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Title: Structural monitoring helps assess deformations in Arctic pipelines

Abstract

Advanced structural monitoring systems can play an important role in the evaluation of arctic pipeline distortions along the alignment. These systems can influence pipeline design requirements, reduce capital costs, and improve operating reliability. Differential soil movements resulting from terrain instabilities are the main features which threaten a pipeline's structural integrity and affect the design of buried pipeline systems in the Arctic. Economic, aesthetic, and safety concerns make conventional buried construction an optimum design choice for an arctic crude-oil or gas-pipeline transportation system. However, variable frozen and thawed soil conditions underlying the pipeline along a discontinuous permafrost corridor pose a challenge to the design and operation of such systems. Crude-oil pipelines which must operate at elevated temperatures can be installed in unfrozen soils or in permafrost soils where initially frozen segments will exhibit limited settlement under the thawed conditions imposed by pipeline construction and operation. Ice-rich portions of the frozen alignment may have an unacceptable settlement potential for a warm buried pipeline. In contrast, natural-gas pipelines can be operated cold to increase throughput capability and to prevent the problems associated with thawing permafrost.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
ARCO Pipe Line Co., Long Beach, CA
OSTI Identifier:
7052189
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Oil Gas J.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 84:45
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
02 PETROLEUM; 03 NATURAL GAS; 42 ENGINEERING; ARCTIC REGIONS; PIPELINES; NATURAL GAS; TRANSPORT; PETROLEUM; CONSTRUCTION; DESIGN; MONITORING; ALIGNMENT; CAPITALIZED COST; COMPLEX TERRAIN; DEFORMATION; OPERATION; PERMAFROST; RELIABILITY; SOIL MECHANICS; THAWING; UNDERGROUND; COST; ENERGY SOURCES; FLUIDS; FOSSIL FUELS; FUEL GAS; FUELS; GAS FUELS; GASES; LEVELS; MECHANICS; POLAR REGIONS; 022000* - Petroleum- Transport, Handling, & Storage; 032000 - Natural Gas- Transport, Handling, & Storage; 420206 - Engineering- Mining & Drilling Equipment & Facilities- (1980-1989); 423000 - Engineering- Marine Engineering- (1980-)

Citation Formats

Nyman, K J, and Lara, P F. Structural monitoring helps assess deformations in Arctic pipelines. United States: N. p., 1986. Web.
Nyman, K J, & Lara, P F. Structural monitoring helps assess deformations in Arctic pipelines. United States.
Nyman, K J, and Lara, P F. 1986. "Structural monitoring helps assess deformations in Arctic pipelines". United States.
@article{osti_7052189,
title = {Structural monitoring helps assess deformations in Arctic pipelines},
author = {Nyman, K J and Lara, P F},
abstractNote = {Advanced structural monitoring systems can play an important role in the evaluation of arctic pipeline distortions along the alignment. These systems can influence pipeline design requirements, reduce capital costs, and improve operating reliability. Differential soil movements resulting from terrain instabilities are the main features which threaten a pipeline's structural integrity and affect the design of buried pipeline systems in the Arctic. Economic, aesthetic, and safety concerns make conventional buried construction an optimum design choice for an arctic crude-oil or gas-pipeline transportation system. However, variable frozen and thawed soil conditions underlying the pipeline along a discontinuous permafrost corridor pose a challenge to the design and operation of such systems. Crude-oil pipelines which must operate at elevated temperatures can be installed in unfrozen soils or in permafrost soils where initially frozen segments will exhibit limited settlement under the thawed conditions imposed by pipeline construction and operation. Ice-rich portions of the frozen alignment may have an unacceptable settlement potential for a warm buried pipeline. In contrast, natural-gas pipelines can be operated cold to increase throughput capability and to prevent the problems associated with thawing permafrost.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7052189}, journal = {Oil Gas J.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 84:45,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Nov 10 00:00:00 EST 1986},
month = {Mon Nov 10 00:00:00 EST 1986}
}