Media

Baltimore, Maryland – Spring 2022

Learn about BLUE’s latest research project with DOT PHMSA!

A 2017 study by the HSE determined that a high proportion of vapor cloud incidents that have occurred in industrial facilities around the world involved nil/low wind conditions. This project contrasts the circumstances of historical vapor cloud explosion events to LNG facilities designed and built to current PHMSA regulations. Hazard modeling was conducted to determine the impact of including nil wind conditions in consequence-based and risk-based siting study methods. The results demonstrated that existing weather criteria includes the bounding cases for facility siting studies and inclusion of nil wind is not warranted.

This project was chosen for presentation at the AIChE 2022 Spring Meeting & 18^th Global Congress on Process Safety and was awarded as the Best Paper in the Fuels & Petrochemicals Division!  

Baltimore, Maryland – July 20, 2021

Listen in as BLUE’s own Jenna Wilson joins Chris Caswell for a Gastech 2021 podcast as they discuss the future of the US LNG regulatory process.

Blue provides key advice to developers and operators to keep projects on track in meeting their permitting goals.

The discussion includes:

• Understanding FERC and PHMSA (the US regulatory landscape)
• How permitting has evolved in the natural gas and LNG space
• The similarities and differences with projects today versus the first wave of LNG export projects
• The difference between an EA and an EIA/EIS
• The smartest things project developers and engineering contractors have done, or can do, to get a project started on the right foot
• Pitfalls that companies may fall into when thinking about developing a new project

Baltimore, Maryland – July 16, 2021

Blue Engineering and Consulting Company is celebrating our 3rd Anniversary! It has been another year full of excitement, challenges, and successes. We would like to thank our employees, clients, and the tremendous, continued support from the LNG Industry! Please continue to reach out as we grow and expand our offerings

Baltimore, Maryland – Spring 2021

Learn about BLUE’s latest research project with DOT PHMSA! Facility siting studies require the use of modeling software to determine exclusion zones and hazard areas. Previously, the Model Evaluation Protocol (MEP) used to evaluate the acceptability of hazard modeling tools was based on LNG spills only. This project is developing new MEPs that include: (1) vapor dispersion from pressurized releases of flammable streams [complete], (2) vapor dispersion from pressurized releases of toxic streams [complete], (3) vapor cloud explosions [in progress], and (4) BLEVEs [in progress]. The PHMSA Peer Review found this project to be ‘Very Effective’. This project was chosen for presentation at the AIChE 2021 Spring Meeting & 17^th Global Congress on Process Safety and was published in Process Safety Progress

Baltimore, Maryland – Spring 2021

Learn about BLUE’s latest research project with DOT PHMSA! Fire and gas detection systems are required to be installed at LNG facilities by NFPA 59A, however, no requirements or guidance for the location of hazard detection devices is provided. This project developed a methodology for establishing performance targets for hazard detection systems and demonstrates how detector coverage can be quantified. The PHMSA Peer Review found this project to be ‘Very Effective’. This project was chosen for presentation at the AIChE 2021 Spring Meeting & 17^th Global Congress on Process Safety and was published in Process Safety Progress

Baltimore, Maryland – May 15, 2019

Blue Engineering and Consulting Company (BLUE), congratulates Filippo Gavelli for being re-appointed as a principal to the NFPA 59A technical committee and Phil Suter for being appointed his alternate!

Baltimore, Maryland – March 18, 2019

Blue Engineering and Consulting Company (BLUE), an LNG engineering and consulting firm, is excited to announce the addition of Bryant Hendrickson to the BLUE Team. As a licensed fire protection engineer with several years of experience as a senior engineer for the Authority Having Jurisdiction of a federal installation, Mr. Hendrickson strengthens the diverse expertise that BLUE offers the LNG industry. Mr. Hendrickson’s experience with managing the design, fabrication and installation of fire protection systems adds practical expertise to support the engineering design of fire protection systems.

Mr. Hendrickson has conducted numerous LNG facility siting studies under both federal and state jurisdictions, and is skilled at developing mitigation strategies for dispersion of flammable and toxic gases, thermal radiation hazards, and overpressures. His expertise in the use of process hazard analysis software and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models will allow Mr. Hendrickson to bring added value to the exciting LNG projects BLUE is executing.

“Bryant Hendrickson’s field experience and qualifications as a fire protection engineer add another valuable dimension to the BLUE team”, says Dr. Filippo Gavelli, Consultant.

Baltimore, Maryland – September 11, 2018

Blue Engineering and Consulting Company (BLUE), an LNG engineering and consulting firm, is excited to announce the arrival of Dr. Filippo Gavelli.  Dr. Gavelli has over 15 years of engineering consulting experience and 25 years of experience in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling.  He applies his expertise to modeling the atmospheric dispersion of hazardous gaseous releases, and has extensive experience modeling hazard scenarios for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities, including vapor cloud dispersion, pool fires and vapor cloud deflagrations; his experience includes over 50 LNG installations worldwide, including onshore, offshore and floating (FLNG) facilities for LNG import, export (liquefaction) and peak shaving. 

Dr. Gavelli is a member of the technical committees for NFPA 59A (standard for LNG facilities).  Dr. Gavelli is the lead author of several gas dispersion and explosion safety-related papers and has been a regular contributor to LNG-related technical committees and expert panels for several years. 

Baltimore, Maryland – September 10, 2018

Blue Engineering and Consulting Company (“BLUE”) is pleased to announce the completed launch of their new LNG engineering and consulting business.  “It’s been a very exciting first two months getting us ramped up to full speed,” said Phil Suter, Consultant with BLUE.  “It has been a lot of hard work from the BLUE team but the response and support from the LNG industry has been an incredible motivator.”

BLUE specializes in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility design (feasibility, pre-FEED, and FEED), hazard analysis and siting studies, regulatory compliance, safety, and Owner’s Engineering services.  The BLUE team provides these services across the entire LNG industry including satellite LNG facilities, small-scale LNG production, bunkering facilities, fueling facilities, and world-class LNG import and export projects.