Application of risk analysis in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector: An overview

In recent years, the global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) as an energy source is increasing at a very fast rate. In order to meet this demand, a large number of facilities such as platforms, FPSO (floating production, storage and offloading), FSRU (floating storage and regasification unit) and LNG ships and terminals are required for the storage, processing and transportation of LNG. Failure of any of these facilities may expose the market, companies, personnel and the environment to hazards, hence making the application of risk analysis to the LNG sector a very topical issue throughout the world. To assess the risk of accidents associated with LNG facilities and carriers, various risk analysis approaches have been employed to identify the potential hazards, calculate the probability of accidents, as well as assessing the severity of consequences. Nonetheless, literature on classification of the risk analysis models applied to LNG facilities is very limited. Therefore, to reveal the holistic issues and future perspectives on risk analysis of LNG facilities, a systematic review of the current state-of-the-art research on LNG risk analysis is necessary. The aim of this paper is to review and categorize the published literature about the problems associated with risk analysis of LNG facilities, so as to improve the understanding of stakeholders (researchers, regulators, and practitioners). To achieve this aim, scholarly articles on LNG risk analysis are identified, reviewed, and then categorized according to risk assessment methods (qualitative, semi-qualitative or quantitative; deterministic or probabilistic; conventional or dynamic), tools (ETA, FTA, FMEA/FMECA, Bayesian network), output/strategy (RBI, RBM, RBIM, facility siting, etc.), data sources (OREDA handbook, published literature, UK HSE databases, regulatory agencies' reports, industry datasets, and experts’ consultations), applications (LNG carriers and LNG fuelled ships, LNG terminals and stations, LNG offshore floating units, LNG plants), etc. Our study will not only be useful to researchers engaged in these areas but will also assist regulators, policy makers, and operators of LNG facilities to find the risk analysis models that fit their specific requirements.     

Improvement of integrity management for pressure vessels based on risk assessment - A natural gas separator case study

The process of oil and gas processing plant is complex, the types of pressure vessels are rich, and the functions are critical. However, the working medium is mostly untreated medium, and the hazard factors are complex, which poses a threat to the safe production of oil and gas processing plant. Based on PDCA cycle, this paper establishes a six-step links of integrity management for sustainable improvement of pressure vessels. The typical failure modes of pressure vessels are determined, and the fishbone diagram of risk factors under each failure mode is compiled. Risk quantification and classification of pressure vessels based on failure modes (RBFM) is innovatively proposed. Avoiding incalculable failure frequency index, the process quantification of failure possibility is formed according to the development of hazard factors. A failure consequence calculation model based on the leakage affected area was established. Combined with the failure probability level and risk level, the hierarchical inspection strategy for pressure vessels under different failure modes is established. Finally, the method is applied to the natural gas separator of H processing plant. The research results show that RBFM proposed in this paper can meet the requirements for rapid and accurate risk assessment of pressure vessels in oil and gas processing plant. This paper establishes a safe production barrier for the pressure vessel and improves the intrinsic safety of the equipment.     

Safety analysis and risk assessment of a Micro-GtL Plant

Laboratory hydrogen generators, medical oxygen, and micro-breweries are examples of modular and micro technologies that are commercial successes. Researchers, patients, and unskilled workers operate these facilities but more complex processes require highly qualified personnel to ensure they operate safely. Modular-micro processes in isolated locations meet economic objectives when operated remotely thereby minimizing labor costs. Mitigating the risk requires a comprehensive hazards analysis with advanced control systems particularly for explosive and toxic compounds. Here, we propose a method called Failure Mode Risk Decision (FMRD) to review the inherent hazards of a micro-refinery unit (MRU) that converts flared and wasted natural gas to long chain hydrocarbons. This approach combines the Process Flow Failure Mode (PFFM) methodology as a systematic and reliable technique with a novel numerical risk assessment to improve the analytical evaluation of hazardous conditions. The objective is to combine causes and consequences in a single metric, where scaled probability of evident causes and severity of consequences are used to derive a risk level measure. With the proposed metric, the magnitude of a potential hazard is directly correlated with the risk level. This mechanism identifies extra risk scenarios compared to the classical hazard analysis method and provides a straightforward comprehensive numerical assessment to represent the inherent and residual risks to facilitate justifying the hazardous scenarios. Accordingly, we design a safety loop and supply all the required facilities to remove the potential risks at the process plant. Not only the proposed methodology clarifies the risks of the MRU presented in this study, but can be extended to review the hazards of other chemical process plants.     

