Geohazards and thermal regime analysis of oil pipeline along the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Engineering Corridor

Abstract

This paper investigates the influence of geohazards on the existing oil pipeline and the potential interaction between the proposed new oil pipeline and preexisting transportation structures along the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Engineering Corridor. The current Golmud–Lhasa oil pipeline has been seriously affected by retrogressive thaw slumps caused by surface water being channeled through culverts causing serious erosion problems. Climate data show that the air temperature increased at a rate of 0.0281 °C/a for the past 60 years along the corridor. To design the new pipeline, the effects of revegetation, climate warming and pipe insulation on permafrost have been simulated using numerical modeling. A warm oil pipeline would potentially lead to significant thawing of the permafrost foundation. When climate warming is not considered, insulation of the buried pipe could keep the permafrost stable. Revegetation and the use of utilidors could counteract the influence of heat input from the oil pipe, and even a 1.1 °C/50a climate-warming rate. However, for the 2.6 °C/50a climate-warming-rate scenario, they are inadequate to keep the permafrost stable. Vegetation cover is important to reduce the effect of climate warming on both the natural and the human-impacted permafrost. Revegetation after construction is important to protect the permafrost environment as well as the oil pipeline itself.