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BLM Pipeline Project
BLM Pipeline Project
BLM Pipeline Project
Problem #1
a.) Cost of pipeline running West -> South -> East to the refinery.
Total distance = 8 +16 +40 = 64 miles
Total cost = 64*480,000(Cost/mile for running pipe through BLM land) = $30,720,000
b.) Cost of running East through the Mountain -> South to the refinery:
Cost of burying through the Mountain = 48*480,000 + 4,500,000(one time cost) +
600,000(environmental study) +800,000(cost for delayed eight months) = $28,940,000
Problem #2
a.) Cost of running the pipeline the shortest distance from the private ground to the
refinery is:
Total distance can be found using the Pythagorean Theorem: c^2 = a^2 + b^2, where
b.) Cost of running directly south to the private ground, then east to the refinery:
16*840,000 (cost of private ground) + 32*480,000 (cost of BLM land) = $28,800,000
BLM Ground
8 mile
BLM Ground
16 miles
Private Ground
BLM Ground
8 mile
BLM Ground
16 miles
Private Ground
P
32 miles
A B = 32 - A
Using the Pythagorean Theorem, we know that the lengths of the side
Since B = 32 A, we can substitute the P and B values into the original Cost equation,
yielding the final Cost equation below.
Simplify: dA/dC =
Set C(A) = 0
Simplify:
Factor out A2
BLM Ground
16 X
Private Ground
32
X(orange) = = = 19.49669747
Total cost = 840,000(19.49669747) + 480,000(20.85903002) = $ 26,389,560.28
BLM GroundMoney
BLM Ground
8 mile
16 miles
Private Ground
X
A B
Theta(Blue) will be equal to the transverse angle on the opposite side of the diagonal X(Orange).
Tangent() = Opposite Side/Adjacent Side = Western BLM Boundary/A = 16/11.14096998
By taking the ArcTangent inverse of both sides, we can find the theta value.
= 55.15009542 degrees
The pipe left the oil pump at an angle of 55.15009542o and traveled 19.49669747 miles through
the Private Ground and entering the Southern section of BLM land. From that point,
20.85903002 miles of pipe was run along the Southern side of the BLM land in order to connect
with the refinery. The total cost of the pipe laid was $ 26,389,560.28. This was the most cost-
effective way in way that the pipe could be run, while still minimizing the distance it covered to
get to the refinery.
Problem #4
Below is the graph for the Pipeline Cost function.
2.639 x 107
Without a thorough knowledge of Calculus
and how to deal with an optimization
problem such as this, our company would
have been forced to spend several million
dollars more than was necessary, without
the knowledge of an optimal path for the
pipeline to take.