OISD-STD-150

For restricted
Circulation only

Design and Safety Requirements

For
Liquefied Petroleum Gas
Mounded Storage Facility

Prepared by

FUNCTIONAL COMMITTEE

OIL INDUSTRY SAFETY DIRECTORATE

2nd Floor, ‘KAILASH’
26, KASTURBA GANDHI MARG,
NEW DELHI-110001

0
 NOTE

OISD publications are prepared for use in the oil and gas industry
under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. These are the
property of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and shall not be
reproduced or copied and loaned or exhibited to others without
written consent from OISD.

Though every effort has been made to assure the accuracy and
reliability of data contained in these documents, OISD hereby
expressly disclaims any liability or responsibility for loss or damage
resulting from their use.

These documents are intended only to supplement and not to

replace the prevailing statutory requirements.

1
 FOREWORD

The Oil Industry in India is 100 years old. Because of various

collaboration agreements, a variety of international codes, standards
and practices have been in vogue. Standardisation in design
philosophies and operating and maintenance practices at a national
level was hardly in existence. This, coupled with feed back from
some serious accidents that occurred in the recent past in India and
abroad, emphasised the need for the industry to review the existing
state of art in designing, operating and maintaining oil and gas
installations.

With this in view, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in 1986
constituted a Safety Council assisted by the Oil Industry Safety
Directorate (OISD) staffed from within the industry in formulating and
implementing a series of self regulatory measures aimed at
removing obsolescence, standardising and upgrading the existing
standards to ensure safe operations. Accordingly, OISD constituted
a number of functional committees of experts nominated from the
industry to draw up standards and guidelines on various subjects.

The present document on” Design and Safety Requirements For

Liquefied Petroleum Gas Mounded Storage Facility” has been
prepared by the functional committee constituted amongst members
nominated by the industry for this purpose based on the
accumulated knowledge and experience of industry members and
the various national, international codes and practices. This
document is meant to be used as supplement and not as a
replacement for existing codes and practices. Suggestions are
invited from the users after it is put into practice to improve the
document further, and the same may be addressed to

The Coordinator,
FUNCTIONAL COMMITTEE
ON “Design and Safety Requirements For
Liquefied Petroleum Gas Mounded Storage Facility”

Oil Industry Safety Directorate,

2nd Floor, “Kailash”,
26, Kasturba Gandhi Marg,
New Delhi - 110 001.

2
 FUNCTIONAL COMMITTEE
on
“Design and Safety Requirements
For
Liquefied Petroleum Gas
Mounded Storage Facility”

NAME ORGANISATION

LEADER

Shri Mrinal Roy IOCL

MEMBERS

Shri Manmohan Singh BPCL

Shri M.M.Mandal GAIL

Shri K.S.Rao, HPCL

Shri K.G.Malhotra, EIL

SPECIAL INVITEE

Shri R.H.Bhalekar CCE

Dr M.B.Mishra PDIL

MEMBER COORDINATOR

SHRI A.MISHRA OISD

(In addition to the above, several other experts from the industry contributed in the preparation,
review and finalisation of this document.)

