A methodology for Response Gap Analysis in offshore oil spill emergency management.

In case of offshore oil spills, the success of emergency response largely depends on the meteorological and oceanographic conditions during and after the spill, which are expressed by a set of different environmental factors. A "gap" in the response may be caused by unfavourable environmental factors that could limit its effectiveness or even impede it. In this context, Response Gap Analysis (RGA) studies identify the environmental factors negatively influencing the emergency response in a given sea area and aim at assessing the percentage of time during which the response would be without success or impossible to deploy. In the present study, a new RGA methodology is described, based on 11 environmental factors. Different oil spill response strategies are considered: mechanical recovery, application of dispersants by vessel and by aircraft, and in-situ burning. A case-study is presented to demonstrate the methodology and discuss the outcomes obtained by its application.

The description of population vulnerability in quantitative risk analysis.

The description of the distribution of population in the potential impact areas of accident scenarios is of utmost importance for the assessment of the final consequences of potential accidents. Vulnerability centers (i.e., sites where the simultaneous presence of a relevant number of persons in a narrow area is anticipated) may play an important role in this framework. In this study a method for the correct and detailed description of offsite target population in potential impact areas of major accidents is developed. The method is aimed at supporting quantitative risk analysis studies, emergency planning, and land-use planning. An approach is suggested to define the population categories that should be taken into account and to provide criteria for indoor and outdoor population distribution in vulnerability centers. Case studies are also provided to understand the outcomes and the potentialities of the methodology.

Cost-benefit analysis of passive fire protections in road LPG transportation.

The cost-benefit evaluation of passive fire protection adoption in the road transport of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was investigated. In a previous study, mathematical simulations of real scale fire scenarios proved the effectiveness of passive fire protections in preventing the "fired" boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE), thus providing a significant risk reduction. In the present study the economical aspects of the adoption of fire protections are analyzed and an approach to cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is proposed. The CBA model is based on the comparison of the risk reduction due to fire protections (expressed in monetary terms by the value of a statistical life) and the cost of the application of fire protections to a fleet of tankers. Different types of fire protections were considered, as well as the possibility to apply protections to the entire fleet or only to a part of it. The application of the proposed model to a real-life case study is presented and discussed. Results demonstrate that the adoption of passive fire protections on road tankers, though not compulsory in Europe, can be economically feasible, thus representing a concrete measure to achieve control of the "major hazard accidents" cited by the European legislation.

Risk reduction in road and rail LPG transportation by passive fire protection.

The potential reduction of risk in LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) road transport due to the adoption of passive fire protections was investigated. Experimental data available for small scale vessels fully engulfed by a fire were extended to real scale road and rail tankers through a finite elements model. The results of mathematical simulations of real scale fire engulfment scenarios that may follow accidents involving LPG tankers proved the effectiveness of the thermal protections in preventing the "fired" BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion) scenario. The presence of a thermal coating greatly increases the "time to failure", providing a time lapse that in the European experience may be considered sufficient to allow the start of effective mitigation actions by fire brigades. The results obtained were used to calculate the expected reduction of individual and societal risk due to LPG transportation in real case scenarios. The analysis confirmed that the introduction of passive fire protections turns out in a significant reduction of risk, up to an order of magnitude in the case of individual risk and of about 50% if the expectation value is considered. Thus, the adoption of passive fire protections, not compulsory in European regulations, may be an effective technical measure for risk reduction, and may contribute to achieve the control of "major accidents hazards" cited by the European legislation.

Hazmat transport: a methodological framework for the risk analysis of marshalling yards.

A methodological framework was outlined for the comprehensive risk assessment of marshalling yards in the context of quantified area risk analysis. Three accident typologies were considered for yards: (i) "in-transit-accident-induced" releases; (ii) "shunting-accident-induced" spills; and (iii) "non-accident-induced" leaks. A specific methodology was developed for the assessment of expected release frequencies and equivalent release diameters, based on the application of HazOp and Fault Tree techniques to reference schemes defined for the more common types of railcar vessels used for "hazmat" transportation. The approach was applied to the assessment of an extended case-study. The results evidenced that "non-accident-induced" leaks in marshalling yards represent an important contribution to the overall risk associated to these zones. Furthermore, the results confirmed the considerable role of these fixed installations to the overall risk associated to "hazmat" transportation.