Ecological, geocryological and geotechnical conditions of the gas transportation system “Force of Siberia”

Abstract

The subject of the paper is the response of the natural environment to various impacts associated with the oil and gas industry. The paper is devoted to the analysis of the current state of implementation of the project of development of the gas transportation system "Power of Siberia" in East and Southeast Siberia. The purpose of the study is to show the problems that arise at various stages of creating the object. That includes choosing the apropriate pipeline route and method of pipe laying. The project of gas transoptation system (GTS) "Power of Siberia" in East Siberia is being successfully implemented recently. The stages of exploration and design are completed, pipe is being layed. After successful research and design, one of the most important stages (pipe laying and system building in general) has started. Studying the seasonal and permafrost rocks is a very special direction in the general integrated system of engineering and geological knowledge. It is important to consider both studied parameters such as composition, structure, properties of rocks, and features of aggregate states of the object of research. Negative temperatures cause fundamental differences in the composition of rocks with the development of diverse underground ice, sometimes constituting up to 90% of the thickness, and other characteristics. The main results of ecological and geocryological research recently performed by Melnikov Permafrost Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which have revealed the main difficulties of the project and show the ways of their solution, are given. Advantages and features of the selected route in the specific engineering and geological conditions are described. The need for underground method of pipe laying is confirmed. It is concluded that complex and diverse natural conditions of the route of the GTS determine a number of specific problems at the stages of construction and operation within areas with permafrost soils and dangerous geocryological and engineering-geocryological processes. It is possible to avoid them only while studying the most difficult areas. Recommendations on the structure of department of engineering and geocryological monitoring are given.

Keywords

• selection of pipeline route
• specific engineering and geological conditions
• pipe laying and construction of system
• advantages and problems of chosen route