Russian oil pipelines are one of the key components of the fuel and energy sector of the country's economy. Today, the Russian Federation has an extensive network of oil product pipelines of varying importance. Pipeline transport connects the territories of most subjects of the Federation, and also serves for the export of hydrocarbons and their processed products.

Pipeline classification

Pipelines are divided according to their purpose:

• Local connections connect facilities within the field, oil and gas storage facilities, and oil refineries.
• Regional pipelines have a length of several tens of kilometers. They connect oil fields with the main station, with oil loading (loading) points for water or rail transport, and with a main pipeline.
• Main - pipelines with a length of over 50 km, pipe diameters from 200 mm to 1400 mm and above. The distance over which products can be supplied through such pipelines is measured in hundreds or thousands of kilometers. Pumping is carried out not by one, but by several located along the pipeline route. Depending on the petroleum product being pumped, the main pipeline is called an oil pipeline (pumping crude oil), a product pipeline (petroleum products), a fuel oil pipeline, a gasoline pipeline, a kerosene pipeline, etc.

Main pipelines operate continuously, their short-term stop is possible in the event of an accident, repair or planned replacement of parts.

Development of oil pipelines in Russia

The history of the development of pipelines in Russia is integrally connected with the development of the oil industry. In 1901, the state produced almost half of the world's total oil production. With the increase in volumes of raw materials, the question of its transportation increasingly arose. To reduce congestion on railways and reduce the cost of transportation, the economic feasibility of constructing pipelines was justified.

The first main oil pipelines in Russia with a total length of 1147 km were built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and connected fields in the vicinity of Baku with the initiative to build the first product pipeline belonged to D.I. Mendeleev. The plan was implemented in 1906. The product pipeline, 831 km long, with a pipe size of 200 mm and 13 compressor stations, was the largest in the world at that time and supplied kerosene from Baku to Batumi for subsequent export.

In the pre-war years, the main flows of oil and petroleum products occurred in the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus and the Volga basin. The oil pipelines Grozny-Tuapse (649 km, diameter 273 mm), Ishimbay-Ufa (169 km, 300 mm) and product pipelines Mangyshlak - Samara and Ust-Balyk - Almetyevsk were put into operation.

Oil pipelines in Russia (then the USSR) received a new round of development in the post-war years. The peak occurred during the period of rapid development of oil production and refining in the Volga-Ural basin and the development of fields in Siberia. Main pipelines of considerable length with a diameter of up to 1200 mm were built. Thanks to some of them (for example, Surgut - Polotsk), Siberian oil began to be supplied to the central regions of Russia, Belarus and the Baltic states.

Advantages of pipeline transport

Oil and gas pipelines in Russia received the most intensive development in the second half of the 20th century. Today, in terms of volume and specific gravity of transported hydrocarbons, pipeline transport is steadily replacing rail and waterways for transporting oil and petroleum products. The main advantages of oil and gas pipelines are:

• Significant pumping range, uninterrupted operation, significant throughput, minimal losses.
• Wide range of viscosity of pumped petroleum products.
• Stable operation in different climatic zones.
• Possibility of constructing pipelines in almost any area.
• High level of mechanization during construction.
• Automation of process control systems.

The main disadvantage of pipeline transport is considered to be the rather large capital investments at the construction stage.

