Pipeline for transporting petroleum products through tundra

Claim 2

A pipeline comprising a conduit for containing a fluid to be transported, means surrounding said conduit for transporting an optically transparent fluid, pumping means for causing said optically transparent fluid to flow through said means surround said conduit, means for directing a beam of light into said optically transparent fluid within said means surrounding said conduit, and photosensitive means for receiving said beam of light after said beam passes through a portion of said optically transparent fluid, whereby the leakage of a fluid from the interior of said conduit into the optically transparent fluid may be detected by said photosensitive means by reason of a change in the optical density of the fluid within said means surrounding said conduit.

Claim 3

A pipeline for transporting oil at a temperature higher than that of the pipeline environment while minimizing interference with said environment comprising an oil-carrying conduit for containing the oil to be transported, a plurality of independent coolant-recirculating sections located along the length of the pipeline, each said coolant-recirculating section comprising: a first coolant-carrying conduit extending along and surrounding the oil containing conduit; a second coolant-carrying conduit extending along the oil containing conduit, the second coolant-carrying conduit being substantially coextensive with and surrounding the first coolant-carrying conduit; means closing the ends of said first and second conduits; means, located adjacent one of said closing means, for providing an interconnection between said first and second conduits to allow flow of coolant therebetween; pumping means, interconnected with said first and second conduits at a location remote from said interconnection-providing means, for withdrawing coolant from one of said first and second conduits and introducing the withdrawn coolant into the other of said first and second conduits, and means connected to said pumping means for separating oil from withdrawn coolant and for injecting the separated oil into the oil-carrying conduit and means connected in series with the pumping means for refrigerating said coolant prior to its introduction into said other of said first and second conduits.

Claim 4

A pipeline for transporting oil at a temperature higher than that of the pipeline environment while minimizing interference with said environment comprising an oil-carrying conduit for containing the oil to be transported, a plurality of independent coolant-recirculating sections located along the length of the pipeline, each said coolant-recirculating section comprising: a first coolant-carrying conduit extending along and surrounding the oil containing conduit; a second coolant-carrying conduit extending along the oil containing conduit, the second coolant-carrying conduit being substantially coextensive with and surrounding the first coolant-carrying conduit; means closing the ends of said first and second conduits; means, located adjacent one of said closing means, for providing an interconnection between said first and second conduits to allow flow of coolant therebetween; pumping means, interconnected with said first and second conduits at a location remote from said interconnection-providing means, for withdrawing coolant from one of said first and second conduits and introducing the withdrawn coolant into the other of said first and second conduits, and means connected to said pumping means for separating oil from withdrawn coolant and for injecting the separated oil into the oil-carrying conduit and means connected in series with the pumping means for refrigerating said coolant prior to its introduction into said other of said first and second conduits.

Claim 5

A pipeline according to claim 2 in which at least a substantial part of the oil-carrying conduit is surrounded by evacuated insulation means for reducing the conduction of heat from the oil-carrying conduit to the first coolant-carrying conduit.

Claim 6

A pipeline according to claim 2 in which the pumping means is arranged to withdraw coolant from the first conduit and to introduce said coolant into the second conduit.

Claim 7

A pipeline according to claim 2 including means responsive to the optical density of the fluid in the first coolant-carrying conduit for providing a signal indicative of an oil leak when oil from the oil-carrying conduit leaks into the coolant-carrying conduits.

Claim 8

A pipeline according to claim 2 including means connected in series with the pumping means for warming the coolant to a temperature between 15° F and 32° F prior to its introduction into said other of said first and second conduits.

Claim 9

A pipeline for transporting oil at a temperature higher than that of the pipeline environment while minimizing interference with said environment comprising an oil-carrying conduit for containing the oil to be transported, and a plurality of independent coolant-recirculating sections located along the length of the pipeline, each said coolant-recirculating section comprising: a first coolant-carrying conduit extending along and surrounding the oil-containing conduit; a second coolant-carrying conduit extending along the oil-containing conduit, the second coolant-carrying conduit being substantially coextensive with and surrounding the first coolant-carrying conduit; means closing the ends of said first and second conduits; means, located adjacent one of said closing means, for providing an interconnection between said first and second conduits to allow flow of coolant therebetween; pumping means, interconnected with said first and second conduits at a location remote from said interconnection-providing means, for withdrawing coolant from one of said first and second conduits and introducing the withdrawn coolant into the other of said first and second conduits; and means responsive to the optical density of the fluid in the coolant-carrying conduits for providing a signal indicative of an oil leak when oil from the oil-carrying conduit leaks into the coolant-carrying conduits.

Claim 10

A pipeline for transporting oil at a temperature higher than that of the pipeline environment while minimizing interference with said environment comprising an oil-carrying conduit for containing the oil to be transported, and a plurality of independent coolant-recirculating sections located along the length of the pipeline, each said coolant-recirculating section comprising: a first coolant-carrying conduit extending along and surrounding the oil-containing conduit; a second coolant-carrying conduit extending along the oil-containing conduit, the second coolant-carrying conduit being substantially coextensive with and surrounding the first coolant-carrying conduit; means closing the ends of said first and second conduits; means, located adjacent one of said closing means, for providing an interconnection between said first and second conduits to allow flow of coolant therebetween; pumping means, interconnected with said first and second conduits at a location remote from said interconnection-providing means, for withdrawing coolant from one of said first and second conduits and introducing the withdrawn coolant into the other of said first and second conduits; and means responsive to the optical density of the fluid in the coolant-carrying conduits for providing a signal indicative of an oil leak when oil from the oil-carrying conduit leaks into the coolant-carrying conduits.