企业职业卫生综合风险管理评估体系的研究与应用

为了能够全面、客观地评估企业职业卫生风险管理质量,利用美国EPA吸入风险评估模型、新加坡化学物职业暴露半定量风险评估模型以及风险指数评估模型,对作业场所存在的职业病危害因素进行风险水平评估,并结合企业职业卫生管理评估模型,对企业职业卫生管理水平进行定量评估,以风险等级和管理水平,综合判断企业职业卫生风险水平。将该体系应用于实例分析,结果表明:体系在充分考虑企业职业病危害因素时空分布以及企业管理现状的基础上,能够定量评估职业病危害因素的急慢性影响以及企业职业卫生管理水平。     

Fuzzy Application Procedure (FAP) for the risk assessment of occupational accidents

This paper concerns a procedure to quantify the risk of occupational accidents based on Fuzzy Logic approach, named Fuzzy Application Procedure (FAP). FAP was developed as a support tool, after the method based on fuzzy logic was developed and validated. The methodology and FAP support tool were found to be able to quantitatively assess the risk of occupational accidents for different industrial and site activities and to identify the most efficient intervention measures that can be taken to reduce risks. The application of FAP to two Italian industrial plant allowed the validation of the procedure. It can be seen how FAP should be considered easy to use for any type of company, with the only requirement of having a sufficient and homogeneous number of accidents recorded, so as to be able to correctly tune the reference parameters of the fuzzy methodology.     

“百草枯”生产的环境风险评价

结合河北省桃园农药厂开发的百草枯新工艺(低温钠法),对百草枯生产过程中的环境风险进行评价。首先介绍了百草枯生产的工艺流程,然后系统分析了金属钠、吡啶、氯甲烷以及百草枯等危险物的性质及其危害性,并在上述分析的基础上,采用相应的评价模型对钠化釜及合成釜中吡啶可能造成的爆炸与扩散进行了评价。最后,就百草枯生产的环境风险提出了相应的对策和防范措施。     

基于改进PPC模型的铁路弃渣场综合风险评价系统

为了客观准确地评估铁路弃渣场的综合风险,建立基于改进投影寻踪聚类（PPC）模型的风险评价模型。首先建立了6个维度共19个因素的指标体系,并制定相应评价标准;然后借鉴K均值聚类思想来确定PPC模型关键系数-密度窗宽R,以解决传统方法造成的聚类效果差等问题;同时将遗传算法（GA）作为模型优化算法得到最优投影方向和样本投影值等关键数据;最后以贵昆线铁路的10座弃渣场作为案例研究,研究结果表明:“弃渣场边坡条件”和“地形与地基条件”2个维度对弃渣场的综合风险影响最大;验证了所建模型的科学性,评价结果能够规避人为主观因素的干扰,更加与实际情况相贴合。     

Technical,human, and organizational factors affecting failures of firefighting systems (FSs) of atmospheric storage tanks: Providing a risk assessment approach using Fuzzy Bayesian Network (FBN) and content validity indicators

