A process for tapping a region of a pipe placed on a sea bed utilizes a working platform which is installed vertically above the region of the pipe to be tapped, the platform being adapted to receive a support girder which can be lowered from the surface of the sea onto the working platform and be engaged therewith and then lifted off the platform. The platform is adapted to receive successively a plurality of modular tool-carriers provided with tools for carrying out a variety of operations on the pipe, the operations including concrete stripping, removal of anti-corrosion covering, transverse cutting, internal brushing, and making the longitudinal weld flush. During the process, various of the operations are successively carried out on the pipe by the tool-carriers which are mounted successively on the support girder, each operation being separated from the next by raising the support girder to the surface, replacing the tool-carrier at the surface by a new tool-carrier to be used in the next operation, and by lowering the girder with the new tool-carrier onto the working platform.
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