What critical steps should be taken to depressurize a natural gas pipeline before initiating a hot tap operation?

Although a hot tap operation is performed on a pipeline that remains in service, there are still critical steps that must be taken to reduce the pipeline's pressure to a safe level before starting. The initial step involves a thorough hazard assessment. This assessment identifies potential risks associated with the hot tap, including the presence of flammable gases, high pressure, and potential ignition sources. The pipeline section where the hot tap will be performed should be isolated as much as possible using block valves upstream and downstream of the....