Stress corrosion cracking behavior of buried oil and gas pipeline steel under the coexistence of magnetic field and sulfate-reducing bacteria

Magnetic field and microorganisms are important factors influencing the stress corrosion cracking(SCC)of buried oil and gas pipelines. Once SCC occurs in buried pipelines, it will cause serious hazards to the soil environment. The SCC behavior of X80 pipeline steel under the magnetic field and sulfate-reducing bacteria(SRB) environment was investigated by immersion tests, electrochemical tests, and slow strain rate tensile(SSRT) tests. The results showed that the corrosion and SCC sensitivity of X80 steel decreased with increasing the magnetic field strength in the sterile environment. The SCC sensitivity was higher in the biotic environment inoculated with SRB, but it also decreased with increasing magnetic field strength, which was due to the magnetic field reduces microbial activity and promotes the formation of dense film layer. This work provided theoretical guidance on the prevention of SCC in pipeline steel under magnetic field and SRB coexistence.

Improving Supply Chain Strategies towards Mitigating the Effect of Crude Oil Theft and Pipeline Vandalism in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry: A Case Study of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)

Generically, SCM may be said to include all activities carried out to ensure proper functioning of the supply chain. The activities included in proper management of a supply chain broadly include logistics activities, planning and control of the flow of information and materials in a firm, management of relationships with other organizations and government intervention, However, crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism are established products supply chain disruptors in Nigeria which are rendering the task of running an efficient petroleum supply chain onerous. This paper aims to establish the importance of effective supply chain strategies for companies in the oil and gas industry with special focus on the Nigerian oil and gas sector and the strategies by which the state oil and gas corporation in this sector may mitigate disruptions to its supply chain. This study investigates the enhancement of supply chain strategies towards meeting the challenge of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, using the Nigerian National Corporation (NNPC) as a case study. Based on this study, data were collected from two sources: A summary of incident reports obtained from NNPC and an interview with personnel in the PPMC Department. Incident report refers to a report produced when accidents such as equipment failure, injury, loss of life, or fire occur at the work site. Content analysis is utilized to evaluate data obtained from interview responses, CBN financial stability reports, NDIC annual reports, circulars, banking supervision reports and implementation guidelines. The study found out that NNPC should endeavor to sustain its value chain and ward of pipeline vandals and crude oil thieves by engaging in community partnership, detailing security outfits to ensure its pipelines’ right of way and bridging. Concluded that the oil supply chain of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has been plagued by disruptions in the form of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism which has had debilitating effects on its value.

Oil Spill Risk Assessment of Offshore Pipeline in the Bohai Sea Under the Perspective of Ecological Protection

In recent decades,the exploration and development of marine oil and gas resources have increased significantly to meet the increasing energy demand of mankind.The Bohai Sea is a semi-closed continental sea that has a weak water exchange capacity and high ecological fragility.However,at present,more than 200 oil platforms have been built in the Bohai Sea,with more than 270 offshore oil pipelines having a length exceeding 1600 km.The oil spill pollution of offshore platforms has a great impact on the marine environment and ecosystems.Therefore,a comprehensive assessment of its risks is of great practical significance.This paper systematically constructs a comprehensive oil spill risk assessment model that combines the oil spill risk probability model and the ocean hydrodynamic model.This paper uses the Bohai Sea offshore pipeline as an example to assess its oil spill risk.The high-risk-value areas of the Bohai Sea offshore pipeline are mainly distributed at the bottom of Liaodong Bay,the bottom of Bohai Bay,near the Caofeidian area,and the northern part of the Yellow River Estuary.

Prediction on Failure Pressure of Pipeline Containing Corrosion Defects Based on ISSA-BPNNModel

Oil and gas pipelines are affected by many factors,such as pipe wall thinning and pipeline rupture.Accurate prediction of failure pressure of oil and gas pipelines can provide technical support for pipeline safety management.Aiming at the shortcomings of the BP Neural Network(BPNN)model,such as low learning efficiency,sensitivity to initial weights,and easy falling into a local optimal state,an Improved Sparrow Search Algorithm(ISSA)is adopted to optimize the initial weights and thresholds of BPNN,and an ISSA-BPNN failure pressure prediction model for corroded pipelines is established.Taking 61 sets of pipelines blasting test data as an example,the prediction model was built and predicted by MATLAB software,and compared with the BPNN model,GA-BPNN model,and SSA-BPNN model.The results show that the MAPE of the ISSA-BPNN model is 3.4177%,and the R2 is 0.9880,both of which are superior to its comparison model.Using the ISSA-BPNN model has high prediction accuracy and stability,and can provide support for pipeline inspection and maintenance.

