Pipeline Problem Research Articles

Analysis of corrosion behaviour of carbon steel in a Qatari GTL plant process water

Internal Corrosion in tubing, piping, and process system is a huge challenge to the oil and gas facilities. Severe corrosion problems in the carbon steel pipelines are caused by the high corrosive produced water, leading to significant threats to the humans’ safety, and operation quality, and causing economic losses. In this study, the effect of the process water from the Qatar Shell GTL plant on the corrosion of SAE-1040 carbon steel was studied by using electrochemical measurements. The electrochemical measurement was performed utilizing electrical impendence spectroscopy (EIS) and Potentiodynamic polarization techniques. The corrosion behavior of the metal was tested at a variety of temperatures between 293K and 333K and different immersed times up to 3 h. It is reported that the corrosion rate of the carbon steel metal increased as the immersed period and the temperature increased. The behavior was attributed to the presence of cracks, holes, and pitting observed on the corroded steel surface as the immersion time and temperature increased. Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) tests were employed to study the surface of the corroded metal samples. The analysis of the corrosion products confirmed the formation of iron oxide (Fe2O3) as the main corrosion product.

Decomposition of biomass gasification tar model compounds over waste tire pyrolysis char

Gasification of biomass produces a syngas containing trace amounts of viscous hydrocarbon tar, which causes serious problems in downstream pipelines, valves and processing equipment. This study focuses on the use of tire-derived pyrolysis char for tar conversion using biomass tar model compounds representative of tar. The catalytic decomposition of tar model compounds, including methylnaphthalene, furfural, phenol, and toluene, over tire char was investigated using a fixed bed reactor at a bed temperature of 700 °C and 60 min time on stream. The influence of temperature, reaction time, porous texture, and acidity of the tire char was investigated with the use of methylnaphthalene as the tar model compound. Oxygenated tar model compounds were found to have higher conversion than those containing a single or multi-aromatic ring. The reactivity of tar compounds followed the order of furfural > phenol > toluene > methylnaphthalene. The conversion of the model compounds in the presence of the tire char was much higher than tar thermal cracking. Gas production increased dramatically with the introduction of tire char. The H2 potential for the studied tar model compounds was found to be in the range of 40%–50%. The activity of tire char for naphthalene removal was compared with two commercial activated carbons possessing a very well-developed porous texture. The results suggest that the influence of Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of the carbon on tar cracking is negligible compared with the mineral content in the carbon samples.Graphical abstract

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy during the Perinatal Period: Understanding Psychological and Cultural Factors to Improve Care and Address Racial/Ethnic Health Inequities.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy during the Perinatal Period: Understanding Psychological and Cultural Factors to Improve Care and Address Racial/Ethnic Health Inequities.

Assessment of a Biocompatible Additive for Hydrate Formation Kinetics along with Morphological Observations and Model Predictions

Innovative gas hydrate-based applications and hydrate flow assurance problems of oil & gas pipelines have enabled new opportunities to develop and deploy biocompatible or green low-dosage hydrate promoters and inhibitors, respectively. In this context, we evaluate the performance of a biocompatible additive, lecithin (extracted from egg yolk), for the formation kinetics of binary cyclopentane (CP)-carbon dioxide (CO2) hydrates simulating to the structure-II hydrate of natural gas. A high-pressure visual autoclave is employed in this study to map the morphological observations with the gas hydrate kinetic data. Multiple experiments are performed to examine the inhibition or promotional effect of lecithin in saline (3.0 wt % NaCl) and non-saline water systems at low pressure of 1.0 MPa while utilizing the various CP content (1.5, 3.0, and 6.0 mol%) and 500 to 5000 ppm of lecithin. Moreover, we evaluate the effect of salinity and lecithin on the thermodynamic hydrate equilibrium conditions. The results imply that the presence of lecithin retards the hydrate formation kinetics. However, no shift in the equilibrium frontier is observed. Importantly, we propose a chemical potential based kinetic model by accounting the influence of additives, vapor-liquid interfacial area, temperature and pressure on gas hydrate formation. This model has closely interpreted the experimental data of hydrate former uptake during binary hydrate formation in the presence and absence of lecithin. Our findings highlight the potential of engaging lecithin for hydrate inhibition to mitigate the flow assurance issues and also offer comprehensive insights toward integrated hydrate-based carbon capture and seawater desalination approach.