The largest oil pipelines in Russia

1. Baku - Novorossiysk - oil pipeline for pumping Caspian oil to the port of Novorossiysk.
2. Balakhany - Black City is the first oil pipeline in Russia, commissioned back in 1878. The pipeline connects the Balakhani oil field and oil refining facilities in the vicinity of Baku.
3. Baltic pipeline network. Design throughput capacity is 74 million tons of oil per year. Connects the seaport of Primorsk with oil fields in Western Siberia and the Ural-Volga region.
4. Eastern Siberia - Pacific Ocean- a pipeline connecting the Siberian fields with the Kozmino loading port near Nakhodka. The operator of the oil pipeline is JSC AK Transneft. The length of 4188 km makes it possible to export Russian oil to the markets of the Asia-Pacific region and the USA.
5. The Druzhba oil pipeline is the world's largest trunk pipeline system, built to supply oil and petroleum products to socialist states Eastern Europe. Currently in use for export to Europe.
6. Grozny - Tuapse is the first Russian main oil pipeline of medium diameter, built at the beginning of the twentieth century to transport Caucasian oil to the Black Sea coast.
7. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) links the fields of western Kazakhstan with a terminal at Black Sea coast near Novorossiysk.
8. The Murmansk pipeline with a capacity of 80 million tons connects the oil fields of Western Siberia and the seaport of Murmansk.
9. Surgut - Polotsk is an oil pipeline connecting with Belarus and further the Baltic countries and Poland.
10. The only heated main oil pipeline of its kind is Uzen - Atyrau - Samara.

Export through oil pipelines

Currently, Russian oil pipelines account for 84% of oil exported outside the country. The remaining 13% comes from rail transportation and 3% from water and river transport. JSC AK Transneft is the only oil pipeline operator in Russia. It accounts for 97% of all transported oil produced in the country. The length of the company's pipeline system is more than 217 thousand km, which connects the main oil production regions in Russia with sales markets in Europe. From the total transport system 46.7 thousand km are oil pipelines and 19.3 thousand km are oil product pipelines.

The main Russian oil pipelines involved in exports:

• Baltic oil pipeline, throughput capacity - 74 million tons per year;
• Pipeline system "Druzhba". One of the branches of this highway goes to Poland, the second to Slovakia. Total throughput capacity - 90 million tons;
• Black Sea oil pipelines - 43 million tons.

The most promising direction for export development Russian oil is East Siberian, due to the brisk growth of oil consumption in China.

Pipeline is the name given to transport through which solid, vapor or liquid products are moved. It is used to deliver raw materials to consumers. Let us further consider the features that Russian pipeline transport has.

General information

The development of pipeline transport began more than a century ago. Mendeleev was at the origins of its creation. He believed that pipeline transport of oil and gas would ensure intensive expansion of the corresponding industrial sectors. This, in turn, would allow the country to enter the world market. Today, Russian pipeline transport not only meets the needs of the state, but also supplies Western Europe, Southeast Asia, Turkey.

Main Features

Pipeline transport is considered cost-effective and progressive. It is universal, characterized by the absence of cargo loss during delivery with fully automated and mechanized unloading and loading processes. Returns of packaging are also excluded. Due to this, less money is spent on moving goods by pipeline transport than, for example, by railway. This sector is of particular importance due to the remoteness of the deposits from the consumer.

Classification

Pipeline transport can be mainline. It connects several enterprises in various industries located tens, hundreds, and sometimes thousands of kilometers from each other. Pipeline transport can also be technological. Its length is 1-3 km. Through it, the connection of technological processes within one enterprise is ensured. Industrial pipeline transport has a length of up to 10-15 km. It connects enterprises of the same economic sector.

Specifications

The pipeline is a pipeline made of pipes with a diameter of up to 1.5 thousand mm. They are laid to a depth of up to 2.5 m. Pipeline transport of petroleum products is equipped with special equipment. It is intended for heating viscous grades, dehydration and degassing. Pipeline gas transport is equipped with installations for drying and odorization (giving a sharp, specific odor). In addition, there are distribution and pumping stations. The latter are designed to maintain optimal pressure. At the beginning of the highway, head stations are installed, and after 100-150 km - intermediate pumping stations. The total length of pipelines in the Russian Federation is 217 thousand km, oil pipelines account for 46.7 thousand km, gas pipelines account for 151 thousand km. In terms of freight turnover, it ranks second after the railway. Trunk pipelines transport 100% of gas, 99% of oil and more than 50% of processed compounds.

