PERSONAL GAS DETECTION SELECTION AND OPERATION FOR GEOTHERMAL POWER AT MIGHTY RIVER POWER

Abstract

The presence of toxic and dangerous gas environments is a risk to the health and safety of workers and visitors at many geothermal fields. Naturally occurring gases associated with geothermal fields in New Zealand are typically dominated by carbon dioxide and to a lesser extent hydrogen sulfide. In addition a number of power plants make use of n-pentane as a working fluid, which is flammable. Mighty River Power undertook a review of the risks presented by these gases to the health and safety of workers and visitors to its geothermal fields. This review identified that while the gas risks were similar across its geothermal fields, the approaches to managing the gas risks varied between fields. Mighty River Power used this review as an opportunity to develop a standardised portable gas monitoring approach to managing the gas risks that could be used across the geothermal fields. This approach included the standardisation of portable gas monitoring equipment, processes and procedures as well as an increased focus on staff training.
This paper discusses the issues Mighty River Power identified in the portable gas detection processes and the process Mighty River Power went through to develop and standardise personal gas detection and monitoring at its geothermal fields.