A flame coating machine for coating field joints of a pipeline has a flame spray system having two flame spray units configured for heating and/or coating with a thermoplastic polymer an annular junction portion and two annular end portions of an existing coating delimiting the annular junction portion; a control system having two temperature sensors configured for acquiring temperature values along the surface collectively defined by the annular junction portion and the annular end portions, and a control unit configured for actuating the flame spray unit in a polymer flame spraying mode or in a flame heating mode as a function of the detected temperature values and at least one threshold value.

The invention relates to pipe heat insulation and in particular to methods of heat insulation installation on welded joints of subterranean pipes for transporting oil and oil products. The method includes applying an anticorrosive layer on the welded joint using heat-shrinkable polymeric tape, mounting heat insulating polyurethane foam pipe coverings on the tape, using tie straps with locks to secure the pipe coverings, gluing hot-melt adhesive tape at the edges of a pipe protective envelope to overlap the envelope and the pipe coverings, installing a metal casing symmetrically relative to the center of the weld joint, and sealing the metal casing and the envelope with a heat-shrinkable polymeric fabric. The technical result provides anticorrosive protection and heat insulation of the welded joint of steel pipelines, provides improved heat insulation installation on the pipeline, and reduces the cost of installation and labor intensity.

Apparatus for coating a pipe. The apparatus includes a first frame to be mounted on a pipe and a second frame rotatably mounted on the first frame. An induction heating coil comprised of electrical conductors is mounted on the apparatus. A coating applicator is mounted on the second frame and is arranged to apply coating onto a surface of the pipe on which the apparatus is mounted. The first frame, second frame and coating applicator are arranged such that when the apparatus is mounted on the pipe, the applicator is disposed to one side of the induction heating coil and able to apply coating to a surface of the pipe alongside the surface of the pipe underlying the induction heating coil. The first frame may be operable between an open state in which the frame may be placed over and removed from a pipe and a closed state in which the frame may capture a pipe thereby to mount the apparatus on the pipe.

A device (20) for installing a tubular junction sleeve inside a pipe (1), having a mandrel (20a) of longitudinal axis (XX) supporting on its surface at least a first peripheral chamber (21) having a wall (21a) that is radially expandable by inflation. The first wall including at least one electrical connector (21b) suitable for being connected to one end of said heater wire. The connector being connected to an umbilical (24) including at least a compressed air feed duct for inflating the first chamber and an electrical power supply duct connected to the electrical connector. The device being characterized in that the mandrel supports on its outer surface a second peripheral chamber (22) having a wall (22a) that is radially expandable by inflation, and also a weld inspection device (23) arranged in the longitudinal direction of the mandrel.

An injection molding apparatus has a mold tool that is positioned around a field joint of a pipeline to define a mold cavity. Two or more pumping chambers communicate with the mold tool. Each chamber is expansible to draw in molten polymer and contractible to drive the polymer into the mold cavity. Expansion of one chamber is synchronized with contraction of another chamber. The operation of supply and injection valves associated with the chambers is also synchronized, both with each other and with expansion and contraction of the chambers. In the embodiment described, two pumping chambers are defined within a common pressurizing cylinder, in which the chambers are separated by a piston. The piston is movable within the cylinder to determine and to synchronize expansion and contraction of the chambers.

An integrity monitoring system for a lined pipeline is provided for monitoring the integrity of a polymer liner in a host pipe. Methods and apparatus are described by which a lined pipeline is provided with such an integrity monitoring system. Sensor cable is able to bridge a joint between sections of lined pipe, for example by routing the sensor cable across the joint via a channel in an electrofusion fitting or by connecting successive lengths of sensor cable via pass-throughs in an electrofusion fitting. Advantageously, the sensor cable is disposed within a continuous annulus between linings and host pipes, and the continuous annulus is maintained across pipe joints using electrofusion fittings.

A method of protecting a layered coating on a length of pipe for subsea use includes applying an edge finisher to the coating to encase an edge of the coating by fusing the edge finisher with the coating or by moulding the edge finisher at an edge of the coating. Where the coating and the edge finisher are of thermoplastics such as PP, fusing can be achieved by injection moulding the edge finisher or by welding a discrete edge finisher component to the edge of the coating. Mirror welding may be employed for this purpose, with a hot plate being interposed between the edge of the coating and the edge finisher.

A die for casting junctions of a coating of a pipeline is configured to be coupled to the pipeline to form an annular shaped closed compartment about a tubular joint portion comprising a tubular wall, which extends about a designated axis; a plurality of centering devices configured to align the axis of the tubular wall with a longitudinal axis of the pipeline; two annular walls arranged respectively at the opposite ends of the tubular wall; and two pluralities of vent openings arranged along the tubular wall respectively at each of the annular walls; and at least one feeding port configured to supply polymer material into the closed compartment.

The invention in one aspect provides a joining sleeve configured to connect internal liners of two internally lined pipe sections across a welded pipe section joint and a method of use. The joining sleeve comprises a sleeve body having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends configured to couple with opposing ends of first and second internal liners respectively. A collar is disposed around the outer surface of the sleeve body, the collar having a first retracted condition in which it has a first outer diameter, and a second expanded condition in which it has a second outer diameter, larger than the first outer diameter.

A system and method for coating marine pipeline weld joints and wet inspection of the applied coating is provided. The coating system includes an anti-corrosion coating including a fluorescent pigment to enhance inspection of the applied coating. The system also includes a robotic crawler for traversing inside the pipe and carrying a coating apparatus and inspection apparatus respectively configured to apply the coating on the weld joints and facilitate inspection of the wet coating. The coating apparatus comprises a spraying nozzle provided on a forward end of the robotic crawler and configured to spray coating onto on the surrounding circumferential pipe surface. The inspection apparatus includes an ultraviolet radiation emitter for activating the fluorescent pigment in the coating and a camera for providing a live image feed of the coated weld joint area to an operator computing station for inspection of the applied coating.