What is a HAZOP Study?
The Hazard and Operability
Study (or HAZOP Study) is a standard
hazard analysis technique used in the
preliminary safety assessment of new
systems or modifications to existing ones.
The HAZOP study is a detailed
examination, by a group of specialists, of
components within a system to determine
what would happen if that component were
to operate outside its normal design mode.
The effects of such behavior is then
assessed and noted down on study forms.
The categories of information entered on
these forms can vary from industry to
industry and from company to company.
Steps in a HAZOP
1. Select a node, define its purpose and determine the
process safe limits.
2. Select a process guideword.
3. Identify the hazards and their causes using the
deviation guidewords.
4. Determine how the hazard is ‘announced’, i.e., how
the operator knows a safe limit has been exceeded.
5. Estimate the consequences of each hazard.
6. Identify the safeguards.
7. Estimate the frequency of occurrence of the hazard.
8. Risk rank the hazard, with and without safeguards.
9. Develop findings and potential recommendations.
10. Move on to the next process guideword, or to the
next node if the guideword discussion is complete
Step 1. Node Selection and Purpose
• a node represents a section of a process in which
conditions undergo a significant change.
• For example, a pump system will be a node because liquid
pressure is increased,
• a reactor is a node because chemical composition changes,
and
• a heat exchanger is a node because it causes changes in
fluid temperatures.
• In practice, a single node will frequently involve more than
one process change. For example, the node for a chemical
reactor will include changes to pressure, temperature and
composition.
• The decision as to how big a node may be will depend on
the experience of the team, the degree to which similar
process systems have already been discussed, the
complexity of the process and the judgment of the leader.
• This can be divided into
three nodes. Each node has
been circled with a cloud
line.
• Node 1 (blue line) is the
Node Example
Tank, T-100, with its
associated equipment and
instrumentation (the
process change is level in
the tank).
• Node 2 (red line)
incorporates two pumps, P-
101 A/B, and the flow
control valve, FCV-101 (the
process changes are flow
rate and liquid pressure).
• Node 3 (green line) includes
the pressure vessel, V-101,
with its associated relief
valve, and other
instrumentation (the
process changes are
pressure, chemical
composition and level).
Node Purpose Descriptions
• Node Number
• Name
• Purpose
• 1. Tank, T-100, and associated instrumentation.
T-100 contains a working inventory of liquid RM-12 which is supplied by
tank (rail) cars from outside suppliers. The node does not include the tank
loading systems.
• 2. Pumps, P-101 A/B, including flow control valve, FCV-101.
P-101 A/B transfer liquid RM-12 from Tank, T-100, to Vessel, V-100. Flow is
controlled by FRC-101, whose set point is provided by LRC-100 (Node 1).
One pump is operating; the other is on stand-by. A is steam driven; B is
electrically driven. B is usually on stand-by.
• 3. Pressure Vessel, V-101, including relief valve, PSV-101.
Liquid RM-12 flows into this vessel from various sources. V-101 provides
surge capacity, thus smoothing out fluctuations in flow. A vent line
removes residual quantities of inert gas.
Example?
• How many nodes?
Step 2. Process Guideword / Safe
Limits
• A HAZOP looks at deviations from design or safe process conditions,
so the first decision is to select the process parameters that are
germane to the facility under discussion. Generally the following
parameters will be used:
• Flow Rate;
• Flow Quantity (for batch operations);
• Pressure;
• Temperature;
• Level (when vessels and tanks are a part of the node);
• Composition; and
• Phase.
•
It will often be found that two parameters are related to one
another. For example, the deviation of ‘high temperature’ can
create ‘high pressure’. Which of these parameters the team chooses
to focus on is not usually all that important.
Example HAZOP Matrix
•
• High Low / No Reverse Misdirected Wrong
•
•
•
•
Flow
•
•
•
•
•
Pressure
•
•
•
•
Temperature
•
•
•
•
•
Level
•
•
•
Composition
•
•
•
•
•
Phase
•
Step 3. Identification of Hazards and
their Causes
• Once the nodes have been defined, and the safe operating limits identified, the
hazards are determined. A hazard is a deviation outside the safe operating limit
that is identified through the use of deviation guidewords. The most commonly
used deviation guidewords are:
• High (More / Too Much);
• Low (Less / Too Little / Not Enough);
• No;
• Reverse;
• Misdirected; and
• Wrong (Other Than).
•
Some teams use the term ‘Loss of Containment’ as a guideword. Given that the
ultimate purpose of a process safety program is to make sure that hazardous
materials remain confined in the pipes, tanks, and vessels that they are intended
to be in, it could be argued that all process deviations can ultimately result in ‘Loss
of Containment’, and so there is no need to handle this term separately. For
example, high temperature in a reactor is not, in and of itself, a hazard; it becomes
a hazard only if it generates a pressure so high that containment is lost
(exacerbated by weakening of pressure vessel walls at the higher temperature).
Similarly, high flow is not usually a hazard except that it may lead to a tank being
filled too rapidly, thus generating a high level scenario, which then can lead to
‘Loss of Containment’ due to overflow of the tank.
Hazard Causes
Node Process Variable Deviation Cause
1. High flow into T-100
1 Level High 2. Failure of the T-100 level
control system.
3. P-101A and B both stop.
1. Low flow into T-100.
Low 2. Failure of the T-100
level control system
1. Failure of level control
2 Flow High system in T-100.
2. Pump overspeed
1. Failure of level control
Low/No system in T-100.
2. Pump mechanical
problems.
1. Pump failure (with check
Reverse valve failure
HAZOP RECORD
t
What can take the
parameter outside the Operating Envelope
envelope? specified in terms of:
cause
What are the
consequences? •
HAZOP
pressure
consequences •
•
temperature
flow rate • Hazard and
How do you know the • volume
parameter is outside the
envelope and what will
•
•
composition
etc
Operability
bring it back in?
safeguards Studies
Is it acceptable?
Consequence
Step I cause
Consequence
“Concern”
Step 2
cause
Consequence
Step 3
Consequence
Step 4
etc
Hazop Record
Ranking
Cause Protection Event Mitigation Impact Follow up
C L £
P M
r Loss of i
ACTION
Cause o control t Consequence
t
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