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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_NGGT0121
Title	Risk Assessment Methodologies for Pipelines and AGIs 2017
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Refining, transport and storage of oil and gas) 100%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given National Grid Gas Transmission
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 April 2017
End Date	01 April 2018
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£131,551
Industrial Sectors	Energy
Region	London
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , National Grid Gas Transmission (99.998%)
	Other Investigator	Project Contact , National Grid Gas Transmission (0.001%) Project Contact , Cadent Gas (0.001%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_NGGT0121
Objectives	"The programme elements are listed below and costed by NIA contribution (k) in the format:NGGT | Cadent | other JIP PartnersHazard and Risk Assessment Methods for GT Pipelines20.0 | 20.0 | 45.0Data for Failure Frequency Estimation for Use in Risk Analysis8.3 | 8.3 | 26.1Hazard and Risk Assessment Methods for Above-Ground Installations13.0 | 13.0 | 48.0Parallel Pipelines2.1 | 2.1 | 12.6Effectiveness of Safety-improving Measures1.8 | 1.8 | 14.4Project management/technical services of NIA4.5 | 4.5 | -Totals49.7k | 49.7k | 146.1k" The high-pressure natural GT system is a complex combination of buried pipelines and above-ground installations (AGIs), such as pressure reduction stations, compressor stations and terminals. These assets present potential major hazards, such as fire risk, in the unlikely event of accidental releases of gas, due to a range of causes.Hazard and Risk Assessment Methods for GT Pipelines The PIPESAFE Joint Industry Project (JIP) provides the tools to assist National Grid and Cadent in discharging their obligations by developing and refining techniques for quantifying the risk associated with pipeline and above ground assets. In the period covered by the current proposal (201718), topics being addressed in the PIPESAFE JIP include a review of the evidence for the behaviour of gas jets in a crater (and, in particular, why horizontal releases are not considered credible for below-ground gas pipeline ruptures) and completion of work to implement the new crater fire model developed last year to improve handling of complex failure modes (e.g. pipeline misalignment), by establishing the methodology for the application of the model in fully probabilistic risk assessments. An updated version of PIPESAFE will be issued to all the Participants, incorporating the latest changes and improvements to the package, and a summary report of the activities undertaken during the year will be provided.Specific development topics to support the use of PIPESAFE by National Grid and Cadent include:A screening process for risk assessment of IGEM/TD/1 infringements and development of a risk screening tool aligned with National Grid and Cadents methodology.Updates to the methodology to capture learning from recent research on natural landsliding. Data for Failure Frequency Estimation for Use in Risk Analysis A key component of risk analysis is the predicted frequency of failure. Historical data provides an important means of ensuring that appropriate values are used, based on experience. However, an individual company rarely has sufficient experience for meaningful analysis of the frequency of major accidents. By pooling experience with other companies operating similar assets in similar ways, a combined body of data can be used which provides sufficient exposure for analysis of frequencies. The project includes National Grid and Cadents participation in two international Joint Industry Projects to facilitate the sharing of data by gas pipeline companies operating similar assets in similar ways, in order to provide sufficient data for investigation and analysis: Firstly; Failure Frequency Analysis (FFA) project gas release incidents for onshore GT pipelines and secondly; AGI Failure Frequency (AGIFF) project gas release incidents for high pressure gas above-ground installations.Hazard and Risk Assessment Methods for Above-Ground InstallationsThe ORDER Joint Industry Project (JIP) involves an international group of gas companies collaboratingon the development and maintenance of the ORDER software package for consequence and risk assessment of gas facilities including AGIs (Above Ground Installations). In the period covered by the current proposal (201718), topics being addressed in the ORDER JIP include CFD studies to investigate the overpressures generated by explosions in large enclosures, to guide the development of the confined explosion model in ORDER. An updated version of ORDER will be issued to all the Participants, incorporating the latest changes and improvements to the package, and a summary report of the activities undertaken during the year will be provided.Parallel PipelinesThe Parallel Pipelines Group (PPG) Joint Industry Project produced a tool (PROPHET) for assessing the possibility of interaction between parallel natural gas pipelines in the event of failure. Recommendations were made for further work in a Phase 3 project which commenced in 2016 to address specific aspects including; implementation of a pressure dependent crater model, review of heat loading and response for punctures within a ground crater and implementation of a probabilistic approach. The PPG Phase 3 project will be completed in 2017 and will deliver a new version of the PROPHET tool with an accompanying final report.Effectiveness of Safety-improving MeasuresUnderground steel pipelines are subject to a variety of influences that threaten their integrity. Pipeline operators have a variety of physical and non-physical methods available to them to reduce the likelihood of these threats. Phase 3 of the project commenced in 2016 to collate information on the different non-physical measures in use by pipeline operators and identify an appropriate method for assessing the collective effectiveness of non-physical measures. The findings from the survey, literature review and workshop will be described in a report, with recommendations for the next stage of the work to develop methods of quantifying the non-physical measures of interest. Research into the enduring management of safety risks on pipelines and above ground installations. The project includes the implementation of the results via tools and methodologies that are aligned specifically to National Grid and Cadents needs but are also relevant to the UK gas industry, utilising the results of the international collaborations as appropriate.
Abstract	The high-pressure natural GT system is a complex combination of buried pipelines and above-ground installations (AGIs), such as pressure reduction stations, compressor stations and terminals. These assets present potential major hazards, such as fire risk, in the unlikely event of accidental releases of gas, due to a range of causes.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	15/12/22