Simulation on the Dispersion of Natural Gas and its Volume Cloud Distribution on an Offshore Fixed Platform

Abstract

The formation, migration and volume distribution of gas clouds, which are dominated by natural gas after oil and gas leakage, are the material basis of fire and explosion accidents on offshore platforms. Based on an offshore platform as the background, this paper conducts research on the gas cloud using numerical simulation method, the selection of different wind speeds, leak leakage rate of quality, wind direction and the direction angle, the leakage of gas diffusion behaviour simulation studies and its size distribution. There is a “coupling” effect on the volume value of 5% CH4 cloud between different wind speeds, leakage mass rates, and wind direction and leakage direction. When the wind speed is 13 m/s, the leakage mass velocity is 8 kg/s, and the included angle between wind direction and leakage direction is 180°, the “coupling” effect on the volume value of 5% CH4 cloud increases significantly. The above research results can provide a reference for the reasonable division of process risk area, firewall design and quantitative risk assessment of fire and explosion of an offshore platform.