Determining lateral river channel activity with respect to safety of pipeline crossings

When oil and gas pipelines cross rivers they are often buried in the ground<br/>beneath the floodplain and river bed. There is a risk that river will expose the pipe by<br/>lateral bank erosion, as well as bed erosion, and then there is a risk that the pipe will<br/>break. Pipe failure can cause loss of revenue, repair and reparation costs, political<br/>difficulties and adverse environmental impacts. Buried pipeline crossings correctly<br/>located and engineered do not affect the flow hydraulics and river regime. Therefore,<br/>pipeline crossing projects should be based on the study of natural processes including<br/>those which lead to lateral movement of the channel.<br/><br/>This study deals with the scientific knowledge of a variety of channel types and<br/>their evolution by lateral movements. The literature review and statistical analysis reveal<br/>that the rates of bank erosion depend on the type of river channel pattern. Data from<br/>different channel types are obtained from the literature with reference to a variety of<br/>parameters which are then grouped depending upon the scale of the problem under<br/>consideration (catchment, reach and local scales). These data for bank erosion rates are<br/>analyzed to develop general relationships with such factors as size of river system, shape<br/>of channel, bed type, gradient, riparian vegetation etc. Statistical examinations show that<br/>there is strong correlation between bank erosion rate and the catchment area and with<br/>channel geometry. Weak correlations with water discharge and with flow variability<br/>suggest that bank erosion rates will not be changed significantly in the near future if<br/>discharge and/or its variability alter under climate change. Results are used to provide<br/>science-based recommendations to estimate lateral activity applicable to many regions of<br/>the world.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Ph.D.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Southampton

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Krasnoshchekov, Sergey Yurievich

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Carling, P.A.