VII. Translate the following phrases into Russian.

1. proper sequence of product batchers.

2. to reduce to a minimum.

3. to insert barriers between batches.

4. to avoid congestion on highways.

5. a means of moving commodities.

6. a wide range of products.

7. a pumping station.

8. per unit of volume.

VIII. Read and translate the text. Trunk and multi-product pipelines

The main functions of pipeline in the oil industry are:

to transport crude oil from oil fields to ocean terminals and from ocean terminals to refineries or, where no sea voyage is necessary, from oilfields direct to refineries.

to carry refined products from refineries or tanker terminals to consumers or local distribution depots.

Since pipelines are unaffected by climatic conditions and other natural hazards, such as floods, fog and frost, their use helps to avoid congestion on inland waterways, railroads and highways. Pipelines are generally the most economical way to transport large quantities of oil or natural gas over land.

Trunk pipelines

From large central storage facilities, oil is moved through large-diameter, long-distance trunk lines to refineries or to other storage terminals.

This network of crude trunk lines comprises a wide variety of pipe sizes and capacities. Pumps are required at the beginning of the trunk line, and pumping stations must also be spaced along the pipeline to maintain pipeline pressure at the level required to overcome friction, changes in elevation and so on. The different sections of the system are sized to handle expected volumes.

Crude trunk lines operate at higher pressures than field-gathering systems and are also made of steel. Individual sections are joined by welding. These lines are almost always buried below ground surface and are coated on the exterior to protect the steel pipe from corrosion.

Multi-product pipelines

As oil companies expand their operations they must transport more products to more places more quickly than ever before. With rising transport costs, pipelines of all types have become a necessity. Some cater for a wide range of products; others are more specialized, for example, moving aviation fuels or depots to airports, or carrying industrial fuels to power station or feedstocks to chemical plants.

Multi-product pipelines are used to transport two or more different products in sequence in the same pipeline. Usually in multi-product pipelines there is no physical separation between the different products.

Multi-product pipelines generally need a minimum throughput of 500 000 – 1 000 000 tons a year to compete with conventional transport. But because distances by rail, road and river are usually greater than by pipelines, and because loading and unloading containers add to the cost, pipelines may well compete at lower throughputs than those indicated. Nevertheless, movements of oil by conventional methods will continue on a large scale because they are more flexible and economically attractive for the movement of smaller quantities; they are also extensively used for viscous products, such as heavy fuels and luboils.

The operation of multi-product pipelines is similar to that of crude lines, but is a little more complex because quality control is more important. Since a whole range of products may be carried, ranging from aviation gasoline to light fuel oils, proper sequence of product batches is necessary to reduce contamination to a minimum. Rubber spheroids or similar barriers may be inserted between batches to minimize interfacial mixing. To speed up scheduling of product intake and delivery, electronic computers have entered into the picture.