carbon footprint of pipeline projects - iploca · 2010-08-05 · carbon footprint of pipeline...

1

44th Annual IPLOCA Convention, Venice

27 September - 1 October 2010

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline Projects

2

How does Nacap decrease the emission of carbon dioxide

while bringing energy to its destination?


3

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ConstructionDefinitionDefinition

“The Carbon Footprint is a measure of the exclusive amount of carbon dioxide emission that is directly and indirectly

caused by an activity”

4

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ConstructionWhy?Why?

Carbon footprint is estimated in order to find out the environmental impact of executing pipeline projects.

The outcome is useful both for Nacap, in order to offset the emissions and reduce energy consumption (costs), as well as for clients who may wish to

consider the results in their decision making process. Except for some research on CO2 emission for the production of certain types

of steel and plastic used in the pipeline industry, no in-depth research has been executed for CO2 emissions of pipeline construction in the past.

5

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ConstructionHow is it calculated?How is it calculated?

This research is based on five different pipeline diameters: 16, 20, 24, 36 and 48 inch diameter.

This approach is chosen in order to show the difference in emissions per diameter and to establish a trend line for understanding the emission behavior

towards pipeline projects of different diameters. The specific diameters were chosen because of their common occurrence in

projects.

6

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ConstructionSteel pipe production emissionSteel pipe production emission

The production process of the pipes is by far the largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the carbon footprint of pipeline projects. It requires

significant energy to convert raw material into steel pipes.

7

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ConstructionTransportation emissionTransportation emission

The transportation of various diameter line pipes over 1,000 kilometers is given in kilograms CO2 whereby 1,000 km are taken as an average.

This component only concentrates on the heavy transportation of pipeline projects. The transportation of personnel and business flights

is included in the overhead.

8

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ConstructionEquipment fuel usage emissionEquipment fuel usage emission

The equipment used during pipeline construction is an important contributor of the total emission during a pipeline project.

The equipment is grouped into five separate equipment sections: the earth moving equipment, heavy lifting equipment, typical pipeline

equipment, transportation equipment and others (compressors, pumps etc.).

9

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ConstructionWelding, coating and miscellaneousWelding, coating and miscellaneous

The group “others” consists of consumables or small equipment which are consumed, destroyed, wasted and or spent during the

production/execution period of a pipeline project. Nacap focuses on the welding consumables and coating material used during pipeline

construction.

10

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ConstructionFacilities and overheadFacilities and overhead

The emission caused by overhead consists out of business flights, transportation of personnel working in 8 different regional offices and on construction sites as well as the emission caused by the

facilities.

11

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

16 20 24 36 48

tons

CO

2 pe

r km

pip

elin

e

Pipe diameter (inch)

Overhead

Coating & welding

Equipment fuel usage

Transport (1000 km)

Steel production & pipe rolling

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsOverviewOverview

12

The carbon steel for pipes used in the pipeline industry is produced in blast furnaces. This process consumes a huge amount of energy.

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsSteel pipe productionSteel pipe production

CO2 emission (ton/km pipe)

Diameter (inch)

Thickness (mm)

Weight (ton/km

pipe) Blast furnaceContinuous

casting

Rolling & pipe

production Total

16 7.95 77.9 120.7 1.1 11.9 133.720 9.82 120.3 186.4 1.7 18.4 206.424 10.25 150.6 233.5 2.1 23.0 258.636 14.35 316.3 490.3 4.4 48.3 543.048 19.30 567.2 879.2 7.9 86.7 973.7

CO2 emission for steel pipe production

13

One of the major components in the amount of CO2 emission throughout the process is the production of steel pipes, a process pipeline construction contractors cannot influence.

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsSteel pipe productionSteel pipe production

14

How does Nacap contributeto the reduction of CO2 emission?


15

The areas in which Nacap has influence on reduction of CO2 emission are:

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsContribution by Contribution by NacapNacap

- Selection and use of heavy equipment; - Transportation of the pipes;- Welding and coating process; and- Transportation of equipment and personal (overhead).

16

• The transportation activity is divided into two different parts; equipment and pipes. • The calculation of transportation emission is based on an average of 100 grams of

CO2 per ton/km for the combination of boat, rail and road transportation.• The weight of pipes to be transported depends on the pipe thickness.• The weight of equipment per km pipe was calculated by dividing a ‘typical’ spread for

a certain diameter by a ‘typical’ project length.

Weight (ton/km pipe) CO2 Emission (ton/km pipe)

Diameter (inch) Pipes Equipment Pipe transport

Equipment transport Total

16 77.9 16.8 7.79 2.07 9.8520 120.3 32.0 12.03 3.94 15.9624 150.6 58.7 15.06 7.22 22.2836 316.3 139.2 31.63 17.12 48.7548 567.2 234.7 56.72 28.86 85.59

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsTransportationTransportation

17

The previous table shows the difference between the transportation of equipment and thetransportation of pipes. Equipment is in most cases comparable in weight to a truckload fullof pipes, but equipment is used over a much longer stretch.