3
 Design and Safety Requirements
For
Liquefied Petroleum Gas
Mounded Storage Facility

CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0 SCOPE

3.0 DEFNITIONS

4.0 LOCATION AND SAFETY DISTANCES

5.0 MOUNDED LPG STORAGE FACILITY

6.0 FITTINGS AND INSTRUMENTATION ON A VESSEL

7.0 SAFETY AND SECURITY SYSTEM

8.0 ELECTRICAL AREA CLASSIFICATION

9.0 FIRE PROTECTION

10.0 MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION

11.0 OPERATING /MAINTENANCE PRACTICES

12.0 REFRENCES

4
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Bullet
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) handling
has many challenges due to its inherent A horizontal pressure vessel used for
dangerous properties. Some of the major storage or transportation by rail/ road.
fires/explosions have underlined the need
for total in depth review of design, Compressed Gas
procedures maintenance fire fighting and
safety aspects in LPG handling. The Any permanent gas, liquefiable gas or gas
conventional method of storage of LPG in dissolved in liquid under pressure or gas
India is in a pressurised vessel installed mixture which in a closed container
aboveground. exercises a pressure either exceeding two
atmosphere (gauge) at the maximum
The mounded storage of LPG has proved to working temperature, which for vessels
be safer compared to above ground storage without insulation or refrigeration shall
vessels since it provides intrinsically passive be considered as 55°C".
and safe environment and eliminates the .
possibility of Boiling Liquid Expanding Explosive mixture
Vapour Explosion (BLEVE). The cover of the
mound protects the vessel from fire It is a mixture of combustion agent (oxidising
engulfment, radiation from a fire in close substance-gaseous,, liquid or solid) and a
proximity and acts of sabotage or vandalism. fuel (oxidisable substance- gaseous, liquid
The area of land required to locate a or solid) in such proportions that it could give
mounded system is minimal compared to rise to a very rapid and voilent oxidation
conventional storage. reaction liberating more energy than is
dissipated through conduction and
convection causing practical effect of
2.0 SCOPE explosion.

This standard lays down minimum Hazard Area Classification

requirements on safety, design, layout,
installation, operation, maintenance and It is the classification of hazardous area
testing of aboveground fully mounded bulk zone wise/group wise, based on the nature
vessels used for storage of Liquefied of the flammable substance and the extent
Petroleum Gas (LPG) installed in the of presence of the explosive vapour- air
refineries, gas processing plants, terminal mixture likely to be present under operating
and bottling plants otherwise falling under conditions for the purpose of selection of the
the scope of any of the OISD standards type of electrical equipment in the respective
namely STD-144, STD-116, STD-118 and zone/area.
STD-169 as applicable. This standard only
supplement to the requirements of above Bulk Vessels
mentioned OISD standards as regards to
mounded storage facility for LPG. A pressure vessel used for more than 1000
liters water capacity for storage or
3.0 DEFINITIONS transportation of compressed gas.

Mounded Vessel (S). Water Capacity

A storage vessel(s) sited above ground and The volume of water in liters that the
completely covered by a mound of earth or container can hold at 15 Deg. C.
similar inert material except for nozzles,
manhole covers, inspection covers fitted on Earthing & Bonding
vessel(s).

5
Earthing is the provision of a safe path of
electrical current to ground, in order to
protect structures, plant and equipment from
the effects of stray electrical current, and Kerb Wall
electrostatic discharge.
A wall of appropriate height and size
Bonding is the provision of connecting constructed of suitable material and
different parts of an equipment or system by designed to contain the LPG spillage and to
way of bond wire/strip so as to maintain direct it to a safe location around the storage
electrical continuity among all parts of the vessel.
system
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
Fire safe
LPG is a mixture of commercial butane and
As applied to valves, it is a provision of dual commercial propane having both saturated
seating to control leakage to acceptable and unsaturated hydrocarbons. LPG
level even after damage due to fire. marketed in India shall be governed by
Indian Standard Code IS-4576 (Refer Table
Fire proof/proofing 1.0) and the test methods by IS-1448.

It is a passive means of protection of a Purging

structure/equipment/vessel from exposure to
direct fire or flame impingement or It is the act of replacing the atmosphere
prolonged exposure to high intensity radiant within a container by an inert substance in
heat flux, by the application of a coating of a such a manner as to prevent the formation
specified rating of explosive mixture.

