The research report was developed and part-funded by the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute (GCCSI), Air Products, Progressive Energy, AMEC and supported by the Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) and the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL).
It is based around an analysis of an offshore CO2 dispersion modelling exercise, carried out for the EI by the Health and Safety Laboratory. It provides a useful example from which individuals could develop further hazard models, and describes solutions and mitigation techniques.
Andy Brown, Chairman, EI CCS committee, and Engineering Director, Progressive Energy, says, ‘The model looked at different rupture scenarios, using a process hazard analysis software tool which provided initial indications as to where the zones of lethality might exist in a given event. The good news is that known and tested mitigation techniques can be applied offshore.’
The report acts as a guide for the health and safety hazard analysis for offshore management of pipelines and platforms, where CO2 will be present as a part of CCS installations; communicates existing knowledge on pipeline and offshore facility design and operations; and identify areas of uncertainty where existing knowledge cannot be applied with sufficient confidence, considering the scale and nature of expected CCS operations in the future.
It was produced to complement the already published onshore version of this document: Technical guidance on hazard analysis for onshore carbon capture installations and onshore pipelines. The publication should supplement rather than substitute regulatory requirements, many of which are referenced within the text, says EI. The intention is to allow project developers and designers to meet their statutory obligations with increased certainty.