Kevin Blanco

Math 1210
Calculus
Pipeline Project
Salt Lake CC, Math 1210
Pipeline Project

The U.S. Interior Secretary recently approved drilling of natural gas wells near Vernal, Utah.
Your company has begun drilling and established a high-producing well on BLM ground. They
now need to build a pipeline to get the natural gas to their refinery.
While running the line directly to the refinery will be the least amount of pipe and shortest
distance, it would require running the line across private ground and paying a right-of-way fee.
There is a mountain directly east of the well that must be drilled through in order to run the
pipeline due east. Your company can build the pipeline around the private ground by going 8
miles directly west and then 16 miles south and finally 40 miles east to the refinery (see figure
below). Cost for materials, labor and fees to run the pipeline across BLM ground is $480,000
per mile.
Cost of drilling through the existing mountain would be a one-time cost of $4,500,000 on top of
the normal costs ($480,000 per mile) of the pipeline itself. Also the BLM will require an
environmental impact study before allowing you to drill through the mountain. Cost for the study
is estimated to be $600,000 and will delay the project by 8 months costing the company another
$100,000 per month.
For any pipeline run across private ground, your company incurs an additional $360,000 per
mile cost for right-of-way fees.
Your company has asked you to do the following:
a) Determine the cost of running the pipeline strictly on BLM ground with two different
cases:
i)
One running west, south and then east to the refinery.
64 480,000 = $30,720,000
ii)
One heading east through the mountain and then south to the refinery.
48 480,000 + 4,500,000 + 600,000 + 8 100,000 = $28,940,000
b) Determine the cost of running the pipeline:
i)
The shortest distance across the private ground to the refinery.
16! + 32! = ! !
1280 = ! !
! = 1280 = 35.77708764!!"#$%

1280 (840,000) = $30,052,753.62

1280 840,000 = $36,275,942.44!

ii)

Straight south across the private ground, then straight east to the refinery.
! ! = 16 840,000 + 32 480,000 = $28,800,000

c) Determine the cost function for the pipeline for the configuration involving running from
the well across the private ground at some angle and intersecting the BLM ground to the
south and then running east to the refinery. Use this function to find the optimal way to
run the pipeline to minimize cost. Determine the length of pipe that runs across private
land and how far from the refinery it starts running on BLM land. Determine the angle at
which your optimal path leaves the well. Clearly show all work including drawing the
pipeline on the figure below. Make it very clear how you use your knowledge of calculus
to determine the optimal placement of the pipeline.
!
!

BLM Ground
16 miles

BLM Ground

8 mile
!
!!

y!
y!

Private Ground

!
!

x!

(32'x)!

!
!

40 miles - BLM Ground

tan ! =

!
!
16

! ! = ! ! + 16! !
!=

256 + ! ! !

! = 480,000! + 840,000!!
! ! = 480,000 32 ! + 840,000 256 + ! ! !
! ! = 15,360,000 480,000! + 840,000 256 + ! ! !
! ! ! = 0 480,000 +

420,000 2!
256 + ! !

!! ! =
!! ! =
=

840,000!
256 + ! !

840,000!
256 + ! !
840,000!
256 + ! !

480,000!

480,000 = 0!

= 480,000!

480,000 256 + ! ! = 840,000!

256 + ! ! =

7!
!
4

256 + ! ! = 3.0625! ! !
256 = 3.0625! ! ! ! !
256 = 2.0625! ! !
256
= !!
2.0625
! = 11.14096998!!"#$%!
tan ! =

11.14096998
!
16

! = tan!!

11.14096998
!
16

! = 34.84990458!!"#$""%!
!=

256 + (11.14096998)! = 19.49669747!!"#$%!

32 11.14096998 = 20.85903002!!"#$%!

! = 480,000 20.85903002 + 840,000 19.49669747 !

! = $26,389,560.28!
d) Include a computer generated graph of the optimal cost function, C(x), for this pipeline

for any configuration involving crossing some private ground as well as some BLM
ground. Make sure to use the correct domain of the function to scale your axes
appropriately and to label the minimum point.!

