Pipeline transportation is a long-distance transportation of liquid and gas materials using pipelines as a means of transportation.It is a special transportation method for transporting petroleum, coal and chemical products from the production place to the market, and it is a special part of trunk transportation in the unified transportation network. The casings used for oil transportation are mostly seamless pipes, because the seamless pipes are perforated by the whole round steel, without welds, with high pressure resistance and good toughness.
Advantages of pipeline transportation
(1) The shipping volume is large. An oil pipeline can continuously complete the transportation task. According to the size of its pipe diameter, its annual transportation volume can reach millions of tons to tens of millions of tons, or even more than 100 million tons.
(2) Small footprint. Transportation pipelines are usually buried underground, occupying very little land, which is of great significance for saving land resources.
(3) The pipeline transportation construction period is short and the cost is low. The construction period of the pipeline transportation system is generally more than 1/3 shorter than that of the railway construction period of the same volume. And pipeline construction costs are about 60% lower than railways.
(4) The pipeline transportation is safe, reliable and continuous. Because oil and natural gas are flammable, explosive, volatile and easy to leak, pipeline transportation is safe and can greatly reduce volatilization loss. At the same time, the air, water and soil pollution caused by leakage can also be greatly reduced. In addition, the pipeline is basically buried underground, and its transportation process is less affected by harsh and changeable climatic conditions, which can ensure the long-term stable operation of the transportation system.
(5) Pipeline transportation consumes less energy, has low cost and good benefits. Pipeline transportation is a continuous project. There is no no-load journey in the transportation system, so the transportation efficiency of the system is high. The larger the diameter of the pipeline, the longer the transportation distance, the larger the transportation volume, and the lower the transportation cost.Taking the transportation of oil as an example, the ratio of transportation costs of pipeline transportation, waterway transportation and railway transportation is 1:1:1.7.
Disadvantages of pipeline transportation
(1) Poor flexibility. Pipeline transportation is not as flexible as other transportation methods (such as automobile transportation). In addition to the relatively single cargo carried, it also does not allow for the expansion of pipelines.
(2) Special-purpose strong transport objects are limited, and the cargo carried is relatively single. Only suitable for transporting gaseous and liquid cargoes such as oil, natural gas, chemicals, crushed coal slurry, etc.
(3) Strong franchise. Pipeline transportation belongs to special transportation, and its production and transportation and sales are mixed together, and it is not provided for other shippers to use.
(4) Large fixed investment. In order to carry out continuous transportation, it is also necessary to establish storage warehouses and pressurization stations at each intermediate station to promote smooth pipeline transportation.
Precautions for pipeline transportation
(1) The layout of the pipeline route and the selection of the route of the hydraulic protection oil and gas pipeline should be combined with the current situation and planning of the construction of cities, villages and towns, industrial and mining enterprises, transportation, electric power, water conservancy, etc. along the line.As well as natural conditions such as topography, landform, geology, hydrology, meteorology, and earthquakes in the areas along the line, and taking into account the convenience of construction and future pipeline management and maintenance, determine the reasonable direction of the line. Mileage piles, corner piles and sign piles should be set along the oil and gas pipelines.
(2) Oil and gas pipelines should be equipped with line cut-off valves, and the grounding of the vent pipes attached to the natural gas pipeline cut-off valves should be regularly tested. Periodically inspect the shut-off valve. Conditional pipelines should be equipped with data remote transmission, control and alarm functions. The sampling pressure pipe of the shut-off valve of the natural gas pipeline shall be equipped with a root shut-off valve.
(3) When the oil and gas pipeline passes through the river, the natural conditions such as hydrology, geology, water potential, topography, landform, earthquake, etc. of the river, as well as the current situation of villages and towns on both sides of the river, and traffic conditions should be considered.And taking into account the overall direction of the pipeline and the convenience of future pipeline management and maintenance, select a reasonable crossing position.
Advantages of pipeline transportation
(1) The shipping volume is large. An oil pipeline can continuously complete the transportation task. According to the size of its pipe diameter, its annual transportation volume can reach millions of tons to tens of millions of tons, or even more than 100 million tons.
(2) Small footprint. Transportation pipelines are usually buried underground, occupying very little land, which is of great significance for saving land resources.
(3) The pipeline transportation construction period is short and the cost is low. The construction period of the pipeline transportation system is generally more than 1/3 shorter than that of the railway construction period of the same volume. And pipeline construction costs are about 60% lower than railways.
(4) The pipeline transportation is safe, reliable and continuous. Because oil and natural gas are flammable, explosive, volatile and easy to leak, pipeline transportation is safe and can greatly reduce volatilization loss. At the same time, the air, water and soil pollution caused by leakage can also be greatly reduced. In addition, the pipeline is basically buried underground, and its transportation process is less affected by harsh and changeable climatic conditions, which can ensure the long-term stable operation of the transportation system.
(5) Pipeline transportation consumes less energy, has low cost and good benefits. Pipeline transportation is a continuous project. There is no no-load journey in the transportation system, so the transportation efficiency of the system is high. The larger the diameter of the pipeline, the longer the transportation distance, the larger the transportation volume, and the lower the transportation cost.Taking the transportation of oil as an example, the ratio of transportation costs of pipeline transportation, waterway transportation and railway transportation is 1:1:1.7.
Disadvantages of pipeline transportation
(1) Poor flexibility. Pipeline transportation is not as flexible as other transportation methods (such as automobile transportation). In addition to the relatively single cargo carried, it also does not allow for the expansion of pipelines.
(2) Special-purpose strong transport objects are limited, and the cargo carried is relatively single. Only suitable for transporting gaseous and liquid cargoes such as oil, natural gas, chemicals, crushed coal slurry, etc.
(3) Strong franchise. Pipeline transportation belongs to special transportation, and its production and transportation and sales are mixed together, and it is not provided for other shippers to use.
(4) Large fixed investment. In order to carry out continuous transportation, it is also necessary to establish storage warehouses and pressurization stations at each intermediate station to promote smooth pipeline transportation.
Precautions for pipeline transportation
(1) The layout of the pipeline route and the selection of the route of the hydraulic protection oil and gas pipeline should be combined with the current situation and planning of the construction of cities, villages and towns, industrial and mining enterprises, transportation, electric power, water conservancy, etc. along the line.As well as natural conditions such as topography, landform, geology, hydrology, meteorology, and earthquakes in the areas along the line, and taking into account the convenience of construction and future pipeline management and maintenance, determine the reasonable direction of the line. Mileage piles, corner piles and sign piles should be set along the oil and gas pipelines.
(2) Oil and gas pipelines should be equipped with line cut-off valves, and the grounding of the vent pipes attached to the natural gas pipeline cut-off valves should be regularly tested. Periodically inspect the shut-off valve. Conditional pipelines should be equipped with data remote transmission, control and alarm functions. The sampling pressure pipe of the shut-off valve of the natural gas pipeline shall be equipped with a root shut-off valve.
(3) When the oil and gas pipeline passes through the river, the natural conditions such as hydrology, geology, water potential, topography, landform, earthquake, etc. of the river, as well as the current situation of villages and towns on both sides of the river, and traffic conditions should be considered.And taking into account the overall direction of the pipeline and the convenience of future pipeline management and maintenance, select a reasonable crossing position.
