TSE101

Technical Safety Engineering Foundation

5.1 Loading and Unloading

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Copyright of Shell Projects & Technology RESTRICTED September

Month 2010
2011 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this session you will be able to:

 Describe the different available unloading and loading facilities and
their main design features.
 Describe the hazards and the most common threats which can result
in process safety incidents.
 Describe the specific actions taken to reduce the risk of a process
safety incident.

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REFERENCE MATERIAL

The most relevant Shell standards and other literature is listed below.
 DEP 31.06.11.11. Loading facilities for bulk road vehicles
 DEP 30.06.10.13. LPG bulk transfer and transportation
 DEP 31.06,15.10. Marine loading arms (amendments/supplements to
OCIMF design and construction specification for marine loading arms)
 DEP 30.06.10.20. ESD systems for loading and discharging liquefied gas
carriers
 DEP 35.00.10.10. Design of jetty facilities (amendments/supplements to BS
6349-1/2/4)
 DEP 37.91.10.10. Single point mooring system
 DEP 37.91.10.11. Mobile mooring systems
 TOM (terminal Operations manual)

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REFERENCE MATERIAL

 Maritime Process Model for Managing Maritime Risk and MPM

documentation
 Guideline EPE Marine Operations Instructions EP.14.GL.01
 API recommended practice 2003. Protection Against Ignitions Arising Out
of Static, Lightning, and Stray Currents
 ISGOTT. International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals
 ISGINTT. International Safety Guide for Inland Navigation Tank-barges and
Terminals
 MARPOL 73/7. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution
from Ships

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INTRODUCTION

The following loading/unloading facilities can be distinguished:

 Trucks

 Rail cars
 Marine vessels
Loading and unloading of flammable/combustible liquids is one of
the most hazardous operations likely to be undertaken at any
manufacturing or storage facility.
Truck and rail car loading will be discussed first. The marine vessel
part will be focused on high level differences between rail and road
car loading/unloading.

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1.0
Truck and Rail Car Loading/Unloading
TRUCK AND RAIL CAR LOADING SCOPE

High level summary of the main design features of truck and rail car
loading facilities
Design features are based on documentation like DEP’s, model
bowties and TOM (see reference slides for the relevant
documentation)
The process safety risks involved during loading and unloading
The measures taken to manage the process safety risk to tolerable and
ALARP
Products: LPG, Gasoline and Diesel
 Not in scope:
 Description of unloading facilities because loading and unloading facilities
are comparable and loading facilities involve a higher process safety risk

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MAIN DESIGN FEATURES

In a newly designed loading facility one could distinguish the

following main elements:
 Loading pump (in case of reciprocal pump a downstream pressure relief
valve is required)
 Flow meter and flow control valve (including temperature measurement for
volume correction)
 Safeguarding system (Interlock and an Emergency Shut Down [ESD] system)
 Loading arm
 Shutoff valve just upstream of the hose coupling
Additional required elements could be:
 Filter
 Vapour recovery system
 Thermal relief valve (especially for sections of piping or hose were LPG may
be trapped)

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MAIN DESIGN FEATURES – INTERLOCK SYSTEM

Loading only possible when:

 Driveway protection is active (e.g. put up a cone)
 Proper earth connections made
 Loading arms properly connected
 Vapour recovery hose connected
 Loading volume controller properly pre-set
 Activated high level switch (e.g., Scully)
 Flow meter and flow control valve (including temperature measurement for
volume correction)

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MAIN DESIGN FEATURES – EMERGENCY SHUT DOWN
(ESD)

To prevent leakage to the environment in case of emergency. ESD

valve can be activated by:
 Operator (manually, via a switch)
 Disconnection of the loading coupling (proximity switch)
 Fire & gas detection system

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MAIN DESIGN FEATURES – VAPOUR RECOVERY SYSTEM

Trucks and rail cars are normally not designed as pressure vessels as
loading is done under atmospheric conditions. For fluids with a
certain vapor pressure (e.g. gasoline) a vapor recovery system shall
be applied as the emitted vapors may be harmful to personnel, form
an explosive cloud or does not meet the legal requirements. In some
cases it is possible to create a closed-loop system where the vapors
displaced during the transfer are sent back to replace liquid removed
from the feed tank or tank truck. In other cases (e.g., because of
distance or operational considerations), it is frequently necessary to
install a treatment/recovery system to minimize vapor releases to the
atmosphere. These units may be material recovery units, such as
refrigeration and condensation, absorbers (liquid, carbon etc),
membranes or thermal destruction units, such as flares separate from
the main plant flare systems.
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MAIN DESIGN FEATURES – VAPOUR RECOVERY SYSTEM

