Instrumentation around a warm oil pipeline buried in permafrost

• Main Authors: Slusarchuk, W. A., Watson, G. H., Speer, T. L.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1973
• Subjects: permafrost; pergélisol; soils; sol; measuring instruments; instrument de mesure; cold regions; zone froide; oil pipelines; oléoduc; Barres; Inuvik; Mackenzie Valley; Ice
• Online Access: https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/view/ft/?id=738e512f-3b1d-4b55-a783-10e2d1277c69; https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/view/object/?id=738e512f-3b1d-4b55-a783-10e2d1277c69; https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/fra/voir/objet/?id=738e512f-3b1d-4b55-a783-10e2d1277c69

A section of an uninsulated pipeline, 90 ft (27.4 m) long and 2 ft (0.61 m) in diameter, was buried in ice-rich permafrost at the Mackenzie Valley Pipe Line Research Limited Inuvik Test Facility. Oil at 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) was circulated through the pipe from July 1971 to January 1972 causing a thaw bulb to develop around it. Instrumentation was placed around the pipe to measure temperature, settlement, and pore-water pressure. Temperatures near the ground surface and at depth were measured using thermistors as the sensing element. Settlement was monitored by spiral foot gauges and by taking elevations at the ground surface and on rods welded to the pipe. Pore pressures were measured by gas-operated and Casagrande-type piezometers. Selection, fabrication, and installation of this instrumentation are discussed. On a enterré un tuyau de pipe-line non isolé de 90 pieds (27. 4 m) de longueur et de deux pieds (0.61 m) de diamètre dans du pergélisol riche en glace au centre d'essais d'Inuvik de la Mackenzie Valley Pipe Line Research Limitée. On a fait circuler dans le tuyau de l'huile à 160 degrés F (71 degrés C) de juillet 1971 à janvier 1972, ce qui provoqua la formation d'un bulbe de dégel autour du pipe-line. On a disposé des instruments autour du pipe-line afin de mesurer la température, le tassement et la pression interstitielle. On a mesuré les températures près de la surface du sol et en profondeur au moyen de thermistors. On a vérifié le tassement au moyen de jauges à semelle en spirale ("spiral foot gauge") et en mesurant les niveaux à la surface du sol et sur les barres soudées au tuyau. On a mesuré la pression interstitielle au moyen de piézomètres actionnés au gaz et de type Casagrande. On examine la question du choix, de la fabrication et de l'installation de ces instruments. Peer reviewed: No NRC publication: Yes