If you need to modify or repair a pipeline, you’d normally shut down the entire system, drain it, do the work, then refill and restart everything. That process costs time and money—sometimes tens of thousands of pounds in lost production.
Hot tapping offers a better solution. This technique lets engineers work on pressurised pipelines without shutting them down.
Understanding Hot Tapping
Hot tapping—also called pressure tapping or under-pressure drilling—creates new connections on live pipelines that remain under pressure and operational. Despite the name, “hot” doesn’t refer to temperature. It means the pipeline is live and actively transporting materials during the work.
This technique has transformed how industries approach pipeline modifications. From water utilities to oil refineries, hot tapping allows businesses to maintain continuous service whilst making essential changes to their infrastructure.
How the Hot Tapping Process Works
1. Pre-Work Assessment
Engineers assess your pipeline—checking material, wall thickness, pressure, flow rate, and what’s being transported. This determines our equipment and approach. Safety protocols are established before any work begins.
2. Fitting Installation
A saddle is welded onto the outside of your pipeline. This provides a secure mounting point and reinforces the pipe at the connection location.
3. Valve Attachment
A full-port isolation valve is bolted onto the saddle. This valve allows us to safely remove the hot tapping machine after drilling and must be rated for your pipeline’s pressure.
4. Machine Mounting and Drilling
A hot tapping machine mounts on the valve. After pressure-testing, we drill through the pipe wall whilst maintaining a seal around the work area.
5. Completion
The circular cut piece (coupon) is safely captured and removed. Your new connection is ready to use.
Throughout this process, your pipeline stays pressurised and operational.
Why Choose Hot Tapping?
No Downtime
Your operations keep running throughout the work. No lost production, no service interruptions, and no waiting for systems to restart. For 24/7 facilities, this benefit alone often justifies the entire project cost.
Significant Cost Savings
Avoid shutdown expenses including lost production revenue, labour costs for stopping and restarting operations, and setting up temporary bypasses. For large facilities, a single day of shutdown can cost more than the entire hot tapping project.
Environmental Benefits
Nothing gets released or vented. Your fluids stay contained, reducing waste and emissions—especially important for hazardous materials.
Enhanced Safety
Reduced exposure to hazardous materials and lower risk of accidents during procedures. The controlled process ensures better containment throughout.
Operational Flexibility
Add connections exactly where needed. Install monitoring equipment, create branches, or set up bypass systems without disrupting your network.
When You Need Hot Tapping
Hot tapping works well for pipelines carrying water, oil, gas, or chemicals where shutdown costs are prohibitive. It’s ideal for emergency repairs, adding monitoring equipment, expanding networks, or working with older systems that lack adequate isolation valves.
We assess pipe material, wall thickness, pressure, temperature, and condition to ensure hot tapping is appropriate for your situation. Different pipe sizes have specific considerations that our team evaluates during assessment..
Hot Tapping vs Line Stopping
Hot tapping creates a new connection to your live pipeline—adding branches, valves, or new sections whilst the system stays operational.
Line stopping temporarily blocks off a pipeline section for work whilst the rest keeps running.
These techniques often work together. Hot tapping creates access, then line stopping isolates sections for repairs.
Where Hot Tapping Is Used
Water and Wastewater – Utilities add connections, install meters, or create sampling points without disrupting customer supply.
Oil and Gas – Refineries install monitoring equipment and service lines whilst staying operational. Shutdown costs in this industry make hot tapping particularly valuable.
Chemical Processing – Facilities modify systems, add safety equipment, or create connections during normal production.
Power Generation – Power stations modify cooling and steam systems without taking plants offline, ensuring continuous electricity generation.
Safety Is Our Priority
Hot tapping requires proper training, specialist equipment, and strict safety protocols. We follow the Health and Safety Executive’s Pipelines Safety Regulations 1996 and use only certified personnel.
Before work begins, we conduct risk assessments, identify hazards, and ensure everyone understands procedures and emergency protocols. We use high-quality equipment designed specifically for hot tapping.
Real-World Results
We recently helped a water utility add monitoring points across their network—with zero customer interruptions. Every tap stayed on, every business stayed open, and the utility gained the data they needed to improve their system.
For a chemical processing plant, we installed a bypass system during full production, saving them an estimated £175,000 in avoided shutdown costs. The plant never stopped running, and they got the infrastructure upgrade they needed.