When the only requirement is to prevent persons operating/loading to

be exposed to the vapors, a simple vapor collection system and
dispersion to a safe location may be sufficient. The vapor collection
system shall be adequate to cater for the highest loading rate
anticipated at the loading gantry. To prevent leakage to the
environment in case of emergency. ESD valve can be activated by:
 For atmospheric loading of e.g. very low flash point products (e.g.,
Glycol) or product which are not harmful (e.g., water) no vapor
recover system is required.
 For loading under increased pressure (e.g., LPG) no vapor recovery
system is required.

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MAIN DESIGN FEATURES

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TOP AND BOTTOM LOADING

Regarding truck and rail car loading, two types of loading are
applied: (1) bottom and (2) top loading. Bottom loading is the
preferred method and shall always be used for all products with a
flashpoint lower than diesel. Top loading is only used for heavy oil
products. Also in cases where bottom loading is not doable because
of plugging, e.g., liquid sulphur and bitumen, top loading is then
used.

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BOTTOM LOADING

Bottom loading systems use either swivelling piping systems or a

flexible hose system, or combinations of both, to make the filling
connection and the vapor return connection between the bay and the
vehicle
 A flexible hose over 3 inches is a not preferred due to difficulty in handling
and required support
Requires a reliable level and shutdown system
Has the following advantages over top loading:
 Vapor generation and splashing is minimized
 No incorrect positioned fill pipes
 No introduction of debris (from top hatchway)
 No requirement to have driver/operator standing on the top of the truck

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TOP LOADING

An articulating arm is inserted into a tank compartment through a

hatch on the top of the truck
A variety of loading arm configurations is available
The two main types of loading arms that should be employed are:
 Articulated or scissor arms
 Boom type arms
A long fill pipe extends to the bottom of the compartment
Liquid level rapidly submerges the opening of the fill pipe resulting in
low vapor generation and reduces splashing

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TOP LOADING

If no level switches are provided a “deadman” control switch is

required in the form of a “hold open” valve. In this case the operator
shall be situated close to the open hatchway (continuously monitoring
the liquid level in the tank)
 Loader is more exposed to vapours
Vapor recovery is possible by sealing the top hatch during loading.
This however requires a level indicator/switch
Requires a reliable level and shutdown system if level is not monitored
by operator

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PFS BOTTOM LOADING

Detailed bottom loading scheme with vapor return (ref. DEP 31.06.11.11)
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PROCESS SAFETY RISK (HAZARD AND CONSEQUENCES)

The major hazard during loading is the combustible and/or

flammable hydrocarbon
The release of this hazard may result in one or more of the following
consequences:
 Fire/explosion

 Health issues and/or fatalities

 Asset damage including loss of the facility (see note)
 Spillage or emission of hydrocarbons resulting in reputation
damage or Environmental impact

Note: As loading/unloading facilities general represent a strategic point in the process that, if lost, may
adversely affect the entire operation of the facility.

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PROCESS SAFETY RISK (THREATS)

The hazard can be released by one of the following threats:

A. Overfill and/or overpressure
B. Vehicle movement resulting in failure of loading/unloading
connection
C. Damage to facility and external impact to truck/rail car by other
vehicle
D. Static electricity

Note: The first three threats may result in LOC (loss of containment). Static electricity can ignite the
flammable hydrocarbon vapours inside the truck, rail car or vessel.