Development of a Low-Cost Prototype System for Pipeline Operational and Vandalism Spillage Detection and Validation Framework

Crude oil spillage is a major challenge in Nigeria. It affects the environment, health, life, and livelihood of residents of the Niger Delta region, where oil is explored, processed, and transported via a network of pipelines. Oil spillage is primarily caused by vandalization/sabotage and operational issues such as corrosion, equipment failure, operation, and maintenance errors. Thus, prompt response is required to mitigate the impact of oil spills. In this study, we deployed low-cost Arduino systems, including sensors (vibration and flow), modules (GPS and Wifi) and an IoT platform (ThingSpeak) to detect spillage caused by vandalism and operational inefficiencies proactively. The results demonstrate that low-cost sensors can detect changes in the flow volume between the inflow and outflow attributable to spillage, and vibration shocks caused by vandalism can be detected and linked to the cause of the spillage and communicated in real time to inform response action. Moreover, we proposed a framework for field validation utilizing KoboToolBox (a crowdsourcing/citizen science platform). The prototype system designed and programmed showed promising results, as it could detect spillage for vandalism and operational scenarios in real-time, quantify the volume of spillage, and identify the location and time of spillage occurrence;indicators relevant for response planning to minimize the impact of oil spillage. A video demonstration of the prototype system developed is accessible via: https://youtu.be/wKa9MZvYf1w. .

STUDY ON OPTIMIZATION OF DESIGN PROPOSALFOR HOT WAXY ORUDE OIL TRANSMISSIONPIPELINE AND ITS APPLICATION

A mathematical model for optlmization design of the hot waxy crude oil transmission IZipelineis studied. The dimension-reducing method is selected to solve problems raised from multivariable,restricted and non-linear planning. And the optimization design model is applied to the practical design ofHejian Shijiazhuang oil transmission pipeline. outstanding economic and social benefits have beengained.

Permafrost warming along the Mo'he-Jiagedaqi section of the China-Russia crude oil pipeline

The permafrost along the China-Russia Crude Oil Pipeline(CRCOP) is degrading since the pipeline operation in 2011. Heat dissipated from the pipeline, climate warming and anthropogenic activities leads to permafrost warming. The processes of permafrost warming along the CRCOP were studied based on the monitoring of air and soil temperatures, and electrical resistivity tomography(ERT) surveys. Results show that:(1) the mean annual air temperature(MAAT) in permafrost regions along the CRCOP increased with a rate of 0.21°C/10a–0.40°C/10 a during the past five decades;(2) the mean annual ground temperature(MAGT, at-15 m depth) of undisturbed permafrost increased by 0.2°C and the natural permafrost table remained unchanged due to the zero-curtain effect;(3) permafrost surrounding the uninsulated pipeline right-of-way warmed significantly compared with that in a natural site. During 2012–2017, the MAGT and the artificial permafrost table, 2 m away from the pipeline centerline, increased at rates of 0.063°C/a and 1.0 m/a. The thaw bulb developed around the pipe and exhibits a faster lateral expansion;(4) 80-mm-thick insulation could reduce the heat exchange between the pipeline and underlying permafrost and then keep the permafrost and pipe stable. The MAGT and the artificial permafrost table, 4.8 m away from the center line of the pipeline, increased by 0.3°C/a and 0.43 m/a, respectively. Due to the heat disturbance caused by warm oil, the degradation of wetland, controlled burn each autumn and climate warming, the permafrost extent reduced and warmed significantly along the CRCOP route. Field observations provide basic data to clarify the interactions between CRCOP and permafrost degradation and environmental effects in the context of climate change.

Emulsification of Indian heavy crude oil using a novel surfactant for pipeline transportation

The most economical way to overcome flow assurance problems associated with transportation of heavy crude oil through offshore pipelines is by emulsifying it with water in the presence of a suitable surfactant.In this research,a novel surfactant,tri-triethanolamine monosunflower ester,was synthesized in the laboratory by extracting fatty acids present in sunflower（Helianthus annuus）oil.Synthesized surfactant was used to prepare oil-in-water emulsions of a heavy crude oil from the western oil field of India.After emulsification,a dramatic decrease in pour point as well as viscosity was observed.All the prepared emulsions were found to be flowing even at 1°C.The emulsion developed with 60%oil content and 2wt%surfactant showed a decrease in viscosity of 96%.The stability of the emulsion was investigated at different temperatures,and it was found to be highly stable.The effectiveness of surfactant in emulsifying the heavy oil in water was investigated by measuring the equilibrium interfacial tension（IFT）between the crude oil（diluted）and the aqueous phase along with zeta potential of emulsions.2wt%surfactant decreased IFT by almost nine times that of no surfactant.These results suggested that the synthesized surfactant may be used to prepare a stable oil-in-water emulsion for its transportation through offshore pipelines efficiently.

