In October 2016 Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) which runs the Tengiz-Novorossiysk pipeline system celebrates 15 years of its operation. Today it is not just the shortest but also the most reliable route of Caspian crude oil transportation to the world markets. CPC pipeline system operation reliability amounts to 98% versus the world average of 90–95%. Consortium General Director Nikolay Gorban told our journal how the international Consortium had achieved those parameters and become a world record-breaker in terms of reliability of a pipeline system operation.
– Nikolay Nikolaevich, 15 years ago CPC lifted first crude oil at the Marine Terminal near Novorossiysk. What kind of years those fifteen have been to the Consortium?
– Without doubt, those have been the years of rapid and progressive development. In the past fifteen years of the pipeline system operation Caspian Pipeline Consortium has become one of the most important international investment projects in the sphere of energy resources transportation with participation of foreign capital in Russia and Kazakhstan.
The first tanker was loaded at CPC Marine Terminal on October 13, 2001. And already by mid-2004 CPC achieved the initial phase full throughput capacity – 28.2 M tons. Since 2005, by injecting drag reducing agent, CPC has been gradually increasing the shipment volumes, which in 2010 achieved 35 M tons per annum.
CPC total throughput capacity has grown by no up to 52 M tons of crude oil per annum. It has become possible thanks to putting into operation new facilities of CPC Expansion Project. The dynamic build-up of the pipeline system capacities to transport crude allows to deliver more and more volumes of black gold to the Marine Terminal near Novorossiysk. In 2015 42.8 M tons were loaded on tankers, it is expected that in 2016 this value will increase to 45.8 M tons. In 2017, after the completion of all work, the trunk pipeline throughput capacity will achieve 67 M tons of oil per annum, and with drag reducing agent injection – 76 M tons.
– What is the impact of the increase of CPC pipeline system throughput capacity and commissioning of new facilities on the Consortium’s reliability, environmental and industrial safety metrics?
– The new facilities have made it possible to considerably enhance the reliability of the pipeline system operation. Switch to a new, high-performance system of oil transportation process management which uses all latest world best practices allowing for maximal elimination of the “human factor” has become an important event in CPC business. Equipment, such as soft-start and surge relief systems and others, which enhances the pipeline reliability, is widely used.
Application of the state-of-the-art know-how is combined with personnel development activities – on a regular basis we conduct trainings and drills, create conditions to our employees to upgrade their skills.
The Consortium’s success in improvement of environmental safety is notable. Suffice to say that despite considerable growth of oil pumping through the pipeline the specific environmental charges keep lowering. Last year CPC again successfully completed re-certification in the environmental management system for compliance with the requirements of ISO 14001:2004.
We are proud that since the first day of operation of CPC facilities not a single oil droplet has been split onshore and offshore.
– Which tasks did CPC team have to address in relation to the implementation of the Consortium’s Expansion Project?
– The expansion of CPC pipeline system throughput capacity is a large-scale and unique construction project. Its unique character consists in that the more than twofold increase of the trunk pipeline capacity is being implemented without shutting the pipeline down. Phase-by-phase increase of the current pipeline throughput capacity is provided through construction of additional facilities and application of new technologies.
At the height of work along the entire length of the trunk pipeline from Tengiz to Novorossiysk, together with the Management Companies, Contractors and support services teams, more than 7,000 persons were engaged. By today the Consortium’s marine facilities have been supplemented with a third single point mooring. 88 km of the pipeline section were replaced with a larger diameter pipe, five Pump Stations were upgraded, construction of 10 new Pump Stations and increase of the tank capacity of the Marine Terminal up to a million tons are being completed.
– As noted above, the expansion of the trunk pipeline throughput capacity is being implemented without shutting the pipeline down. Which additional actions have been undertaken to ensure safety of employees in performing construction and installation on the brownfield sites?
– Being an international consortium, CPC applies best world practices in labor protection, industrial safety and environmental protection, and it also abides by the Russian legislative requirements. More than five years ago a Work Safety Program was launched in CPC. Well-trained “field mentors” make sure that safe operation should become conscious choice of each employee.
In 2013 the Near Miss Monitoring Program was put into effect. It helped to achieve the establishment of a direct link between workers at the construction sites and supervisors of all levels – any worker may report problematic issues to a supervisor. Besides, each worker at a CPC construction site possesses knowledge and skills of worksite risk assessment and proper planning of activities, given the identified risks.
Employees are constantly rewarded for their participation in creation of safe working conditions. Thus, more than 3,000 persons received work safety awards within the period from 2011 to 2015.
Also, within the framework of this policy, CPC holds annual Safety Days and not only for its operation staff, but for contractors as well. This year, such Safety Day was a big success in Astrakhan.
– In what way is the Consortium’s specialists’ interaction with Rostekhnadzor staff is arranged in respect of CPC Expansion Project implementation?
– Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s priority is to abide by the requirements of the legislation on operation and construction of hazardous operation facilities. It started with the developed of design documentation, then a tender was conducted to select construction contractors possessing vast international experience in construction in oil and gas industry. The accuracy and safety of design solutions were confirmed by the positive opinion of Glavgosexpertiza. Client’s independent technical supervision has been arranged, the Management Companies ensure constant monitoring of contractors’ performance. Authorship supervision of design solutions is being provided.
Rostekhnadzor specialists conduct scheduled and unscheduled audits of compliance with the requirements of urban planning and other legislation, design documentation and industrial safety requirements. All their findings and comments are responded to and closed in a timely manner and in full, thus allowing to ensure the highest level of reliability and industrial and environmental safety of our facilities.
TekhNADZOR #10 (119), October 2016.