Pipelines through the centuries

Pipelines are considered to be indispensable in the oil and gas industry. Vital in gas transport processes, a pipeline system is “a transportation network of pipes, valves, and other parts connected together to deliver gaseous or liquid products from a source (supplier) to a final destination.”

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Pipelines, however, seem to have preceded modern natural gas use. Historical evidence suggests that pipelines existed as early as 900 B.C. The Chinese used bamboo tubes to build contraptions that resembled modern pipelines and utilized these apparatuses to carry natural gas.

In the United States, natural gas use didn’t take place until 1821. During this era, pipelines were composed of crude wooden structures which were made from no more than hollowed-out logs. These carried gas from “burning springs” to adjacent buildings where the gas was utilized for lighting. Because of this precarious nature of the technology, engineers came up with the iron pipe in 1843 to mitigate the risks of piping gas.

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The rise of modern pipelines

World War II marked an unprecedented surge in petroleum demand for the United States, especially in its war mobilization efforts. The demand heightened after the loss of 50 petroleum tankers which were seized by marauding German submarines. To cater to this emergent situation, the pipeline industry launched a massive program of emergency construction.

The most noteworthy pipeline project at the time was the construction of War Emergency Pipelines (WEP) which was financed by the government. WEP, essentially a nonprofit corporation, was composed of 11 pipeline and oil companies which were organized under government sponsorship. Since 1942, during the the height of WWII, WEP kicked off the construction of the world’s biggest large-capacity cross-country petroleum pipeline system. Of note is an oil line dubbed Big Inch, a line with a diameter of 24 inches and which spanned for 1,340 miles.

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From then on, the science of pipeline production has moved on to look for better and more modern ways to transport natural gas between destinations.

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Natural gas transmission: Safely providing natural gas to consumers

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Natural gas storage facilities are connected by huge interstate or intrastate transmission pipelines, which move high volumes of gas at very high pressures over great distances. These huge pipes deliver natural gas to smaller delivery points, also called “city gates,” which are managed by local distribution companies around the country. Local distribution companies then transport the natural gas to their respective cities and residential districts through an extensive network of small-diameter pipelines, which, according to the US Department of Transportation PHMSA, is over 2.6 million miles long.

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Industrial facilities, commercial establishments, and electric generation facilities typically get their natural gas supplies from interstate or intrastate pipelines, while local consumers usually get theirs from a local distribution company, which maintains the highest safety standards. They have sophisticated equipment built for pipeline leak detection, they provide natural gas safety training and education programs, and they employ highly trained technicians who are available around the clock in case of emergencies. In addition, local distribution companies also add mercaptan, a harmless chemical that smells like rotten egg, to natural gas to make natural gas leaks easy to detect because natural gas, on its own, is odorless and colorless.

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Natural gas is continuing to become a popular alternative energy source because it is safe, cheap, and easy to distribute. Dr. Ali Ghalambor and Boyun Guo’s book The Natural Gas Engineering Handbook expounds more on this topic, and is a great resource for petroleum engineers and engineering students alike.



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What causes the corrosion of deepwater pipes?

Deepwater pipelines are extremely important as they transport oil and natural gases from the distant gas and oil reservoirs to the awaiting consumers. In the US, it is estimated that there have been major natural gas and oil pipelines built since 1998.

Pipelines are properly planned and designed to ensure that there is a small probability for damage and repairs. However, several factors remain to be a threat to the integrity of these pipes. Among these is the inevitable corrosion of pipelines.

There are different causes of corrosion. The decay of pipes is commonly caused by the following:

Stress-corrosion cracking

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Stress-corrosion cracking is the cracking of the pipe due to the combined action of corrosion and tensile stress. Tensile stress is caused by the cyclic fluctuations that occur in the operation of the pipelines. These fluctuations reduce the threshold stress of the pipes.

Microbiological-influenced corrosion

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Microbiological-influenced corrosion is caused by the presence of microorganisms. While the existence of microorganisms on the metal surface does not necessarily conclude to metal decay, their by-products promote corrosion and accelerate it.

Galvanic couple formation

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Galvanic corrosion is caused when two dissimilar metal types are in contact with each other through the presence of an electrolyte. In this type of corrosion, one of the metals which has more active corrosion potential forms the anode and corrodes, while the metal which has less corrosion potential forms the cathode and is protected. The circuit of this type of corrosion is completed by the environment in which the cathode promotes the oxidation of the other metal, hence weakening the integrity of the pipe.

Countering corrosion underwater and at great depths is risky and challenging, not to mention costly. A detailed and careful plan and installation of the pipelines is a must. Apart from the financial repercussions it can cause, leaking of pipelines has adverse effects on the environment and in the long run, in the health of the people.

Dr. Ali Ghalambor is known in the industry circuit for his remarkable contributions in the oil and gas sector. For more information on offshore pipelines and pipeline corrosion, visit this blog.