A decision-making framework for scheduling of multiproduct pipeline under the fair opening

To promote the fair opening of pipeline facilities and improve the utilization efficiency of infrastructure, Chinese government has implemented the pipe network reform by learning from the successful experience of Europe and America. Under the market-oriented mode, the pipe carrier will rationally allocate the transport capacity to the third-party customers according to their nominations and formulate the schedule in line with the operational process. Aiming at the new scheduling mode, this study develops a method for detailed scheduling of multiproduct pipelines under the market-oriented mode. The method consists of the sequence-decision model and the scheduling model, covering several operational aspects of real-world pipeline systems, such as multi-source injection, the constraints for contamination volume and the constraints for restart frequency of stations. Data from practical pipelines is adopted as the case study to validate the method. Results show that the proposed framework can improve the satisfaction of shippers to the greatest extent. The delivery satisfaction of each shipper at designated stations all reaches 100%. The method guarantees the delivery quality of products, decreases the number of operation interruptions. The number of times that operation interruptions occur at the stations does not exceed 2 times. To a certain extent, the operating cost of pipe company will be reduced.