the 200 metre stretch, and tie-in a by-pass which would become the new permanent route for the line. Line stops were then undertaken at each end, involving insertion of a stopping head through the hot tap valve, which was rotated and locked into place in the line to provide a seal. This redirected flow from the original line into the by-pass or new route, allowing the necessary work to be undertaken to the redundant section of original line.

The whole procedure was successfully completed over ten working days, with no interruption in water supply to Welsh Water’s customers in the region.

Commenting on the project Furmanite sales manager John Butler said; “This is a typical application of our hot tapping and line stopping technologies for utilities companies – to enable maintenance or modification work to be undertaken to water, gas or oil lines operating at pressure, with no loss, leakage or disruption to service.”

United Utilities unit manager Kevin Bateman said: “The rerouting of this strategic trunk main was high risk. Protecting the continuity and quality of drinking water to our customers was one of our key objectives. Working with Furmanite, using the hot tapping and line stopping technique, ensured this was achieved.”

Following Furmanite’s acquisition of Flowserve GSG including Ipsco early last year, the company now has an expanded capability to undertake hot tapping and line stopping services at large diameters (to 72 inches), high pressures (over 100 bar), high temperatures (to 370°C) and on large scales requiring multiple simultaneous hot taps. The services are widely used by water companies throughout the country to undertake vital repairs and maintenance work while supply continues.

For further press information contact:
Sarah Manwaring-White
Keep in Touch Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)1451 844 488
Email: sarah_mw@keepintouch.co.uk