Main advantages of the system

Pipeline transport facilities have a number of undoubted advantages. Among them:

Besides, modern technologies manufacturing materials ensure reliability, durability and high wear resistance of highways.

Pipeline oil transport

One of the features of this sector is the increase in the proportion of large-diameter elements. This is explained by the high profitability of such highways. The improvement of systems is determined today by the general state of the oil industry. For example, from 1940 to 1980, during a favorable period, the length of highways increased from 4 to 69.7 thousand km. At the same time, freight turnover increased from 4 to 1197 billion t/km. The increase in the length of the oil pipeline is accompanied by an increase in export supplies of raw materials.

Control over the system

The Transneft company, as well as its subsidiaries, have the world's largest trunk oil pipeline system. It is a natural monopoly, which is state owned and controlled by the state. Management is carried out by setting tariffs for services, distributing access to export routes, and coordinating investments in the industry, which also influence prices. The total length of the Transneft pipeline system, which connects almost all raw material production areas with export terminals and processing centers, is 70 thousand km.

The largest systems in the Russian Federation

There are three large-scale highways in Russia:

Gas transportation

The system delivering this raw material is considered the youngest. It should be noted that pipeline transport is the only way to send this material to consumers. The first highways were built during the Great Patriotic War. The state company Gazprom acts as the operator of the gas pipeline system. This enterprise is considered the largest not only in the Russian Federation, but also in the world. The Gazprom company has the exclusive right to export domestic gas. The length of the highway is more than 160 thousand km.

The largest systems in the Russian Federation

There are 4 main highways:

1. Gas pipeline from Saratov to Moscow. Its construction began during the Second World War, and it entered service in 1946. This is the first pipeline in the country used for gas delivery. The length of the system is 843 km. The main uses pipes with a diameter of 325 mm. The highway passes through the Moscow, Ryazan, Tambov, Penza and Saratov regions.
2. System "Urengoy - Pomary - Uzhgorod". This is the first Soviet gas export pipeline. The system connects fields in the north of Western Siberia and in the west of Ukraine. The raw materials are then delivered to end consumers in Europe. The highway crosses the border of the Russian Federation with Ukraine north of the city of Sumy.
3. Export system "Yamal - Europe". This highway connects fields in Western Siberia with consumers in Europe. It passes through the territory of Poland and Belarus.
4. Blue Stream system. This highway connects Turkey and Russia and passes through the Black Sea. Its total length is 1213 km. Among them:

Industry prospects

Issues related to the development of pipeline transport were discussed at government meetings. Among other things, the strategy until 2010 was approved. During the discussion, many scientists and experts proposed developing the fuel and energy sector, and in particular the gas and oil industries, so that they would eventually become the engine of the country's socio-economic revival. In accordance with the approved strategy, by 2020 it is expected that the system of raw material extraction will change due to the introduction of new deposits in the eastern part of the Siberian territory, the Timan-Pechora oil and gas field, as well as a decrease in production in existing basins. The main oil export destinations will be:

• Asia-Pacific.
• Northern European.
• Northern.
• Yuzhnoe.

The last two will become large promising projects.

"Nord Stream"

This gas pipeline should pass through the Baltic Sea and connect the Russian Federation with Germany. The agreement on the construction of the highway was concluded in September 2005. According to the project, this pipeline should become one of the longest systems located under water. Commissioning of the highway at full capacity was planned for 2012. According to the project, 2 directions of the gas pipeline should deliver 55 billion m 3 of domestic gas per year for at least five decades to the countries of the European Union.

"South Stream"

This is a joint project of Russia, France and Italy. The highway should connect the city of Novorossiysk and the port of Varna in Bulgaria. Then its branches will go to Italy and Austria through the Balkan Peninsula. In accordance with the project, the system should become operational in 2015. The creation of South Stream is being carried out to diversify the supply of raw materials to Europe and reduce the dependence of buyers and suppliers on transit countries - Turkey and Ukraine. This pipeline is considered a competitive project of the Nabucco gas pipeline, the route of which should go south of the Russian Federation. This system is supported by the United States and the European Union.

