Risk
management planning for facilities that handle or store acutely
hazardous substances involves identification of potential scenarios
for the unplanned release of these materials.
The scenarios are ranked in terms of probability of occurrence
and severity of impact.
Application
of specialized modeling methods is used to simulate the transport and
dispersion of these materials for selected release scenarios. Evaluation of the results to determine appropriate mitigation
methods to reduce the probability of accidental releases and/or the
severity of impacts in the event of such releases is then conducted.
These
analyses are being performed in response to state and local regulatory
programs aimed at reducing risks to populations near industrial sites,
as well as the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments.
Many of
our successfully-completed projects described below were conducted for
compliance with the California Risk Management
and Prevention Program, which preceded the CAAA Risk Management
Program (RMP) requirement by several years.
Risk Management Program
San Diego Unified Port District
EES
staff prepared a detailed response to the County of San Diego’s
request for additional information regarding the RMP for a Marine
Terminal Cold Storage facility. EES
staff conducted a comprehensive review and revisions of the offsite
consequence analysis, accident history, and emergency response
program. EES engineers have also performed a comprehensive review of
the process hazard analysis presented in the 1992 RMPP including
external events analysis.
Biomass
Power Plant RMPP Plan
Woodland
Biomass Power Corporation and
Thermo
Electron Energy Systems, Inc.
EES staff prepared a RMPP plan for a biomass power
plant designed to generate energy by burning agricultural wastes.
The Woodland plant burns crop wastes in a fluidized bed boiler.
The boiler generates steam which is fed to a turbine generator. This RMPP plan focused on the storage and use of ammonia,
chlorine, and sulfuric acid at the facility.
The project was completed on an accelerated schedule to meet
compliance and financing deadlines.
Crude
Oil Terminal RMPP Plan
Texaco
Trading and Transportation Inc.
EES
staff prepared one of the first RMPP plans to be certified in the
state for the Gaviota Interim Marine Terminal.
The RMPP plan focused on hydrogen sulfide, sulfur oxides,
nitrogen oxides, and ammonia. The
hydrogen sulfide, sulfur oxide, and nitrogen oxide were associated
with the collection and combustion of crude oil vapors at the
facility. The ammonia was
used to reduce nitrogen oxide air emissions from the facility.
Evaluation of the release prevention and control measures
revealed that the ammonia tanks represented the most significant
release hazard. EES staff
recommended a barrier system to reduce the potential for collision
with the tanks.
Harbor
Generating Station Hazards Analysis and Offsite Consequence Analysis
Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power
As
part of a larger draft environmental impact report, EES staff prepared
a hazards analysis and offsite consequence analysis for a major power
plant renovation in the Los Angeles port area.
The power plant was converted from a conventional oil- and
gas-fired steam turbine plant to a modern gas-fired turbine
power plant. The hazards
analysis and offsite consequence analysis focused on the
transportation; storage; and use of ammonia, sulfuric acid, and sodium
hydroxide in the facility and the effect of potential accidental
releases of these substances under both the existing and new plant
designs.
Process Hazards Analysis
Alchem
Aluminum
EES
engineers conducted a Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) of a chlorine
injection system at two Alchem Aluminum facilities.
The PHA was conducted to meet the requirements of OSHA’s
Process Safety Management and USEPA’s Risk Management Plan
regulations. Ogden lead a
site review meeting with various facility employees and outside
contractors to discuss process operations, potential hazards from the
process, consequences of the hazards, and risk reduction methods using
the “What-If” methodology.