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PROCESS SAFETY RISK (RISK REDUCTION)

Measures shall be taken to manage the process safety risk to tolerable

and ALARP
The following slides will discuss the measures for the mentioned
threats (using A, B, C and D, as used on the previous slide)

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A: CONTROL OF OVERFILL AND OVERPRESSURE

A physical check of tank by an operator or truck driver to confirm

empty prior to starting load
Pre-set filling volume by weighbridge or volumetric flow meter. The
system is in general provided with instrumentation which
automatically stops the pump and closes the control valve when the
pre-set quantity has been delivered
 Monitoring of the total measured filling volume + operator intervention is
normally done by the truck driver
High level trip
 This system consists of a high level trip which stops the loading at a certain
pre-set liquid level
Allow some vapor space (ullage) to prevent thermal expansion
A pressure relief valve should be installed on each compartment of
trucks, rail car or vessels in case of fire or liquid overfilling

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A: CONTROL OF OVERFILL AND OVERPRESSURE

Notes:
A weighbridge has the advantage of ensuring that the quantity
transferred does not exceed the capacity of the container or the total
allowed weight of the truck or rail car by legislation
 LPG safe filling capacity
 LPG has a high volumetric coefficient of expansion compared to other liquid
hydrocarbons and water. The maximum quantity of LPG filled into a truck SHALL
be such that it is not more than 97% liquid full (3% ullage) due to expansion of
the product
 Reference is made to DEP 30.06.10.13 for more detailed info about filling
temperatures in that respect
 Design pressures
 For the design pressure for LPG truck and rail cars please refer to DEP
30.06.10.13 (chapter 4.2.5)

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B AND C: VEHICLE CONTROL

Self sealing breakaway coupling for hose or loading arm connected

to truck, rail car or vessel
 The coupling ruptures before the hose or loading arm is damaged
due to, for example, a drive away
Movement of the vehicle is prevented by e.g. using chocks against
wheels and activate truck breaking system
In general, kerbs and bollards are used to restrict collision of the truck
with the loading rack
Layout of loading racks: trucks segregated from each other by loading
islands

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B AND C: VEHICLE CONTROL

Restricted access to the loading site: make use of front barriers (boom
gates), traffic light system and a terminal operator to prevent impact
by other trucks/rail cars
Driver/operators follow site orientation rules including speed limits,
direction of travel, no backing up and staging areas

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D: CONTROL OF STATIC ELECTRICITY

For loading/unloading facilities dealing with flammable material,

ignition sources should be eliminated and area Classification should
be applied as a minimum
Static electricity is an ignition source as it can ignite the vapour above
the liquid, and is one of the major concerns during loading and
unloading operations

For more information about static electricity, refer to lesson 4.1, Static Electricity, of this TSE 101 Course.

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D: CONTROL OF STATIC ELECTRICITY

Generation mechanisms:
 The primary electrostatic charge generation mechanisms during
loading and unloading operations are given hereafter:
 Flow trough pipe – The movement of hydrocarbons in itself generates a static
charge within the product
 Product flow through piping, filters and screens – Regardless of which type of
loading arm is used, all arms/hoses etc., should be electrically conductive with a
resistance less than 10 
 Splash filling – In this instance, the electrostatic charge is generated in the liquid
by turbulence and by the generation of a charged mist
 Splash filling should be avoided to minimize turbulence and mist generation

 Sampling, dipping and taking temperatures – Sampling and gauging

operations can introduce spark promoters into the tank, increasing the likelihood
for a static discharge

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D: CONTROL OF STATIC ELECTRICITY

Generation mechanisms (cont’d):

 Switch loading - Switch loading brings potentially high risks. Experience shows
that many static related incidents have occurred during switch loading. Switch
loading is the most frequently cited cause of static incidents when handling bulk
hydrocarbons.
Loading heating oil, diesel fuel or lubricating base oil with low electrical
conductivity into a tank that previously contained gasoline is an example of
switch loading. Even when the compartment appears free from standing liquid
from the previous load the tank or compartment can contain a flammable
mixture. Residual vapors from the previous high or intermediate vapor pressure
cargo in an “empty” tank mixed with air can be in the explosive range. Then,
static electricity can accumulate when loading a low conductivity, low vapor
pressure product. In the wrong set of circumstances there can be a static
discharge and ignition.

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D: CONTROL OF STATIC ELECTRICITY

Generation mechanisms (cont’d):

 Multiphase flow – Multi-phase flow generates electrostatic charge both as a
result of both flow through piping (where the presence of multiple phases
enhances several-fold the charge generation potential of pipe flow) and also
when the different phases settle in the tank compartment.
Therefore, whenever the fluid is a static accumulator and contains a dispersed
phase, such as entrained water droplets, the inlet flow velocity should be
restricted to 1 m/s (3 ft/s) throughout the filling operation. In addition, a
suitable waiting period should be employed to allow for product charge
relaxation before any object such as temperature gauge or sample container is
lowered into the tank compartment.

