Intervention Rod

A rod suitable to be pushed into a conduit from a spool, the rod having a utility service line running along the length of the rod, protected by a stiff outer structure to make the rod self straightening, so that when pushed into the conduit, the rod has substantially no residual curvature from the spool, the rod having a barrier layer to separate the service line from the stiff outer structure.

A system for remote sensing of bending of a conduit, comprising a rod having three or more embedded optical fibres offset from a central axis of the rod, the system having a receiver arranged to determine stress at different points along the fibres, from light in the fibres, and being arranged to compare the stresses of the different fibres at a given location, to determine an amount of bending of the rod at the given location.

A system for intervention into a pressurised conduit used for fluid transmission, the system having a rod, a spool for retaining the rod, remote controlled apparatus attached to the rod, and an injector arranged to push the rod and remote controlled apparatus into the conduit while the conduit is pressurised, without pre-insertion of a tube for the rod, the rod being self straightening, so that when pushed into the conduit from the spool, the rod has substantially no residual curvature from the spool, the system also having apparatus for operating the remote controlled apparatus remotely, and apparatus to remove the rod from the conduit while the conduit is pressurised.

The system of 53, the rod comprising one or more optical fibres, the system comprising apparatus for sending high power optical laser emissions down the optical fibres suitable for remote controlled ablation and or welding operations.

An injector for pushing a rod into a conduit, the conduit being pressurised, and having a seal for sealing against the rod, the system having a driver at one end of the conduit for applying an axial force to the rod within the conduit, to pull it through the seal and push it into the conduit.

Apparatus for removing or inserting a plug in an aperture of a pressurised conduit, the plug having an axially operated release mechanism, the apparatus comprising an elongate chamber for attaching over the aperture, to enable the conduit to remain pressurised, the chamber containing a piston arranged to cooperate with the release mechanism of the plug and means for adjusting the relative pressure on either side of the piston in the chamber to move the piston axially to operate the release mechanism to release or fix the plug.

Apparatus for removing or inserting a plug in an aperture of a pressurised conduit, the plug having a longitudinally operated release mechanism, the apparatus comprising an elongate chamber for attaching over the aperture, to enable the conduit to remain pressurised, the chamber containing a piston arranged to cooperate with the release mechanism of the plug and means for moving the piston axially in the chamber to operate the release mechanism to release or fix the plug, the chamber being arranged for use as curved guide for inserting a rod into the aperture.

A method of carrying out an intervention having the steps of attaching a rod injector to a fluid transmission conduit, injecting a rod from a spool into the conduit, without pre-insertion of a tube for the rod, the rod being self straightening, so that when pushed into the conduit, the rod has substantially no residual curvature from the spool, using the rod to monitor conditions in the conduit or to control apparatus in the conduit remotely, removing the rod from the conduit, and detaching the injector.

A method of operating a fluid transmission conduit while using a rod suitable to be pushed into a conduit from a spool, the rod having a utility service line running along the length of the rod, protected by a stiff outer structure to make the rod self straightening, so that when pushed into the conduit, the rod has substantially no residual curvature from the spool, the rod having a barrier layer to separate the service line from the stiff outer structure.