DNV GL conducts largest controlled release of CO2 underwater pipeline

To fully understand the environmental and safety implications associated with the development of CO2 pipelines, DNV GL is conducting the oil and gas industry’s largest ever controlled release of carbon dioxide from an underwater pipeline at its full-scale Spadeadam Testing and Research Centre, located in Cumbria, UK.

The planned underwater release, scheduled to start in January, is part of an international Joint Industry Project (JIP) ‘Sub-C-O2’ to develop safety guidelines on the use of offshore CO2 pipelines. Companies participating in the JIP are Norway’s Gassnova, Brazil’s Petrobras, the UK government’s Department of Energy and Climate Change, the UK’s National Grid and DNV GL. Italy’s ENI is expected to join the JIP in early 2016.

This is the second experimental phase which will run for three months and will involve releases in a 40-metre diameter, 12-metre deep pond at the Spadeadam Testing and Research Centre, which is located in Cumbria, UK.

The first phase of experiments are currently underway at Spadeadam and involves small-scale, controlled CO2 releases from a three inch nominal bore pipeline in a 8.5 metre diameter, three metre deep water tank and are expected to be completed by December.

Spadeadam is one of a network of 18 laboratories and testing centres operated by DNV GL on three continents. The facility provides companies with the rare opportunity to undertake full-scale fire, explosion and release experiments, to demonstrate whether equipment and components are fit for purpose, to test new products, techniques or processes, and to provide data to validate computer models. DNV GL is opening a new major hazard training and conference facility at the site in April 2016.

Experimental findings are shared periodically with JIP participants so that next steps can be refined. CO2 testing at Spadeadam will conclude by June 2016.