Risk Assessment of Gas Leakage and Explosion in a Gas Station Leading to the Emergency Plan in a Power Plant, Suratthani

Abstract

This study is a survey research whose aim is to assess the gas leakage and explosion in the gas station be under the control of power plant including assessing the impact of the gas explosion leading to establishing an emergency plan by using a fault tree analysis and ALOHA software. The simulated leakage hole size of valve was 3 inches. The results revealed that the risk of leakage probability was 0.04 or 4% (Very low frequency) and the mean time to failure was 24 years per time. The causes of incident were 1) operational failure such as lack of equipment and truck inspection, 2) maintenance failure and such as inadequate methods or inspection programs 3) equipment failure such as vent valve and joint. The impact of the gas leakage and explosion assessment consists of 4 hazardous scenarios. Additionally, the scenario which has the longest hazard distance was BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion). The radiation was 706 meters. In particular, the areas were affected as main transportation in power plant and dam, residences, resorts and hotels and the communities around the gas station. Therefore, the power plant needs to improve, to correct and to investigate the causes of the failures to reduce incidents that lead to such impacts on life, economies, communities and the environment as well as to prepare an emergency plan by considering the hazard zone to conduct an emergency drills and fire evacuation effectively.