CO2 Pipeline Risk Assessment for a Regional-Scale Pipeline in the Midcontinental United States

Abstract

A comprehensive quantitative risk assessment for the construction and operation of a CO2 transportation network was considered for the Midcontinent of the United States. The assessment evaluated the risk associated with construction and operation using data from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to determine the risk of injury or death for pipeline workers and data from the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration for CO2, natural gas distribution, natural gas transmission/gathering, and non-CO2 hazardous liquid pipelines to develop quantitative likelihood and severity values leading to risk values. The data for the assessment covered incidents from 2010 to 2017 for CO2 pipelines. The average risk for construction and 30 years of operation for a 344-mile-long pipeline was found. The average construction and operational risk for the CO2 pipeline was $6,116,948. The average risks for natural gas distribution, natural gas transmission/gathering, and non-CO2 hazardous liquid pipelines with the same configuration were $6,264,868, $11,971,828, and $28,212,756, respectively. The results showed that the overall and operational risks for CO2 pipelines was less than that of other types of pipelines.