Upgraded artificial potential field algorithm for optimal path planning of oil and gas pipelines

Worldwide economic conditions are imposing some constraints on all life activities including the design of oil and gas pipeline networks. Design optimization is crucial to minimize the cost of implementation and operation as well as reducing the pumping power through the network. For these purposes, the lengths of pipeline from wellheads to manifold and Central Processing Facility (CPF) should be optimized. In this work, Artificial Potential Field (APF) algorithm for pipeline path planning is updated to obtain a pipeline route satisfying all boundary conditions imposed on oil and gas practitioners. These constraints include the complex geographical obstacles and related cost and hydraulic constraints. The enhanced algorithm successfully solved the optimization problem by determining the optimal diameter size, shortest path for each route, and ideal manifold location. The final APF algorithm, incorporating all constraints, has effectively achieved the shortest path at minimal cost while adhering to all flow-related constraints of the problem.