Flammability Range/Limits (A) Purging into Service: is the replacement

of air in a closed system by an inert
It is the rang of percentage of volume of any substance and replacement of the later by
flammable vapour which in admixture with combustible gas, vapor, or liquid.
air, forms an explosive mixture.
(B) Purging out of Service: is the
Flammable (or Inflammable) replacement of normal combustible content
of a closed system by an inert substance
Any substance which when tested in a and replacement of the later by air.
specified manner will ignite when mixed with
air on contact with a flame and will support Reid Vapor Pressure
combustion.
Reid Vapor Pressure is the vapor pressure
Gas-Free in pounds per square inch (psi) at 100 Deg.
F as determined by Reid apparatus.
It is a condition when the concentration of a
flammable gas in equipment is Statutory Authority.
well below the threshold limits
(LEL) so that it is safe for a It is an authority appointed under specific
man to enter into the Act or regulation for administering specific
equipment or to carry hot work function under the Act/regulation.
there, as the case may be.
“Chief Controller of Explosives”, hereafter
Hot Work referred as CCOE, is the Statutory Authority
for administering the SMPV (U) Rules 1981.
It is an activity, which may produce enough
heat to ignite a flammable air-hydrocarbon “Chief Inspector of Factories" in a State/UT
mixture or a flammable substance. is .the Statutory Authority for enforcement
6
 of the Factories Act, 1948 and the Factories
Rules made thereunder.“

Sources of Ignition.

Devices or equipment which, because of

their mode, use or operation, are capable of
providing required thermal energy to ignite
flammable LPG-Air mixtures" when
introduced to such a mixture or when such a
mixture comes into contact with them.

SMPV (Unfired) Rules.

The Static and Mobile Pressure Vessels

(Unfired) Rules, 1981, (with latest
amendments) abbreviated as “SMPV (U)
Rules”. These are Rules governing the
storage, transportation; handling etc. of
compressed gas in vessels exceeding 1000
liters in volume. These rules are framed
under the Indian Explosives Act, 1884 and
administered by Chief Controller of
Explosives.

Shall.

Indicates mandatory requirement.

Competent Person

Competent person means a person

recognised by the applicable Statutory
Authority for the job in respect of which the
competency is required.

7
4.0 LOCATION AND SEPARATION
DISTANCES:
4.2 SEPARATION DISTANCES:
4.1 LOCATION:
Separation distances are intended to
The location of mounded storage to be minimise both the potentials for small leak
decided after careful consideration of all ignition and exposure risk presented to
influencing factors, including the following adjacent vessels, equipment or installations
aspects: in case ignition occurs. Separation distances
are not intended to provide protection from a
a) The area to be covered by mound and major incident. Risk analysis and dispersion
the area within the separation distances, modeling are recommended tools to limit the
as given in clause 4.2, shall be clear of exposure risk to adjacent facilities.
any trees, stumps, roots bushes,
combustible material and other 4.2.1
objectionable matter.
The separation distances for mounded
b) Space requirement for, movement of storage shall be as follows:
construction/fabrication equipment and
materials, onsite fabrication and a) Minimum separation distance
maintenance for each mounded vessel. between mounded LPG storage and
Boundary, property line ,group of
c) A detailed soil testing shall be carried buildings not associated with LPG
out, further analysed to ascertain the plant shall be 15 meters.
suitability of the location and as a
support document for selection and b) Minimum separation distance between
design of the foundation. mounded LPG storage vessel and
LPG pump house/compressor house
d) The manhole and pressure relief valves shall be kept based on operational
of mounded vessels are in a well- needs. In case of the liquid outlet from
ventilated position and conforms to the top of the mounded vessel,
separation distances given in submersible pump may be installed
Clause 4.2.1. from the top of the vessel.
e) Fire hydrant/monitors will be Minimum separation distance between
positioned at a safe distance as given in mounded LPG storage and any other
clause 9.3 (other than LPG pump/compressor
house) facility associated with LPG
f) Each mound shall have plant (e.g. decantation shed) shall be
accessibility to Fire Tender from at least 15 meters.
two sides.
c) Minimum separation distance between
g) Vessel(s) shall be located such that they mounded LPG storage vessel and
do not affect or are affected by other firewater pump house and / or
underground structures, e.g., Firewater tank shall be 30 meters
foundations, pipelines, sewers, electrical
cables are themselves not subjected to All the above distances to be measured
loads from vehicular traffic or affected by from the edge of the mound at finished
other hazards like power cables, ground level and also from the first valve
cathodically protected pipelines etc. on the vessel i.e. ROV.