Transit and export directions

To ensure the economic and strategic interests of the Russian Federation, a systematic and comprehensive development of new routes from the CIS countries through Russia is being carried out. These will be the directions:

The economic and strategic interests of the Russian Federation are quite closely connected with increasing transit supplies of oil from the CIS countries. They will contribute to the utilization of existing capacities and the construction of new ones.

In conclusion

Pipeline transport is a system that is developing most dynamically today. Its main difference is that the raw materials themselves are delivered directly without the movement of a vehicle. To ensure the uninterrupted functioning of the entire existing backbone system, the management of its operation is in the sphere of activity of domestic natural monopolies. In Russia, these include OJSC Gazprom and the state company Transneft. The country's energy strategy, developed until 2020, will ensure the implementation of the economic interests of the Russian Federation. At the same time, new export directions, the development of which is carried out comprehensively and systematically, will be of particular importance. The largest promising projects will be the Northern and Southern Streams, the Baltic System 2, and the ESPO. Being a country with richest reserves oil and gas, the Russian Federation occupies a leading place in the world in the supply of raw materials to other countries. The strategy, among other things, includes a project for the supply of domestic raw materials to China. According to estimates, it can become one of the largest export destinations. With the dynamic expansion of industries, the state has every opportunity to strengthen the economic condition and take its rightful place in international system. Of particular importance in this case will be forecast estimates of the extraction and subsequent processing of raw materials, production and consumption of products, which are presented in the approved energy strategy. The expansion of industries will attract additional labor resources, thus ensuring more full employment of the population.

Back in the 2nd-3rd century BC. cases of use are known natural gas in the national economy. So, for example, in ancient China gas was used for lighting and heat. Gas was supplied from fields to consumers through bamboo pipes due to the pressure of the gas source, i.e. "by gravity." The pipe joints were caulked with tow. Gas pipelines in the modern sense of the word began to widely appear at the beginning of the 19th century and were used for lighting and heating needs, as well as for technological needs in production. In 1859 in American state Pennsylvania, a gas pipeline with a diameter of 5 cm and a length of about 9 km was built, connecting the field and the nearest city of Titesville.

Over the course of a century and a half, the need for gas has grown hundreds of times, and along with it the diameter and length of gas pipelines have increased.

Today, main gas pipelines are pipelines designed to transport natural gas from production areas to points of consumption. At certain intervals, gas compressor stations are installed on the pipeline to maintain pressure in the pipeline. At the final destination main gas pipeline gas distribution stations are located where the pressure is reduced to the level necessary to supply consumers.

Currently, from an efficiency point of view, the maximum diameter of a gas pipeline is considered to be 1420 mm.

Russia

Today, Russia ranks first in the world in terms of proven gas reserves (25% of global reserves), and the Russian gas transportation system is the largest in the world. Average range gas transportation today is about 2.6 thousand km for supplies for domestic consumption and approximately 3.3 thousand km for supplies for export. The length of main gas pipelines in Russia is 168.3 thousand km. This length is enough to circle the Earth four times.

The main part of the Unified Gas Supply System of Russia was created in the 50-80s of the 20th century and, in addition to the gas pipeline system, includes 268 linear compressor stations with a total capacity of 42 thousand MW, 6 gas and gas condensate processing complexes, 25 underground storage facilities.

Today, the owner of the Russian segment of the UGSS is OJSC Gazprom.

On September 15, 1943, a gas pipeline with a diameter of 300 mm Buguruslan - Pokhvistnevo - Kuibyshev with a length of 165 km and a capacity of 220 million cubic meters per year was put into operation. On this day, the first gas arrived at the Bezymyanskaya CHPP and industrial enterprises of Kuibyshev. It is with this gas pipeline that the history of the development of our country’s gas transportation system begins.

