We are not rich enough to buy cheap pipes
In accordance with the expert’s estimates Russian output of oil in the next decade will kite. Well stock permanent extension indicates in turn at least dozens of thousands miles pipe line extension. Even today oil industry demand for pipes is equal to 49,709.695 – 62,137.119 miles per year. Determinative factor for sector restraining development is 50 % pipeline service worn-out state.
The problem could be solved by means of fiberglass pipe large-scale implementation, characterized by their high corrosion and paraffin resistance, strength and longevity. Fiberglass replaces metal in different industrial sectors such as building, housing and communal sector, food industry and agriculture.
There is also fiberglass pipes demand abroad as require no external insulation and special protection. Glossy interior surfaces considerably reduce wall friction and provide energy conservation when pumping. Due to high chemical and biological strength there is a possibility to use these pipes for aggressive sewage and sea water transportation and their longevity exceeds metal pipes lifetime by 25 years. Moreover fiberglass pipe mechanical strength surpasses many brands of specials.
For instance Shell has been adapting fiberglass pipes for more than 40 years and still continues to line for about 62.137 miles of this material per year. Over 2,174.799 miles of fiberglass pipes are in service on more than 800 facilities.
Russian companies also use fiberglass pipes, for example, over the past 5 years a score of fiberglass pipe miles were laid on Open Joint-Stock Oil and Gas Company Slavneft, Rosneft facilities.
First fiberglass pipes experimental adaptation in “Tatneft” was conducted in late 1980s. Fiberglass tubing string was feed in the hole of “Leninogorskneft” oil-and-gas production department and it has been working for15 years without seal failure in reservoir pressure maintenance system. In those same years fiberglass pipeline on special pier for accessibility was also erected. Up today it works without operating irregularities. During the period of 1989-1993 years 223 well sites piped in producting layer zone were erected. During the running and cement injection works as well as operation process there wasn’t any seal failure.
Today Scientific Industrial Enterprise “Fiberglass PipePlant” is the only enterprise in Russia specializing on fiberglass tubing productions, which are used at a depth of 4000 metres. Fiberglass Pipe Plant specializing on pipes and fittings production for oil industry approved to API standards is located in Kazan. Operating equipment is delivered by MG International Inc. which is the exclusive distributer of the world’s anticorrosion technologies leader «EnTec Composite Machines, Inc» and adapted to Russian conditions.
As for economical point of view of fiberglass pipe implementation fiberglass pipe value is by factor of 4 higher than metal one if regarding in tonnage-wise, while materials are by the factor of 4 lighter than steel. So a 0.621 mile fiberglass pipe costs as much as a 0.621 mile metal pipe laying including construction-and-installation works.
The profit is evident also during pipe lining as there is no need in pipe layers and welders. Pipe assembly up to 8 inches consists of only one operation – make-up, which having the essential tool takes up several minutes. Two workers are able to assemble 800 metres of trace per shift from this set.
These advantages are of prime importance in high north regions where heavy equipment essential for metal pipe laying can get only in winter over ice. Innovations make possible to work in marsh areas throughout the year. There is also another advantage of new technology: repairing and replacement of these pipes is quite rare vs. usual. Consequently the excavation operation expenses are also grow down while it forms up to 75 % from all expenses when routing.
Calculating the economical effectiveness of fiberglass pipe introduction for "Sunaevskoye" accumulation following data was received: during the fiberglass pipeline laying 7.115 miles the economical effect was 21.5 mln. rubles vs. metal pipe laying of the same length. However taking in account fiberglass technical advantage economical effect grows by the factor of 6 or 7.
Source: www.vtatarstane.ru