FIRE FIGHTING IN OIL AND GAS

INDUSTRY

Ashish Mittal(12)
Avhishek Dutta(13)
Avinash Chand Srivastava(14)
Bikash Chandra Nandi(15)
Brijesh Singh Chaudhry(16)
KUWAIT OIL FIRES-1991
KUWAIT OIL FIRES- 1991
 The Kuwaiti oil fires were a result of the
scorched earth policy of Iraqi military forces
retreating from Kuwait.
 Somewhere around 6 million barrels
(950,000 m3) of oil were lost each day.
 Crews extinguished the fires, at a total cost of
US$1.5 billion to Kuwait.
IMPACT
 Kuwait Oil Fires dominated the weather pattern
throughout the Persian Gulf and surrounding
region during 1991.
 Cities like Dhahran, Riyadh and Bahrain
experienced days with smoke filled skies and
carbon fallout.
 byproducts of the petroleum burn caused pollution
to the soil and air called – GULF WAR
SYNDROME.
IMPACT
 Dramatic decrease in air quality, causing
respiratory problems for many Kuwaitis.
 Unignited oil from the wells formed about 300 oil
lakes that contaminated around 40 million tons of
sand and earth.
 Unknown consequences for Kuwait's precious
groundwater resources.
HYDROCARBON INDUSTRY IS HAZARDOUS & COMPLEX

 High Safety Risk on account of potential hazard from fire & explosion due to
handling, processing & storage of highly flammable liquid with low flash point,
as well as gas & vapour.

 Operation of the facilities at elevated temperature & pressure.

 Crude oil & Gas are handled during Oil Exploration and there is potential
Hazard on account of Fire & explosions from leaks or blowouts.

 Similarly at Petroleum refining, gas processing & petrochemical

installations, there are emerging hazards on accounts of process upsets,
extreme physical conditions in addition to potential fire & explosion
from accidental release of flammable hydrocarbon.
INTRODUCTION TO FIRE FIGHTING

 Firefighting is the act of extinguishing destructive fires.

 A firefighter fights these fires to prevent destruction of life,

property and the environment.

 Firefighting is a highly technical profession which requires

years of training and education in order to become
proficient.

 Firefighters' goals are to save life, property and the

environment.
POTENTIAL HAZARDS IN OIL & GAS INDUSTRY

 Hazards resulting in fire and explosion

 Hazards resulting from the toxic properties of

materials handled (chemical hazard)

 Hazards associated with the physical operations

in the plant (unsafe operations).
THE FIRE TRIANGLE

Fire Safety, at its most basic, is based upon the

principle of keeping fuel sources and ignition
sources separate.
THE FIRE TRIANGLE
Three things must be present at the same time to
produce fire:

1. Enough OXYGEN to sustain combustion

2. Enough HEAT to reach ignition temperature
3. Some FUEL or combustible material
Together, they produce the CHEMICAL
REACTION that is fire
Take away any of these things and
the fire will be extinguished
FUEL CLASSIFICATIONS

 Fires are classified according to the type of

fuel that is burning.
 If you use the wrong type of fire extinguisher
on the wrong class of fire, you might make
matters worse.
 Its very important to understand the four
different fire (fuel) classifications…
FUEL CLASSIFICATIONS

Class A: Wood, paper, cloth, trash, plastics—

solids that are not metals.
Class B: Flammable liquids—gasoline, oil,
grease, acetone. Includes flammable gases.
Class C: Electrical—energized electrical
equipment. As long as it’s “plugged in.”
Class D: Metals—potassium, sodium, aluminum,
magnesium. Requires Metal-X, foam, and other
special extinguishing agents.
FUEL CLASSIFICATIONS

Most fire extinguishers will have a pictograph label

telling , which types of fire the extinguisher is
designed to fight.
For example, a simple water extinguisher might have
a label like this…

…which means it should only be used on Class A fires.

FIRE FIGHTING MANAGEMENT
 For highly volatile Petroleum fuel, if ignited will
continue to burn until the source of vapour lasts
in sufficient air which provide a flammable
mixture.