Today the largest gas pipelines in Russia are:

Gas pipeline "Urengoy - Pomary - Uzhgorod"- a main export gas pipeline built by the USSR in 1983 to supply natural gas from the fields of the north of Western Siberia to consumers in the countries of Central and Western Europe. Throughput capacity - 32 billion m³ of natural gas per year (design). The actual capacity is 28 billion m³ per year. Pipeline diameter - 1420 mm. The total length of the gas pipeline is 4451 km. An export pipeline project was proposed in 1978 from the Yamburg fields, but was later changed to a pipeline from the Urengoy field, which was already in production.

Gas pipeline "Union"— export gas pipeline. The diameter of the gas pipeline is 1420 mm, the design pressure is 7.5 MPa (75 atmospheres), the throughput capacity is 26 billion m³ of gas per year. The main source of gas for the pipeline is the Orenburg gas condensate field. Gas pipeline "Union" accepted for service on November 11, 1980. Gas pipeline "Union" passes through the territory of Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine along the route: Orenburg - Uralsk - Aleksandrov Gai - GIS "Sokhranovka" (border of Russia and Ukraine) - Kremenchug - Dolina - Uzhgorod. The total length of the gas pipeline is 2,750 km, including 300 km through the territory of Kazakhstan and 1,568 km through the territory of Ukraine.

Gas pipeline "Yamal - Europe"- transnational main export gas pipeline, commissioned in 1999. Connects gas fields in the north of Western Siberia with consumers in Europe. The gas pipeline has become an additional export corridor, increasing the flexibility and reliability of supplies Russian gas to Western Europe (via the gas transmission systems YAGAL-Nord and STEGAL - MIDAL - UGS "Rehden").

It originates in the gas transportation hub in the city of Torzhok (Tver region). It passes through the territory of Russia (402 km), Belarus (575 km), Poland (683 km) and Germany. The western end point of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline is the Malnov compressor station (near Frankfurt-on-Oder) near the German-Polish border. The total length of the gas pipeline exceeds 2000 km, diameter - 1420 mm. Design capacity is 32.9 billion m³ of gas per year. The number of compressor stations on the gas pipeline is 14 (3 in Russia, 5 in Belarus, 5 in Poland and one in Germany).

"Nord Stream"- a main gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, running along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Gas pipeline "Nord Stream"- the longest underwater gas export route in the world, its length is 1224 km. Owned and operated by Nord Stream AG. Pipe diameter (external) - 1220 mm. Working pressure - 22 MPa.

The project involves Russia, Germany, the Netherlands and France; Russian gas transit countries and the Baltic countries opposed its implementation. The goals of the project are to increase gas supplies to the European market and reduce dependence on transit countries.

Pipeline construction began in April 2010. In September 2011, filling of the first of two lines with process gas began.

On November 8, 2011, gas supplies began along the first line of the gas pipeline. On April 18, 2012, the second line was completed. On October 8, 2012, gas supplies began on two lines of the gas pipeline in commercial mode.

Europe

One of the world's longest underwater gas pipelines runs between Norway and the UK along the bottom of the North Sea. Main gas pipeline "Langeled" connects the Norwegian gas field Ormen Lange with the British terminal at Easington. Its length is 1200 km. Construction began in 2004 and the official opening took place in October 2007 in London.

Middle East

Gas pipeline "Iran - Türkiye", 2577 km long, runs from Tabriz through Erzurum to Ankara. Initially a gas pipeline "Tabriz - Ankara" with a throughput capacity of 14 billion m³ of gas per year was supposed to become part of the pipeline "Pars", which would connect European consumers with the large Iranian gas field South Pars. However, due to sanctions, Iran was unable to begin implementing this project.

