Cost analysis and design optimization of natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines

Abstract

The energy consumption, investment cost and operation cost of natural gas transmission pipelines can be optimized using the novel fabrication methods of producing higher strength and lower weight raw materials. Utilization of methods for producing steel with fine-grained structure to improve the weldability and formability characteristics of pipe material and to decrease the pipe thickness can lead to considerable saving in pipeline capital investment. An optimum design of transmission and distribution pipelines is investigated from the technical and economic aspects. The optimization method is presented to minimize the lifetime cost of natural gas transmission pipelines. All design parameters including thickness, grade, flow rate and working pressure are considered. The objective function is the total lifetime cost of a gas transmission system that includes investment and operation costs. All the technical and economic constraints are modeled as a mathematical function using a programming language. Optimization results is highly sensitive to pipeline class location and construction standards.