Most risk assessment methods have problems such as uncertainty, static structure, and lack of validation. Also, in most of these studies, less attention has been paid to human, managerial, and organizational issues. Therefore, this study proposes a risk assessment method based on the Fuzzy Bayesian Network (FBN) to prevent failure of firefighting systems (FFSs) in the atmospheric Storage Tanks of a Petrochemical Industry. The first stage of the study is the development of a fault tree (FT) and investigation of basic events (BEs). In this study, content validity indices and brainstorming technique were used to validate the FT structure and reduce the uncertainties of Completeness, Modeling, and Parameter. After determining the probability of basic events (BEs) by the expert team opinions and fuzzy logic, events were transmitted to the Bayesian Network (BN) and then analyzed with deductive and inductive reasoning, followed by sensitivity analysis in the GeNIe software. Finally, results of a case study in the Atmospheric Storage Tanks of the Methanol Floating Roof of a Petrochemical Industry showed that FBN simulation and FT validation could provide a practical way to determine FFSs probabilities, identify impactful events, and reduce the above uncertainties. Also, taking account of hidden factors of events, such as organizational and managerial factors, can help managers to prevent FFSs in tanks.     

Developing a CFD heat transfer model for applying high expansion foam in an LNG spill

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is widely used to cost-effectively store and transport natural gas. However, a spill of LNG can create a vapor cloud, which can potentially cause fire and explosion. High expansion (HEX) foam is recommended by the NFPA 11 to mitigate the vapor hazard and control LNG pool fire. In this study, the parameters that affect HEX foam performance were examined using lab-scale testing of foam temperature profile and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of heat transfer in vapor channels. A heat transfer model using ANSYS Fluent® was developed to estimate the minimum HEX foam height that allows the vapors from LNG spillage to disperse rapidly. We also performed a sensitivity analysis on the effect of the vaporization rate, the diameter of the vapor channel, and the heat transfer coefficient on the required minimum height of the HEX foam. It can be observed that at least 1.2 m of HEX foam in height are needed to achieve risk mitigation in a typical situation. The simulation results can be used not only for understanding the heat transfer mechanisms when applying HEX foam but also for suggesting to the LNG facility operator how much HEX foam they need for effective risk mitigation under different conditions.     

基于AHP-GCE的固体火箭发动机水射流清理系统安全评价

针对固体火箭发动机水射流清理系统中诸多危险因素所呈现出的复杂性和不确定性,根据水射流清理固体推进剂装药的作业流程,利用层次分析法建立了其安全评价的指标体系,进而采用灰色综合评价法对固体火箭发动机水射流清理系统进行了安全评价。评价结果表明,固体火箭发动机水射流清理系统的综合评价值为31126,处于较高危险状况,需要对其中的危险因素加强防控;水射流清理平台的综合评价值为32417,高于整体综合评价值,因而需要在风险防控中予以着重关注;评价结果与实际情况吻合良好。     

基于文本挖掘的管制运行风险主题分析*

为充分挖掘管制运行风险信息和隐藏规律,实现数据驱动的风险管理。以某管制单位2004—2019年共269条管制原因不安全事件数据为挖掘语料,在考虑上下文语义的基础上,运用潜在狄利克雷分配（LDA）主题模型挖掘管制运行风险主题及关键词,使用Word2Vec挖掘主题之间、关键词之间的关联关系,运用社会网络分析软件UCINET、可视化工具NETDRAW构建语义网络将关联关系进行可视化并进行网络分析。结果表明:LDA主题模型可以通过运行数据实现对管制运行风险的高效提取和深层挖掘,挖掘到管制人为因素、特情处置、地空配合、班组资源管理、组织管理、运行环境、管制指挥共7个主题,其中管制人为因素主题是核心主题,与其他主题都具有较强的相互关联;Word2Vec和语义网络相结合能够更准确地挖掘风险之间的关系,确定主题的重要度排序,识别关键风险。     

一种新型双3,4-羟基吡啶酮类衍生物的合成及铀络合研究

以甲基麦芽酚为原料,经4步反应合成得到一种新型的四齿双3,4-羟基吡啶酮类衍生物,通过红外、紫外、核磁、质谱对其结构进行了表征.采用等摩尔连续变化法测定了四齿双3,4-羟基吡啶酮衍生物与UO22+的络合常数,在pH=7.4时,络合常数lgK=22.7,证实所合成的四齿双3,4-羟基吡啶酮衍生物有望成为一种新型的核素促排剂.