Risk assessment of municipal natural gas pipeline networks using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for Sanandaj city

Natural gas pipeline network is an important part of a city’s infrastructure for energy transmission. As the gas pipeline network becoming vaster and more complex, accident caused by the leak of gas pipeline network occur. Accidents consequences caused by gas pipeline rupture, can directly threatening the safety of persons and properties in the city. Thus, it is necessary to do risk assessment for natural gas pipeline network. In this work, risk assessment of natural gas pipeline network for Baharan town in Sanandaj city has been investigated.
In this study, there was a limitation because of unavailable and managed required data for the risk management process. Thus, for the risk assessment, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique was used in municipal gas distribution network. After investigating the reported data of any accidents and leakages, the main effective parameters have been recognized and the related quantitative weights were determined.
The statistical analysis showed a spill event municipal gas distribution network for a period of three and a half years (from the beginning of 1390 to the end of the summer of the 1393), as a factor based on the selected studied area (Baharan town, Sanandaj city). Between the investigated factors and based on the AHP technique, involvement index of individuals and substance hazard (0.165, 0.15, respectively) showed the maximal amounts of the most important parameters with major effects on the risk assessment and pressure index (0.0031) showed the minimal amount with the minor effect on the investigation.
To assess the risk factors of municipal gas pipeline network, there is not a well-covered investigation for complete requirement in the Iran. Therefore, because of the useful data obtained by the used technique here, AHP technique, it is recommended to gas safety managers to use these methods and the most important factors identified in this study for promoting safety and reduce accidents in municipal gas distribution network in gas distribution lines.