Supply-based optimal scheduling of oil product pipelines

Oil product pipelines have features such as transporting multiple materials, ever-changing operating conditions, and synchronism between the oil input plan and the oil offloading plan. In this paper, an optimal model was established for a single-source multi-distribution oil pro- duct pipeline, and scheduling plans were made based on supply. In the model, time node constraints, oil offloading plan constraints, and migration of batch constraints were taken into consideration. The minimum deviation between the demanded oil volumes and the actual offloading volumes was chosen as the objective function, and a linear programming model was established on the basis of known time nodes＇ sequence. The ant colony optimization algo- rithm and simplex method were used to solve the model. The model was applied to a real pipeline and it performed well.

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF LONGITUDINAL SUBMERGED ARC WELDED STEEL PIPES USED FOR GAS PIPELINE OF OFFSHORE OIL

Since the development of offshore oil and gas, increased submarine oil and gas pipelines were installed. All the early steel pipes of submarine pipelines depended on importing because of the strict requirements of comprehensive properties, such as, anti-corrosion, resistance to pressure and so on. To research and develop domes- tic steel pipes used for the submarine pipeline, the Longitudinal-seam Submerged Arc Welded （LSAW） pipes were made of steel plates cut from leveled hot rolled coils by both the JCOE and UOE （the forming process in which the plate like the letter “J”, “C”, “0” or “U” shape, then expansion） forming processes. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the pipe base metal and weld metal were tested, and the results were in accordance with the corresponding pipe specification API SPEC 5L or DNV- OS-FI01, which showed that domestic LSAW pipes could be used for submarine oil and gas pipelines.

Dynamical Mechanisms of Effects of Landslides on Long Distance Oil and Gas Pipelines

According to the investigations on the oil and gas pipelines such as the Lan-Cheng-Chong pipeline and the Southwest pipeline, there are two ways of laying pipeline： pipelines paralleling （approximately） to the main slide direction and pipelines perpendicular （approximately） to the main slide direction. If earth-retaining walls have been built for pipelines paralleling to the main slide direction, they will prevent the lands from sliding; On the contrary, without earth-retaining walls, the sharp broken rocks in the backfilling soil will scratch the safeguard of the pipeline when the landslides take place. Pipelines perpendicular to the main slide direction can be classified into four types according to the relative positions between pipelines and landslides： Pipelines over the slide planes, pipelines inside the fracture strips of slide planes, pipelines below the slide planes and pipelines behind the backsides of landslides. The different dynamical mechanisms of the process in which landslide acts against pipelines are analyzed based on whether the pipelines are equipped with fixed frusta, because the sliding resistance depends on whether and how many fixed frusta are equipped and the distance between frusta.

Prediction Model Based on the Grey Theory for Tackling Wax Deposition in Oil Pipelines

Problems involving wax deposition threaten seriously crude pipelines both economically and operationally. Wax deposition in oil pipelines is a complicated problem having a number of uncertainties and indeterminations. The Grey System Theory is a suitable theory for coping with systems in which some information is clear and some is not, so it is an adequate model for studying the process of wax deposition. In order to predict accurately wax deposition along a pipeline, the Grey Model was applied to fit the data of wax deposition rate and the thickness of the deposited wax layer on the pipe-wall, and to give accurate forecast on wax deposition in oil pipelines. The results showed that the average residential error of the Grey Prediction Model is smaller than 2%. They further showed that this model exhibited high prediction accuracy. Our investigation proved that the Grey Model is a viable means for forecasting wax deposition. These findings offer valuable references for the oil industry and for firms dealing with wax cleaning in oil pipelines.

