Applicability analysis of the insulation materials to mitigate permafrost thawing surrounding the China-Russia Crude Oil Pipeline under climate warming

In the global energy transportation system, pipelines are the main channel for transporting oil and gas resources, and their stability is crucial to energy security. However, under the background of global warming, the China-Russia Crude Oil Pipeline (CRCOP) crossing the permafrost region is facing a serious risk of thaw settlement disaster. In order to deal with this challenge, this study is based on the boundary conditions and pipeline parameters obtained by the pipeline-permafrost interaction monitoring system. Through long-term numerical simulation, the effect of wrapping different thicknesses (0 cm, 4 cm, 8 cm, 12 cm, and 15 cm) insulation materials on the mitigation of pipeline thaw settlement considering the effects of climate warming is discussed. The results show that from the perspective of economy and safety, combined with the thaw settlement mitigation effect of different thickness insulation layers, the polyurethane foam material with a thickness of about 8 cm achieves the optimal balance between insulation performance and economic cost. The research methods and findings of this paper can provide an economical and effective solution for the insulation design of CRCOP and provide a reference for similar projects around the world.