Asia

Chinese gas pipeline "West - East", with a length of 8,704 km, connects the basic northwestern resources of the Tarim Basin - the Changqing field, whose reserves are estimated at 750 billion cubic meters of gas - with the economically developed eastern coast of the Middle Kingdom. The gas pipeline includes one main line and 8 regional branches. The pipeline's design capacity is 30 billion m³ of natural gas per year. Thousands of kilometers of pipes stretch across 15 provincial-level regions and pass through various natural areas: plateaus, mountains, deserts and rivers. Pipeline "West-East" is considered the largest and most complex gas industry project ever implemented in China. The goal of the project is the development of the western regions of China.

Gas pipeline « Central Asia- Center", with a length of 5000 km, connects the gas fields of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan with industrialized areas of central Russia, the CIS countries and foreign countries. The first stage of the pipeline was put into operation back in 1967. For the first time in the history of the global gas industry, pipes with a diameter of 1200–1400 mm were used. During construction, underwater crossings of the main gas pipeline were carried out through largest rivers regions: Amu Darya, Volga, Ural, Oka. By 1985 the gas pipeline "Central Asia - Center" has turned into a multi-line system of main gas pipelines and gas branch pipelines with an annual throughput capacity of 80 billion m³.

Gas pipeline "Turkmenistan - China" passes through the territory of four countries (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China) and has a length of 1833 km. Construction of the pipeline began in 2007. The official opening ceremony of the gas pipeline took place on December 14, 2009 at the Samandepe field (Turkmenistan). Pipe diameter – 1067 mm. The design capacity of the gas pipeline is 40 billion m³ of natural gas per year.

North America

The first and longest American gas pipeline to date "Tennessee", built in 1944. Its length is 3300 km, and it includes five lines with a diameter of 510 to 760 mm. The route runs from the Gulf of Mexico through Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Pennsylvania to West Virginia, New Jersey, New York and New England.

American gas pipeline high pressure "Rockies Express", 2,702 km long, laid out its route from the Rocky Mountains (Colorado) to Ohio. The last line of the gas pipeline was launched on November 12, 2009. The diameter is 910 - 1070 mm and consists of three lines that run through eight states. The pipeline's throughput capacity is 37 billion m³ of gas per year.

South America

Gas pipeline "Bolivia-Brazil" is the longest natural gas pipeline in South America. The 3,150-kilometer pipeline connects the gas fields of Bolivia with the southeastern regions of Brazil. It was built in two stages, the first branch with a length of 1418 km began work in 1999, the second branch with a length of 1165 km began work in 2000. The diameter of the gas pipeline is 410 - 810 mm. The pipeline's throughput capacity is 11 billion m³ of gas per year.

Africa

Main gas pipeline "TransMed", with a length of 2,475 km, laid its route from Algeria through Tunisia and Sicily to Italy, then the expansion of the pipeline supplies Algerian gas to Slovenia. The diameter of the ground part is 1070-1220 mm. The pipeline's current capacity is 30.2 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year. The first stage of the gas pipeline was built in 1978-1983, the second stage was put into operation in 1994. The gas pipeline includes the following sections: Algerian (550 km), Tunisian (370 km), underwater passage from the African coast to the island of Sicily (96 km), land Sicilian section (340 km), underwater passage from the island of Sicily to mainland Italy (15 km), a land section through the territory of Italy with a branch to Slovenia (1055 km).

Main gas pipeline "Maghreb-Europe" connects the giant Hassi-Rmel gas condensate field in Algeria - through the territory of Morocco - with the gas transmission system of Spain and Portugal. From the Spanish city of Cordoba, Andalusia region, the gas pipeline goes through the Extremadura region to Portugal. The main supplies of natural gas through the pipeline go to Spain and Portugal, with significantly smaller supplies going to Morocco. Construction began on October 11, 1994. On December 9, 1996, the Spanish section began operating. The Portuguese section was opened on February 27, 1997. The total length of the gas pipeline is 1,620 kilometers and consists of the following sections: Algerian (515 km), Moroccan (522 km), and Andalusian (269 km) sections with a diameter of 1,220 mm, an underwater section (45 km) with a diameter of 560 mm, and a Portuguese section ( 269 ​​km) passing through the Spanish Autonomous Region of Extremadura (270 km) with a diameter of 28 and 32 inches.

