Earthquake safety assessment system for oil pipelines based on environmental risks

Consequences of pipeline failure are not adequately considered in earthquake safety assessments for oil pipelines. Accordingly, spatial information technology is integrated in pipeline design stage to construct an earthquake safety assessment system based on quantitative analysis of environmental risks. Specifically, GIS buffer zone analysis, overlay analysis and other functions, together with risk evaluation model, are combined to analyze quantitatively environmental risks around pipelines induced by failure of oil pipelines in earthquake. In addition, magnitudes of such environmental risks are used to measure earthquake safety of pipelines. Taking the safety assessment of an oil pipeline as an example, this paper describes the implementation and procedures of the system, and verifies its feasibility. Research results show that environmental conditions of surrounding areas are of great importance for earthquake safety of pipelines. It is necessary to consider consequences of pipeline failure in earthquake safety assessment. The conclusions reached in such risk assessments may provide valuable references to determine earthquake protection degrees and design of oil pipelines.