‘Yuryevets’ Gas Pipeline and Gas Distribution Station: This Is How We Build Gas Pipelines in Winter

This April, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin in his address to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation set the task to accomplish technically feasible gasification of the country’s regions by 2030. The gasification program is being implemented by Gazprom in 67 regions of Russia. It is planned to construct 24,000+ kilometres of gas pipelines in 2021–2025 alone. Stroytransgaz Group of Companies is actively involved in this program – in 2020, the company was awarded an EPC contract for construction of 11 facilities in five regions of the country, from Arkhangelsk to Sakhalin. The process of gasification infrastructure development is being ramped up in the Ivanovo Region in particular, since residents of some settlements there have been waiting for gas for decades. Stroytransgaz in constructing a 47 km long high-pressure gas pipeline and a gas distribution station in this region. The completion of these facilities will signify the start of gasification of the Yuryevets District, the birthplace of Andrey Tarkovsky, the land that served as a source of inspiration for many famous painters.  Currently, 12,000 people live in the district.

The temperature in the Ivanovo Region is below zero already, and ground is covered with snow. Such weather conditions lead to significantly more stringent requirements for welded connections of line pipes, because low temperatures may affect the pressure acting on gas pipeline welds, contribute to increase of stresses in welds, etc. Therefore, operations associated with welding connections of trunk pipelines are considered some of the most demanding in terms of requirements for equipment and materials quality and personnel competencies. The construction crews implement special measures to prevent any negative effects the low temperature may have on their operations. For instance, welding operations are not conducted in the open – special tent-shaped shelters are used to protect the workers and equipment against adverse weather conditions, such as wind and precipitation.  When the ambient air temperature is below +5 °С, pipe ends are heated to +50 °С to +80 °С.

The construction operations at the site of future automated gas distribution station are ongoing as well. The Istok-30 process unit of the station has already been installed. Currently, the foundation for packaged power supply unit is being poured; this unit will supply power to line consumers of trunk gas pipelines and gas distribution stations, such as telemetry and communication devices, cathodic protection systems equipment, etc.

All operations at the facility are being conducted concurrently. Specialists have already welded 42.147 km of the pipeline. 38.103 km of pipes have been laid in the trench. Prior to laying the pipeline into the trench, the string is being checked for integrity of pipe coating. Then backfilling is carried out in these areas. Simultaneously, the trench for the remaining part of the gas pipeline is being formed. Directional drilling method is used for laying of the gas pipeline in 29 locations where the route crosses streams, ravines and artificial obstacles. Use of this method eliminates the need for scouring, underwater, diving and shore protection operations which are associated with additional costs, helps to preserve the natural ecological state of water bodies, and allows for maintenance of railway tracks or motor roads in good working condition.

The gas pipeline is tested for strength and tightness with the use of hydraulic and pneumatic methods. These tests are conducted in several stages: prior to laying the pipeline into the trench, after the pipeline backfilling, and at the final stage of gas pipeline construction, when all of its segments are being joined together.

More than 80 workers and 30 units of equipment are involved in implementation of the project. The completion of the facilities is scheduled for 2022.