Trapil

A pipeline is a structure consisting of steel tubes that can withstand a pressure of around 100 bar. The standard tube diameter ranges between 6 and 42 inches (15 centimeters and 1 meter), and thickness varies from 4 to 13 millimeters. Pipelines are buried at a depth of 60 centimeters to 1 meter, depending on when they were built and where they run.

Tube properties such as diameter, thickness and type of steel are calculated to reflect such parameters as flowrate, the topography of the terrain, environments crossed and applicable legislation.

The tubes are coated on the outside with an insulating layer such as pitch, strips or polymer to protect them from damage caused by exposure to the surrounding environment. This insulation is supplemented by cathodic protection, an electrical system designed to prevent external corrosion.

Pumping stations propel the liquid or liquids through the line. They consist of electric or, more rarely, thermal motor-driven pumps rated from 200 to 1500 kW. Flowrates can vary from several hundred to 2,500 cubic meters per hour, which represents significant volumes compared to other means of transportation. The liquid stream moves slowly at between 1 to 3 meters per second (3.6 to 10 kilometers per hour).

There are two types of pumping station. Originating pumping stations ship products being handled by the carrier, while booster stations are located along the line to ensure the required pumping rate is maintained.

Entry and exit terminals at the beginning and end of the pipeline are equipped to handle the volume and physicochemical properties of the input product.