Arsalan Rahimi, CEO of Iranian Oil Pipelines and Telecommunication Company (IOPTC), has said Iran distributed 128 billion liters of crude oil and petroleum products last calendar year (20 March 2022), setting a new record in this regard. With the implementation of development projects in the oil transportation industry, including new projects for the construction of pipelines, the length of oil transportation pipelines and the country's products will reach about 17,000 kilometers in the next 4 years.

The figures provided by Rahimi show that last calendar year, about 68 billion liters of crude oil and 60 billion liters of petroleum products were transported, which shows an increase of 6 and 12 percent, respectively, year-on-year. 79% of transfers in the petroleum products sector belong to gasoline and gas oil - 40% gasoline and 32% gasoil. This volume of daily transfer is equivalent to 65.8 million liters of gasoline and 63.6 million liters of gasoil.

New Lines

Currently, more than 14,000 km of pipeline is transmitting crude oil and petroleum products. More pipelines like the 414 km Naein-Kashan-Rey with capacity of 200,000 barrels, 292 km Shazand-Rey pipeline with capacity of 350,000 barrels, 449 km Bandar Abbas-Rafsanjan pipeline with capacity of 270,000 barrels would bring about good developments in upgrading capacity of oil transmission. Furthermore, two new pipelines known as Tabesh Pipeline, 948 km long, and Persian Pipeline, 400 km long, are planned to be constructed. 

In general, it could be argued that over four years Naein-Kashan-Rey, Bandar Abbas-Sirjan-Rafsanjan and Mehraran-Fasa pipelines would add 2,500 km to Iran’s crude oil and petroleum products distribution capacity. Then, Iran’s pipelines would total 17,000 km long.

Unique Pipeline

IOPTC is distributing crude oil and petroleum products through 194 distribution centers and 296 telecom stations across the country.

Among IOPTC pipelines, the Maroun-Isfahan pipeline has unique complexities which may not exist in the world. It is known as the world’s second longest pipeline, just behind the Alaska pipeline, for the transfer of crude oil and petroleum products.

Another key pipeline is the Bandar Abbas-Rafsanjan pipeline which is very vital. It is operating round the clock and is working even beyond its transmission capacity. It may handle 1,800 cubic meters per hour. Due to the sensitivity to petroleum products supply in Bandar Abbas, the pipeline’s capacity has reached 2,100 cubic meters. This pipeline is distributing totally 315,000 b/d of petroleum products.

Domestic Manufacturing

Among the important issues in the transportation of oil and petroleum products, the required equipment could be mentioned. The equipment required by IOPTC includes two groups of telecommunication equipment and pipelines. The pipeline equipment is divided into two parts: rotatory and non-rotary equipment. Rotary equipment includes turbines, electric motors, pumps and booster pumps. In the field of rotary equipment, we have a total of 922 rotary devices including turbines, electric motors, booster pumps and various pumps. Non-rotary equipment also includes instrumentation equipment, controllers and other equipment that is used at the company level in the pipeline sector. According to Rahimi, all of this rotary equipment is produced in the country and there is no dependence on foreign countries in this field.

Powerful Turbines

Referring to the reparation of turbines used in transferring crude oil and petroleum products, Rahimi said: “At one time in the country we had problems to overhaul turbines and had to take them to other countries such as the UAE and repair with many problems, but now, in addition to overhaul, manufacturing of various turbines with complex construction is done locally.”

Rahimi, stating that in the field of instrumentation equipment and production of valves in the country, there is production capacity, recalled: “In telecommunications, apart from spare parts that we need for pre-purchased foreign equipment, we have full capacity for manufacturing equipment.”

He said that numerous agreements had been signed with local companies for the supply of telecom equipment, including one for the manufacturing of 35 PDH radio links, whose test has been done.

Smart Pigging

The lifespan of oil and products pipelines has certain standards, but maintenance of pipelines is one of the parameters that affect the life of pipelines. The oldest petroleum product distribution pipelines in Iran are the 16-inch Abadan-Mahshahr pipeline and the Ahvaz-Rey pipeline, which were put into operation in 1956 and are still in operation. The oldest crude oil pipeline in the country is the Gachsaran-Shiraz pipeline, which was put into operation in 1962 with a capacity of 45,000 barrels and is still in use.

In any case, it is noteworthy that monitoring and maintenance of pipelines is of particular importance to smart pigging measures.

Rahimi said: “The average lifespan of our products pipelines is 36 years and the average lifespan of oil pipelines is 32 years, which is something like 30 years in the world. Now, using smart pigging technology, we know the exact status of the lines and the percentage of corrosion. Since 2004, the first high-volume excavations were carried out as the first phase of smart pigging in the country’s pipelines, and then we carried out the second, third and fourth phases. By performing smart pigging, we were able to stabilize the condition of our lines and make the necessary repairs.”

The results of follow-ups and repairs and defects of pipelines during follow-up operations have 4 different priorities. The required repairs of pipelines up to level 3 are important, 100% and level 4 are up to 80%. Slightly, the replacement of the pipe coating is done.

Rahimi said that a total of 17,000 km of pipelines had undergone smart pigging in the country. “So far, 302,000 inches of pigging has been done and implemented at the company level, and phase 5 is also in the future plan, the initial steps of which have been done, and with the permission of the Board of Directors, this phase will be implemented soon.”

Rahimi, emphasizing that the renovation, improvement and maintenance of equipment and functional parts are among the priorities on the agenda of IOPTC, said: "It is important that we know the condition of the pipelines, the amount of corrosion and capacity.”

Courtesy of Iran Petroleum