Combining a multidimensional risk evaluation with an implicit enumeration algorithm to tackle the portfolio selection problem of a natural gas pipeline

In pipelines, dealing with the dilemma of investing in a combination of the most critical sections without exceeding resources is a relevant issue. Some studies recommend using additive models with mathematical programming to solve portfolio problems, considering interval scale transformation. However, such a joint approach is inadequate when probabilistic consequences are used for evaluating a model based on Multi-Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT). Thus, it is not possible to ensure a better solution because the axiomatic structure of Utility Theory consequently prevents scale transformation. Therefore, this paper proposes a model to overcome bias in additive models for portfolio selection when an interval scale is the only form of measurement. Thus, a multidimensional risk evaluation is conducted and an implicit enumeration algorithm is used. A numerical application is applied to validate the proposed model, and a sensitivity analysis is conducted to verify its robustness. Results show that this model ensures a combination of sections with the highest values of aggregate risk, given the restrictions. Moreover, compared to the joint approach (without scale transformation), the proposed model also finds better solutions in over 99% of simulated cases. Furthermore, it can help managers effectively to allocate complementary resources to where they are most needed.

Experimental Study on Thermal Insulation Effect of the Buried Oil-Gas Pipelines in Permafrost Regions

In permafrost regions, long distance buried pipelines are widely used to transport oil and natural gas resources. However, pipeline problems occur frequently due to the complicated surrounding environment and transportation requirement of positive temperature. In this study, a thermal insulation layer was applied to mitigate permafrost degeneration around the buried oil-gas pipelines. Based on engineering background of the Sebei-Xining-Lanzhou natural gas pipeline in China, an indoor model test was designed and carried out in which many key indices, such as the temperature regime, vertical displacement, pipeline wall stress, and water content, were closely monitored. The test results indicate that the large heat loss of the buried pipeline produces a rapid increase in ground temperatures which seriously reduces the bearing capacity of the permafrost foundation. The buried oil-gas pipelines with a thermal insulation layer can effectively reduce the thawing range and vertical displacement of the permafrost foundation around the buried pipelines, so as to control the stress of the pipeline wall in the normal range and protect the safe and stable operation of the buried oil-gas pipelines. The experimental results can serve as a reference for the construction, operation, and maintenance of buried oil-gas pipelines in permafrost regions.

Failure Mode and the Prevention and Control Technology of Buried PE Pipeline in Service: State of the Art and Perspectives

Material defects and external environmental factors increase the engineering safety risks of buried PE pipelines in service. This paper mainly reviews the failure mode and the prevention and control technology of buried PE pipelines in service, as well as comparative failure characteristics between the buried PE and steel pipelines. The main failure factors of buried PE pipelines can be divided into four levels: the first level is third‐party damage; the second level includes three failure factors, i.e., surface subsidence, joint failure, and aging failure; the third level consists of pipe piercing, crack development, and pipeline defect; the fourth level is a corrosion failure. Besides, steel and PE pipelines have various physical and mechanical properties, which lead to a significant difference in the service performance and degradation mechanism in practice. For instance, corrosion and welded joint leakage are the two common problems in steel pipelines during the service period, while PE pipelines have excellent corrosion resistance. Additionally, in order to ensure and maintain the long‐term operations of PE pipelines, it is of great significance to develop and promote nonexcavation technologies of construction, renewal, and repair for natural gas‐buried PE pipelines. Furthermore, based on the above studies, some further research studies on buried PE pipelines in service are suggested and discussed, e.g., (a) the service performance and degradation mechanism of buried PE pipelines in complicated environmental conditions, (b) the interaction mechanism among the engineering structure, PE pipelines, and geological environment, as well as PE pipeline geological soils coupled in multiple physical fields, and (c) the combinations of the traditional engineering risk assessment method and the numerical analysis method considering the interaction between the PE pipeline and geological environment. The results could be helpful for a better understanding of the operation conditions of buried PE pipelines, and it is also hoped that this study could provide guidance for the safe operation, maintenance, and integrity management of buried PE pipelines.

A MILP approach for detailed pipeline scheduling and storage management problem in the phosphate industry

Short-term detailed multiproduct pipeline scheduling is a complex problem with many industry-specific constraints. We are interested in solving an operational scheduling problem of a straight pipeline in the phosphate industry. In this article, we propose a mixed-integer linear programming model (MILP) with a discrete-time formulation to provide a detailed scheduling solution for a storage-sensitive problem. The objective is to determine the charging and discharging schedule of the slurry pipeline, to satisfy products demand while respecting all pipeline and storage constraints. The model was tested on different instances, proving to be able to minimize products sold-outs and the total water quantity scheduled.

