OREANDA-NEWS. April 04, 2011. The Gazprom Management Committee addressed the issues relevant to enhancing the reliability of the Company's gas transmission system (GTS).

The Management Committee endorsed the 2011–2015 Comprehensive Program for Reconstruction and Re-equipment of Gas Transmission and Underground Storage Facilities. Specialized structural units were tasked to compile Gazprom's annual and mid-term investment programs applicable to the gas transmission and underground storage facilities reconstruction on the basis of the Comprehensive Program.

The Management Committee approved the 2011–2015 Comprehensive Overhaul Program for Linear Parts of Gazprom's Gas Trunklines. Specialized structural units were ordered to use the Program as the basis for compilation of annual overhaul programs for gas trunkline linear parts.
Background

Reliable gas supply to consumers in Russia and abroad as well as failsafe operation of the gas transmission system is among Gazprom's top priorities.

Gazprom's GTS is comprised of more than 160 thousand kilometers of gas trunklines and laterals, 215 line compressor stations, over 3.6 thousand gas compressor units and 25 underground gas storage facilities.

Owing to the centralized management, branched structure and parallel transportation routes, the gas transmission system has a significant margin of safety and it is capable to assure reliable gas supplies even during the peak consumption periods. As a considerable number of gas transmission facilities were constructed in the 1970s and 1980s, Gazprom takes efforts to increase the GTS operational safety.

The Programs adopted by the Management Committee are primarily targeted at:
—  implementing the gas transmission plans;
—  further improving the reliability of gas transmission and supply to consumers;
—  assuring the process and environment safety at gas transmission facilities, reducing the nitrogen oxide and greenhouse gas emissions;
—  boosting the economic efficiency of gas transmission;
—  raising the energy efficiency, saving the resource and energy.

The following major objectives have been set for the gas transmission and underground storage facilities reconstruction until 2015:
—  debottlenecking the gas transmission system with due consideration given to its loading at present and in future;
—  retaining the technologically possible GTS performance through comprehensive reconstruction of the primary and auxiliary equipment at compressor stations and gas pipeline linear parts;
—  further improving the reliability of gas supplies to consumers by retrofitting gas laterals and gas distribution stations;
—  assuring the energy efficient (energy saving) GTS operation modes including through the use of gas compressor units with a higher efficiency ratio;
—  further building up the UGS facilities potential.

The following key tasks are to be met during the gas trunklines overhaul by 2015:
—  maintaining the desired performance level of the gas trunkline linear parts by materially reducing the total length of pipeline sections with the below nominal pressure;
—  determining the gas pipeline health and forecasting it for the long term.