Rehabilitation, modernisation and rationalisation 
of the existing gas transmission network:
Audit of the existing infrastructure in Central Asia

In the times of USSR, the main gas supply of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) came from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan through the unified system of natural gas transmission.

Since the break-up of USSR in 1991, the gas supply through this system was greatly reduced due in part to payment problems, in part to the lack of contractual framework to replace the previous organisation. As a consequence, some countries such as the South Eastern part of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are short of gas in wintertime.

The objectives of the Tacis INOGATE Programme are to provide technical assistance and training to the concerned countries of central Asia in the frame of a rehabilitation project with the following objectives:

in the long term:

• Promoting the regional integration of gas transmission systems of central Asian countries,
• Facilitating gas transport both within the region and towards the export market countries through investments into rehabilitation, modernisation and expansion of gas transmission facilities in central Asia,
• Facilitating the process of mobilising financial resources necessary for the interventions on the gas transport systems.

in the short term:

• Auditing the existing gas transmission infrastructure,
• Assessing its value to a gas pipeline system operator,
• Identifying the measures to be taken and the investments to be realised to ensure that the audited infrastructure will be able to operate safely and within acceptable environmental and economic conditions.

Snam, Gaz de France and RUHRGAS grouped in a Consortium have been entrusted by the European Commission for the execution of two projects regarding central Asia: INOGATE 96.03 (Gaz de France as the leader) and INOGATE 96.06 (RUHRGAS as leader). Concerning INOGATE 96.03, the contract between the European Commission and the Consortium was signed on 10 November 1997. Since January 1998, two countries have been taken out the scope of the study: Kazakhstan (network in concession to TRACTEBEL) and Tajikistan for security reasons. The addendum Nr. 1 to the contract with the European Commission, taking these modifications into account, was signed on 4 March 1998. The scope for INOGATE 96.03, limited to two countries, Uzbekistan (South Eastern part of the country) and Kyrgyzstan, is as follows:

The local gas companies are: UZTRANSGAZ for Uzbekistan, KYRGYZGAZ for Kyrgyzstan.

The scope of work is summarised hereafter.

The project's duration is 12 months and the contractual end of the project is 4 March

1999. The total budget is ECU 989,303.

Working organisation

The project activities are being performed according to the following phases.

Phase I

• Analysis of all available studies on rehabilitation of gas transmission network in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan;
• Selection of the gas facilities to be audited;
• Physical audit of the selected pipeline sections, compressor stations, metering stations and associated facilities;
• Assessment of the data and information collected during the physical audit and assessment of existing operational and maintenance practices;
• Hydraulic modelling of the existing pipeline system;
• Identification of additions and/or modifications in order to ensure efficiency of the gas transport system.

Phase II

• Diagnosis of physical conditions of gas transmission system and associated facilities;
• Drawing up of a renovation and modernisation plan for the above facilities;
• Evaluation of the average gas transmission cost related to the audited facilities (CAPEX and OPEX estimation);
• Screening, evaluating and ranking of all potential activities to be performed in order to put the audited gas infrastructure in the conditions to meet future gas supplies;
• Assessment of the existing quality control system and preparation of a standard quality plan according to the modern Western practices.

Phase III

• Preparation of an investment programme to be discussed with the Tacis Authorities and potential investors.

Planned outputs

• Providing an investment programme for rehabilitation, modernisation and expansion of the audited gas transmission network;
• Preparation of a basic engineering study for metering stations;
• Preparation of a basic engineering study for dispatching centres;
• Preparation of a pre-feasibility study for intelligent pig inspections on selected pipeline sections;
• Providing a network simulation software for calculation of the following parameters:

• input/output pressures
• starting flows
• flows at sampling points
• flows at border crossings
• fuel gas consumption

• Providing a computer drafting tool (CAD) for basic design of gas transmission facilities and schematic diagrams of the above facilities;
• Training of the local personnel on the following:

• use of the computer drafting tool
• use of hydraulic simulation tool
• cathodic protection, wrapping and corrosion fault finding
• pigging
• modern operating;

• Providing a personal computer, software packages, printer, Xerox.