 Therefore fire extinction is based upon depriving

the combustion zone of either vapour or air.
METHODS OF FIRE EXTINGUISHING
 Fire –Extinguishing agents and equipment
(i) Water
(ii) Foam

(iii)Dry Chemicals

(iv) Vaporizing Liquids

(v) Carbon-dioxide

(vi) Light Water

 TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Different types of fire extinguishers are designed to

fight different classes of fire.
The 3 most common types of fire extinguishers are:

1. Water (APW)
2. Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

3. Dry Chemical (ABC, BC, DC)

TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
1. Water (APW) Fire Extinguishers
APW’s extinguish fire by taking away
the “heat” element of the Fire
Triangle.
Water act as a coolant. It absorbs
sensible heat when its temperature is
raised to boiling point

Maximum cooling effect is obtained in

fine spray or fog. If the temperature of
the burning surface is cooled below its
flash point, the fire will be extinguished
TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
1. Water (APW) Fire Extinguishers

APW’s are designed for Class A fires only:

Wood, paper, cloth.

Using water on a flammable liquid fire could cause

the fire to spread.
Using water on an electrical fire increases the risk of
electrocution. If you have no choice but to use an
APW on an electrical fire, make sure the electrical
equipment is un-plugged or de-energized.
TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
2. Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers
The pressure in
a CO2
extinguisher is
so great, bits of
dry ice may
shoot out of the
horn!

CO2 cylinders are red. They range in size from 5 lbs to 100 lbs or
larger. On larger sizes, the horn will be at the end of a long,
flexible hose.
TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
2. Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers
CO2’s are designed for Class B and C
(Flammable Liquids and Electrical Sources)
fires only!

CO2s will frequently be found in laboratories, mechanical

rooms, kitchens, and flammable liquid storage areas.

In accordance with NFPA regulations (and manufacturers’

recommendations), all CO2 extinguishers at OSU undergo
hydrostatic testing and recharge every 5 years.
TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
2. Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers
Carbon dioxide is a
non-flammable gas
that takes away the
oxygen element of
the fire triangle.
Without oxygen,
there is no fire.

CO2 is very cold as it comes out of the extinguisher, so it

cools the fuel as well.
TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
3. Dry Chemical (ABC) Fire Extinguishers
Dry chemical
extinguishers put
out fire by
coating the fuel
with a thin layer
of dust. This
separates the fuel
from the oxygen
in the air.

The powder also works to interrupt the chemical reaction

of fire. These extinguishers are very effective at putting
out fire.
TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
3. Dry Chemical (ABC) Fire Extinguishers

Dry chemical
extinguishers come in
a variety of types…

You may see them labeled:

• DC (for “Dry Chemical”)
• ABC (can be used on Class A, B, or C fires)
• BC (designed for use on Class B and C fires)
TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
3. Dry Chemical (ABC) Fire Extinguishers

It is extremely important to identify which types of dry

chemical extinguishers are located in your area!

An “ABC” extinguisher will have a label

like this, indicating it may be used on
Class A, B and C fires.

You don’t want to mistakenly use a “BC” extinguisher on a

Class A fire thinking that it was an “ABC” extinguisher.
FOAM FOR CLASS B FIRES
There are two types of foam.
 a. Mechanical Foam (Protein, fluoro-protein, Fluoro Chemicals

Surfactant)
 b. Detergent Foam

 Mechanical Foam sometimes referred to as aerated foam, is

produced by a combination of water, air and aqueous solutions of
chemicals.
 Detergent Foam – Mechanical aeration of 2 to 3 percent
aqueous solutions of petroleum-base detergents produced a
foam of low viscosity which has been applied successfully to oil
fires under experimentally controlled conditions.
HOW TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER
It’s easy to remember how to use a fire
extinguisher if you remember the acronym PASS:

 Pull
 Aim
 Squeeze
 Sweep
HOW TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Pull the pin…

This will allow

you to
discharge the
extinguisher
HOW TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Aim at the base of the fire…

Hit the fuel.

If you aim at
the flames...

