Abstract:
In China, certain product oil pipelines operate at low load rates, and utilizing these pipelines for sequential methanol transportation serves as both a crucial approach to fulfill the requirements of long-distance, large-scale methanol storage and transportation and an effective means to optimize pipeline asset utilization. However, methanol’s distinct properties—including water solubility, strong polarity, high volatility, flammability, and toxicity—differ significantly from those of conventional refined products such as gasoline and diesel, posing substantial challenges to the compatibility of key equipment in product oil pipelines. This study comprehensively investigates the adaptability of core equipment (storage tanks, oil transfer pumps, valves, and flowmeters) in the context of sequential methanol transportation through product oil pipelines, integrating domestic and international standards and engineering practices, with a focus on three dimensions: material compatibility, functional compatibility, and safety-environmental compatibility. Technical charts for evaluating the adaptability of key equipment are established. Specific recommendations and improvement measures are proposed as follows. For material compatibility, methanol storage tanks should prioritize stainless steel or carbon steel coated with fluoride or epoxy-modified coatings, while sealing components should employ materials resistant to methanol swelling, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE); pump and valve bodies should utilize highly corrosion-resistant materials like 316L stainless steel. Regarding functional compatibility, which emphasizes equipment design and structural optimization, storage tanks should adopt steel-built explosion-resistant internal floating roofs combined with multi-stage sealing systems to enhance vapor tightness; oil transfer pumps should mitigate cavitation and reduce product mixing across pumps by optimizing inlet conditions and implementing dynamic pressure/flow regulation algorithms; valves must integrate zero-leakage sealing mechanisms and fire/explosion-proof designs to enable rapid shutdown during emergencies. In terms of safety-environmental compatibility, critical equipment within pipeline systems urgently requires the establishment of a multi-level protection framework encompassing materials selection, seal integrity control, leakage monitoring, volatile organic compound (VOC) recovery, and emergency response protocols. This research provides technical support for advancing China’s engineering practices in sequential methanol transportation via product oil pipelines, promotes the transformation of existing oil and gas pipeline infrastructure toward multimodal and renewable energy-oriented systems, and contributes to the sustainable development of the energy sector.