CCS科普贴

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What Health and Safety Standards exist for the capture of carbon dioxide?
There already exists a rigorous and extensive set of legislation, codes of practise and engineering standards for the safe management of processing and capture of carbon dioxide. Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide are safely processed, captured and transported every year in the UK[1] under existing UK and European regulatory frameworks and regimes, and have been for many years.

Although carbon dioxide is not, at present, classified as a hazardous substance under European regulations (Seveso II) the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the UK regulator for health and safety, has been closely monitoring the development of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects since industry began to explore it as part of the answer to climate change.

As part of the previous demonstration project bidding process, the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) required that companies involved should provide a health and safety compliance demonstration, as if carbon dioxide was classified as a dangerous substance. This meant that bidders for demonstration projects agreed, at that time, to comply with the Control of Major Accident Hazard Regulations 1999 (COMAH). This stringent regulation is currently applied to chemical processes and industries.

Although carbon dioxide is not defined as a hazardous substance other regulations already apply to the capture and processing of carbon dioxide, under the umbrella of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. HSE continues to monitor existing industry standards to ensure that they safely control the risks from the range of CCS processes. HSE will also continue to review the adequacy of existing health and safety legislation in relation to CCS in light of the outcomes of CCS projects and research projects being undertaken by industry and the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL).

Regulators, government, academia and industry are cooperating to ensure that the appropriate knowledge, experience, standards and guidance are applied across the entire CCS industry.

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CCS: Transport

How will carbon dioxide (CO2) be transported?
Carbon dioxide will be transported predominantly in pipelines in a “dense phase” - a liquid. This makes transportation more efficient and requires smaller pipelines than if transported as a gas.

In the UK, carbon dioxide will be transported through purpose-built pipelines (both on- and offshore) or former natural gas pipelines, to safe storage deep below the seabed. In compliance with Part II of the Pipelines Safety Regulations 1996, the design, maintenance and operation will be to rigorous safety standards and the majority of the pipelines will be laid offshore, an activity in which the UK has a high level of expertise.

Although pipelines are the most likely option for large-scale carbon dioxide transportation, shipping and road transport are also possibilities.

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Is transport of carbon dioxide safe?
With properly applied engineering standards, yes. Carbon dioxide has been transported worldwide for many years by pipeline, lorry and ship for numerous uses. As an example, the USA has a network of over 6000 km of pipelines*, which have operated with an excellent safety record since the first pipelines were laid the early 1970s.

* In 2008 approximately 5,800 km (3,600 miles) of CO2 pipeline were in operation. Further pipelines have since been laid. (See CRS Report for Congress, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Pipelines for Carbon Sequestration: Emerging Policy Issues, January 17 2008, available from http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33971_20080117.pdf).

y392470257

CCS: Transport

How will carbon dioxide (CO2) be transported?
Carbon dioxide will be transported predominantly in pipelines in a “dense phase” - a liquid. This makes transportation more efficient and requires smaller pipelines than if transported as a gas.

In the UK, carbon dioxide will be transported through purpose-built pipelines (both on- and offshore) or former natural gas pipelines, to safe storage deep below the seabed. In compliance with Part II of the Pipelines Safety Regulations 1996, the design, maintenance and operation will be to rigorous safety standards and the majority of the pipelines will be laid offshore, an activity in which the UK has a high level of expertise.

Although pipelines are the most likely option for large-scale carbon dioxide transportation, shipping and road transport are also possibilities.

y392470257

Is transport of carbon dioxide safe?
With properly applied engineering standards, yes. Carbon dioxide has been transported worldwide for many years by pipeline, lorry and ship for numerous uses. As an example, the USA has a network of over 6000 km of pipelines*, which have operated with an excellent safety record since the first pipelines were laid the early 1970s.

* In 2008 approximately 5,800 km (3,600 miles) of CO2 pipeline were in operation. Further pipelines have since been laid. (See CRS Report for Congress, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Pipelines for Carbon Sequestration: Emerging Policy Issues, January 17 2008, available from http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33971_20080117.pdf).

y392470257

What Health and Safety standards exist for the transport of carbon dioxide?
There already exists a rigorous and extensive set of legislation and codes of practice for the safe management of the transport of carbon dioxide. Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide are safely processed, captured and transported every year in the UK* under the existing UK and European regulatory frameworks and regimes, and have been for many years.

Although carbon dioxide is not, at present, classified as a dangerous fluid under the Pipelines Safety Regulations 1996 (PSR) the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), the UK regulator for health and safety, has been closely monitoring the development of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects since industry began to explore it as part of the answer to climate change.

As part of the previous demonstration project bidding process, the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) required that the companies involved should provide a health and safety compliance demonstration, as if carbon dioxide was classified as a dangerous fluid. This meant that bidders for demonstration project funding agreed, at that time, to comply with Part III of PSR which imposes additional duties on operators of Major Accident Hazard Pipelines (pipelines which carry ‘dangerous fluids’). PSR is currently applied to the design and operation of the networks of high pressure natural gas and other pipelines that are in place across the UK.

At this time carbon dioxide is not defined as a dangerous fluid under PSR. However, other regulations already exist to cover the transport of carbon dioxide, under the umbrella of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, most notably Part II of PSR. HSE continues to monitor existing industry standards to ensure that they safely control the risks from the range of CCS processes. HSE will also continue to review the adequacy of existing health and safety legislation in relation to CCS in light of the outcomes of CCS projects and research projects being undertaken by industry and the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL).

UK standards for the design of carbon dioxide pipelines are comparable to EU and international standards, including those in the US and Canada. The UK Oil & Gas Pipelines Standards Committee is also amending UK pipeline standards and this will include carbon dioxide pipelines. Industry has many years of experience of handling carbon dioxide in pipelines; the first in the US was commissioned in 1972.

* For example, Ensus alone handles 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum – source: http://ensusgroup.com/operations.php accessed 24 Feb 2012.