PIPELINE CUTTING APPARATUS

摘要

An underground apparatus (A) for servicing subsea pipelines (12) provides a telescoping frame (10) which can be lowered to the vicinity of the pipeline. The frame has an open section so that it can straddle the pipeline and outer jacket and fixate itself releasably so that it can be selectively repositioned. A cutting structure (56) is secured to a telescoping sub frame (28). The cutting structure can be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the sub frame, as well as advanced along the direction of the longitudinal axis of the frame due to the telescoping feature of the sub frame. The cutting structure can also be moved pivotally about an axis of rotation which is outside and generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe. Thus, combining the telescoping feature with the pivoting feature and the feature of being able to rotate about the longitudinal axis, a variety of different cuts can be made.