Comparison of insulation and non-insulation schemes for the Changqing-Hohehot Crude Oil Pipeline

Based on the landscape along the crude oil pipeline from Changqing Oilfield to Huhehot Petrochemical Company andthe properties of crude oil therein, the insulated and non-insulated technology is discussed on the differences in design parameters, safe shutdown time and investments of the pipeline. The results show that given the same pipeline diameter, the heat transfercoefficient of the non-insulated pipeline is twice or three times of the insulated one, and the fuel consumption of the former is twiceof the latter, and the safe shutdown time of the non-insulated pipeline is 15.5 h shorter than the insulated pipeline; total investmentand present value of the non-insulated pipeline are respectively 17, 420, 000 RMB Yuan and 360 million RMB Yuan higher thatof the insulated pipeline. Therefore, the insulated pipeline is recommended for this project in order to reduce the operation andmanagement costs by decreasing the number of the heating stations and operators.