Steel Mill Coke Oven Gas Underground Migration

A corroded underground pipe at a steel mill leaked coke oven gas (COG) into the ground.

Dangerous concentrations of carbon monoxide were discovered by the local fire department in a private residence adjacent to a large steel mill. The residents were evacuated and personnel from the steel plant quickly determined that the most probable source of the carbon monoxide was a leaking 24-inch scrubbed coke oven gas (COG) pipeline buried immediately inside the steel plant property.

Intertek was hired by the plant to determine the quantity of benzene, a constituent of COG, which had leaked. Working with steel plant personnel, Intertek determined that the leak originated from a region of corroded pipe approximately 100 feet from the residence. The corrosion originated on the inside of the steel pipe due to the highly corrosive nature of the COG. The leaking was able to migrate such a long distance because in the days preceding the discovery of carbon monoxide in the residence there had been heavy rains followed by a hard freeze. The frozen top layer of soil thus prevented the leaking COG from exiting the surface immediately adjacent to the buried pipeline.

Intertek conducted analyses of both the COG plane formed in the soil beneath the frozen surface and the gas ingress and egress paths in the residential structure. From these analyses, we were able to estimate the benzene release rate and duration. The benzene release rate was found to be less than 10 pounds per hour and the leak duration was approximately 2 to 4 days.

Contact us to see how Intertek can help your organization with Steel Mill Coke Oven Gas Underground Migration.