Pipeline Engineering
Pipeline- The term pipe is defined as a closed conduit, usually of circular cross section. It can
be made of any appropriate material such as steel or plastic.
The term pipeline refers to a long line of connected segments of pipe, with pumps, valves,
control devices, and other equipment/facilities needed for operating the system. It is intended
for transporting a fluid (liquid or gas), mixture of fluids, solids or fluid-solid mixtures.
History of Pipeline Engineering-
The use of pipelines has a long history. For instance, more than 1,000 years ago, the Romans
used lead pipes in their aqueduct system to supply water to Rome.
As early as 400 B.C., the Chinese used bamboo pipes wrapped with waxed cloth to transport
natural gas to their capital Beijing for lighting.
Clay pipes were used as early as 4000 B.C. for drainage purposes in Egypt and certain other
countries.
An important improvement of pipeline technology occurred in the 18th century when cast-iron
pipes were manufactured for use as water lines, sewers, and gas pipelines.
A subsequent major event was the introduction of steel pipe in the 19th century, which greatly
increased the strength of pipes of all sizes. In 1879, following the discovery of oil in
Pennsylvania, the first long-distance oil pipeline was built.
The development of high-strength steel pipes made it possible to transport fluids such as natural
gas, crude oil, and petroleum products over long distances. Initially, all steel pipes had to be
threaded together, which was difficult to do for large pipes, and they often leaked under high
pressure.
The development of electric arc welding to join pipes in the late 1920s made it possible to
construct leak-proof, high-pressure, large-diameter pipelines.
Today virtually all high-pressure piping consists of steel pipe with welded joints. Large
seamless steel pipe was another major milestone achieved in the 1920s.
Most of the major oil and gas pipelines that exist today around the world were constructed
either during or after World War II.
The U.S. built the Big Inch and the Little Big Inch pipelines during World War II to counter
the threat of German submarine attacks on coastal tankers.
The aqueduct that brings water from the Colorado River to central Arizona uses prestressed
concrete pipes of 6.4 m (21 ft) inner diameter.
Major innovations in pipeline technology made in recent times:
Introduction of new pipeline materials such as ductile iron and large diameter concrete
pressure pipes for water, and PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipe for sewers
Use of pigs to clean the interior of pipelines and to perform other functions
Batching of different petroleum products in a common pipeline
Application of cathodic protection to reduce corrosion and extend pipeline life
Use of large side booms to lay pipes, machines to drill or bore under rivers and roads
for crossing, machines to bend large pipes in the field, xrays to detect welding flaws,
and so forth.
Pipeline integrity monitoring (e.g., sending intelligent pigs through pipes to detect pipe
wall corrosion, cracks, and other pipe flaws).
Computers to control and operate pipelines, microwave stations and satellites to
communicate between headquarters and remote stations, and
New pipeline technologies to transport solids over long distances (e.g., slurry pipelines
for transporting coal and other minerals, and capsule pipelines for bulk materials
transport).
All modern nations rely almost exclusively on pipelines to transport the following
commodities:
Water from treatment plants to individual homes and other buildings
Sewage from homes to treatment plants
Natural gas all the way from wells to the consumers who may be located more than
a thousand miles away—be it a home, a factory, a school, or a power plant
Crude oil from oil fields to refineries
Refined petroleum products (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, etc.) from
refineries to various cities over hundreds of miles
Hundreds of other liquid, gas, and solid commodities (freight) are transported via
pipeline over long and short distances.
The U.S. has far more oil and natural gas pipelines than any other nation in the world:
approximately 1.3 million mi (2.1 million km) of gas pipeline and 0.25 million mi (0.4 million
km) of oil pipeline.
Total Natural Gas Pipeline as on 31.03.2016 stands at 17658 km as against 17406 km in 2015
registering growth of 2.55%, with Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) at 11077 km,
accounting for around 63% of overall length. Petroleum Product Pipeline has increased from
14426 km (as on 31.03.2015) to 14975 km as on 31.03.2016, with IOCL’s share at 43% in the
total length.