The table shows an almost linear growth of the transportation activities. The larger the diameter the more equipment is required to lay a pipeline. The weight of the pipelines with similar thickness is also more or less linear in their emission.

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsTransportationTransportation

18

• The equipment used during pipeline construction is an important contributor to the total emission. The equipment is grouped into five separate equipment sections.

• The table illustrates the emission of the equipment. The emission is calculated by multiplying the equipment fuel usage by the CO2 conversion factor for diesel.

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsEquipmentEquipment

CO2 emissions (ton/km pipe)

Diameter (inch)

Earth moving

equipmentHeavy lifting

equipmentPipeline

equipmentTransport

equipmentOther

equipment Total

16 27.8 1.3 3.4 15.9 3.3 49.220 24.2 10.5 11.2 3.4 4.3 53.424 37.3 5.5 7.4 6.5 27.3 84.036 54.1 25.5 14.6 18.0 7.6 119.748 68.6 25.8 10.8 24.9 8.5 138.6

CO2 emissions of different type of equipment

19

CO2 emission for different types of equipment is based on the fuel consumption on real projects.

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

16 20 24 36 48

CO2 em

ission

s (ton

/km pipe)

Pipe diameter

Other equipment

Transport equipment

Pipeline equipment

Heavy lifting equipment

Earth moving equipment


20

The previous chart highlights the difference in emissions between a 24” and a 36” pipelinebeing higher than emission between 36” and 48”, while their difference in diameter is the same (12”). The explanation is the usage of heavy lifting material. For instance,pipeline projects below a 30” diameter use less side-booms in terms of hours and fuel usage.


However the largest emitter group within the equipment section is the earth movingequipment due to the high fuel consumption required to move large amounts of soil tolay the pipeline.

21

Use of welding consumables & pipe coating

• The use of welding consumables hardly has any impact. The electricity used for the welding is produced by generators, of which the fuel consumption is taken into account under ‘equipment’.

• The application of pipeline coating has a substantial impact on the total footprint.To produce one ton of polypropylene and polyethylene, 1.7 tons of CO2 is emitted.

Weight (ton/km) CO2 emissions (ton/km pipe)

Dia (inch) Coating Electrodes Coating Electrodes Total

16 4.0 0.04 6.8 0.06 6.920 5.0 0.07 8.5 0.12 8.624 6.0 0.09 10.2 0.16 10.436 9.0 0.27 15.3 0.47 15.848 12.0 0.66 20.4 1.13 21.5

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsWelding & coatingWelding & coating

22

CO2 emission by overhead is based on business flights, personnel car transportation and facilities.

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsOverheadOverhead

23

• The emission from facilities is based on an average office and extrapolated to the total number of buildings. The Nacap head office emits an average of 121 tons of CO2 annually.

• The emission from business flights is based on flights for Nacap Head Office and extrapolated to the total organization. In 2008, Nacap Headquarters booked more than 600 flights which led to 342 tons of CO2 emissions.

• The emission from traveling by road are based on the total number of employees and the average traveling distance. The table shows that the transportation of personnel is by far the largest emitter within the overhead activities.


Facilities Flights Cars Total

CO2 total (ton) 967 1,368 14,400 17,701

per km pipe 2.4 3.3 35.0 40.7

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsOverheadOverhead

24

1 KM

The amount of CO2 produced by constructing 1 km of 48” pipeline is similar to the amount of CO2 caused by burning the gas that is stored under 80 bar in 7.3 km of the same pipeline. Despite the fact that the majority of the emission is caused by the steel pipe production, the results give the construction industry valuable insights.

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsResultsResults

25

The above table shows the total CO2 emission for the construction of 1 km pipeline of several diameters (based on the assumptions given).

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsResultsResults


Diameter (inch)

Steel production

& pipe rolling

Transport (1000 km)

Equipment fuel usage

Coating & welding Overhead Total

16 133.7 9.85 49.2 6.9 40.7 240.420 206.4 15.96 53.4 8.6 40.7 325.124 258.6 22.28 84.0 10.4 40.7 415.936 543.0 48.75 119.7 15.8 40.7 768.048 973.7 85.59 138.6 21.5 40.7 1,260.1

Total CO2 emissions for laying a pipeline

26

How to calculate CO2 emission of a pipeline project?

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsPipeline COPipeline CO22 emissionemission

www.nacap.com: Pipeline carbon footprint calculator

http://www.nacap.com/

27

How does Nacap decrease the emission of carbon dioxide while bringing

energy to its destination?

Carbon Footprint of Pipeline ProjectsTypical 48Typical 48”” Pipeline ProjectPipeline Project

- Use of new sidebooms and paywelders compared to old models from the 90's reducing fuel consumption by up to 40%;

- Efficient transportation and just-in-time delivery of line pipes resulting in reduction by 10%;

- Use of coating process with Stopaq method and new happy happer reduced energy consumption by 5%;

- Mostly local staff is hired on projects, reducing travelling by 30%.

28

We bring energy to its destination

carbon footprint of pipeline projects - iploca · 2010-08-05 · carbon footprint of pipeline...

Documents