… the extinguishing agent will fly right through and do

no good.
HOW TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Squeeze the top handle…

This depresses a
button that
releases the
pressurized
extinguishing
agent.
HOW TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Sweep from side to side…

.. until the fire is

completely out.
Start using the extinguisher
from a safe distance away,
then slowly move forward.

Once the fire is out, keep an eye on the area in case

it re-ignites.
RULES FOR FIGHTING FIRES
Fires can be very dangerous and you should always be certain
that you will not endanger yourself or others when attempting
to put out a fire.
For this reason, when a fire is discovered…

1. Assist any person in immediate danger to safety, if it

can be accomplished without risk to yourself.
2. Activate the building fire alarm. The fire alarm will
notify the fire department and other building occupants
and shut off the air handling system to prevent the
spread of smoke.

If the fire is small (and Only after having done these

2 things), you may attempt to use an extinguisher to
put it out. However . . . .
RULES FOR FIGHTING FIRES
. . . before deciding to fight the fire, keep these
things in mind:

1. Know what is burning. If you don’t know what’s

burning, you won’t know what kind of extinguisher to
use.
2. Even if you have an ABC fire extinguisher, there may be
something in the fire that is going to explode or
produce toxic fumes.

Chances are you will know what’s burning, or at

least have a pretty good idea, but if you don’t, let
the fire department handle it.
RULES FOR FIGHTING FIRES
. . . before deciding to fight the fire, keep these
things in mind:

3. Is the fire spreading rapidly beyond the point where it

started? The time to use an extinguisher is at the
beginning stages of the fire.
4. If the fire is already spreading quickly, it is best to
simply evacuate the building.

As you evacuate a building, close doors and windows

behind you as you leave. This will help to slow the
spread of smoke and fire.
RULES FOR FIGHTING FIRES
Do not fight the fire if:
 You don’t have adequate or appropriate equipment.
If you don’t have the correct type or large enough
extinguisher, it is best not to try fighting the fire.
 You might inhale toxic smoke. When synthetic
materials such as the nylon in carpeting or foam
padding in a sofa burn, they can produce hydrogen
cyanide, acrolein, and ammonia in addition to carbon
monoxide. These gases can be fatal in very small
amounts.
 Your instincts tell you not to. If you are
uncomfortable with the situation for any reason, just
let the fire department do their job.
RULES FOR FIGHTING FIRES
The final rule is to always position yourself with an exit
or means of escape at your back before you attempt to
use an extinguisher to put out a fire.

In case the extinguisher malfunctions, or something

unexpected happens, you need to be able to get out
quickly. You don’t want to become trapped.
OISD ORGANISATION
OISD - A ‘Technical Directorate’ under
MoP&NG, Govt. Of India; established in 1986.
- Nodal Agency for HSE Matters in ‘Oil &
Gas Industry’
Objective :To formulate and standardise
procedures and guidelines in the areas of design,
operations and maintenance as also the creation
of new assets with a view to achieve the highest
safety standards in a cost effective manner.
UNDER SAFETY ACTIVITIES
 Mock Drill Considering LPG locations are very risky, every one working at such
location needs to be trained to manage any exigency situation. They are given
training by way of Mock drills. They carry out 2 mock drills in a month at each
plant so that personnel working at place are enough trained to meet exigency
situation.

 Mock Drill Involving External Agencies A goal of 2 mock drills in a year is set,
so that personnel working at place are well trained and active to meet any kind of
exigency.

 Training :The utmost care is given to import training to company employees,

Contractor workmen, security personnel, Trucks crew, Cylinder Delivery Men
and Mechanics. Several training programs covering several peoples have been
organized and is a continuous process.
FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM
 Fire Proofing in Oil & Gas Industry
 Fire Protection System for Electrical Installations
 Fire Protection facilities for Petroleum Refineries and
Oil/Gas Processing Plants
 Fire Protection Facilities for Petroleum Depots and
Terminals and Pipelines Installations
 Guidelines on Fire Fighting, Equipment and Appliances
in Petroleum Industry
 Fire Protection Facilities for Port Oil Terminals
 Click icon to add picture

THANK YOU