Risk Assessment of Petroleum Transporation Pipeline In Some Turkish Oil Fields

 

In this thesis, quantitative risk assessment study of several oil field transportation lines that belong to a private oil production company located in S. East Turkey has been conducted.  In order to achieve this goal, first primary risk drivers were identified.  Then relative ranking of all pipeline segments were conducted.  Quantitative risk assessment was based on Monte Carlo simulations and a relative scoring index approach.  In these simulations frequency of occurrence of pipeline failures for different oil field pipeline systems was used.  Consequences of failures were also based on historical data gathered from the same oil fields.  Results of corrosion rate calculations in oil and water pipeline systems were also reported. 

 

Most significant failures are identified as corrosion, third party damage, mechanical failure, operational failure, weather effect and sabotage.  It was suggested that in order to reduce corrosion rate, thin metal sheets must be inserted in pipelines. Aluminum sheets (anodes) must be used to reduce corrosion rate in water pipeline system. The required number of anodes was calculated as 266 for BE field water pipeline (the life of anode is 1.28 years), 959 for KA water pipelines system (the life of anode is 3.2 years.) and 992 for KW water pipelines (the life of anode is approximately 2 years).  Furthermore high risk pipeline segments for further assessment were identified.  As a result of Monte Carlo simulations, the highest risk was observed in return lines followed by flow lines, water lines and trunk lines.  The most risky field was field BE for which the risk value in trunk lines were the highest followed by flow lines.  Field SA was the second risky region for flow lines and it was followed by KU region. Field KA was forth-risky.  Prioritization of maintenance activities was suggested and areas of missing or incomplete data were identified. 

Related Publications

    • 1.      Ogutcu G. and Akżn, S. “Risk Assessment of Petroleum Transportation Pipeline in Some Turkish Oil Fields”, Proceedings of IPC 2004 International Pipeline Conference, October 4 - 8, 2004, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.