Unodourised Gas Risk Assessment

Unodourised gas reporting and assessments

Odorant is required to be added to fuel gas under the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004. This ensures the presence of gas is readily detectable by untrained persons, without the use of gas detectors.

Prescribed concentrations of odorant are added to provide a distinctive and unpleasant odour, so that the presence of gas in air at concentrations below the Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) is readily detectable. Adding the odorant does change the physical or chemical property of the fuel gas.

Where unodourised gas is present, there is an elevated level of risk, and alternative or additional controls may be required. This level of risk is further elevated where people are required to access confined spaces or ‘enclosed’ industrial equipment supplied with unodourised gas.

Analysis requirements

 Industrial situations where equipment is situated in a plant room or a building

 Gas devices (including gas fired engines) using unodourised, contained in enclosures (such as those located on remote sites throughout Queensland, used for driving gas compression systems or power generation plant)

The Act: s628 Odour requirements


    1. A person must not supply fuel gas to a consumer unless:
    2. The fact that a person is supplying a consumer with fuel gas under subsection (1)(b) does not limit an inspector’s power to give the person a dangerous situation direction that requires the gas to have the prescribed odour.
    3. In this section—
      appropriately qualified person means a person who—
      1. Is independent of the person supplying the fuel gas; and
              1. The chief inspector considers- 
                    1. Is appropriately qualified; and 
                    2. Has access to information to carry out the risk assessment.



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