What is oil transshipment? How is oil products transshipped? Options for petroleum products transportation schemes

Vladimir Khomutko

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How is oil products transshipped?

Transportation of petroleum products from the place of their production to consumers is carried out using railway and road tanks and oil tankers.

In the transportation process, the most important role is played by the transshipment of petroleum products (organization of unloading/loading). We will look at how this happens in railway transport in this article.

Drain

Draining of petroleum products from railway tanks is usually carried out using a drain device, which is located either in the lower part of the tank (the so-called bottom drain of petroleum products). If the bottom drain is faulty, then use the tank neck (top drain).

When using the open gravity drain method, petroleum products are delivered through a drain device located at the bottom of the tank, using drain trays, to the central chute. Further, oil products flow from it through a pipeline into a “zero” receiving tank, which is located below the earth’s surface. Since losses due to the evaporation process are possible when using this method, it is used only for draining petroleum products with low volatility.

One of the options for this scheme is an inter-rail drain, in which the central chute is located immediately under the tank, which eliminates the need for portable chutes.

The main disadvantage of the listed methods is the possible contamination of drained oil products.

To eliminate this drawback, a closed gravity drain method is used. Its difference is that instead of gutters, either a flexible hose or a pipe with an articulated joint is connected to the lower drain device. In this case, the function of the central gutter is performed by the collector pipeline. Such drainage schemes can also be used for gasoline of various fractions, since losses from evaporation are minimized here.

Siphon gravity drainage is performed through the neck. Its use is possible under one condition - if the level of the receiving tank is lower than the level of the drained tank. The movement of the drained product is ensured by a vacuum created in the riser by a vacuum pump. To avoid rupture of the jet, which can lead to failure of the siphon, the pressure should not be lower than the elastic pressure created by the oil vapor.

The main disadvantage of this method is low productivity.

The fastest way to drain oil products is by forced bottom drain, which uses a special pump located in the lower drain device of the tank and a pipe system with articulated joints.

Forced drainage can also be from the top.

It occurs through the neck with special drain risers. The beginning of the movement of the product is ensured by a vacuum pump, and then another pump is connected, which pumps the oil product into the receiving tank. One of the options for such drainage is ejector, which is used mainly for light petroleum products.

Pouring

Loading of petroleum products into railway tanks can be open or closed stream and sealed.

Filling with an open jet implies contact of the product with the atmosphere, which leads to increased evaporation (especially of light petroleum products), as well as the formation of static electricity. Both of these processes are undesirable, as a result of which such loading has limited use only when loading dark oil products.

Filling with a closed stream is carried out using a hose, which is lowered to the bottom of the tank, and the stream of the loaded product comes into contact with the air for a short time - at the very beginning of the discharge. It is worth noting that with this method, gasoline losses are reduced by approximately half (compared to an open stream).

Hermetic filling is performed using ASN - automated filling systems. Their design includes a sealing lid, a telescopic pipe and a line that ensures the removal of the resulting steam-air mixture.

Draining/filling of petroleum products. Methodology

During draining and loading operations of all types of petroleum products, except for fuel oil, which has a flash point of 120 degrees C and below, it is necessary to use draining and loading devices closed type. The use of open types of such devices is permissible when transshipping fuel oils and products with a flash point higher than 120 degrees C.

Open gravity drainage devices for petroleum products with high viscosity and high level hardening, imply the use of special drain trays, each of which consists of outer and inner walls, forming a so-called steam jacket. Steam is admitted through a special pipe, and condensate is discharged through a fitting and hose.

The use of the inter-rail discharge method when unloading oil products with high viscosity implies the use of bottom discharge installations of the LNG-200 type.

Double-sided open gravity drainage is carried out into a gutter located in the inter-track space. If several types of high-viscosity petroleum products are drained, this chute is divided into several compartments, and each of them has its own pipeline leading to a “zero” tank equipped with a special filter. The overpass is equipped with a steam pipeline with steam distribution pipes.