Improved AHP–TOPSIS model for the comprehensive risk evaluation of oil and gas pipelines

A comprehensive and objective risk evaluation model of oil and gas pipelines based on an improved analytic hierarchy process(AHP)and technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution(TOPSIS)is established to identify potential hazards in time.First,a barrier model and fault tree analysis are used to establish an index system for oil and gas pipeline risk evaluation on the basis of five important factors:corrosion,external interference,material/construction,natural disasters,and function and operation.Next,the index weight for oil and gas pipeline risk evaluation is computed by applying the improved AHP based on the five-scale method.Then,the TOPSIS of a multi-attribute decision-making theory is studied.The method for determining positive/negative ideal solutions and the normalized equation for benefit/cost indexes is improved to render TOPSIS applicable for the comprehensive risk evaluation of pipelines.The closeness coefficient of oil and gas pipelines is calculated by applying the improved TOPSIS.Finally,the weight and the closeness coefficient are combined to determine the risk level of pipelines.Empirical research using a long-distance pipeline as an example is conducted,and adjustment factors are used to verify the model.Results show that the risk evaluation model of oil and gas pipelines based on the improved AHP–TOPSIS is valuable and feasible.The model comprehensively considers the risk factors of oil and gas pipelines and provides comprehensive,rational,and scientific evaluation results.It represents a new decision-making method for systems engineering in pipeline enterprises and provides a comprehensive understanding of the safety status of oil and gas pipelines.The new system engineering decision-making method is important for preventing oil and gas pipeline accidents.

An MILP approach for detailed scheduling of oil depots along a multi-product pipeline

Oil depots along products pipelines are important components of the pipeline transportation system and down-stream markets.The operating costs of oil depots account for a large proportion of the total system’s operating costs.Meanwhile,oil depots and pipelines form an entire system,and each operation in a single oil depot may have influence on others.It is a tough job to make a scheduling plan when considering the factors of delivering contaminated oil and batches migration.So far,studies simultaneously considering operating constraints and contaminated oil issues are rare.Aiming at making a scheduling plan with the lowest operating costs,the paper establishes a mixed-integer linear programming model,considering a sequence of operations,such as delivery, export, blending,fractionating and exchanging operations,and batch property differences of the same oil as well as influence of batch migration on contaminated volume.Moreover,the paper verifies the linear relationship between oil concentration and blending capability by mathematical deduction.Finally,the model is successfully applied to one of the product pipelines in China and proved to be practical.

State of art of seismic design and seismic hazard analysis for oil and gas pipeline system

The purpose of this paper is to adopt the uniform confidence method in both water pipeline design and oil-gas pipeline design.Based on the importance of pipeline and consequence of its failure,oil and gas pipeline can be classified into three pipe classes,with exceeding probabilities over 50 years of 2%,5% and 10%,respectively.Performance-based design requires more information about ground motion,which should be obtained by evaluating seismic safety for pipeline engineering site.Different from a city＇s water pipeline network,the long-distance oil and gas pipeline system is a spatially linearly distributed system.For the uniform confidence of seismic safety,a long-distance oil and pipeline formed with pump stations and different-class pipe segments should be considered as a whole system when analyzing seismic risk.Considering the uncertainty of earthquake magnitude,the design-basis fault displacements corresponding to the different pipeline classes are proposed to improve deterministic seismic hazard analysis（DSHA）.A new empirical relationship between the maximum fault displacement and the surface-wave magnitude is obtained with the supplemented earthquake data in East Asia.The estimation of fault displacement for a refined oil pipeline in Wenchuan MS8.0 earthquake is introduced as an example in this paper.

Standard friction prediction model of long-distance hot oil pipelines

We developed a predictive model for the pipeline friction in the 520-730 m^3/h transmission range using the multi-layerperceptron-back-propagation(MLP-BP)method and analyzing the unit friction data after the pigging of a hot oil pipeline.In view of the shortcomings of the MLP-BP model,two optimization methods,the genetic algorithm(GA)and mind evolutionary algorithm(MEA),were used to optimize the MLP-BP model.The research results were applied to the standard friction prediction of three sections of a hot oil pipeline.After the GA and MEA optimizations,the average errors of the three sections were 0.0041 MPa for the GA and 0.0012 MPa for the MEA,and the mean-square errors were 0.083 and 0.067,respectively.The MEA-BP model prediction results were characterized by high precision and small dispersion.The MEABP prediction model was applied to the analysis of the wax formation 60 and 90 days after pigging.The analysis results showed that the model can effectively guide pipe pigging and optimization.There was little sample data for the individual transmission and oil temperature steps because the model was based on actual production data modeling and analysis,which may have affected the accuracy and adaptability of the model.

