DNV issues guidance on carbon capture pipelines

DNV has published new procedures concerning safety level in transporting CO₂ through pipelines for carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects.

It follows the CO2SafeArrest joint industry project between Energy Pipelines CRC (Australia) and DNV.

This involved two large-scale CO₂ crack arrest tests on 24-inch pipelines at DNV’s R&D facility in the UK to determine the safety implications of CO₂ releases.

Results have been incorporated into the updated recommended practice (RP), DNVGL-RP-

F104 Design and operation of carbon dioxide pipelines, with a new empirical model for the assessment of running ductile fractures in CO₂ pipelines.

The RP can also be used alongside DNVGL-ST-F101 Submarine pipeline systems.

Transport of CO₂ can be performed via existing pipelines or purpose-built new pipeline systems. DNVGL-RP-F104 applies in both cases.

To re-qualify the pipelines for CO₂ transport, the main requirements are identified via a change of medium in the pipeline, for example, from natural gas as in the original design, to CO₂.

In all cases, the pipeline operators need to fully assess the potential threats, failure mechanisms, consequences and probabilities of pipeline failures to ensure safe operation, DNV added.

Source: Offshore Magazine