Research gaps in quantitative risk assessment (QRA) of hydrogen transmission pipelines

Abstract

A safe and sustainable transition to hydrogen requires that the risks associated with hydrogen systems be rigorously investigated and quantified. Quantitative risk assessment (QRA) is a rigorous process to achieve this purpose. This paper reviews existing studies on the safety aspects of hydrogen pipelines and analyzes the applicability of existing methods and models for QRA of hydrogen transmission pipelines. This work identifies QRA research gaps for hydrogen transmission pipelines and outlines initial approaches to address them. According to our analysis, consequence modeling has received considerable attention, while limited work has been conducted to quantitatively analyze the failure causes of hydrogen pipelines. Most existing models for pipelines in general cannot be directly applied to hydrogen pipelines, yet they might serve as the basis for future hydrogen pipeline QRA models. The results provide insights into the most critical research needed to enable QRA for hydrogen pipelines. • Timely reviewed the existing studies on the safety aspects of hydrogen pipelines. • Analyzed the existing transmission pipeline systems and hydrogen's effect on them. • Analyzed existing methods and models for QRA of hydrogen transmission pipelines. • Identified research gaps in the QRAs of hydrogen transmission pipelines.