To begin, could you introduce yourself and your role at TDW, and share what personally drives your involvement in advancing in-service pipeline repair technologies?

My name is Cody Parsley, and I am the senior product manager for the TDW SHiiELD™ System. I have been with TDW for several years and recognized the market’s need for a new generation of pipeline isolation tools. The SHiiELD tool was developed as the next step following the creation and application of the TDW SmartPlug non-intrusive, inline pipeline isolation tool. My experience in isolation product management, along with hot tapping, helped ensure the SHiiELD tool meets market needs while leveraging dependable, time-tested technology.

What motivated TDW to develop the SHiiELD™ System with its Double Independent Isolation and Bleed (DiiB) technology, and how does it differ from traditional in-service isolation methods used in the industry today?

Operators continue to strive for the highest levels of safety and efficiency, all on an aging network with increased demand for product. Based on these factors, we knew that an incremental improvement in technology wouldn’t meet our customers’ evolving needs. That is why we introduced a whole new classification of isolation technology, Double independent isolation and bleed (DiiB), with the new Shiield system. This technology is the ONLY intrusive isolation tool on the market that has no single failure points that could cause a safety incident.

The SHiiELD System delivers two electromechanically energized, independently verified barriers through a single hot tap. Can you walk us through how this dual-barrier mechanism improves safety, predictability, and environmental control during repair operations?

TDW’s ATEX certified mechanical activation and leak proof DiiB system ensure we have the highest degree of safety and confidence during the shutdown and any hot work. The patented DiiB process allows operators to quickly and reliably achieve two independent shutdowns meaning there is no single failure point that would allow pressurized hydrocarbons into the hot work area. The integrated chip sweep and leak check process allow high first time success rate meaning less time on site, higher operational planning predictability, and lower emissions profile than traditional methods.

Remote control through Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) communication and real-time SmartTrack™ data seem to be major innovations. How do these digital features transform the workflow and risk profile for field teams?

SHiiELD’s industry-first wireless operation of the tool allows us to increase safety by removing the technician from the machine and excavated area. Setup time on the communication system is only a few minutes and a single cable, significantly reducing time on site and trip hazards compared with complex hydraulic systems. The integrated pipeline sensors allow us to monitor pipeline conditions remotely in real time as well as create a log of operational conditions to increase the quality of our knowledge base and assist in planning future operations.

The integrated high-capacity bypass, four times larger than traditional configurations, is a standout feature. Why is maintaining throughput during an intervention so critical for operators, and how does SHiiELD address this need?

Operators want to minimize disruptions to pipeline flow and decrease pressure fluctuations. By increasing the bypass area through the tapped hole, TDW will lead our industry in these categories. This means less disruptions to operations and customers downstream as well as fewer shut downs.

This will be the first time TDW presents SHiiELD at the Pipeline Technology Conference (ptc). What made PTC the right platform for unveiling this technology, and what do you hope operators, engineers, and industry leaders will take away from your presentation?

PTC is a premium forum with attendees that represent a large portion of end users for the TDW SHiiELD DiiB technology. My hope is that I can show operators the value that SHiiELD will bring to their job sites in terms of safety, reliability, ease of use and speed of application.