Fire & Electrical Safety in

Petroleum Oil Refinery

G C Kundu CII- Kolkata

DGM(F&S) 8th Sept,2016
Haldia Refinery (kundugc@indianoil.in)
TOPICS COVERED:

Brief History of the Company

Fire & Electrical Hazards in refineries
Control measures
Process safety measures

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Panipat Digboi REFINING SHARE
15.0 0.65
EOL BORL
BRPL
5% 3%
Mathura 2.35
8.0 IOC
Barauni
34%
6.0 Guwahati RIL
1.0 31%
Koyali Haldia
13.7 7.5 BPC
HPC
13%
8%
Paradip
15.0 ONGC
6%

REFINING CAPACITY
(MMTPA) CPCL/CBDU
11.5
India : 206 Indian Oil : 69.2
80.7
IOC : 80.7
Subsidiaries : 11.5

GLOBAL RANKING : 161 in Global Fortune 500 List for year 2016
(1st and Topmost Indian company in Fortune 500 list)
  Foundation Stone laid by Late Prof. Triguna Sen, Located at Haldia, Medinipur(E) District
Hon’ble Petroleum Minister on 6th Dec 1969. of West Bengal, 130 km from
 Commissioned in January 1975. Kolkata.
 One of the two refineries of IOCL producing Lube Manpower : 1339 employees
Oil Base Stocks (LOBS) 2000 Contract workers.
 Refining capacity increased from 2.5 to 7.5
Haldia Refinery – at the heart of
MMTPA in phases and last revamp done in Jan Haldia Industrial Belt
2010.
 DYIP (DCU) project is under construction.
7.5
8
6
7
3 times 4.6
PHBPL

6 MCPI
MMTPA

5 3.6
Haldia TCL
2.75 Petrochemicals
4 2.5 Shaw Wallace

3 Refinery
Port
2
1975 1989 1996 1997 2002 2010 2

1.15
 LPG

Motor Spirit

Crude through
Crude from Haldia Port Naphtha
Paradip -Haldia 34.5%
Pipeline
Diesel

ATF
29.8%

Kerosene

16.5%
LOBS

Furnace Oil
Haldia
Refinery 19.1%
Wax
Crude to Barauni &
Bongaigaon
Refinery
Bitumen
Special Risks Associated with Petroleum industries
• Highly flammable material
• High Temperature/Pressure
• Modern Technologies use Hydrogen extensively
• Static Electricity
• Harmful Chemicals/Solvents/Catalysts used in the Process
• Pyrophoric Iron Fire
• Self Ignition of HC on Leakage from System
• Toxic gases/inert atmosphere
• Uncontrolled Process Reactions
• Loss of Containment/Accidental Releases
 MAJOR POTENTIAL HAZARDS

FIRE & EXPLOSION HAZARD

STATIC ELECTRICITY
ELECTRICAL HAZARD
TOXIC GAS RELEASE HAZARD
NITROGEN HAZARD
HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL HAZARD
OIL SPILLAGE
RADIATION HAZARD
WATER & STEAM HAZARD
COMPRESSED AIR/LIQUID HAZARD
 FIRE & EXPLOSION HAZARD

Self
Ignition
Duct & of HC
Electrical
Cable BLEVE
Fire

Equipment
Fire &
& Piping
Fire
Explosion UVCE

Hazard

Storage
tank Pool Fire
Fires
Jet Fire
Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE)

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE)

Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Cloud Explosion

Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE)

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
Unconfined Vapour Cloud Explosion

Unconfined Vapour Cloud Explosion

Unconfined Vapour Cloud Explosion

Explosion Refineria PEMEX Reynosa Sept 9, 2012 - YouTube [360p].mp4

Unconfined Vapour Cloud Explosion

 Jet Fire

Gaseous Fire ( Hydrogen /Lighter Hydrocarbon) in

pressurized condition

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Hydrogen Fire Hazard

Wide range of Explosive Limits ( 4.1 % to 74.2 %)

Burning Hydrogen generates tremendous heat with flame

speed of more than 3.3 m/s.

