Stage-wise CFD framework for analyzing pipeline Releases: The Satartia CO2 pipeline rupture case study

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) relies on extensive CO 2 pipeline networks, making credible consequence assessment of pipeline failures essential to public safety and project feasibility. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) offers high-fidelity dispersion predictions in complex environments, but end-to-end analyses are often prohibitive due to demanding geometry preparation, discretization requirements, model selection, and computational cost. This work develops a stage-wise CFD framework that partitions the model into: (i) in-pipe depressurization to obtain transient mass flow histories, (ii) near-field jet expansion to approach ambient conditions and define a physically consistent handoff plane, and (iii) far-field atmospheric dispersion over realistic terrain. The framework has been applied to analyze the Satartia CO 2 pipeline rupture, while integrating terrain data, contemporaneous meteorology, and pipeline operating parameters. The simulation peaks at 33,316 ppm nine minutes after the rupture, slightly above the incident’s highest measured value of 28,000 ppm. Additionally, the simulation’s 15-minute time-averaged maximum (25,319 ppm) indicates the incident did not reach the CO 2 Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL). Beyond CO 2 pipelines, this framework generalizes to other releases from pipelines where hazards are governed by concentration profiles, providing a reproducible and computationally tractable pathway for consequence modeling in pipeline safety. • A stage-wise CFD framework was developed to simulate CO 2 pipeline rupture • The framework was applied to the Satartia CO 2 pipeline rupture incident • Terrain, weather and pipeline operating parameters were incorporated into the model • This work provides a framework for enhancing emergency response in CO 2 pipeline leak • The framework generalizes to other hazardous releases from high pressure pipelines