AN ENGINEERING APPROACH TO ASSESSING THE CONSEQUENCES OF AN UNDERWATER EXPLOSION AND EVALUATING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF AN UNDERWATER BURIED PIPELINE IS PRESENTED

Abstract

Introduction: The performance of oil and gas pipeline systems under operational and natural loads is an important engineering indicator. In the new century, energy resources and methods of transportation have improved. We have abundant supplies of natural gas and oil; nuclear power plants. Renewable energy sources are being introduced, which increase production efficiency and improve the country's energy portfolio. Achievements in the field of energy efficiency allow to reduce energy costs of producers. Our energy infrastructure needs largescale investments, construction, but developers face new challenges. The structural integrity of an underwater pipeline exposed to an underwater explosion is an important task. The simulation of a submerged underwater pipeline as a pipeline-water-ground system is considered, taking into account the influence of the water environment, the soil base and the explosion of the transported medium. The work was carried out to ensure and develop security requirements for existing and future offshore projects. The purpose of this work is to present an engineering approach to the assessment of the consequences of an underwater explosion and to assess the structural integrity of an offshore buried pipeline. Materials and methods: The existing approaches are based on the applied mathematical models for assessing the integrity of the structure under explosive influences, taking into account the internal energy of the structure. Results: Proposals to the requirements for ensuring the safety of buried subsea pipelines with the water medium under the influence of the explosion of the transported medium and the elastic energy of the pipeline. The proposals are submitted for consideration to the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. Studies have been carried out to determine the safe distance between two underwater pipelines. Conclusions: The results were obtained empirically using finite element models of the pipeline-water-soil system to assess the safety of the offshore buried pipeline taking into account the elastic energy of the structure.