Transient Hydraulic Analysis–Based Methodology for Reducing Operational Risk in Liquid Pipeline Transportation Systems

Abstract

Liquid hydrocarbon pipeline systems are critical infrastructures exposed to operational events such as controlled valve closures and sudden variations in operating parameters, including pressure and flow rate, which can generate severe hydraulic transients. These phenomena increase the risk of operational failures and, in extreme cases, may lead to pipeline ruptures or leaks, posing significant risks to people, the environment, and facilities. However, traditional steady-state analyses limit the proper identification of these dynamic conditions and their preventive management. This paper presents a methodology based on hydraulic transient studies aimed at reducing operational risks in liquid pipeline transportation systems. The approach relies on dynamic hydraulic simulation to evaluate the time-dependent response of the system under representative transient events, analyzing pressure evolution, hydraulic inertia effects, and the time lag between event initiation and the occurrence of maximum pressure. The proposed methodology is applied to a real liquid hydrocarbon pipeline system in Peru operating under active pumping conditions, considering controlled valve closure scenarios. The results demonstrate that the severity of transient overpressures is strongly influenced by the proximity of the event to the pumping station and by the hydraulic stiffness of the analyzed pipeline section. Furthermore, the analysis highlights the importance of considering residual pressure growth after protective actions due to hydraulic inertia. Finally, the proposed approach reduces uncertainty in hydraulic risk assessment and enhances the anticipation of critical operating conditions, providing a replicable framework to strengthen operational safety and support decision-making in other liquid hydrocarbon pipeline systems