With the inter-rail method of draining, the oil product from the chute enters the collection well. After this, having passed through the grate, it is delivered to the “zero” tank through a drain chute.

In the case of using both methods, it is considered advisable to use special collector troughs with a steam jacket. This makes it possible to heat highly viscous types of petroleum products, as a result of which constantly thickening crusts do not form on the chute machines.

For sealed drain/fill, use special installations, equipped with pipes with articulated joints.

For unloading/loading light petroleum products, installations are used both without steam heating (USN-150; USN-175; USN-200) and equipped with steam heating (USN-150Pp; USN-175Pp; USN-200Pp). They are connected to the tank drainage device. All parts of such installations that are in direct contact with the tank pipes are intrinsically safe.

USNs come with four and five hinges.

Five-hinged units with steam heating (USN-150/5Pp; USN-175/5Pp; USN-200/5Pp) make it possible to correct possible deviation of the device axis from a strictly vertical position. This allows you to significantly increase the tightness at the point of connection of the simplified heating system to the tank drainage device.

The device for top loading and draining of petroleum products is a drain riser equipped with a hand pump. Such designs are typically used at small oil distribution depots and are used to operate single tanks. The gap between the risers is four meters, which makes it possible to service different types tanks and does not require reformation of the trains.

Route loading and unloading of petroleum products involves their transshipment using overpasses. An overpass is a series of unloading/unloading devices that are located along the railway tracks at a distance of four to six meters from each other. These devices are connected by a common platform for the movement of service personnel and common manifolds.

Non-flammable materials are used for the manufacture of overpasses. The dimensions of the overpass correspond to the dimensions of railway tanks. An ordinary overpass looks like a long gallery with a number of operational platforms. The height of such a gallery from the rail is from three to three and a half meters. The transition to the roof of the tank occurs along special folding walkways. The width of the overpass passage must be at least one meter. At the ends of the overpass there are stairs for climbing up to it.

Classification of overpasses is made according to the following criteria: according to their purpose; by the number of routes that it can accept simultaneously; by type of oil products handled; on technical performance.

According to their purpose, overpasses are divided into:

• drain;
• liquid;
• drain and bulk (universal).

By the number of routes served simultaneously:

• one-sided (gross weight norm - less than 700 tons);
• double-sided (gross - more than 700 tons).

Installation of top loading of petroleum products

By type of petroleum products:

According to technical design:

• covered;
• open.

Covered racks are necessarily used for working with aviation oils, different types jet fuel and aviation gasoline. If the loading devices on the trestle prevent dust and sediment from entering the tank during the supply of petroleum products, then it is permitted to use an opening gallery type.

A two-way rack for loading light types of petroleum products can be gravity or forced. Collectors on such an overpass are located along its sides under the personnel deck. Loading hoses attached to the risers must reach the bottom of the tank being filled by at least 200 millimeters to ensure the supply of product without a high drop in the jet. The entire feeding process is monitored and controlled from the elevated platform.

This overpass has folding movable walkways that allow you to safely move to the roof of the tank. The ascent and descent from these walkways is ensured by hand winches.

The unloading riser rack for light types of petroleum products is also equipped with special stripping collectors and a stripping riser. Oil products along the risers and pipes of such an overpass can move in two directions, which ensures both draining and filling.

The NM type covered overpass provides protection for personnel from bad weather, which creates comfortable conditions for their work. In addition, it prevents watering of the petroleum product supplied to the tank. This type of overpass is equipped with suspended hoists, with the help of which portable heating equipment is raised and lowered.

The double-sided loading gallery rack, designed for working with dark petroleum products, differs from others in the upper location of the collector, which is also equipped with outlets for loading. The ends of these outlets are equipped with retractable telescopic pipes, which allows them to be removed after loading.

The composition of the rack equipment also depends on the grade of the oil product being processed. For example, to work with dark, high-viscosity products, racks are equipped with either steam lines or electric heating devices, and unloading racks for light oil products are equipped with risers and closed-type collectors. Dark oil products are usually supplied through open trays.