8
 b) Since H2S presence cannot be
4.2.2 completely ruled out in the Refinery LPG
storage, high stress material shall not be
The minimum inter-distance between the used for vessels as it is prone to
edge of the vessel(s) in a mound shall be Hydrogen induced stress corrosion
determined by the site conditions and the cracking.
need for safe installation, testing,
maintenance and removal of vessels. c) Recommended maximum tensile
However in any case this distance shall not stress shall be below 80,000 PSI.
be less than 1.5meters between the vessels
having diameter of 2meter and 2meters for d) Material of construction shall
all other cases.(Refer attached Drawing-2) conform to design code. However, for
any reasons, these codes differ (i.e.
4.2.3 Design code and selection of material
code), the selected material should
The minimum inter-distance between the confirm to equivalence of design code.
edge of the mounds on finished ground level
shall be determined by the site conditions, e) FOR REFINERY SERVICE:
the need for safe installation, testing,
maintenance and removal of vessels and ASTM A516 Gr. 60 ,impact tested
the requirement for the passage for (The material specified in BS-5500
emergency equipment e.g. Fire Tender, shall not be used for the above).
hydrant system. In any case this distance
shall not be less than 3.5 meters. f) FOR MARKETING INSTALLATION:

Where H2S is not present, ASTM A

5.0 MOUNDED LPG STORAGE 516 Gr.60 (IT) or ASTM A 516 Gr.70
FACILITY (IT) or SA 537 Cl.l (IT) or BS 5500
material shall be used .
5.1 VESSEL(S)
iii) DESIGN TEMPERATURE:
A) Horizontally placed cylindrical vessel(s)
shall be used for mounded storage. -27 Deg. C to +55 Deg. C.
The mechanical design of storage
vessel shall be based on following iv) DESIGN PRESSURE:
considerations:
14 Kg/ Sq.cm.g Vapour pressure of
i) DESIGN CODE LPG (as per IS: 4576) at 55 Deg C.

