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A Decomposition Approach for Optimal Gas Network Extension with a Finite Set of Demand Scenarios
(2018)
Today's gas markets demand more flexibility from the network
operators which in turn have to invest into their network
infrastructure. As these investments are very cost-intensive and
long-living, network extensions should not only focus on a single
bottleneck scenario, but should increase the flexibility to fulfill
different demand scenarios. In this work, we formulate a model for
the network extension problem for multiple demand scenarios and
propose a scenario decomposition in order to solve the arising
challenging optimization tasks. In fact, each subproblem
consists of a mixed-integer nonlinear optimization problem (MINLP).
Valid bounds on the objective value are derived even
without solving the subproblems to optimality. Furthermore, we
develop heuristics that prove capable of improving the initial
solutions substantially. Results of computational experiments on
realistic network topologies are presented. It turns out that our
method is able to solve these challenging instances to optimality
within a reasonable amount of time.
In 2005 the European Union liberalized the gas market with a disruptive change
and decoupled trading of natural gas from its transport. The gas is now trans-
ported by independent so-called transmissions system operators or TSOs. The
market model established by the European Union views the gas transmission
network as a black box, providing shippers (gas traders and consumers) the
opportunity to transport gas from any entry to any exit. TSOs are required
to offer the maximum possible capacities at each entry and exit such that any
resulting gas flow can be realized by the network. The revenue from selling these
capacities more than one billion Euro in Germany alone, but overestimating the
capacity might compromise the security of supply. Therefore, evaluating the
available transport capacities is extremely important to the TSOs.
This is a report on a large project in mathematical optimization, set out
to develop a new toolset for evaluating gas network capacities. The goals and
the challenges as they occurred in the project are described, as well as the
developments and design decisions taken to meet the requirements.