To be ready

Deputy chairman of the board of PbJSC Ukrgazproekt Miroslav Yakimiv: Already today all Ukrainian tube manufacturing works must be ready for supplying tubes of required range and size for reconstruction of Ukrainian pipelines.


To be ready

Deputy chairman of the board of PbJSC Ukrgazproekt Miroslav Yakimiv: Already today all Ukrainian tube manufacturing works must be ready for supplying tubes of required range and size for reconstruction of Ukrainian pipelines.

 

Entry capacity of Ukrainian pipelines amounts to 100 million tons of oil per year, and outlet capacity – to 70 million tons of oil per year. The respective figures for gas transportation pipelines total 290 and 170 billion of cub m of gas.

According to the data with the State Statistics Committee, export of services in 2001 totaled US$ 3,544.7 million, which is 1.7% up from the respective 2000′ figure. Out of the total amount of transport services rendered, tube transportation accounts for about 50%, which is worth US$ 1,702.4 million and is 2.7% down as compared to the year 2000.

Miroslav Yakimiv, deputy chairman of the board of Ukrgazproekt tells about the present state of Ukrainian pipeline network and about the perspectives of participation of Ukrainian tube manufactures in its reconstruction.

– Would you please tell about what the system of pipelines for oil and gas transportation on the territory of Ukraine looks like at present?

– On the territory of Ukraine, in a historically short period of time, there was created a unique, in terms of extent and productive capacity, network of pipelines for oil and gas transportation. It is not an exaggeration to say that this system is one of the biggest engineering achievements of the 20th century. Today gas transportation system of Ukraine is one of the most branched in the world and includes 35.6 thousand km. Oil transportation network of Ukraine comprises 15 pipelines, including 4 two-flow pipelines with total length in terms of one flow totaling 3,894 km (2,654 km along the route). Mainly pipelines of these systems were built during the period of "great pipeline boom" in the 70s-90s. During the period of their operation, considerable part of pipeline capacities was worn out and became obsolete. Some pipelines have already worked through their design resource (33 years). However, in spite of all the aforementioned, on the whole the system of oil and gas pipelines in Ukraine works steadily, and there are no serious shortfalls of supplies to domestic and international consumers. Pipeline system of the country plays a pivotal role in development of the state economy, and also essentially influences economies of the neighbouring countries. Entry capacity of pipelines in Ukraine amounts to 100 million tons of oil per year, outlet capacity – 70 million tons of oil per year, and the respective figures for gas transportation system – 290 and 170 billion cub m respectively.

– What is the present condition of transportation pipelines?

– Technical re-equipment of existing pipeline system becomes a topical issue for Ukraine.

There are three ways for raising efficiency and reliability of operation of the aforementioned system: capital repairs, renewal of equipment and reconstruction of the system in general. Capital repairs and renewal of equipment only supports the design technical condition and technical and economic performance of pipelines. Reconstruction performed on the basis of more modern technologies allows improving technical and economic, as well as ecological performance and reliability as compared to the respective design figures. Besides to that, as a rule, reconstruction of pipelines requires less time than its capital repairs, and transportation of the products continues during reconstruction. Reconstruction of oil and gas pipelines requires manufacturing a lot of tubes, which are the main material resource for oil and natural gas transportation.

According to diagnostic tests of pipelines, which are held constantly by organizations operating the system despite the lack of funds, namely Ukrtransgas and Ukrtransneft, a number of defects on the line sector of pipelines has been discovered, and it is necessary to urgently remove them. Conclusions and reconstructions made by the testing organizations show that it is necessary to reconstruct 500 km of line pipelines per annum. Reconstruction will allow bringing oil and gas transportation pipelines in compliance with perspective requirements in terms of design flows, technical and ecological safety, as well as in terms of energy capacity of transport. It is worth mentioning that the rates of diagnostic tests of units in operation are quite slow. The situation with reconstruction is even worse due to insufficient financing.

In order to resolve this problem, besides to enterprises’ own assets, it is necessary to attract investors and resources of international technical aid, as well as Russian companies, which are interested in successful operation of Ukrainian oil and gas transportation system (such as JSC Gazprom, Lukoil, Tatneft, TNK and other). If there is no enough attention paid to the questions of reconstruction from the side of the state, in the near future there may take place significant shortfalls in supplies of gas to domestic consumers and on export. This, in turn, would lead to considerable decrease in incomes to the country’s budget and affect Ukraine’s image of a reliable transit supplier of oil and gas to Europe. Taking into account positive trends, structural and personnel changes in oil & gas industry, there is hope that the cheerless forecast described above will not prove true, and fuel and power complex of Ukraine will continue to further consume tube produce by domestic manufacturers in considerable volumes.

– Can our tube works take part in reconstruction of the pipelines?

– Yes, absolutely. All tube manufacturing works must be ready for supplies of the necessary range of tubes within the required period of time, and these tubes must be high-quality and competitive on the world market.

– Are our Ukrainian enterprises able to manufacture all the necessary range of tubes for re-equipment of transport pipelines?

– At present, Ukrainian tube manufacturers produce almost all types of tubes that are necessary for reconstruction of existing systems of oil and gas pipelines and building of the new ones, except thick-walled large-diameter tubes used for building of gas pipeline sectors of category B in compliance with the standards. These tubes were not manufactured in the CIS, and were bought on the West and in Japan.

– Which tubes are required for reconstruction of Ukrainian gas transportation system?

– There will be also required tubes with diameter 530-1,420 according to standard TU 75-98 of PbJSC Gazprom for reconstruction of the system of gas pipelines. Out of small-diameter high pressure tubes, tubes Du 325 mm with different thickness of walls and classes of strength K 38 and K 42 in compliance with standards TU 14-3-377-99 and TU 14-3-1128-82. For supplying gas to inhabited localities, there are also necessary tubes with various diameters in compliance with the state standard GOST 10704-91.

– How do you think, what should be the output of Ukrainian tube industry, so that it could satisfy such a client?

– The necessary volumes of tubes mainly depend on financial opportunities of operators of pipeline systems. From year to year, more and more funds for reconstruction of the systems are required. In order to maintain pipelines in working condition and to ensure reliable supplies of oil and gas, approximately 0.5 million tons of tubes will be needed.

– Reconstruction of pipelines belongs to the future, but what tubes will be in demand in the nearest future?

– The highest demand will be registered in regard to tubes with diameters Du 700 and Du 500, which comply with requirements TU 322.8-10-95 for reconstruction, Du 1,200 with various thickness of walls made of steel 09 G2 FB according to TU-14-3-1837-92, and also tubes 1.020 made of steel 10 G2 BTYu according to TU-14-3-1424-94 for building of gas pipeline Ananyev-Izmail.

Discussion held by Lyubov Shingur

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