ACCIDENT ANALYSIS OF LOW PRESSURE GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

Abstract

In terms of safety, gas supply represents a highly important area of science and engineering. On the one hand, gas is a very convenient primary energy source for consumers. On the other hand, gas can be extremely dangerous for life and health of people, if strict requirements to design, construction and operation of gas supply systems are not complied with. The article reviews an accident that occurred in a small Polish city in 2010. We analyzed data from the Prosecutor’s Office and relevant publications and questioned workers of the gas supply company. The article describes how an unlucky train of events resulted in a tragedy. The main circumstances were an unacceptable change in the gas distribution plant equipment and violation of operating rules, which resulted in an unauthorized pressure increase in a district network and internal systems designed for low pressure. We analyzed follow-up technical and administrative measures taken regarding the Polish gas supply system and compared some peculiarities of Polish and Russian gas technologies. The main purpose of the analysis is to prevent such accidents in future.

Keywords

• Gas supply
• safety
• gas distribution plant
• equipment
• operation
• pressure increase