Route loading of petroleum products into railway tanks is not protected from overflow. To solve this problem, use automatic system pouring.

Automated petroleum products loading system (automated loading riser)

An example of such a riser will be the ASN-14ZhD-K, which is designed for top filling of liquids into tanks.

Selection of petroleum products transportation scheme.

Company N, engaged in the organization and implementation of forwarding and transportation of export, import and transit cargo, entered into a contract for the delivery of 21,000 tons of petroleum products from the Achinsk Oil Refinery ( Krasnoyarsk region) to a new oil depot built on the territory of Mongolia in the city of Tes-Somon.

The network of railways and roads in the region, the location of transport enterprises, oil transshipment depots and recipient oil depots are presented in Fig. 1. The numbers on the diagram indicate the distances between objects, expressed in kilometers.

Transportation is carried out in two stages.

First stage: by rail from Achinsk to oil depots in Minusinsk or Abaza. The cost of delivering petroleum products railway from the Achinsk oil refinery to these oil depots is the same, does not affect the calculations and is not taken into account.

Second phase: by road to Tes-Somon.

To ensure these supplies, Company N enters into contracts with trucking companies for transportation and with oil depots for transshipment and storage of petroleum products.

There are two transport enterprises in the region that meet the requirements for international road carriers: the first is in the city of Askiz, the second is in the city of Minusinsk.

There are also two oil depots in the region: in the city of Abaza and in the city of Minusinsk, which are closest to the final delivery point and are capable of transshipping and storing the required volume of petroleum products.

Take into account that a regularly operating route has been established in the region (basic option): petroleum products are delivered by rail to the Abaza oil depot.

Tes-Somon

Legend:

– motor transport enterprise;

– oil storage;

- car roads;
- railways.

Fig.1. Layout of transport enterprises, oil transshipment depots and recipient oil depots

Further, on the Abaza – Ulan-Gom section, transportation is carried out by the Askiz ATP forces. Mongolia's internal transport operates on the Ulan Gom – Tes Somon section. The cost of transporting 21,000 tons of petroleum products to Tes-Somon according to the base option is USD 1,321,460.

Select the optimal scheme for transporting petroleum products, using the minimum total costs as a criterion.

Possible options for transportation schemes are given in table. 1.

Table 1

Options for petroleum products transportation schemes

Guidelines

The choice of petroleum products transportation scheme is based on calculations according to different options. The selection criterion, as already noted, is the minimum total costs.

Calculations are carried out in several stages.

1. Using the data in table. 2, as well as the values ​​of the distances indicated in Fig. 2, calculate the cost (C tr) of transporting petroleum products for each of the options.

table 2

Tariffs for transportation of petroleum products (T tr)

The difference in tariffs for the transportation of goods among Russian carriers is explained by the scale of the enterprises’ activities. Askizskoe ATP is a large motor vehicle fleet with a large number of vehicles. Minusinsk ATP has a smaller number of rolling stock; accordingly, the tariffs of this enterprise are slightly higher.

The domestic tariff for transportation in Mongolia ($0.09/t-km) is significantly higher than the tariffs of Russian motor transport enterprises engaged in international transportation due to the lack of heavy-duty rolling stock, the high cost of fuel, as well as a number of other factors.

Tariff for delivery of transport to the loading place:

T feed = 0.2 dollars/km.

Due to the fact that the locations of transport enterprises and oil depots in the first and second options do not coincide, costs arise associated with the supply of vehicles for loading. The cost of feeds is determined by the formula:

From feed = T feed * N * L,

where L is the distance between the transport enterprise and the oil depot, km;

N is the number of flights required to carry out a given volume of traffic. Calculated using the formula

Q– the total volume of transportation equal to 21,000 tons according to the contract;

q– the carrying capacity of the vehicle is taken based on the average loading capacity of the road train of 15 tons. Enter the calculation results in the table. 4.

