THE ROMA TO BRISBANE PIPELINE — MEETING AN EXPANDING MARKET

Abstract

The 440 km Roma to Brisbane gas pipeline has provided a reliable supply of natural gas to Brisbane since March 1969. In those 18 years it has carried approximately 4.8 billion m8 of gas from fields in the Roma and Surat regions.

Initially installed as a free-flow 10 inch gas pipeline, the system has been considerably upgraded over time. As market demand in Brisbane has increased, Associated Pipelines Limited (APL) has met this demand by gradually increasing compression along the pipeline. An outline of the approach to compression, its installation and impact on deliverability as well as the operating philosophy is discussed.

The gas pipeline has six mainline compressors installed and the capacity of the original pipeline has almost doubled to approximately 65 TJ/D. The sixth compressor was planned to be the final stage of APL's pipeline capacity expansion via compression.

The alternatives available to increase capacity in the future are also examined. These alternatives include peak shaving, higher degrees of compression, looping and a new pipeline. The advantages and disadvantages of each alternative are outlined. Looping is the most practical alternative. The factors involved in selecting a looping program which can be tailored to meet market demand, are discussed.