A system for feeding a cable into a pipeline or other conduit comprises a rotating turret and a local cable feeding mechanism for drawing the cable off of the turret reel and loading it thereon. A remote cable feeding mechanism for inserting the cable into or withdrawing it from the pipeline is attached to a launch saddle secured to the pipeline, and its feeding rate is synchronized with that of the local cable feeding mechanism. Where the cable acts as an umbilical cable carrying fluids and electrical power to a tool inside the pipeline, the fluid and power supplies may be located on the floor of the reel, connected to an operator station by an electrical cable which winds onto and off of the turret shaft and is kept taut by a spring-biased tensioning arm. A flexible fibreglass rod extends through the cable to prevent coiling or bunching up within the pipeline while permitting the cable to traverse bends and corners.