Table 3

Tariff cost of transshipment of petroleum products

Enter the calculation results in the table. 4.

Transshipment of petroleum products

Transshipment of petroleum products is their shipment (movement) from one type of transport to another. This seemingly simple procedure actually has many nuances that should be taken into account by specialists: specifications fuel, the right technology shipments, taking into account possible risks and dangers, etc.

Transshipment of petroleum products is carried out using the following types of transport:

• Automotive

• Railway

Indispensable if you need to transship oil products in large volumes. This type of transportation is carried out in single tanks, in batches of various sizes or on specified routes.

• Water

It is used to transport fuel by water, from one onshore pipeline to another. A mandatory rule for such a procedure is the availability of documents from territorial authorities authorizing transshipment.

When transshipping petroleum products, adsorption and desorption are of great importance. These two properties of fuel are associated with the ability to absorb or, conversely, release volatile gases. Depending on the temperature, these compounds can be not only gaseous, but also liquid. Temperature also affects internal pressure product: the higher the temperature, the greater the pressure.

In this regard, transshipment of petroleum products must be carried out in compliance with special temperature regime- below the flash point. For diesel fuel this limit is 55 degrees, for kerosene - 50 degrees. In addition, gasoline vapors in contact with the surface of the above-mentioned petroleum products can also contribute to an explosive state. Therefore, contact should be excluded.

In general, transshipment of petroleum products is a dangerous and responsible process in which no one is immune from emergency situations. Among their causes, experts name malfunction of transport and equipment, the occurrence of static electricity during the movement of fuel, as well as the human factor, which, as we know, is the least amenable to investigation and elimination.

Today, trade in petroleum products is unthinkable without the processes of their transportation - how various types transport and pipelines. To date, accurate quantitative data on the electrification of fuel have not been obtained, and therefore transshipment through pipes should be carried out with the utmost caution. Of course, specialists are taking all measures to ensure safety: grounding is installed, new methods are being developed to discharge containers from static electricity. But all this allows us to talk about only partial security.

Another important factor that needs to be monitored during the transshipment of petroleum products is the regulation of their quality and weight. To do this, product samples are taken at various stages of transshipment and analyzed in special laboratories. In such large companies as Euro Group, the measurement error is minimal, which means our customers can be sure that they are purchasing a quality product.

Pipeline transport of petroleum products

Oil and petroleum products can be delivered by various modes of transport: road, rail, water, pipeline. Each of them has its own characteristics and differences - in terms of technical equipment, regional location, operating conditions, throughput and other parameters. Pipeline transportation of petroleum products can rightfully be called the most unusual type of transport. Essentially, it has no separate Vehicle, and the movement of fuel through the pipes occurs using pumping stations. Its advantages are relatively cheap operation and no need for a large number of personnel.

Russia today is considered one of the largest suppliers of oil around the world. Many main pipelines pass through the territory of our country. This provides the ability to supply oil, diesel fuel, and motor gasoline in any direction and in virtually unlimited quantities. Pipeline transportation of petroleum products makes it possible to sequentially pump various types of oil and gas. Its work does not depend on the climate, geographical location, time of year or day - that is, it is carried out continuously and systematically. The pipeline route is always shorter than a road or railway route, so transportation along it is faster. In addition, compared to other types of cargo transportation, pipeline transport of petroleum products has the best technical and economic indicators. Its use helps reduce losses of petroleum products, reduce energy consumption, and minimize the need for maintenance personnel. The disadvantages include the lack of flexibility in the logistics of transportation: after laying the pipeline, it will be impossible to change or adjust the direction of transportation.

The origins of the creation of the pipeline transport system were the famous scientist D.I. Mendeleev. He was sure that it would lay reliable foundation to improve the oil industry and provide Russian oil with access to the world market. As we see, he turned out to be right.