!
!

Dear CEO,
I was asked to determine two ways of running the pipeline strictly on BLM ground with
two different cases. The first case is running the pipeline west, south, and then east to
the refinery, and the second case is running the pipeline east through the mountain and
then south to the refinery.
The first case of running the pipeline west, south, and then east to the refinery would
require 64 miles of pipe and it would cost $30,720,000.
The second case of running the pipeline east through the mountain and then south to the
refinery would require 48 miles of pipe, but the fees for drilling through the mountain
would make it cost $28,940,000.
I was also asked to determine two more ways of running the pipeline, the first way being
the shortest distance across the private ground to the refinery. The second way being
straight south across the private ground, then straight east to the refinery.
The first way of running the pipeline the shortest distance across the private ground to
the refinery would require about 35.8 miles and would cost $30,052,753.62.
The second way of running the pipeline straight south across the private ground, then
straight east to the refinery would require 48 miles of pipe and would cost $28,800,000.
Lastly, I determined the optimal place to run the pipeline for the minimum cost. If the
pipeline is laid at about 34.85 degrees from due south you will lay about 19.5 miles
across the private ground and about 20.86 miles east towards the refinery. The cost for
this would be $26,389,560.28, which is the minimum cost for any of the pipeline routes
and is the route I suggest to take if you are looking to minimize the cost of this pipeline
project.

Reflection:
Throughout the year I have learned many useful things in Calculus. Calculus has taught me a
new level of math that will help me for years to come. Calculus can most definitely be applied to
the real world, for example, the Pipeline Project, through my knowledge of calculus I was able to
determine the best route for the pipeline in terms of minimum cost, and of course saving money
is a huge part of the real world. If I didnt know the properties of optimization I would not have
been able to figure out the optimal route for the pipeline and the company would be spending an
unnecessary amount of money. Learning the foundation of the derivative has allowed me to
understand aspects such as related rates, and rate of change in science, which will both apply
to the real world, as well as my interest of study since I am a science major. Knowing the
aspects of rated rates as well as the rate of change in science will help me in the lab as I
interpret data and in the field when I am looking at changing in the environment. Through my
acquired knowledge of calculus I now understand how to manipulate derivatives as well as
interpret the maximum and minimum values of a graph, which will be helpful as I continue my
college career. Real world applications such as knowing how to maximize the revenue of a
product, minimize the cost of a project, and knowing the properties of a graph and what each
point means. This knowledge will help me in the real world for obvious reasons, giving me the
skills necessary to run an efficient business. I am grateful for the skills I have acquired through
this calculus course.

!
!

BLM Ground

8 mile

BLM Ground
16 miles

Private Ground

!
!
!

40 miles - BLM Ground

Write up a report of your finding to submit to your companys CEO. This report should include
all steps for any math used to make determinations asked for above as well as statements as to
the costs to be incurred by each scenario. Include any appropriate figures to make each
scenario clear. Label the scenarios as they are labeled above.
Expectations:

All of the mathematical steps will be shown and will be correct

All equations and formulas will be created using an equation editor
Use exact values, rounding costs to the nearest cent only after the final calculation
Each pipeline scenario will be clearly labeled on a computer generated diagram
showing the path that is being considered
Any variables you use will be clearly defined and shown in your diagrams
The cost function graph will be accurately generated using mathematical software
A word-processed explanatory narrative with correct spelling and grammar will
allow the reader to follow your process

Your report should be an exposition of your finest work and presentation.

Also, in your report, include a reflection of the things you have learned in your calculus class
and how they may apply to the real world. Can you make the argument that calculus is a useful
tool? What kinds of things have you learned that can be useful in your areas of interest?
Please be specific and give some examples to back up your statements. Your reflection
needs to be typed-not hand written and included with the report.
Math 1210 is a Quantitative Studies General Education course. Scan or save a copy of your
finished report to upload to your SLCC e-Portfolio so that it can be found under this category.
You will NOT receive a grade for the assignment if it is not uploaded to your e-Portfolio.
Instructions for the e-Portfolio are posted on the Canvas site for this course.