In 1997 a Joint Industry Programme (JIP) was undertaken on “gas build-up from high pressure natural gas releases in naturally ventilated offshore modules”. As a consequence of the JIP, a workbook was created. The workbook aims to provide a quick, first pass, technique for estimating the flammable volume arising from the release of a material within a confined, and congested, naturallyventilated offshore module.
However, the workbook has not, to HSE’s knowledge, undergone independent assessment of its scientific basis. Neither does it appear that its performance has been evaluated against offshore measurements or the results of more detailed modelling. Hence its range of applicability and predictive capability are not well understood.