Adsorption Behaviour and Thermodynamic Study of Triazine as A Corrosion Inhibitor for Mild Steel in Oilfield Produced Water

In recent years, the corrosion problem of equipment and pipeline caused by oilfield produced water is becoming increasingly serious. In this work, corrosion inhibitor of triazine, synthesized from formaldehyde and ethanolamine, was evaluated using weight-loss techniques. The triazine was found to inhibit the corrosion of mild steel in simulated oilfield produced water. The adsorption of inhibitor was studied, which was consistent with the assumption of Langmuir adsorption model. Thermodynamic parameters of corrosion inhibition process were further calculated and analyzed, which indicated that adsorption of triazine inhibitor was exothermic, spontaneous and physical process.

Optimized Sequence Dataset Generation for a Two-Stage Pipelined Microcontroller Instruction-Level Electromagnetic Information Leakage Analysis

With the prevalence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and microcontrollers (MCUs), the security issues of IoT and MCUs have become increasingly important. Side-channel analysis (SCA) is a major threat to such problems. One of the non-invasive SCAs is through electromagnetic information leakage (EM-leak) analysis. The author has developed a machine-instruction-level EM-leak analysis by neural network (NN) model. The NN model analysis need a large dataset for training and validation. And the dataset should be complete and sufficient. The dataset sufficiency can be achieved by acquiring more data from the already proposed EM-leak measurement platform. However, the completeness issue becomes a challenge due to the pipelined architecture in the target MCU. In this paper, the completeness issue of a NN model dataset for the EM-leak analysis is addressed. The issue is to be solved in several steps. First, it is simplified to a two-stage pipelined MCU individual EM-leak analysis sequence problem (2-EMAseq). The problem is then proved that at least one optimal solution exists. And an algorithm is proposed based on the proof to find an optimal solution (a complete EM-leak NN dataset). Experiments show that the proposed algorithm can find an optimal solution. The contributions of this paper include: it successfully reduces a real problem to a 2-EMAseq description, proves that the 2-EMAseq problem has at least one optimal solution, uses this proof to develop an algorithm, and uses this algorithm to find a complete dataset is the target two-stage pipelined MCU dataset for NN model training/validation. Currently, the algorithm can only generate the optimal EM-dataset for two-stage pipelined MCUs. However, there are many MCUs with 4~8 pipeline stages. Whether there is an optimal solution when the stages are more than two is still an open question. And it needs to find proofs or derive heuristics in the future for such MCUs.

A Mathematical Model of Heat Transfer in Problems of Pipeline Plugging Agent Freezing Induced by Liquid Nitrogen

A mathematical model for one-dimensional heat transfer in pipelines undergoing freezing induced by liquid nitrogen is elaborated. The basic premise of this technology is that the content within a pipeline is frozen to form a plug or two plugs at a position upstream and downstream from a location where work a modification or a repair must be executed. Based on the variable separation method, the present model aims to solve the related coupled heat conduction and moving-boundary phase change problem. An experiment with a 219 mm long pipe, where water was taken as the plugging agent, is presented to demonstrate the relevance and reliability of the proposed model (results show that the error is within 18%). Thereafter, the model is applied to predict the cooling and freezing process of pipelines with different inner diameters at different liquid nitrogen refrigeration temperatures when water is used as the plugging agent.

Synthesis and application of magnetically recyclable nanoparticles as hydrate inhibitors

Current schemes dealing with hydrate blockage problems in gas pipelines suffer a high dosage of inhibitors and thus are associated with a significant risk of environmental damage. Overcoming these issues requires the development of novel recoverable inhibitors with persistent cycle performance. In this work, a new approach involving coating poly(vinylcaprolactam) (PVCap) and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) onto the surface of γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane (MPS)-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles was proposed; this procedure enables the magnetic recovery of the inhibitory particles. It was found that the onset time of hydrate formation was extended 3 times compared to pure water with the help of the synthesized inhibitors showing better performance than commercial inhibitors. Excellent magnetic separation from sandy matrices in solution was achieved with a recovery efficiency of 86%. This was followed by a good cycle performance: the induction time remained still over 2 times longer than the pure water case after 5 cycles of recovery. The in-situ Raman spectra revealed that the recyclable inhibitors functioned through disturbing the construction of the large cages; a resulting mechanism was proposed with nanoparticles isolating the early hydrate patches preventing their further explosive bulk growth. In addition, the simple synthesis method makes it possible to coat various polymer inhibitors onto recovery particles. The results indicate that magnetically recovering the inhibitory particles and reusing them to hinder hydrate generation could be an alternative method to tackle the environmental and economic problems associated with current flow assurance procedures.

