Hydrogen/Methane Release at a Gas Booster of a Pipeline (1085)

The incident involves a gas booster provided by a manufacturer. This device is used in the experimental platform of the project to raise the pressure in pipelines from 60 to 80 barg (from 6 to 8 MPa), allowing the gas to flow in a close loop. After 5 weeks of operation, a critical gas leakage through the vent port was detected.At the moment of the incident, the compressor was working with a mixture of hydrogen and methane (H2/CH4 blend 20/80 %v/%v). The booster was sent to the manufacturer for inspection and reparation. Severe damage in the seals of the vent port was found.