Western U. S. gas pipeline optimization program reduces fuel consumption, trims operating costs

Initial results show that a software package for pipeline optimization being used by Pacific Gas Transmission Co. (PGT) may give fuel savings of 8% on typical summer and winter days. The package, designed by Gilmour Systems Engineering (GSE) and installed in the PGT system in June 1985, has additionally reduced the time required to predict optimum operating modes from several days to a few minutes. The program has also helped planning engineers evaluate the economic effects of new pipeline hardware acquisitions on the PGT system.