A Fourier-based elastic continuum solution for jointed pipeline response to tunneling

This paper deals with the problem of tunneling effects on existing jointed pipelines. It extends a recently developed Fourier-based elastic continuum approach which has been applied to continuous pipelines. Unlike the continuous pipeline solution, in which the response in the spatial frequency domain is orthogonal (that is, each frequency response is independent of other frequencies), the joints lead to coupling between the spatial frequencies. Within the paper, closed form expressions are provided for the set of equations describing the coupling and interaction between the spatial frequencies. These expressions can directly be used to solve the global response of the jointed pipeline. The development is based on energy principles, and involves full cross-sectional as well as longitudinal compatibility, and hence may be regarded as more rigorous than previously published elastic continuum solutions which involve various assumptions regarding the distribution of interaction forces and discretization. The results of the suggested solution are compared against previous published, matrix based, solutions, where it is shown that the current method is well suited for the jointed pipeline problem. Finally, the condition of the more simplified Winkler system is addressed and various subgrade reaction models are discussed and compared with the more rigorous elastic continuum solution.

Picking Arbitrators, and the ‘Pipeline Problem’ in Achieving Conflict Resolution Diversity

Arbitration literature emphasizes that one of the primary benefits of choosing arbitration is the parties' ability to select the decision maker to adjudicate the dispute.

Etiology of Black Exclusion in Radiation Oncology and Beyond: A Systematic Analysis of Early-Stage Career Barriers

Recent studies and commentaries have highlighted the systemic and sustained exclusion of black physicians from the radiation oncology workforce and beyond. Moreover, the importance of black physicians in yielding better clinical and oncological outcomes for patients of color is well documented. Unfortunately, the disproportionate exclusion of black providers is also apparent among trainees and medical students, which would suggest barriers to entry at earlier stages in the workforce pipeline. Thus, a better understanding of the etiology of the systemic exclusion of black physicians and workforce pipeline problem is warranted to identify adequate solutions and interventions. To this end, we conducted a review of the literature and content analysis to describe and highlight barriers of entry into medicine, and describe a way forward to improving early exposure of radiation oncology as a field to black premedical students.In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, we conducted a review of studies and commentaries in the indexable literature of barriers experienced by black, American undergraduate/college students interested in medicine. These studies were further analyzed and grouped by frequency of barrier reporting. Grounded theory-based content-analysis was performed on commentaries/perspective articles.Our initial query generated 3924 results. Following title, abstract, then full-text review, 88 papers were selected for inclusion. While the majority of included papers discussed multiple barriers to entry (33%), the single most discussed topic was educational (18%). Educational barriers included lower grade-point averages, access to science courses, as well as the impact of individual courses on motivation. Other barriers included socioeconomic (15%), standardized testing (10%), interview preparation (7%), lack of mentorship/exposure (7%), discrimination (3%), lack of research experience (3%) 6burnout (2%), financial (2%).In addition to technical barriers to entry (e.g., admissions test scores, grade point averages), black premedical students face social barriers and racial abuse during their premedical journey that impact confidence, self-esteem, and motivation. With the recent prioritization of racial justice in radiation oncology, addressing systemic barriers that limit black inclusion in medicine should serve as an early starting place and a mentoring opportunity for earlier exposure to oncology as a profession.

A comparative study of mathematical and ANFIS models to determine the effect of ultrasonic waves on the viscosity of crude oil

Increasing fuel consumption, industrial development, and population have led to energy supply problems. Hence, the recovery of oil reservoirs has been considered in recent years. One of the most effective methods in crude oil recovery is the use of ultrasonic waves. Viscosity is a significant physical property of crude oil because the crude oil with high viscosity can make serious problems in transportation pipelines. In addition to the effect of ultrasonic waves on viscosity, ultrasonic radiation leads to molecular bond vibrations in the oil and reduces paraffin deposition and clogged pores. In this study, the effect of ultrasonic waves on the viscosity of crude oil was investigated. Three transmission functions such as Inverse Square Root, Natural Log and Square Root, and ANFIS model were used to predict the viscosity of crude oil. The adequacy of the three mathematical models and the ANFIS model were proved by statistical analysis including low P-values (<0.05), high F-values and R 2 values. According to the results, the ANFIS model and Inverse Square Root transmission function showed better agreement with experimental data compared to the other two models.

SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS OF SUSTAINABLE DRINKING WATER MANAGEMENT IN RURAL PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

The water supply and sanitation sector has always been overlooked in the comparison to the other sectors both in the sense of budgetary allocation, in sustainability of development projects as well as execution of drinking water supply, sanitation schemes and provision of potable water strategies. The drinking water and sanitation system are closely linked with each other. The Government of Pakistan established the National Drinking Water Policy in September 2009, with the goal of providing clean and safe drinking water to the entire Pakistani population by 2025, including the poor and vulnerable, at a reasonable rate. The National Sanitation Policy of Pakistan was prepared in 2016, but recently conditions are adverse. In the Pakistan the sewerage systems are not only properly managed, out lived, inappropriate and leakages problems of sewer pipelines with major part of un-served population but also contribute towards water systems contamination and ground water as well as surface water contamination. The water for domestic utilization and wastewater of factories are mostly disposed of into rivers, streams and sometimes into water canals without any treatment of water in most of the conditions. There is also a conceptual issue with the traditional sewer systems due to leakages and seepage of sewage water is mixing in underground water as well as in food stuff. Some organic, inorganic elements and micronutrients are mixed up in the freshwater reservoir to a great extent that separation of the contaminant’s elements and treatment of water for reusing purpose becomes complicated not only in the sense of technically but also economically unfeasible. Secondly, the micro-nutrients are mostly washed away with domestic and factories wastewater as well as from storm water, mixed into freshwater channels. Keywords: Water Supply, Sustainable, contamination, ground water, Water Pollution, wastewater, Fresh Water. Safe Water

Submarine pipeline stability under currents and waves action

Pipelines are widely used in recent decades because their eco-friendliness, safety and profitability of transportation. Their length can be more than hundreds and thousands of kilometers. Submarine pipelines got wide distribution. Their constructing must comply with regulatory documents. But even it cant guarantee no problems during operation. This study contains review of the different research, connected with floating of a submarine pipeline problem. Information about conducted research and their conclusions is summarized in this paper. Direction for the future investigations is shown. Submarine pipelines are subjected to vertical movement (floating). Pipeline ballasting method is used to avoid this situation. Ballasting by loading bags is considered in this article. This study contains review of the different research, connected with floating of a submarine pipeline problem. Calculations required for the correct selection of the loading bags weight are performed, possible reasons for floating are described. This article will be useful for submarine pipeline designers.

Investigation of Soil Physicochemical Effects on the Corrosion of Buried Iron Pipes

Soil corrosivity was an active problem of water pipeline damaged by corrosion that affects the performance of pipe manufacturers. In Addis ababa, groundwater pipelines were facing breakage and like due to corrosion damage of the pipes. The population of nearly four million were facing a shortage of clean and continuous water supply. Maintenace and replacing old pipes with new ones increased additional cost and delay of water supply for the city. For this investigation of corrosion, causes were conducted which soil property is the one factor. Investigation of soil corrosivity for a given specific location before installation is important to design robust pipes that can serve for long life. Soil physicochemical behaviors of the soil parameters were pH, moisture content, and electrical resistivity for any type of soil. In addition, soil bulk density, total nitrogen, soil texture, and electrical conductivity were also the main factors to be studied. The laboratory result indicated that pH of 6.98-7.04, moisture content of 23.7-37.5%, and electrical conductivity of 0.105-313 ds/m were observed. Total nitrogen was small as 0.06-0.10 for a type of soil were class and loam soils. From the analysis of eight soil samples taken from different cities. The results show that the corrosivity behavior of buried iron pipes in the capital city of Ethiopia was moderately corrosive. As confirmed from various soil samples tested from corroded pipes at different depths of 40, 80, and 120 cm. The influence of soil corrosiveness factors initiates pits formation and propagates its width and depth on the surface of pipes.

Programming girlhood: digital labor and the twenty-first century girl coder in the United States

ABSTRACT There has been a marked rise in U.S. clubs and television programs promoting coding for young girls. These clubs and television shows position girls as either benefiting economically through the figure of the “can-do girl” or potentially failing as an “at-risk girl.” This article looks at two iterations of the girl coder – in Nickelodeon’s 2015 sitcom Game Shakers and in the rhetoric of Black Girl CODE and Girls Who Code – placing them within broader understandings of girlhood, economics, race, and labor. This analysis reveals the ways in which girl programmers become attached to racialized economic imaginings in these two instances either as idealized white child workers in the case of Game Shakers or future Black computer scientists within coding clubs. This positioning intimately ties girl programmers to economics, labor, and neoliberal ideals; however, this paper proposes that we need to imagine other possible goals for the girl programmer, particularly for Black and Brown girls. IMPACT SUMMARY a. Prior State of Knowledge: Since 2010 there has been a push to get girls into computer coding with particular attention paid to the pipeline problem. This rhetoric has been both touted and questioned. b. Novel Contributions: This article adds a critical look at how Black and Brown girls are positioned within computer programming initiatives and discourses using two primary case studies. It then offers a non-future oriented way of considering computer coding for girls. c. Practical Implications: This project suggests that researchers must continue to pay attention to the nuances of raced neoliberal capitalism in studies on girl’s media even as initiatives are widely considered positive.