Extremely lighter than air ( rises immediately)

Hydrogen flame is invisible , one may walk into the flame.

It needs very low energy input to initiate fire.

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Pyrophoric Iron
Iron sulfide is one such pyrophoric material that oxidizes
exothermically when exposed to air.
It is frequently found in solid iron sulfide scales in refinery units

There is a greater likelihood of this reaction occurring when the

process involves a feedstock with high sulfur content.

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Slop over/ Boil over/ Froth Over

Slop over : A slopover results when a water stream is

applied to the hot surface of burning oil, causing the
burning oil to slop over the tank sides.

Froth over : A frothover is the overflowing of a

container not on fire when water boils under the surface
of viscous hot oil.

An example is hot asphalt loaded into a tank containing

some water. The water may become heated and start to
boil, causing the asphalt to overflow the tank.

Haldia Refinery 17
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Slop over/ Boil over/ Froth Over

Boil over : Boil over is a sudden and violent ejection of

crude oil (or other liquids) from the tank resulting from a
reaction of the hot layer and the accumulation of water
at the bottom of the tank.

Violent ejection of tank

content causing explosion

Heat Waves travels

down to water layer

Water becomes
Oil at fire
superheated steam with
expansion ratio 1600:1
Water layer

18
Slop over/ Boil over/ Froth Over

kitchen_fire.wmv
Electrical Hazards

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Electrical Hazards

Inadequate wiring
Exposed electrical parts
Overhead power lines
Defective insulation
Improper grounding
Improper electrical equipment
Overloaded circuits
Wet conditions
Damaged tools and equipment
Improper PPE

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Effect s of exposure to electric current

• Shock.
• Burns.
• Arcing.
• Fire and explosion.

Remember – B SAFE

Haldia Refinery 22
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Burns
Direct:
• Caused by the current flowing through the body.
• Skin and internal.

Indirect:
• Caused by arcing, fire or explosion of other
equipment during electrical accidents.
 Milliamps

0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
PerceptableCurrent

InvolantaryReflexes

Cramps

Muscular
Paralysis
Physiological effect of current

Breathing
Problems

Ventricular

Fibrillation
 Controlling Hazards: Safe Work Environment
A safe work environment is created by controlling contact with electrical voltages and
the currents they can cause damage.

Electrical currents need to be controlled so they do not pass through the body.

In addition to preventing shocks, a safe work environment reduces the chance of fires,
burns, and falls.

Make your environment safer by doing the following:

❑ Treat all conductors—even “de-energized” ones—as if they are energized until they
are locked out and tagged.
❑ Verify circuits are de-energized before starting work.
❑ Lock out and tag out circuits and machines.
❑ Prevent overloaded wiring by using the right size and type of wire.
❑ Prevent exposure to live electrical parts by isolating them.
❑ Prevent exposure to live wires and parts by using insulation.
❑ Prevent shocking currents from electrical systems and tools by grounding them.
❑ Prevent shocking currents by using GFCIs (ELCBs)
❑ Prevent too much current in circuits by using overcurrent protection devices.

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Controlling Hazards: LOTO
Lock-out/tag-out is an essential safety procedure that protects workers from injury while working
on or near electrical circuits and equipment.

Lock-out involves applying a physical lock to the power source(s) of circuits and equipment after
they have been shut off and de-energized.

The source is then tagged out with an easy-to-read tag that alerts other workers in the area that
a lock has been applied.

Movie-3 -LOTO_Safety_Video_Animation.mp4

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
Control – Use ELCB (Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker)

• Protects you from shock

• Detects difference in current
between the black and white
wires
• If ground fault detected, ELCB
shuts off electricity in 1/40th of
a second
• Regular checking of ELCB to be
ensured.

