The disclosure relates to a gripping plug for use in a pipe wherein the pipe defines an inside radius, having a body of the gripping plug; an angled slot defined on the body; a first discrete gripping device slidably engaged with the angled slot and biased beyond the inside radius of the pipe; a wedge cone of the gripping plug; and a second discrete gripping device slidably engaged with the wedge code, wherein the second discrete gripping device is disengaged with the inside radius of the pipe.

A flexible universal bladder tool is disclosed to be coupled between a source of smoke and a fluid system to be tested for leaks, such as that found in the automotive industry. The bladder tool is an inflatable bladder that surrounds a flexible smoke delivery tube which communicates with the source of smoke and a fluid duct of the system under test. By virtue of the flexible nature of the smoke delivery tube, the inflatable bladder is adapted to be bent around any of a variety of curved fluid ducts. The flexible smoke delivery tube is detachable from the tool so that the tube can be quickly replaced with a different tube having a different length. The inflatable bladder is filled with fluid (e.g., air) to expand into sealing engagement with the fluid duet, and the system under test is pressurized with smoke supplied thereto by way of the flexible smoke deliver tube.

Methods of remotely, selectively controlling the flow rate of fluid moving through a subsea pipeline during dewatering of the pipeline involve a control unit of a subsea valve actuation system selectively, autonomously varying the flow of fluid through a fluid flow conduit of the system fluidly coupled to the pipeline at the pig receiving end thereof based at least partially upon one or more signals emitted by at least one pressure transducer or flow meter fluidly coupled to the fluid flow conduit.

Methods of remotely facilitating the transition between flooding and hydrotesting a subsea pipeline include a control unit of a subsea valve actuation system closing off fluid flow out of the pipeline at the receiving end thereof based at least partially upon one or more signals emitted by at least one intelligent pig that has passed through the pipeline during flooding and without the involvement of an external source at the surface, or a UV, at the pig receiving end of the pipeline.

Methods of remotely facilitating the transition between hydrotesting and dewatering of a subsea pipeline include a control unit of a subsea valve actuation system determining when hydrotesting of the pipeline has been completed and autonomously allowing fluid flow out of the pipeline at the receiving end thereof without the involvement of an external source at the surface, or a UV, at the pig receiving end of the pipeline to allow dewatering the pipeline from the launch end of the pipeline.

A system and method for non-destructive, in situ, positive material identification of a pipe selects three test areas that are separated axially and circumferentially from one another and then polishes a portion of each test area. Within each polished area, a non-destructive test device is used to collect mechanical property data and another non-destructive test device is used to collect chemical property data. An overall mean for the mechanical property data, and for the chemical property data, is calculated using at least two data collection runs. The means are compared to a known material standard to determine, at a high level of confidence, ultimate yield strength and ultimate tensile strength within +/10%, a carbon percentage within +/25%, and a manganese percentage within +/20% of a known material standard.

An inflatable, balloon-type catheter apparatus which is conformable to fit most all intake and exhaust systems to delivery pressure (with or without smoke) to test the fluid integrity of the fluid system. The device is configured to be inserted into the canal of the intake or exhaust system and inflated to seal off the fluid system. The pressurized smoke is passed through the inflated inlet adapter to test for leaks.

Shut-off device for a duct, in which a measuring device comprising a transmitter is housed, the shut-off device comprising: a connecting ring formed of a peripheral wall and an inner rim, which is at least present on one section of the periphery of the peripheral wall and defines a housing for accommodating at least part of the transmitter; a cover configured to close the duct and clip onto the connecting ring and thus rigidly connect the transmitter of the measuring device to the shut-off device.

A test plug for insertion into and plugging of an open end of an elbow pipe is provided. The test plug includes a resilient sealing element and set of gripper segments carried on a shaft. The set of gripper segments are movable relative to the shaft between pipe-gripping and pipe-non-gripping positions such that, when the test plug is placed in sealing and gripping engagement relative to an inner diameter wall of an elbow pipe, the set of gripper segments are positioned in eccentric relation to at least one of the sealing element and the shaft.

An inflatable, balloon-type catheter apparatus which is conformable to fit most all intake and exhaust systems to delivery pressure (with or without smoke) to test the fluid integrity of the fluid system. The device is configured to be inserted into the canal of the intake or exhaust system and inflated to seal off the fluid system. The pressurized smoke is passed through the inflated inlet adapter to test for leaks.