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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

A leak of hydrogen, methane and hydrogen sulphide from a pipe in a refinery

Event

Event ID
851
Quality
Description

The leak occurred on a process pipe of a pressurized at 17 bar and located 3.5 m from the ground. The gaseous mixture composed of hydrogen, methane and hydrogen sulphide (density: 0.6) was released to the atmosphere.
The operator evacuated a hundred employees, stopped the production and put the establishment in the safe mode.
The emergency plan was triggered. Water curtains were put into action and measurements of toxicity and explosimetry were carried out.
After a hour, the pressure in the pipe reduced 0to .5 bar and the measurements of toxicity and explosimetry in the ambient air returned to satisfactory level. The emergency plan was terminated.
Public firefighters are on site but did not intervene.

Event Initiating system
Classification of the physical effects
Unignited Hydrogen Release
Nature of the consequences
leak no ignition
Macro-region
Europe
Country
France
Date
Component involved
pipe (generic)
Failure mode
rupture, no ignition
Initiating cause
unknown
Root causes
Unknown
Date entry in HIAD
01/01/2020

Facility

Application
Petrochemical industry
Sub-application
Unspecified refinery process
Hydrogen supply chain stage
All components affected

pressurised gas process pipe (17 bar) located 3.5 m from the ground

Process pressure range [MPa]
low to medium pressure (below 2 MPa)
Location type
Open
Location
industrial area
Operational condition

Emergency & Consequences

Number of fatalities
0
Number of injured persons
0
Emergency action

14:30 Leak detected from a pipe at 17 bar. The operator evacuates a hundred employees, stops production and puts the establishment in the safe mode. The emergency plan is initiated.
Water curtains are put into action and measurements of toxicity and explosimetry are carried out.
15:30 The pressure in the pipe at 0.5 bar. The measurements of toxicity and explosimetry in the ambient air being satisfactory,
15:45 Emergency plan is terminated
Public firefighters are on site but will not intervene.

In-depth data

Release type
gas mixture
Involved substances (% vol)
H2,
CH4,
H2S
Release pressure [MPa]
1.7
Probable IGNITION SOURCE

References

Sources categories
ARIA
Reference & weblink

ARIA data base event no. 39045
https://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/accident/39045/
(accessed March 2026)