ASME SEC. VIII or BS - 5500 or Marketable LPG conforming to IS: 4576

equivalent duly approved by CCE. A can have a maximum vapour pressure
single code shall be adopted for of 16.87 Kg/Sq.cm.g at 65 Deg C
design, fabrication, inspection and temperature. LPG with higher vapour
testing. pressure is not expected to be stored in
The specific consideration shall be bottling installations.
given to
a) Internal vapour and hydraulic This (IS: 4576) LPG will have a vapour
pressure pressure (depending on composition)
b) External loadings on the vessel of around 13-14 (max.) Kg/Sq.cm.g at
c) Internal vacuum 55 Deg C.
ii) MATERIAL:
a) Micro-alloyed steel containing Ni, This forms the basis of 14 Kg/sq.cm.g
Mo, V shall not be considered. as design pressure for IS: 4576 LPG
storage at bottling installations.
9
 F) For refinery service, due to the presence
The recommended design pressure and of caustic environment and H 2S, in
temperature shall be treated as addition to “C)” above ,the bottom 90
MINIMUM requirement and other design Deg. internal portion of the vessel shall
consideration and statutory be coated with anticorrosive coating
requirements may call for something suitable for LPG immersion service
additional.
G) Reference points on inner surface of the
v) OTHER CONSIDERATIONS vessel shall be marked for NDT, for
subsequent inspections.
Internal Corrosion Allowance: 1.5 mm
(minimum) 5.2 MOUND
Radiography: Full 5.2.1
Stress Relieving:100% irrespective of Mounded vessel(s) should be placed on a
thickness. firm foundation and installed so as to
prevent movement or floatation .The sub-
Earthquake pressure: as per IS: 1893 soil water, rainwater or any other surface
water should not be allowed to percolate
Hydrotest pressure: As per Design Code in to the mound. The foundation should
be constructed such that in the
B) The dimensions (diameter and length) of longitudinal direction of a vessel slope of
the vessel shall be decided based on at least 1:200 is maintained to facilitate
site conditions, soil mechanics , type of draining of the vessel. Refernce may be
fabrication facilities available and other made to attached Drawing-1 and Drawing-
design considerations. 2.
C) The external surface of the vessels that 5.2.2
are mounded should be suitably treated
to protect them from corrosion. Methods Site conditions and soil mechanics are
of protection shall include surface deciding factors for the type of foundation
coatings (suitable for design conditions in a given situation.The preferred type of
as specified above) and cathodic foundation is a continuos sand bed,
protection (Impressed current system). supporting the vessel over its full length
For this purpose, NACERP-0169, .
“Control of External Corrosion on 5.2.3
Underground or Submerged Metallic
Systems” and T-10D-17/T-6A-63 ON The foundation should have sufficient load
“Pipe Line Rehabilitation Coatings” may bearing capacity and all the factors
be referred. affecting the foundation should be
considered while designing the same.
D) Holiday detection of the coated surface The factors should not be limited to the
shall be carried out to ensure defect free following:
coated external surface using suitable
Spark Holiday Detector. a) The load of the vessel during
normal operations and also during
E) The cathodically protected shall be hydro test when the specific
isolated from the unprotected gravity of liquid is 1 (one) instead
structures /surfaces by installing of that of LPG.
monolithic joints i.e. one each on liquid b) The earth/sand cover
and vapour lines. A suitable isolation c) The settlement behavior of the
shall also be provided on utility pipe foundation which include
lines etc(such as air line to ROV)

10
 i) Overall settlement Reference may be made to attached
ii) Differential settlement which Drawing-4
causes bending of the vessel
iii) Differential settlement which 5.2.7
causes sloping of vessel
The earth cover shall be protected against
5.2.4 erosion by rain or wind by providing a suitable
protective cover such as covering with
a) The sand bed beneath the vessel should prefabricated stone elements, open concrete
be of adequate elevation not less than tiles.
0.76 meter to facilitate drainage from
liquid outlet pipe by gravity. In this case, 5.2.8
bottom connection shall be permitted on
mounded vessel(s) with an access to Moisture ingress into the mound shall be
connections by providing an opening or minimised by a suitable method to check
tunnel with 1.2-meter minimum diameter the corrosion by providing impervious layer
and a 0.9-meter minimum clear area. with a suitable material. Proper drainage
Bottom connections shall be considered and slope on top of the mound shall also be
as part of the vessel where they extend provided to achieve this objective. However
beyond the mound and shall be a continuous impermeable cover shall not
designed for the forces that can act on be installed, to prevent the possibility of gas
the connection. accumulation inside the mound.

Proper provision shall be made for 5.2.9

encountering the consequences of the
settlement of the vessel. The Where the vessels are installed parallel
surrounding of the bottom connection with ends in line, any number of vessels
should be filled with such material that shall be permitted to be in one group.
can absorb such settlement.
Where more than one row is installed the
Reference may be made to attached adjacent ends of the vessel in each row
Drawing-2 and Drawing -3 shall be separated by not less than 3
meters.
b) Where submersible type of pumps is
provided for individual vessel, conditions 5.2.10
stated at “a)” above shall not apply. In
such cases drainage of water may also The valves and appurtenances of mounded
be achieved by dip pipe with top vessel(s) shall be accessible for operation or
connected drain valves. repair, without disturbing the mounding
material.
5.2.5
5.2.11
The mound should protect the vessel from
the effects of thermal radiation and should Provision shall be made to monitor the
be sufficiently robust to remain in place in settlements of the mound by providing
the event of jet flame impingement. permanent reference point. A minimum of
three reference points shall be installed to
5.2.6 be able to also identify possible vessel
bending (One each near the vessel ends
Mounding material shall be earth, sand or and one in the middle.)
other non-combustible, non-corrosive
materials such as Vermiculate or Perlite and Maximum permissible differential
shall provide at least 700mili-meters settlements shall be determined at the
minimum thickness of cover for the project designing stage and procedures
container. established to regularly monitor the
11
settlement throughout the lifetime of the 6.2
vessel.
Minimum two nos. of manhole shall be
5.2.12 provided on top of the vessel.