Australia

Main gas pipeline Dampier-Bunbury, commissioned in 1984, is Australia's longest natural gas pipeline. The length of the gas pipeline, whose diameter is 660 mm, is 1,530 km. It originates on the Burrup Peninsula and supplies gas to consumers in southwestern Australia.

Introduction.

2.1. Composition of the main gas pipeline.

2.2. Composition and purpose of compressor stations.

2.3. Preparation of gas for transport.

Test questions.

Introduction

The Unified Gas Supply System (UGSS) of Russia is a widely branched network of gas pipelines that supply consumers with gas from gas fields in the Tyumen region, the Komi Republic, the Orenburg, Astrakhan regions and other regions.

A compressor station is an integral part of the main gas pipeline, designed to ensure its design throughput by increasing the gas pressure at the outlet of the compressor station using various types of gas pumping units (GPU).

Natural gas coming from wells contains solid particles (sand, scale), condensate of heavy hydrocarbons, water vapor, and in some cases hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide as impurities. The presence of solid particles in gas leads to abrasive wear of pipes, fittings and parts of compressor equipment, and clogging of control and measuring instruments. Heavy hydrocarbon condensate and water settle at low points in gas pipelines, reducing their flow area. Therefore, before supplying gas to the main pipeline, it must be dried and cleaned of mechanical and harmful impurities.

Composition of the main gas pipeline

The main gas pipeline (MG) includes the following main facilities (Figure 2.1):

Headworks;

Compressor stations;

Gas distribution stations (GDS);

Underground gas storage facilities;

Linear structures.

Figure 2.1 – Scheme of the main gas pipeline: 1 – gas collection networks; 2 – field gas collection point; 3 – head structures; 4 – compressor station; 5 – gas distribution station; 6 – underground storage facilities; 7 – main pipeline; 8 – branches from the main pipeline; 9 – linear fittings; 10 - two-thread crossing over a water barrier

1. At the headworks, the produced gas is prepared for transportation. During the initial period of field development, gas pressure is usually so high that there is no need for a main compressor station. It is built later, after the gas pipeline is put into operation.

2. Compressor stations are designed for pumping gas; in addition, the compressor stations purify the gas from liquid and solid impurities. The complex of compressor station structures includes devices such as: dust collectors, purification devices for liquid and solid impurities, gas pumping units (GPU), air cooling units (ACU) and other auxiliary structures.

3. Gas distribution stations are constructed at the end of each main gas pipeline or branch from it. The following operations are carried out at the GDS: reducing gas pressure to the required level, since gas equipment used in industry and in everyday life is designed for relatively low pressure and high-pressure gas transported through the main gas pipeline cannot be directly supplied to consumers; gas purification from impurities (mechanical particles and condensate) to ensure reliable operation of equipment; odorization, that is, imparting a sharp, specific odor to detect leaks. Gas consumption is also recorded at the gas distribution station.

4. An underground gas storage facility is a gas storage facility created in rocks (in artificial workings or in porous layers). Underground gas storage facilities serve to compensate for uneven gas consumption. The use of underground structures for gas storage can significantly reduce metal costs and capital investments in storage facilities.

