Using Collapsible Pipelines for Oil Transport under
Harsh Climatic Conditions
(Slide 1)
In the last few years, the problem of transportation of crude oil from remote fields of the Arctic North, Siberia
and Far East of Russia has become increasingly crucial. On the one hand, the oil production activities are moving to the
north of the regions where the infrastructure and transportation routes have long been established, on the other hand,
there is the need for substantial investments to build and support the crude transportation facilities in the areas yet to be
developed. An accurate evaluation of oil reserves in these remote discoveries and their commercial development, more
often than not, is made difficult by the lack of crude transportation infrastructure. This is an apparent explanation to the
fact that at present about 30% of the oil wells are shut-in.
The use of the tanker trucks to move the crude oil from these fields is inefficient, as it increases production
costs and in some cases makes production uneconomic. At the same time, construction of stationary pipeline systems at
the fields that have just been brought in as the “pilot” projects generally involves economic risks and significant
investments, and is not always technically and economically viable. In this environment, collapsible pipelines present
particular interest as a means for the transportation of crude oil.
Since they first were invented by the Russian Army, collapsible pipelines have been used to supply fuel to
troops and the Navy in combat. Over years, collapsible pipelines have evolved into the most advanced systems of this
kind both in Russia and abroad. These systems have embodied the novel engineering ideas and technologies. Their
performance specifications (slide #2), in particular, easy installation and high throughput, make the Russian collapsible
pipelines fitted with flare-type connections unique in the world. The pipeline’s flare connections are designed to
withstand the operating pressures of up to 6 MPa and can not be installed or rigged down without dedicated tools.
Fast deployment at relatively low cost is one of the advantages that make collapsible pipelines extremely useful
for the crude oil transportation. A work crew of 12 to 15 people can lays 3 kilometers of 150 mm pipeline in one day.
Other important advantages are that collapsible pipelines can be installed and maintained in any climatic conditions and
type of terrain with minimum engineering surveys and earth work, are highly reliable and have simple modular
configuration, require low transportation costs and have a short payback period. In addition, collapsible pipeline come in
sets, each of which is a ready-to-use engineering system, consisting of the pipes, pipeline equipment and ancillary
components, stop and control valves, installation and assembly tools, booster stations and mobile fluid transfer facilities.
Before 1926, when welded pipelines were first built, all pipelines had collapsible design. Since then, the design
of collapsible pipelines has undergone serious changes and they have come back into common use again.
The first time that a collapsible pipeline was used for the crude oil transport in modern times was in 1996 in the
Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
With a number of major oil fields and no way to move the oil from the remote areas, the republic had to buy up
to 160,000 tons of diesel fuel every year to meet its energy and heating needs. At the same time, the local reserves were
greatly underused. Just so, there was no other way to move the oil from Talakanskoye oil and gas field otherwise than
by the snow road during the season from November through March. The tanker trucks moved 9,000 tons of oil during the
season, at the most.
The Yakut government made an innovative decision: PMTP-150 collapsible fuel pipeline was to be procured
from the Ministry of Defense to move the oil from Talakanskoye field to Vitim village at the bank of the River Lena.
The harsh climatic environment dictated that the crude oil could be moved through the pipeline only in abovezero temperatures, i.e. from May through October.
During the seasonal operation period from 1996 through 2005, about 1.7 MM tons of oil (slide 3) has been put
through this 110 km long collapsible pipeline. In 2005, 254,000 tons of oil were moved.
The payback period was less than one year, and the pipeline transportation cost was within 60 RUR per ton
(vs. the trucking cost of approx. 200 RUR per ton).
Throughout its operational lifetime, the pipeline has maintained full mechanical integrity. There have been no
equipment failures or spills.
The experience gained from the long-term use of a collapsible pipeline in the extremely adverse environment of
the Siberian taiga proved very useful. The pipelines that followed were designed for year-round operation.
In year 2000 a similar pipeline was built along Musyurshor-Sandivey route in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
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This 50.5 km-long pipeline was built during June and July of 2002. Its throughput was 250 to 300 tons per day.
In the spring and summer season of 2002, a 112-km long temporary pipeline was laid between Yarakta and
Verkhnemarkovo (Irkutsk Oblast) using 150 PMTP-150 set. The pipeline cut through a remote woodland area near a dirt
road accessible only to all-terrain vehicles.
Another temporary pipeline, 78 km in length, was built between Dulisma and Yarakta (Irkutsk Oblast) in 2003.
A 571 km-long pipeline that will connect Verkhnechonskoye oil and gas condensate field is currently being
designed.
The main performance characteristics of these pipelines are summarized on slide 4.
The design of a collapsible pipeline intended for the oil transport is developed on a case-by-case basis to cater
to the specific requirements of a particular pipeline, and is based on the standard design solutions of its basic
components (slide 5).
A proper configuration of mobile liquid transfer units that comprise the pumping station can provide a wide
range of flow rates from 50 to 500 sq m per hour (slide 6).
The experience gained demonstrates high performance and reliability of the components of collapsible pipelines
in harsh natural and climatic environments.
At this time, the Federal Design Bureau of the Russian Ministry of Defense (FGUP 25 GosNII Minoborony
Rossii) and OOO NEFTEGAZENGINEERING jointly design and install collapsible pipelines for the transportation of
crude oil.
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