1994•OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information)Requires access
Analysis of gas chilling alternatives for Arctic pipelines
A.D. Dvoiris, Don McMillan, B. Taksa
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Abstract
The operation of buried natural gas pipelines in Arctic regions requires installation of gas chilling facilities at compressor stations. These facilities are required in order to cool compressed pipeline gases to temperatures below that of permanently frozen surrounding soil. If these pipeline gas temperatures are too high, the frozen ground around the pipelines will eventually thaw. This is undesirable for many reasons amongst which are ground settlement and possible catastrophic failure of the pipeline. This paper presents the results of a study which compared several alternative methods of gas chilling for possible application at one of the compressor stations on the proposed new Yamal-Center gas pipeline system in the Russian Arctic. This technical and economic study was performed by Gulf Interstate Engineering (GIE) for GAZPROM, the gas company in Russia that will own and operate this new pipeline system. Geotechnical, climatical and other information provided by GAZPROM, coupled with information developed by GIE, formed the basis for this study.