In addition to the type of products transported through them, pipelines also differ in the technology of movement. Thus, a distinction is made between pressure and non-pressure pipelines. They are made from alloy steel, non-ferrous metal alloys, concrete, cast iron, polyvinyl chloride and other materials.

Long-distance transportation of liquid and gaseous petroleum products from the places of their production and processing to the consumer is provided by main pipelines. With their help, timely delivery of petroleum products is carried out over hundreds of kilometers.

Petroleum Products Research

A comprehensive study of petroleum products is of particular relevance today, when the domestic market for fuels and lubricants is expanding every year. It helps combat abuses in oil refining and the production of petroleum products, and also reduces the number of counterfeits and the production of low-quality goods. The objectives of the study of petroleum products carried out using identification analysis are to establish a single volume and determine the generic affiliation of a particular product.

When establishing generic affiliation, experts classify the objects being compared to a certain standard class, based on their identical qualitative composition. An example of this is gasoline. The product obtained as a result of direct distillation of oil and the commercial product with a high octane number will belong to different generic subgroups, due to the presence of additional components in the second.

In addition to identifying the type of petroleum products, their research also has a group focus. Objects with the same properties and production conditions can be combined into groups. For example, two different high-octane types of gasoline, with the same qualitative and quantitative composition and similar physical and chemical characteristics. Also, the study of petroleum products shows data on the presence or absence of random impurities in them, thereby indicating that the product belongs to a single volume.

The research procedure is a complex, lengthy and very expensive process, due to the huge variety of petroleum products and the high cost of the equipment used to analyze them. Expert research is carried out using the following methods:

• gas chromatography— determines the group and component composition of petroleum products;
• liquid chromatography— reveals the content of various additives in fuel;
• thin layer chromatography— detects traces of petroleum products, their type and type;
• IR spectrometry— establishes the content of heteroatomic compounds and the quantitative composition of petroleum products;
• atomic spectroscopy— examines the mineral composition of the fuel.

Sometimes the study of petroleum products is complicated by the fact that the objects being compared have a similar qualitative composition. It is important to distinguish them, because the cost of petroleum products is also different.

Transshipment is the process of moving oil products from one type of transport to another. There are many points that you need to pay attention to: characteristics, shipping, risks and much more. In general, transshipment of petroleum products is a very dangerous activity, requiring maximum concentration of workers and their responsibility. Accidents can only be avoided by strictly following certain rules.

Transshipment is carried out by road, rail and water transport. It is applied for fuel delivery by water, from pipelines located on different banks of rivers. Having permits is a mandatory rule for this type of transshipment.

Great attention is paid to two processes, namely adsorption and desorption. Such qualities are directly determined by the ability of petroleum products to absorb or evaporate volatile gases. Depending on the temperature, such substances are divided into two types: gaseous or liquid. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that as the temperature increases, the pressure inside the substance itself also increases. That is why during the transshipment of petroleum products certain temperature standards are strictly observed. If it is, for example, diesel fuel, then the maximum temperature is 55 degrees, but if it is kerosene, then the limit is -50 degrees. Factors such as gasoline vapors are also taken into account. This may also affect the explosion hazard. It is important to regulate the quality and mass of transported petroleum products during the transshipment process. Specialized laboratories are designed for this purpose, conducting examination of petroleum products. Their samples are necessarily taken at various stages of transportation.

Related Content

Pipeline transportation of petroleum products

Pipeline transportation of petroleum products can rightfully be called the most unusual type of transport. In fact, it does not have separate vehicles, and the movement of fuel through pipes occurs using pumping stations. Its advantages are relatively cheap operation and no need for a large number of personnel.

Features of transportation of petroleum products

Our country is the birthplace of the first industrial method of oil refining. Already in 1823, the world's first oil refinery was built in Mozdok. In 1885-1886, the first cars powered by an internal combustion engine were invented. From that moment on, humanity became severely dependent on energy resources. Introduction of internal combustion engines into all spheres of human life - from industrial production to personal transport and home electric generators - the need for fuel increases every year.