Geological disaster risk analysis and management solutions for Mohe-Daqing Oil Pipeline in permafrost regions

Mohe-Daqing Oil Pipeline, with the highest latitude in China, is the first complete pipeline of China in distance and diameter constructed in permafrost regions, where the lowest temperature in winter is at －52.3 ℃. There are about 440 km-long pipeline (Mohe-Dayangshu section of Jiagedaqi) traversing over the Greater Higgnan Mountains' permafrost regions, which are consisted of the continuous permafrost and discontinuous permafrost including segregated frozen ground. The terrain which the pipeline is located at is higher in the North and lower in the South; great ups and downs are in the Northern area; the mountains, hills and river-valley landforms spread over the pipeline. The Southern area, the Songnen Plain, is flat and open with complicated geographic environment, and the geological disasters such as frost thawing, avalanche, melting landslide, water damage erosion (bank collapse) and so on are easy to happen. All the above risks possible in Mohe-Daqing Oil Pipeline are discussed in the paper. Hazard management and risk mitigation measures are presented.