Proper provision shall be provided for 6.3

inserting portable CuSO4 reference
electrode on top of the mound for Each vessel shall have at-least two
measurement of PSP at 12 O-clock position pressure relief valves. The full flow capacity
of the vessel. This shall be suitable sealed to of Pressure Relief Valves (PRV) on
prevent moisture ingress in the mound. mounded vessel(s) may be reduced to not
less than 30% of the capacity required for
Reference may be made to attached an equivalent size of above ground vessel.
Drawing-2 For safety reasons, the discharge of
Pressure Relief Valves shall be connected
6.0 FITTINGS AND to flare system wherever available. In this
INSTRUMENTS ON A case PRVs shall have lock open (or car
seal open) type isolation valves on both
VESSEL: sides of Pressure Relief Valve .
I
The following requirements are applicable In case of non-availability of flare system,
up-to Fire-safe ROV (i.e. the valve the discharge from safety valve shall be
connected to the first flange of the vessel) vented vertically upwards to atmosphere at
beyond which the applicable OISD standard, an elevation of 3-meter (minimum) from the
as specified in clause 2.0 of this standard, top of the mound or exposed nozzle
shall be referred. whichever is higher for effective dispersion
of hydrocarbons. In this case, isolation
6.1 valves on down stream of PRVs are not
required. A weephole with a nipple at low
The fire safe Remote Operated Shutdown point shall be provided on the vent pipe in
Valve (ROV) on liquid drain line from the order to drain the rainwater which may get
vessel shall be either from bottom of the accumulated otherwise. Weephole nipples
vessel or from the top of the vessel as per shall be so oriented that in case of safety
the design considerations. However in case valve lifting and consequent fire, the flame
of provision of liquid outlet from the top of resulting from LPG coming out from
the vessel, the same shall be through dip weephole does not impinge on the vessel
pipe. or structure. A loose fitting rain cap with a
chain (non-sparking) fitted to vent pipe shall
In case of liquid drain line from the bottom of be provided on top of PRV.
the vessel, the minimum distance of 3
meters from the vessel to ROV shall be 6.4
maintained. The nozzle pipe shall have a
slope of 1.5 Deg. Reference may be made All the fittings shall be suitable for use at not
to attached Drawing-3 less than the design pressure of the vessel
and for the temperatures appropriate to the
The top vapour zone of the vessel shall be worst operating conditions. The flange joints
provided with nozzles for vapour outlet and of these valves shall either have spiral
re-circulation, which shall also be provided wound metallic gaskets or ring joints. Plain
with fire-safe ROVs. asbestos sheet gaskets shall not be used.
There shall not be any other flanges, or any Flange connections shall be a minimum of
other tapping up-to the ROV except in case ANSI-300 lb flange class.
of liquid drain line from top of the vessel(s).

12
6.5
- an audiovisual alarm at the local/
Each storage vessel shall have minimum main control panel and fire water
two different types of level indicators and station, indicating the fire.
one independent high level switch. High
level alarms shall be set at not more than - the Remote Operated Valve (ROV)
85% level of the volumetric capacity of the on liquid inlet/ outlet line to the
vessel. affected vessel will close.