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Controlling Hazards: OISD Norms
(Standards/ Guidelines/Recommended Practices)

 OISD-STD-105 Work Permit System

 OISD-RP-110 Recommended Practices on Static Electricity
 OISD-STD-113 Classification of Area for electrical installations at
Hydrocarbon processing and handling facilities
 OISD-STD-118 Layouts for Oil and Gas Installations
 OISD-STD-137 Inspection of electrical equipment
 OISD-RP-146 Preservation of idle electrical equipment
 OISD-RP-147 Inspection & safe practices during electrical installations
 OISD-RP-148 Inspection & safe practices during overhauling electrical
equipment
 OISD-RP-149 Design aspects for safety in electrical systems
 OISD-STD-173 Fire Protection System for Electrical Installations
 OISD-GDN-180 Lightning Protection

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
Preventive measures for Electrical hazards

• Safety during design

• Operational Control
• Equipment selection (Flame-proof/ intrinsically
safe) as per Area classification in line with OISD
standards
• Preventive maintenance of electrical equipment

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Hazardous Area Classification
Hazardous areas are classified into zones based on an assessment of
the frequency of occurrence and duration of an explosive gas
atmosphere

>Zone 0
an area in which an explosive gas atmosphere is continuously present, for
long periods or frequently;

> Zone 1
an area in which an explosive gas atmosphere is likely to occur in normal
operation occasionally;

> Zone 2
area in which an explosive gas atmosphere is not likely to occur in normal
operation but, if it does occur, will persist for a short period only

Haldia Refinery 30
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
EXPLOSION PROTECTION

Zone 1

Zone 0

Zone 2
Flammable liquid

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Safety during design
• Intrinsically safe / flame proof
equipment designed as per
standards and approved by
national/international certifying
agencies like
CIMFR/PESO/ATEX/BASEEFA
• Earthing of storage tanks/
vessels/ pumps handling
hydrocarbons.
• Bonding and grounding of flanges
on pipes carrying LPG and light
hydrocarbons.
• Control of flow rate within safe
velocity.

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Static Electricity

What is static electricity?

It is created when two objects or

materials that have been in contact
with each other are separated.

If these charges don't have a

path to the ground, they
are unable to move and
become "static“.

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Source of static electricity
Static electricity is commonly produced when:
liquid flows though a pipe or hose, or though

• an opening in a pipe or hose

• spraying or coating
• blending or mixing
• filling tanks, drums, cans or pails
• dry powdered material passes through chutes or
• pneumatic conveyors
• non-conductive conveyor belts or drive belts
are moving appliances are plugged into
• electrical outlets

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Static Electricity

06StaticSparks_pdl.wmv

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Hazards Control

Most static electricity control measures provide ways

for the static charges to dissipate harmlessly before
sparks occur.

Some ways to prevent static charges from

accumulating on materials are:

bonding and grounding

humidification
static collectors
additives

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 Safety during Operation
• Following of SOPs during loading
• Earthing of tankers and TWL with
interlocks.
• Filling only with Mass flow meter
to fill at controlled rate and
prevent static charge generation
and also avoid overfilling.

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
Safety during Operation

Haldia Refinery
Igniting Minds... Energizing Lives…
 SAFEGUARDS IN REFINERIES

Community Emergency Response Some safeguards

mitigate the consequences

Plant Emergency Response

Some safeguards
Dykes, ROVs, control / mitigate LOC
fire protection system
Some safeguards
Relief Devices, flare system, Blowdown prevent LOC
systems

(SIS) Safety Instrumented System

Some safeguards
avoid LOC
Critical Alarms
Operator Intervention

(BPCS) Basic Process control system Correct Priority of Safeguards

Avoid Prevent Control Mitigate

Process
 Process Safeguards in Refineries

Fixed Gas
Detection
Process Critical
Interlocks levels
Alarms at
Panels

Safety
Dual
Mechanical
Process Relief
Devices
Seals Safeguards

Emergency
Blow down
Trips
Flaring
System
 Safe System to Work

Work
Permit
Near System Need based
Miss/Incident Training
Investigation

Safety
Safe System Inspection/Loss
Management Control Tours
of Change to Work

Safety
Safety Awareness
Audits Safety Programme
Meetings