مهندس بترadopt the approach of providing simple, minimum facilities design and simplify process design;
minimise flammable and toxic inventories and the number of leak sources;
select more reliable equipment instead of using sparing
isolate spare or redundant equipment when not in use;
use high quality and reliable materials and equipment to minimise maintenance;
use one reliable instrument/equipment item instead of several less reliable ones;
pay particular attention to avoiding use of maintenance intensive equipment;
adopt a risk and reliability based maintenance strategy;
minimise maintenance visits in hazardous areas separating non-hazardous/hazardous equipment;
optimise equipment layouts with maximum use of natural ventilation;
segregate personnel from major hazards;
consider flow of personnel to and from worksite in relation to the major hazards;
replace hazardous materials and chemicals with less hazardous ones;
minimise the use of protective safety systems requiring high maintenance;
minimise number of ignition sources, such as fired heaters and hot surfaces.Platform Layout designed to minimize n° of people potentially involved in the running of the plant (POB = 10 operators), prevent escalation and allow escape and evacuation if necessary.
Main objectives of WELL-DESIGNED LAYOUT are:
minimizing possibility of hazardous accumulations of both liquids and gaseous hydrocarbon and providing for rapid removal of any accumulation which could occur;
minimizing ignition probability;
minimizing spread of flammable liquids/gases which may results in a hazardous event;
minimizing consequence of fire and explosions;
providing for adequate arrangement for escape and evacuation;
facilitating effective emergency response.
Dedicated areas for the installation of drainages and spill control systems have been foreseen to minimize accident likelihood and potential escalation.
Process piping, equipment, risers and conductors are routed so as to minimize the likelihood of external impacts.
For gas systems, vents and relief valves have been routed to safe location avoiding the vented volumes to be able to create a hazardous condition.
HIPPS has been provided d/s Gas Manifold to protect Separator against overpressure.
Closed/Open Drain Systems are required to:
allow quick and safe removing of liquid hydrocarbons in emergency situations;
collect direct spills to a safe location where they can be retained/recovered;
safe disposal of hydrocarbon during drain down of process vessels and equipment.