Diffusion Characteristics of Combustible Gas Leaks in the FPSO Upper Module

To investigate the variation in the diffusion patterns of natural gas leaks in the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) system, with the aim of formulating appropriate emergency response strategies and minimizing accident losses, a study was conducted on the gas leak issues of oil and gas processing equipment in the FPSO upper module.A consequence prediction and assessment model was established based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods.Sixteen working conditions and one control working condition were developed to simulate the diffusion characteristics of combustible gas leaks.The simulations provided insights into the gas leakage patterns under different conditions and identified the most hazardous scenario for gas leaks in the FPSO upper module.The results indicate that the density and shape of the equipment within the upper module significantly influence the diffusion outcome.After a leak, high concentrations of combustible gas were observed near the crude oil heat exchanger skid in Industrial Zone II.The effects of individual factors on gas diffusion were significant, and the interactions among multiple factors were complex.Wind speed had a more pronounced effect on longitudinal gas diffusion compared to wind direction and leak aperture, while wind direction significantly influenced lateral gas diffusion.The leak aperture, on the other hand, had a more substantial impact on vertical gas diffusion.