Audiovisual indication shall be at local panel - the ROVs on vapor balance line and
& control room. liquid return line of the affected
vessel will close.
6.6
- LPG pumps and compressors in LPG
All these instruments and fittings on the storage area will trip.
vessel shall be isolated with two valves of
suitable type wherever required. Additionally push buttons for initiating all the
above actions shall be provided on remote
6.7 AREAS OF HEAVY SNOWFALL. operating panel and also in field at safe
location for enabling manual actuation of a
In areas where heavy snowfall can be trip by operator. Arrangement to routinely
expected, piping, regulators, meters, and test the security system shall also be
other equipment installed in the piping provided.
system shall be protected from the forces
anticipated as a result of accumulated snow. 7.2 GAS DETECTION SYSTEM

Suitable gas detectors shall be placed at

7.0 SAFETY / SECURITY SYSTEM critical locations in the LPG storage area
e.g. near the ROV, in inspection tunnel,
The features of the safety/security system inside the nozzle box enclosure (if
for the mounded storage area shall be as applicable), near water draining/ sampling
follows; points.

7.1 Auto Fire Detection /Protection Audio- visual alarms showing the location of
System: gas leakage shall be provided on the control
panel in the control room. First level alarm
Automatic fire detection and /or protection can be set at 20% LEL and second level
(Fixed) system based on heat detection alarm at 60 % LEL.
through thermal fuses/ quartz bulbs/ EP
detectors shall be employed. Sensors shall 8.0 HAZARDOUS AREA
be installed at all critical places described CLASSIFICATION
below:
The hazardous area shall be classified as
a) Minimum 1 detector shall be provided per IS- 5571, IS-5572 (Part I), and OISD
on each exposed portion of the vessel. standard No.113.The electrical
However if the nozzles are covered in fittings/equipment in the respective classified
a dome, each group shall have 2 Nos. area/zone shall be of a type suitable for the
of detectors particular area/zone as per classification".
b) At-least one near the each liquid line
ROV to take care of failure of flanges. 9.0 FIRE PROTECTION

The actuation of pressure switch on any one The cover provided for mounded storage
of above said detector on or around the will afford protection against direct flame
mound shall initiate the following: impingement and will minimise heat

13
 absorption from nearby fires. For 9.2
mounded storage portion, the following
clauses of OISD STD –144 namely clause Hydrant and monitor coverage shall also be
10.3 iii) and 10.4.2 (a), shall not be provided on all four sides of the mound for
applicable adequate coverage of unprotected portions
exposed to thermal radiation including for
Quote: top of the mound and for product pipelines,
in the immediate vicinity of the mound. In
10.3 iii) view of accessibility of unprotected portions
of the vessels, for effectiveness, installation
All LPG storage Vessels, Cylinder of remote operated monitors at appropriate
Storage/ Filling/ Repair Sheds, LPG height shall be considered.
Pump Houses, Bulk Lorry and Tank
Wagon Gantries shall be fully 9.3
covered by medium velocity water
spray system. Hydrant /monitors should be located at a
safe place around the mound .In any case
10.4.2 a) Storage Vessels Fire hydrant and /or monitors shall not be
installed within 15 meters from the
In case of Bulk Storage of LPG, facilities/equipment to be protected
automatic detection of heat for
automatic actuation of medium 9.4
velocity (MV) sprinkler system
having remote/ local operated Measures to prevent the freezing of cooling
deluge valve with spray density of water supplies and frost damage to supply
10 LPM/Sq.M. of surface area shall lines, etc. shall be provided in the areas
be provided. For water flow where heavy snowfall can be expected.
calculations adjoining vessels within
distance of R+30 Mts. (Where R is
the Radius of the LPG vessel and 10.0 MAINTENANCE AND
30 Mts. shall be measured from the INSPECTION
periphery of the LPG vessel), water
density for cooling shall be
considered at the rate of 10 The following provisions specific to
LPM/Sq.M. surface area. mounded storage facility shall be followed
and respective records to be maintained:
Unquote
10.1.1
9.1
The Pressure Relief valves shall be tested
The fire proofing (02 Hours rating) of all and calibrated every year by a competent
exposed portion of the vessel shall be done person and records maintained.
including piping upto the first ROV,
provisions for appurtenances etc. 10.1.2
Alternatively, auto actuated fixed water spray
system shall be Provided and this system Cathodic protection system, shall be
should be actuated through heat detection maintained, tested and records maintained
device installed as per above clause 7.1. as follows

