Interaction between soils and gas pipelines

The interaction between pipelines and soils manifests itself in the soil disturbance in the course of the pipe installation, in the transformation of the water and temperature regimes in the trenches, and in the appearance of corrosion and cracks on the pipe walls. The more contrasting the soil water regime in the pipe-adjacent sections of the trench, the greater the amount of the pipe damage. The damage of the pipe insulation activates the pipe corrosion. The emission of gases (H2S, CH4, CO2, CO, and H2) and the activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria are the main causes of the pipes’ destruction. The humus content and the redox potential decrease, and the soil density and concentrations of ferrous compounds increase in the soils of the trench zone. Accidents along pipelines occur most often in the area of serozems and chestnut soils, and this is related to the salinization in the lower soil horizons and to the contrasting soil water regime near the pipe. The number of accidents along the pipelines installed into soddy-podzolic soils is lower.