An Integral MODEL for Basic Analysis of Liquid Hydrocarbon Dispersion on Soil, Estimation of Emergency Response Times and Geologic Risk Assessment to Locate Sectioning and Check Valves on Onshore Pipelines Projects

An integrated model consisting of three basic components to define the location of sectioning and check valves is proposed in this work. This integral model incorporates a basic analysis of liquid hydrocarbon dispersion on soil, an estimation of emergency response times and a geologic risk assessment on site for onshore pipelines projects.

The analysis of liquid hydrocarbon dispersion on soil can be applied for specific high consequences zones previously defined for each segment of the pipeline. This dispersion model incorporates the effect of variables such as topographic profile along the length of the pipeline and the time release duration to estimate the total inventory released to the environment as well as the characteristics of the hills or slopes of the high consequences zones where the release can occur to define a maximum potential length of the area affected by the liquid hydrocarbon release. As part of this dispersion model, an economic analysis related to environmental cost associated to the hydrocarbon dispersion on soil is applied too.

For the analysis of emergency response times, the model considers the availability of emergency services in local communities near to the path of the pipeline or the availability of emergency services in facilities related with the operation of the pipeline such as pump station(s). The estimation of emergency response times is based on the use of a tool of the Operation Research such as the waiting lines.

Once the liquid hydrocarbon dispersion model and the emergency response times have been applied and the location of sectioning and check valves has been defined. A geologic risk assessment must be performed to review where and what kind of potential geohazard can impact along the length of the pipeline and can be useful to validate geologically if the proposed points to locate sectioning and check valves can be effective to mitigate total inventory or volume of liquid hydrocarbon that can be released.