Near-weld purge gas delivery system

A near-weld gas assembly comprising:

• a pipeline including a first pipe end abutting a second pipe end to define a pipe end interface and a pipe interior with a pipe interior surface of the pipe end interface;
• a near-weld purge rig including a core for at least partially defining a purge space;
• a purge dam extending from the core;
• a purge gas distributor supported on the core and longitudinally offset from the purge dam for discharging gas into the purge space;
• a purge gas supply passage supported on the core, the purge gas supply passage supplying purge gas to the purge gas distributor;
• wherein the near weld purge rig is positioned in the pipe interior such that the gas distributor is generally aligned longitudinally with the pipe end interface and at least a portion of the core, at least a portion of the purge dam, and at least a portion of the pipe interior define the purge space;
• and
• wherein the purge gas distributor directs purge gas directly against a portion of the interior surface at the pipe end interface.

A near-weld gas assembly comprising:

• a pipeline including a first pipe end abutting a second pipe end to define a pipe end interface and a pipe interior with a pipe interior surface of the pipe end interface;
• a near-weld purge rig including a core for at least partially defining a purge space;
• a purge dam extending from the core;
• a purge gas distributor supported on the core and longitudinally offset from the purge dam for discharging gas into the purge space;
• a purge gas supply passage supported on the core, the purge gas supply passage supplying purge gas to the purge gas distributor;
• wherein the near weld purge rig is positioned in the pipe interior such that the gas distributor is generally aligned longitudinally with the pipe end interface and at least a portion of the core, at least a portion of the purge dam, and at least a portion of the pipe interior define the purge space;
• and
• wherein a gas delivery system forces purge gas through the distributor, into the purge space along the pipe interior, and back as out of the purge space cooling at least a portion of the pipe interior.