Steady-State Modelling for Natural Gas Transport Network Optimization

Abstract

Natural gas is an essential global energy resource. Large volumes of gas are transported using transmission pipelines and energized using compressors. Several operational optimization opportunities arise due to the immense volume of transported gas. Hence minor improvements in the operating conditions can have drastic economic effects. One such operating optimization problem, which is the primary focus of this thesis, is the fuel cost minimization problem (FCMP). The FCMP seeks to minimize the fuel consumption of compressors in a network while satisfying flow demand and supply constraints. Current approaches to the FCMP emphasize the tractability of the pipeline and compressor models but compromise their validity. As a result, the suggestions from such methods are not actionable as they are either inaccurate or infeasible. This thesis addresses the issues in the FCMP literature in two significant areas. First in the pipeline, and second in the compressor.