Tool for working on the wall of a pipe and related method

An intervention method for acting on a wall of a fluid pipeline using a tool, the method comprising:

• moving the tool inside the pipeline until a pipe segment of the tool is positioned facing a zone of the wall of the pipeline;
• creating sealing upstream and downstream from the zone using first and second seals of the tool so as to seal off an outer portion of a segment of the pipeline around the zone;
• and
• acting on the zone of the wall;
• wherein the sealing by the first and second seals occurs in two portions of the pipeline so as to define a sealing lock between the two portions of the pipeline;
• wherein positioning of the tool in the pipeline is performed using an abutment placed inside the pipeline;
• and
• wherein the method further comprises hot tapping the pipeline in order to put the abutment into place.

An intervention method for acting on a wall of a fluid pipeline using a tool, the method comprising:

• moving the tool inside the pipeline until a pipe segment of the tool is positioned facing a zone of the wall of the pipeline;
• creating sealing upstream and downstream from the zone using first and second seals of the tool so as to seal off an outer portion of a segment of the pipeline around the zone;
• and
• acting on the zone of the wall;
• wherein the sealing by the first and second seals occurs in two portions of the pipeline so as to define a sealing lock between the two portions of the pipeline;
• wherein the outer portion of the segment of the pipeline is decompressed using a valve;
• and
• wherein the method further comprises hot tapping the pipeline in order to put the valve into place.

An intervention method for acting on a wall of a fluid pipeline using a tool, the method comprising:

• moving the tool inside the pipeline until a pipe segment of the tool is positioned facing a zone of the wall of the pipeline;
• creating sealing upstream and downstream from the zone using first and second seals of the tool so as to seal off an outer portion of a segment of the pipeline around the zone, wherein the sealing by the first and second seals occurs in two portions of the pipeline so as to define a sealing lock between the two portions of the pipeline;
• decompressing the sealing lock using a valve;
• and
• acting on the zone of the wall.

An intervention tool for taking action on a wall of a fluid pipeline, the tool comprising:

• a pipe segment configured to be positioned inside the pipeline;
• first and second seals configured to create sealing between the wall of the pipeline and the pipe segment in order to isolate an outer portion of a segment of the pipeline from fluid;
• and
• a propulsion system configured to make use of movement of the fluid in order to move the tool;
• wherein the first and second seals are configured to be positioned in two portions of the pipeline so as to define a sealing lock between the two portions of the pipeline;
• and
• wherein the propulsion system comprises at least one adjustable flap installed in the pipe segment.