Process Risk Index (PRI) – A methodology to analyze the design and operational hazards in the processing facility

Abstract

Process safety assists in improving the operational, economic, and environmental performance of processing facilities. This study addresses the critical process safety challenges at the process design and operation stage through an effective risk minimization strategy. The process risk index (PRI), a heuristic-based approach, is used to map risk and explore the effect of process deviations on process safety. The PRI method is explained using the blue hydrogen process - steam methane reforming (SMR) process. A risk map of the entire facility uses traffic-light colors as risk indicators is developed. The synergistic effects and parameters are analyzed using process simulation tools and converted into risk values. The risk map identifies the reforming, the water-gas shift, and the separator units as the highest risk units for given deviations in the operational parameters. We have benchmarked the PRI with the fire and explosion damage index (FEDI) and observed that the PRI is more sensitive to finding process deviations and hazards. This method can detect root causes of process safety issues at a unit-specific level better than the FEDI. Additionally, the PRI provides updated risk maps once risk minimization strategies are implemented. The PRI serves as a tool for process safety analysis of hazardous operations such as hydrogen production processes with better sensitivity and flexibility in scaling.