First-time Renovation of Qinghai-Tibet Express Road Caused Damage to Golmud-Lhasa Crude Pipeline

During the construction of the express road from Qinghain to Tibet, mechanical construction was adopted. Unfortunately, the crulde oil pipeline was greatly damaged not only in the external coating which increased corrosion but also forced to be shut down for four times because the pipeline was broken, the oil being transported ran out and caught fire. In open cut operetion, explosion was adopced which caused deformation of the pipeline. The original thermstatic environment was destroyed due to the fact that most of the top soil of the pipeline adjacent had been removed. Many sections of the pipeline were exposed to the open air. Influenced by the temperature, thermal expansion and cold shrinkage occured thus causing deformation of the pipe. Two of them were broken causing leak accidents because of cold shrinkage in winter seasons. Deformation made scraper hard to go through so that block and resistance have increased. For years, the crude transportation army forces were forced to take measures in order to make up the loss, which cost a lot. Fortunately, this phenomenon has already drown the attention of the military leaders and those from Tibet government. They have discussed on the measures of protecting the crude pipeline.