The transporting of crude oil and gasses are an integral part of their manufacturing. They must be mined and then somehow moved to the factory for refining. Pipelines were reportedly first made around the late nineteenth century, but pipeline alignment sheets were not developed until much later on.
The lines are generally constructed out of tubes made up of either steel or plastic. The majority are buried underground at depths of up to 48 feet. Pump stations throughout the lines are what keep the oil moving. They usually run twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty five days a year. Line operators are there to monitor the entire route. Safety inspections are done at regular intervals to look for leaking, rupturing, and other inconsistencies. These operators and inspectors are trained to be prepared for any emergency. They can easily shut down a line or section of it if the need arises.
Many other materials can be transported this way as well, not just oil. Such materials as water, hydrogen, bio fuels, sewage, and even in some particular cases beers on a smaller scale can be moved down these lines. Some are designed to transport two different products at the same time. Normally the products are not separated in the line itself. Needless to say the possibilities are endless!
There are several components that make up each line system. At the beginning you will find the injection station, where the material is actually pumped in. Then there are the compression valves throughout the entire line that are what keep the gasses moving. Liquids are moved by pumps.
Lines are protected by valve stop stations. Sections of the line can be blocked off for maintenance. This is especially important when a leak or rupture needs to be fixed. The entire line doesn’t have to be shut down and flushed out. Engineers can now just work on that one particular area by blocking off the flow.
Regulators are used to release pressure off gas lines. These are important and are operated via valve stations. Then there is the final section, which is the outlet station. Here is where the materials will be distributed into different lines and moved to the final destination.
Several companies are offering their services to generate sheets that show the engineering data in relation to the line itself. These maps show you the entire route of the line and identifies the land masses associated with its placement. Many have different designs that are customizable using the template they provide.
Pipeline alignment sheets or maps are critical in that they provide the engineer as well as the corporate base a bird’s eye view of the line itself and all of its components. In emergency situations one would consult the sheet and be able to quickly devise a plan for cordoning off the right area and how to locate it as fast as possible. Companies can create the sheets for you, or the software is available to do your own.