Progress of the project

Phase I: field surveys

Pipeline audit

The audit team was composed by two Gaz de France experts and two experts from the local gas companies (more if we consider the engineers and technicians that collaborated with the team on the field).

Uzbekistan (23 June 1998 - 17 July 1998):

Two pipeline sections of about 100 km each were selected for the audit on site, in agreement with the beneficiary. The places were the excavations were carried out had been selected according to the cathodic protection survey results.

Kyrgyzstan (23 July 1998 - 10 August 1998):

Three sections were selected and were audited (total length: about 140 km). This audit consisted principally of a collection of information during meetings held with KYRGYZGAZ experts and an intensive cathodic protection survey on the field.

Compressor station audit (30 July 1998 - 27 August 1998):

The audit team was composed of two experts from SNAM and two compressor station experts from the local companies. As for the pipeline audit, the local companies' personnel was greatly involved during this audit.

Nine compressor stations are operated by UZTRANSGAZ (seven located in Uzbekistan, one located in Kyrgyzstan and one in Turkmenistan). Three compressor stations selected in agreement with the beneficiary as the most important of UZTRANSGAZ network were paid particular attention: GAZLI, MUBAREK, SEVERNY SOHR. Other four stations were visited (KAGAN, ZIRABULAK, GALLIA ARAL, YANGUI-ER) and the corresponding audit questionnaire was filled. The only one compressor station operated by KYRGYZGAZ (SOKOULOUK) was thoroughly audited.

Metering station audit (3 August 1998 - 25 August 1998)

Uzbekistan:

Two over three cross-border metering stations have been audited: these audited facilities are used to measure the gas transits towards Kazakhstan. It was not possible to visit the third one because of security reasons.

The audit was carried out by a team of two metering experts of Gaz de France and two experts from UZTRANSGAZ.

Kyrgyzstan:

There is no metering station operated by KYRGYZGAZ. Nevertheless, meetings with several experts of KYRGYZGAZ were organised by an expert from Gaz de France with the aim of assessing the gas balances with Kazakhstan and the facilities needed in gas exchange.

Dispatching audit

All the national dispatching Centres of the gas operating companies in Central Asia were visited and audited by a dispatching expert from RUHRGAS with the help of the experts from the local gas companies from 20 July 1998 to 4 August 1998.

Phase I: modelling

Uzbekistan

The schematic description of the main network was provided at the end of August 1998 and the take-off from this network was provided at the beginning of September to the modelling team. All the data were provided by the head of modelling department of UZTRANSGAZ with the help of pipeline and compressor station engineers. The hydraulic modelling of the grid is actually achieved.

Kyrgyzstan:

No modelling was scheduled for Kyrgyzstan because of the specificity of the network operated by KYRGYZGAZ (one line starting from Uzbekistan, crossing the North Western part of the territory of Kyrgyzstan and ending in Almaty, Kazakhstan).

Phase I: Training

Training in drafting and modelling

CAD and modelling software (SIMONE) were installed in UZTRANSGAZ; only a CAD software was implemented in KYRGYZGAS. The training sessions took place just after the implementation of the software in UZTRANSGAZ and KYRGYZGAZ: in Uzbekistan from 20 July 1998 to 24 July 1998 (3 trainees) and in Kyrgyzstan from 27 July 1998 to 31 July 1998 (4 trainees).

After the training sessions, an expert from the local gas companies began to draw the P&ID diagrams of compressor stations and the schemes using CAD software.

Training on network operation in Paris (16 November 1998 to 27 November 1998)

This training which was composed of two modules (one week for pipeline operation and one week for compressor station operation) intended to show to five engineers and managers of UZTRANSGAZ and KYRGYZGAS the methods used by Gaz de France to operate the network. The lectures were completed by visits of compressor stations, underground gas storage and compressor shops.

Training on cathodic protection (8 December 1998 - 11 December 1998)

This training lasted one day and a half for each country. The attendants were pipeline, compressor station and cathodic protection engineers. The training program dealt particularly upon organisation of a cathodic protection system and intensive protection measurements.