5. A set of linear structures may include:

Pipeline with branches and loopings, shut-off valves, CS connection units, start-up and receiving units for cleaning devices, condensate collectors and devices for methanol injection. Unlike similar structures of oil and petroleum product pipelines, linear ball valves are used on gas pipelines instead of linear valves. The length of the main gas pipeline can range from tens to several thousand kilometers, and the diameter can range from 150 to 1420 mm. Most gas pipelines have a diameter from 720 to 1420 mm. Pipes and fittings of main gas pipelines are designed for operating pressure up to 7.5 MPa;

Transitions of the main gas pipeline through natural and artificial obstacles;

Installations for electrochemical protection of gas pipelines from corrosion, technological communication lines and structures, pipeline telemechanics;

Power lines intended for servicing pipelines and power supply devices and remote control of shut-off valves and electrochemical protection installations for pipelines;

Fire-fighting means, anti-erosion and pipeline protection structures;

Buildings and structures of the linear pipeline operation service;

Permanent roads and helipads located along the pipeline route, and approaches to them, identification and signal signs for the location of pipelines;

Directions and warning signs.

The rise in prices for liquefied gas in Asia, provoked by growing demand, led to a fall in supplies of liquefied natural gas to Europe: in January-July it was supplied less by 12.8% (by 26.5 billion cubic meters). Weak competition in the EU market and high demand allow Gazprom to count on setting a new export record of 205 billion cubic meters at the end of 2018.

Supplies of liquefied gas to the EU over the seven months of this year fell by 12.8% compared to the previous year, to approximately 26.5 billion cubic meters, Kommersant calculated based on data from operators of European LNG receiving terminals. The fall occurred despite the fact that

According to calculations Russian edition Kommersant gas injections into European gas storage facilities, which were emptied during last winter and a cold March, remain behind 2017 levels. At the same time, prices for reduced gas increased sharply: in June, the Platts JKM index (the price of spot LNG shipments delivered to Japan) reached the January level of $11.45 per MBTU ($410 per thousand cubic meters), although last summer prices remained around $7 per MBTU.

The reason for the rise in prices is said to be simultaneous unplanned repairs of LNG plants in Qatar, Nigeria, Malaysia, the USA, Indonesia, Russia (Yamal LNG) and Australia, which, according to Platts LNG market analyst in Asia Geoffrey Moore, led to a decrease in supplies to the market in June by 70 million cubic meters per day compared to the average level of the first quarter. Moore believes that supplies began to recover in July and new LNG projects should come to market by the end of the year, but demand continues to grow. Thus, China in the first half of the year increased LNG imports by 50% - to 23.8 million tons, and total gas consumption in the country increased by 16.8%.

Of the ten EU countries with LNG receiving terminals, only two increased purchases - Poland, which is actively diversifying supplies (by 57%, to 1.7 billion cubic meters), and Belgium (by 50%, to 1.1 billion cubic meters). According to Kommersant’s interlocutors, the increase in Belgian purchases is associated with the start of LNG transshipment from Yamal LNG.

At the same time, the largest consumer of LNG in Europe, Spain, reduced purchases by 15.6%, to 7.7 billion cubic meters, preferring pipeline gas from Algeria. The UK reduced LNG purchases by 45%, to 2.2 billion cubic meters, while increasing imports of pipeline gas from Norway. In general, consumers in North-West Europe, not counting Belgium, reduced LNG purchases, despite a decrease in gas production at the Dutch Groningen field, and preferred pipeline gas, including Russian.

Gazprom's supplies to Austria increased by 52% over six months, and Italian companies buy gas at the hub in Baumgarten, Austria. In addition to the fall in LNG supplies, gas supplies from Norway also decreased due to technical problems at a number of fields: in June, Norwegian gas exports fell to 7.8 billion cubic meters - the minimum since September 2016.

Thanks to this, Gazprom, despite the complete shutdown of the Yamal-Europe and Nord Stream gas pipelines for two weeks in July for preventive maintenance, according to Kommersant’s calculations, was able to maintain the growth rate of exports to Europe and Turkey. According to preliminary estimates Russian newspaper, at the end of July, exports could amount to about 117 billion cubic meters, and if the current pace is maintained, by the end of the year it will grow by 5.6%, to about 205 billion cubic meters.