IV International Conference
Gas Transportation Systems: the Present and Future

RESOLUTION

IV International Conference “Gas Transmission Systems: Present and Future” (GTS-2011)

26-27 October 2011

Gazprom’s Conference “Gas Transmission Systems:  Present and Future” (GTS-2011) hosted by Gazprom VNIIGAZ on 26-27 October 2011 brought together 387 leading specialists from 143 companies and 17 countries: Belgium, Belorussia,  Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania,  Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, the UK,  the Ukraine and the USA. The total of 149 presentations were made on the following topics:

• GTS designing, construction, development and reconstruction;
• Development of line pipe production and welding technology;
• Managing GTS technical condition, GTS reliability and safety, information systems for management (PMIS, MMIS);
• Operation, technical maintenance, diagnostics and repair of GTS facilities;
• Design, construction and operation of compressor stations.

The conclusions of the Conference:

Energy safety of the modern global economy, European, Asian and American states is directly related to the development and stable operation of oil and gas transmission systems ensuring hydrocarbon feedstock supplies to consumers.

Current pipeline systems and facilities are operated under complex environmental conditions. They pose risks for personnel, population and biological surrounding and are at the same time vulnerable and in case of long-term operation subject to ageing and become even more vulnerable to man-caused and natural impacts. The basic target for GTS technical condition and integrity management systems is economically efficient maintenance of required reliability. These systems are based on interrelated set of organizational, R&D, technological, operational (in terms of diagnostics and repair of GTS facilities) and regulatory processes united and supported by a single information environment.

The research-based policy of implementation of innovative technical solutions, materials, equipment and technologies at construction, reconstruction and operation of trunk gas pipelines is the most important for efficient development of pipeline transmission. The state-of-the-art science-intensive technologies ensure long-term highly reliable and safe operation of GTS at all stages of gas pipeline life cycle. The efficiency of using innovative solutions of pipe manufacturers, gas pumping equipment, compressor station systems is determined by the successful implementation of an integrated approach to interaction between consumers, equipment and services providers and research centres united in a single production development, testing and certification system within the framework of international and national technical regulation.

Reconstruction, technical re-equipment, diagnostics and repair of gas transmission facilities play a significant role in providing the required technical condition of GTS and ensuring reliable gas supplies to both domestic and foreign consumers. Reconstruction, a strategically important area of the Company’s activity, ensures stable reliable operation and best development of GTS with account of objective external and internal conditions along with new construction and workover.

The development of mechanical engineering capacities allows to supply modern gas pumping equipment with gas turbine drives of 34-38% efficiency (compared to current level of 30%) to new GTS projects. However, the issue of acceptable discharges of GTU combustion products remains relevant. A wide range of compressor equipment of required dimensions designed for pressure up to 12 MPa has been worked out and is supplied to Gazprom’s facilities – GTS, BCS and UGS CS. Replaceable wheel spaces are widely used for improving technical and economic parameters of linear CS and increasing the compression degree of BCS. Studies and developments aimed at ensuring efficiency and safety of compressor station operation (control and forecast of the technical condition of equipment, ensuring the quality of working environment) are in progress.

Long-term partner relations of gas transmission companies, national supervisory and certification bodies, research centres, manufacturers-suppliers of equipment and services for construction and repair of GTS facilities established within the frames of joint projects (Nord stream, South stream, Yamal, Sakhalin, etc.) apart from direct mutual profits for the companies allow to increase reliability, efficiency and environmental safety of hydrocarbon supplies in shorter term and with less expenses.

Based on discussions the participants of the Conference have decided:

1. To approve the work of GTS-2011 and underline the high level of delivered presentations.
2. To acknowledge the decisive role of Gazprom’s gas transmission system in ensuring reliable natural gas supplies to both domestic and foreign consumers from CIS countries and Europe.
3. To continue and intensify scientific studies and promising joint methodical, regulatory and information developments in Gazprom’s strategic area aimed at development of the GTS technical condition and integrity management system.
4. To expand the cooperation of Gazprom’s research subsidiaries, and primarily research centres of Gazprom VNIIGAZ with engineering and technical centres of Gazprom’s gas transmission companies, scientific, technical and engineering organizations of other companies in priority innovative areas related to ensuring reliable hydrocarbon supplies, construction of advanced pipeline systems and GTS technical condition and integrity management.
5. To acknowledge the advantages of cooperation in development and application of:
   • highly reliable, efficient and environmentally safe state-of-the-art gas transmission equipment;
   • advanced pipe products for pipeline construction under extreme natural operation conditions (polar, seismically active and offshore regions) as well as pipeline repair in regions subject to SCC;
   • new welding technologies and non-destructive testing of welded joints, wide application of engineering assessment of defects at gas pipeline construction;
   • efficient construction and repair methods and technologies, including for special conditions of the High North, polar and deep-water seas.
6. To acknowledge the relevance of scientific studies and technological development of high-precision diagnostic units for: 
• detection, identification and forecast of SCC defects generation at trunk gas pipelines and CS process pipelines;
• diagnostic maintenance of offshore gas pipelines;
• monitoring of the technical condition of new generation gas pipelines built in the permafrost zone of  Yamal and active tectonic regions of  Eastern Siberia, the Far East and Altai;
• new methods for expert examination of industrial safety of GTS facilities.
7. To acknowledge the need for faster implementation of projects on construction and equipment of Gazprom’s testing centres (Pilot testing facility of Gazprom VNIIGAZ and Gazprom’s Centre for testing pipeline equipment, materials and technologies in Kopeysk).
8. To continue works on harmonization of regulatory documentation on design, construction and operation of trunk gas pipelines with maximum use of Gazprom’s experience in standardization and regulatory documents.
9. To include in technical design assignments for general design organizations the scientific supervision of major projects by leading R&D institutes from the stage of “pre-investment studies” .
10. To recommend to the Organizing Committee of the Conference to prepare and send discs with the Conference’s proceedings and participants.
11. To issue a collection of presentation delivered at the Conference.
12. Taking into account the significant scientific and practical value of the Conference to confirm its status as permanent and hold V International Conference “Gas Transmission Systems: Present and Future” in October 2013.
13. To recommend the future Program and Organizing Committees of the next conference to attract specialists of Gazprom’s gas transmission companies and encourage presentations illustrating results of the practical application of scientific and technical development.

Member of Gazprom`s Management Committee, Head of Department for Transportation and UGS

O.E. Aksyutin