Flame Hazards in the South Caspian Basin

Abstract

Heating hazards caused by mud volcano flame eruptions are assessed for the South Caspian Basin. In general, it is found that winds of more than about 50 km/hr will cause serious heating hazard problems when directed partially downward onto flame columns of greater than a few hundred meters in length. Hazard distances from emergence points of flame columns at which the surface temperature is less than 60°C, stinging hot against human flesh, are typically in the 5–15 km range. Low angle emergent flames are more easily bent to lick the emergent surface than are high angle flames, providing a higher hazard closer to the flame emergence point but a lower hazard further away. Both field examples and numerical models are used to illustrate the heating hazards to rigs, pipelines, and infrastructure equipment. The hazard to oil exploration and production conditions in the South Caspian is then clear.