Training on intelligent pigging: still to be organised

Procurement

Informal consultations were carried out to procure the software for the Drafting and Modelling task. In order to facilitate the utilisation by the local counterparts experts all the software was provided in both languages (English and Russian).

On another hand, office equipment was purchased (computer, printers, Xerox, fax, ...) and installed in the project offices opened in TASHKENT and BISHKEK prior to the audit phases.

Summary of the presentations made to the countries involved in the project

Validation of basic data. "Check diagram" mission (18 May 1998 - 6 June1998)

The objectives of this mission were to check on site the existence and the specifications of all the transmission facilities (pipelines, metering stations, compressor stations) and to select the facilities to be audited.

End of Phase 1 review meetings (Uzbekistan: 3 and 4 December 1998, Kyrgyzstan: 7 December 1998)

Before these meetings, each Task Manager prepared for each country and each task (i.e. for pipeline, compressor station, metering station, dispatching, modelling and CAD) a report ("country report") which summarised the findings of the audit and the first suggestions of actions for network rehabilitation. These reports were sent to the European Commission for approval prior to the meetings and were handed over to the local gas companies.

During these meetings:

• the findings of the audits were presented to UZTRANSGAZ and KYRGYZGAZ.
• at the end of each presentation, the recommendations of the experts and the possible actions for rehabilitation of the network were discussed with the attendants. UZTRANSGAS and KYRGYZGAS were asked to give their approval and/or their comments to the Contractor within a period of two weeks following the meeting.

UZTRANSGAZ has given his comments about the findings of the audits and the results of modelling. It appears that no observation was given so far regarding the modelling's results but questions could arise later.

Activities in progress (Phase II)

Potential actions

The following potential actions, which can be the basis for investment projects, have been determined from the information collected during the audits:

Potential actions for pipeline (Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan)

• improvement of cathodic protection system, of pig trap stations (with new equipment),
• improvement of gas quality (Mubarek treatment plant, methanol injection, condensate receivers),
• investigations and checking of valves, underwater crossings, bridges, casing pipes; close survey of cathodic protection, intelligent pigging, corrosion investigations, excavations,
• provision of equipment (for cathodic protection, lorries etc..), of spare parts and material for basic maintenance,
• repairing of valves, coating, backfill, rehabilitation of river crossings and aboveground sections.

The urgent actions determined so far concern the improvement and rehabilitation of cathodic protection and the provision of material and spare parts for basic maintenance.

Potential actions for compressor stations

Uzbekistan:

The compression system is able to satisfy the domestic needs at least in the short/medium term. The potential actions can be the following:

• improvement of the efficiency of the compressors (automatic anti-surge systems),
• improvement of the safety of the compressors (lighting, earthing, automatic fire fighting).

On the medium and long term:

• replacement of electric engines unit by gas turbines and upgrading of internal parts and rotors of compressors,
• replacement of gas engines and compressors by gas turbines and centrifugal compressors.

Kyrgyzstan:

• replacement of all the compressors units of Sokoulouk by gas turbines and centrifugal compressors.

Potential actions for metering

Uzbekistan:

• modernisation of existing metering stations: primary devices, instrumentation and calculation devices,
• installation of gas laboratories in each metering station and main compressor station (Gazli, Mubarek, Kagan, Zirabulak ...)

Kyrgyzstan: two alternate solutions

• building of a new metering station near Sokoulouk compressor station(with a gas analysis laboratory),

• install gas calculators on six gas delivery stations (representing about 96% of gas consumption).

Potential action for dispatching

On the short term: station upgrading and automation and telecommunication upgrading.

On the medium term: new telecommunication system, a new dispatch centre infrastructure

On the long term: implementation of a complete SCADA system.

Assessment of Quality Control (8 December 1998 - 11 December 1998)

This assessment covered the quality system presently used by UZTRANSGAZ and KYRGYZGAS for the design of operating facilities, supply of equipment, construction, operation and maintenance activities,

The conclusions of this assessment were very similar for both countries which have kept most of the standards inherited from the former soviet union. A quality system will be proposed; it will be derived from the ISO 9002 standard.