Natural gas supplies may be found all throughout the world, albeit they are not as concentrated as oil sources. The lines that serve Europe from Siberia are the most important gas pipelines in terms of both length and flow volume. The Yamal-Europe, which starts north of Moscow and passes through Belarus, Poland, and Germany, is one of the most notable. The Nord Stream, the longest underwater gas pipeline in the world, starts in Vyborg, Russia, and travels all the way to Germany. Read more about oil and gas pipeline by visiting our website and if you have any questions related to this topic, connect with us.
Oil is another aspect of the Old Continent’s reliance on Russian energy. The Druzhba, the longest oil pipeline in the world, really starts in Russia and travels all the way to Belarus before splitting into two lines. Poland, Germany, Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic are all included in one line, which is 8,900 kilometers long. Nonetheless, the Middle East is home to the majority of the main petroleum transportation routes. The most crucial routes lead to the Persian and Red Seas, where distribution hubs are located to send the oil all across the world.
Additionally, these pipelines are strategically significant in other parts of the world. In Latin America, this is significant because the most significant line, Gasbol, exports from Bolivia to Brazil. Another pipeline carries gas from Comodoro Rivadavia in Patagonia to Buenos Aires. The Sur Peruano Gas Pipeline, which will traverse the Andes and transport gas from the Falkland Islands to the coast of Arequipa, and the National Unification Gas Pipeline (Gasun), which will link the Gasbol line in Bolivia with the northern Amazons and the northeastern states of Brazil, are both being built in the same area.
According to GlobalData’s research, Global Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry Outlook to 2022, the number of gas and oil pipelines is expected to rise by 12.2% by that year. Additionally, North America will dominate in investments with projects like the Keystone XL oil pipeline between Canada and the US, even if Asia will have the most kilometers of lines installed due to projects like the Basra-Aqaba oil pipeline in Iraq. Additionally, the shale gas and shale oil industries in North America are still expanding rapidly, necessitating a capillary network of pipes.
The pipelines’ advantages
The encouraging growth projections for these transportation routes demonstrate that gas and oil remain the world’s main energy sources. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) predicts that they will still be able to provide over half of the world’s energy demands by 2040, and that demand for petroleum would rise by 14.5 million barrels per day until then.
These pipelines have the potential to be hydrocarbon transportation systems that provide several advantages over conventional routes because of their unique features.
More cost-effective. They simply need electricity to turn on the centrifugal pumps that move the product through the pipes, and they have a greater capacity for transportation. A vehicle can only carry 30,000 liters per hour, but a normal line with a 20-inch diameter can move about one million liters. Transport by truck or ship might cost up to 15 times as much because of this discrepancy and the expense of manpower.
More trustworthy. They are less vulnerable to socioeconomic and environmental hazards including strikes, earthquakes, and closed roadways. Even though it is a sluggish transit system (traveling at a speed of 5 to 10 km/h), it is reliable, therefore it may run around the clock all year round. This guarantees that each distribution center will always get the goods at the appropriate moment.
It’s safer. In the case of a potential leak, the pipeline supply control systems instantly cut off the flow when they detect any gasoline loss. Since they are often subterranean, the number of major mishaps is far lower than that of truck and even train transit.
Additionally, the potential risks are much diminished because they typically are located far from human population centers and transit routes, and they do not require workers to operate. Because product movement via these lines avoids the pollution and noise that come with land and sea traffic, the environmental effect is likewise less.
Management of Risks
While it is safer to transfer gasoline through these lines, managing hydrocarbons necessitates a risk-management program that can avert emergencies and promptly restore damage.
To evaluate all the potential events that could be deemed an alarm situation, an operational risk analysis must be conducted. This includes determining the likelihood that each event will occur independently, assessing the installations’ vulnerability, calculating the risks based on the vulnerability and the likelihood that it will occur, estimating the impact of each dangerous incident, categorizing risks into high, moderate, and low categories, and defining mitigation measures or design modifications to lessen the likelihood of the event occurring or its impact.
These infrastructures are mostly vulnerable to the following risks:
– External mechanical harm. This is the most common risk, which arises when digging or drilling is done near the pipeline and has an effect on the pipe system. These situations are intended to be avoided by information sharing, signage, and staff training and awareness-raising initiatives.
Corrosion. Both internal and external corrosion are possible in these pipelines. Internal corrosion is typically linked to the properties of the liquid being transported or even metallurgical flaws in the base material. External corrosion is typically caused by deterioration of the protective layer, loss of cathodic protection, or an extremely aggressive environment. Localized flaws caused by corrosion weaken the pipes’ structural integrity and may cause leaks. An ultrasonic intelligent pigging examination is required to control corrosion.
Structural damage can result from a loss of support in the ground where the pipes are situated, which can be brought on by landslides, sinkholes, seismic waves, flooding, or natural channeling. Therefore, it is essential to conduct both pre-existing and post-event studies of the terrain to determine whether degradation has occurred and to make necessary repairs.
Wear. Over time, leaks may result from material flaws and stress during construction. This calls for the completion of a thorough previous quality examination of the materials and techniques. Furthermore, a strength test before first use, carried out at pressures greater than those encountered during operation, will be able to identify flaws in the structure and the materials.
The activities of other people. Even if they are rare, theft and sabotage can happen, however they are less often with subterranean lines. When lines are outside, these potential behaviors need for a security system that includes fence and surveillance.
Based on minute changes in flow or pressure, modern monitoring systems are able to identify and pinpoint leaks.
A technological future
Since technology advancements have made it possible to automate procedures, monitor jobs, and gather vast quantities of data that support greater project implementation dependability, the safety of these fuel transportation infrastructures has grown.
However, it is undeniable that the future of pipelines will rely on the application of technology to their design, construction, and upkeep. The model is increasingly incorporating new technology using data analytics techniques (Big Data, Artificial Intelligence) based not only on operational data but also on data obtained from sensors on devices both internally (pigs) and externally (drones), in addition to the resources inherent in management and control of procedures (operational software, leak detection systems, etc.).
These technologies will not only increase production but also change the way that pipeline maintenance is seen, decreasing the possibility of leaks and speeding up repairs. The substance used to increase the lifespan of pipes, which presently average 20 years, is also the subject of creative effort at the same time.