The transit of ammonia from Russia through Ukraine works smoothly despite the weather conditions
Despite the difficult weather conditions, the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia trunk pipeline is operating normally. This became possible, among other things, due to the prompt and high-quality implementation of a number of technical measures to eliminate and eliminate the consequences of bad weather, says the head of the state enterprise "Ukrhimtransammiak" Vadim Dvoinos.
These days in the south of Ukraine, in the regions through which the pipeline runs, difficult weather conditions were observed for several days: snow and blizzard (an increase in snow cover - 30-40 cm, adhesion of wet snow), an increase in wind speed up to 15 - 20 m /s, ice. All these natural factors led to a complete de-energization of the main sectioning posts (GPS) 13C5, 13C4, 13C3 (all - Odessa region; serves the Nikolaev department of the main ammonia pipeline).
According to the head of the enterprise, based on the results of an emergency meeting, a decision was made to resume power supply and an urgently formed working team, after a detailed inspection of the lines, found such malfunctions in the destruction of insulators on 31 supports and on 3 anchor supports, breakage of two wires to disconnectors of a complete transformer substation , breakage of four wires between the anchor supports. The restoration of power supply at these facilities was carried out as soon as possible - in 9 days.
“In case of emergency situations during a blackout, backup power supply is provided by special generators. To prevent emergencies in the future on these lines it is planned to carry out an unscheduled riding inspection and, if necessary, repairs "- says the chief power engineer of the Nikolaev department Alexander Topolsky.
The Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline was built in the late 1970s to transport Russian ammonia for export. The total capacity of the ammonia pipeline is 2.52 million tons per year, of which 2.12 million falls on Russian enterprises, the remaining 400 thousand tons was provided by the Ukrainian concern Stirol, which had been shut down since 2014. At the other end of the ammonia pipeline is the Odessa Port Plant, from there ammonia is loaded into tankers and exported.
The total length of the ammonia pipeline is 2.42 thousand kilometers, across the territory of Ukraine - 1.02 thousand kilometers.