Análise e gerenciamento de riscos ambientais de terminais de regaseificação: diretrizes para elaboração e avaliação

Abstract

Companies that handle hazardous products in Brazil are subjected to the environmental licensing process, providing environmental agencies to evaluate the environmental risks arising from these facilities. Given this context, the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources - IBAMA, federal environmental agency, requires that licensed facilities present environmental risk analysis and management studies and emergency plans, such as Risk Analysis Study, Risk Management Program and Emergency Plan. These documents must be prepared from a Terms of Reference (TR) provided by the environmental agency. Among the facilities that manipulate hazardous products, the liquefied natural gas regasification terminals are subject to environmental risks, because of the flammable and cryogenic nature of the fluid. In risk analyzes of these terminals, one of the dangers considered is the potential leakage of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the marine environment. In addition, with a growing number of LNG terminal projects, there will be an increasing need for studies performed by the environmental licensing bodies. Thus, this study aims to identify the environmental consequences related to potential risks during the operational phase of offshore regasification terminals involving LNG leaks. The study also includes as products the elaboration of a draft Terms of Reference for environmental risk analysis and management studies and emergency plans (i.e., Risk Analysis Study, Risk Management Program and Emergency Plan) and a collection of bibliographic references to assist in the analysis of these studies by technicians and environmental analysts of the federal environmental agency. This initiative will contribute to a better management and mitigation of the environmental risks during the licensing process of the LNG regasification terminals. To identify the risks and their environmental consequences caused by LNG leakage at regasification terminals, a bibliographic review was made using the databases Scopus and Web of Science. Additionally, for this survey, documentary research was used to analyze existing studies of regasification terminals in Brazil. Documentary research was also used to understand how risk management is integrated with the licensing process of IBAMA. The TR was prepared based on the model for ports, provided by IBAMA and other technical documents. The study concludes that there is a lack of research that specifically analyzes the environmental impacts caused by a LNG leakage in the marine environment. It is understood that reference terms are adequate to identify and manage environmental risks, its causes and consequences, however it is necessary to include more specific topics that provide more targeted data on the environmental impacts of LNG leakage in the marine ecosystem.