Cold cutting and beveling for 24-inch pipeline tie-ins

The challenge

Tie-ins on an operating pipeline corridor have two hard constraints: no open flame near hydrocarbons, and a cut end that is square and correctly beveled so the welding crew can fit up straight away. Torch cutting followed by grinding fails the first constraint and is slow on the second.

The solution

The crew mounts an OCE-630 split frame around the pipe without needing access to an open end. The tool slide carries a parting tool and a 37.5° bevel tool together, so the pipe is cut and beveled in one rotation at 11 r/min. Because the process is cold, there is no heat-affected zone to grind back and the operation can run under a cold-work permit.

Workflow

1. Mark and wrap the cut line, check ovality
2. Open the split frame, close it around the pipe and level the four clamping legs
3. Set the parting tool and 37.5° bevel tool on the slide
4. Cut and bevel in one pass; measure land and angle with a bevel gauge
5. Move to the second cut and repeat; hand over to the welding crew

Outcome