Modeling and analysis of a catastrophic oil spill and vapor cloud explosion in a confined space upon oil pipeline leaking

Oil spill-induced vapor cloud explosions in a confined space can cause catastrophic consequences.In this work,investigation was conducted on the catastrophic pipeline leak,oil spill,and the resulting vapor cloud explosion accident occurring in China in 2013 by modeling analysis,field surveys,and numerical simulations.The total amount of the spilled oil was up to2044.4 m3 due to improper disposal.The long residence time of the oil remaining in a confined space permitted the formation of explosive mixtures and caused the vapor cloud explosion.A numerical model was developed to estimate the consequence of the explosion based on volatilization testing results.The results show that the death-leading zone and the glass-breaking zone could be 18 m and 92 m,respectively,which are consistent with the field investigation.The severity of the explosion is related to the amount of the oil spill,properties of oil,and volatilization time.It is recommended that a comprehensive risk assessment be conducted to analyze the possible consequences upon oil spilling into a confined space.Prompt collection and ventilation measures should be taken immediately after the spill occurs to reduce the time for oil volatilization and prevent the mixture from reaching its explosive limit.

WAVELET TRANSFORM THRESHOLD NOISE REDUCTION METHODS IN THE OIL PIPELINE LEAKAGE MONITORING AND POSITIONING SYSTEM

This letter investigates the wavelet transform, as well as the principle and the method of the noise reduction based on wavelet transform, it chooses the threshold noise reduction, and discusses in detail the principles, features and design steps of the threshold method. Rigrsure, heursure, sqtwolog and minimization four kinds of threshold selection method are compared qualitatively, and quantitatively. The wavelet analysis toolbox of MATLAB helps to realize the computer simulation of the signal noise reduction. The graphics and calculated standard deviation of the various threshold noise reductions show that, when dealing with the actual pressure signal of the oil pipeline leakage, sqtwolog threshold selection method can effectively remove the noise. Aiming to the pressure signal of the oil pipeline leakage, the best choice is the wavelet threshold noise reduction with sqtwolog threshold. The leakage point is close to the actual position, with the relative error of less than 1%.

Laboratory investigation into the oil diffusion from submarine pipeline under water flow

A physical model test has been conducted to study the oil diffusion from the submarine pipeline under water flow.The crude oil in the flume is spilled from a leakage point of the pipeline and diffused from the seabed to the surface. By the non-contact optical measuring technology, an image acquisition and data analysis system is designed to explore the spilled mechanism and characteristic. The oil trajectory, velocity and the rising time to the surface are obtained through this system. The influence of the water flow and the spilled discharge on the behavior of the spilled oil are analyzed from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives. The sensitivity study of the characteristic physical quantities to various factors are presented afterward. The spilled oil under water is mainly distributed in the form of the scattered particles with different sizes. The rising process of the oil can be divided into three stages: full, dispersion and aggregation period. The spilled discharge is the primary factor affecting the rising time of the oil particles. In the rising process of the oil particles, the vertical velocity of the oil is mainly affected by the spilled discharge, and the transverse velocity is more dependent on the water velocity. The deviation of the transverse oil velocity is much larger than that of the rising time and the vertical oil velocity. The study can provide a theoretical reference for the prediction system of oil spill emergency.

Thermal state of soils in the active layer and underlain permafrost at the kilometer post 304 site along the China-Russia Crude Oil Pipeline

On-site monitoring is very important for understanding formation mechanisms of frost hazards frequently occurring in pipeline foundation soils and for designing and deploying according mitigative measures in permafrost regions.Significant thaw subsidence of ground surfaces along the ChinaRussia Crude Oil Pipeline(CRCOP) from Mo'he to Daqing,Heilongjiang Province,Northeast China have been observed at some segments underlain by ice-rich warm(>1.0°C) permafrost since the official operation in January 2011.Recent monitoring results of the thermal states of foundation soils at the kilometer post(KP) 304 site along the CRCOP are presented in this paper.The results indicate that during the period from 2012 to 2014,shallow soils(at the depths from0.8 to 4.0 m from ground surface) has warmed by approximately 1.0°C in the lateral range of 1.2 to 2.1 maway from the pipeline axis,and deeper permafrost(such as at the depth of 15 m,or the depth of zero annual amplitude of ground temperatures) by 0.08°C per year 4 m away from the pipe axis,and 0.07°C per year 5 m away from the pipeline axis.The results indicate an all-season talik has developed around and along the CRCOP.The thaw bulb,with a faster lateral expansion(compared with the vertical growth),enlarges in summer and shrinks in winter.This research will provide important references and bases for evaluating thermal influences of warm pipeline on permafrost and for design,construction,operation and maintenance of pipelines in permafrost regions.