Reference may be made to attached a) Pipe to Soil Potential (PSP) Reading

Drawing-4, Drawing-5 and Drawing-6
i) PSP readings at feeding points
shall be monitored fortnightly.

14
 ii) The PSP reading at the test lead whichever is earlier, by a competent person
points for entire vessel shall be and records maintained.
taken once in a quarter. The PSP
survey results shall be plotted 10.1.5
graphically to identify and locate
cathodic holidays. The minimum Mounded vessel shall be tested once in
pipe to soil potential shall be more every 5 years internally using visual and
negative than - 0.85 volts with other techniques for the following:
respect to copper/copper sulphate
half-cell. In areas where anaerobic a) All the weld joints of the vessel shall
bacteria are active minimum PSP be examined through Non-
shall be more negative than - 0.95 Destructive Testing (NDT)
volts instead of - 0.85 volts. Over techniques e.g., radiography, Wet
protection of coated vessel shall Magnetic Particle method (WPT),
be avoided by ensuring that Dye Penetration Test (DPT),
polarisation potential is below - hardness, ultrasonic flaw detection
1.2 volts with respect to to ensure the integrity of the joints.
copper/copper sulphate half cells. b) The wall thickness of the vessel
Polarisation potential can be shall be measured ultrasonically.
measured at a given location on a
coated vessel by measuring pipe For (a) and (b) above other established NDT
to earth potential immediately techniques may be used for example
(within the first second or two) acoustic emission testing.
after simultaneously interrupting
the current output from all Note: - In case of any indication of defect or
cathodic protection sources doubts about any defect , the mound
affecting that portion of the vessel. cover of the vessel shall be removed to
expose the outer surface for necessary
iii) The PSP readings shall also be examination from outside.
recorded on weekly basis with
respect to permanent Zinc
reference cell. 10.1.6

iv) The polarisation cell shall be If internal access to mounded vessel is not
checked for replenishing the liquid possible, the external surface of the vessel
levels(KOH) will need to be exposed to enable
examination to take place as given in
v) The protective current shall be above clause no.10.1.5.
monitored every quarter
10.1.7
b) Insulating Joint/Coupling Inspection
Any repairs or modifications undertaken
Insulating joints and couplings shall be should be after statutory approval from
inspected once in a year. applicable authority.

10.1.3 11.0 OPERATING /

The settlement of the tank shall be MAINTENANCE
monitored on yearly basis. PRACTICES

10.1.4 A manual for operation and maintenance

procedure with necessary details for both
A vessel shall be subjected to hydro test normal and emergency operation should be
once every 10 years or at every welding to prepared.
the vessel (repairs or new connections)
15
12.00 REFERENCES

(a) NFPA 58 – Liquefied Petroleum Gas

Code
(b) Technical Paper on “Developments
in the storage of dangerous gases
and liquids in large capacity tanks” by
Dr. F.Mang, University of Karlsruhe.
(c) OISD STD-144, STD-116, STD-118
& STD-169.
(d) NACERP-0169, “Control of External
Corrosion on Underground or
Submerged Metallic Systems” and T-
10D-17/T-6A-63 ON “Pipe Line
Rehabilitation Coatings”
(d) Other Standards /specifications as
referred in the different clauses of
this standard.

16
17
18
19
20
21
22