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D: CONTROL OF STATIC ELECTRICITY

Static electricity is managed by:

 Restricting loading velocities (See DEP 31.06.11.11)
 Earth connections (see pictures)
 Prevent splash loading, switch loading and multiple phase flow
 Addition of anti static agents (for some hydrocarbons, e.g. JET A1)

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D: CONTROL OF STATIC ELECTRICITY

Loading velocity
 The maximum loading velocities shall be determined using the flowchart
given in DEP 31.06.11.11 chapter 2.3.2
 Before loading, the following key issues should to be taken into account
when using this flowchart to determine the safe loading speed
1. Determine whether a flammable atmosphere could occur
2. Classify the product conductivity ( 50 pS/m, > 50 pS/m or unknown)
3. Classify the product sulphur content ( 50 mg/kg, > 50 mg/kg)
 From the chart the following can be concluded:
 Maximum loading velocity is 7 m/s
 The pipe ID has impact on the maximum loading velocity
 The recent introduction of lower sulphur specs for diesel etc will have an effect
on loading velocities
 For fluids with a conductivity higher than 50 pS/m, no loading velocities apply
for static electricity reasons, but the loading velocity should be limited to 7 m/s

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D: CONTROL OF STATIC ELECTRICITY

Loading velocity (cont’d)

 The loading rates are staged and controlled by a computer. At the start of
the loading the velocity should be restricted to 1 m/s. This is to allow the
feed valve to be fully emerged in product to prevent splashing effects which
are known to generated static electricity. During the loading the DEP
flowchart will be adhered to. At the end of the loading the velocity should
also be restricted to max 1 m/s to prevent surge in case the high level trip
valve is activated and to secure the minimum required ullage (taking into
account the closing time of the control valve).
 If contaminated non-conductive liquids are loaded, the loading velocity
should always be limited to 1 m/s.

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D: CONTROL OF STATIC ELECTRICITY

Bonding
 Additional to the restricted loading velocities, the receiving container shall
first be connected to earth/ground and bonded connections need to be
made appropriately
 This allows the liquid to dissipate its charge
 Loading shall not be permitted by the flow control system if a truck or rail
car is not bonded effectively (interlock system)
 If an overfill protection system is provided, the overfill protection should be
combined with the earthling connection

For more information about static electricity, refer to lesson 4.1, Static Electricity, of this TSE 101 Course.

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D: CONTROL OF STATIC ELECTRICITY

Bonding (cont’d)
 Rail tankers have adequately low resistance to ground through the rail so as
to prevent the accumulation of electrostatic charge of sufficient voltage to
cause an incendiary spark. It is therefore unnecessary to bond the rail
tanker or the rails to the fill pipe. However stray currents constitute an
additional hazard. These may arise from electrified main line tracks, rail
circuit signal systems etc. In this case the loading facility should be
electrically isolated from the upstream storage system and bonded to the site
main earth. This can be controlled by bonding loading lines to the rails. This
is preferable to bonding the loading lines to the rail tanker to assure a
permanent bond and to avoid human error. An additional precaution
against stray currents is insulating inserts in the rails where they enter and
leave the loading siding. Isolation of the system is done by placing an
isolation flange between the product line and the filling pipe together with
the bound between the rails (rail tanker) and the filling pipe.

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D: CONTROL OF STATIC ELECTRICITY

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RECOVERY MEASURES

Layout: safety distances, drainage and access/escape

Control of ignition sources
Fire and gas detection
Active and passive fire protection
Activating ESD button
Emergency response

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RECOVERY MEASURES

For layout see DEP 80.00.10.11-Gen.

For fire and gas detection system see DEP 32.30.20.11
A loading/unloading facility should be provided with appropriate fire
and gas detection and emergency response
 In general the local fire codes are adhered to
In general a trip is activated at 10% of LEL
 The trip stops the loading, closes all valves in loading line-up and alarm at
the loading gantry in control room
The fire protection arrangements depend on the particular installation
and especially on the product transferred the amount of material and
the number of trucks/rail cars handled the location of the terminal,
and the potential for damage and business interruption
 Fixed and oscillating water/foam monitors are generally applied
 Facilities for generating foam should be provided on site
 It is desirable that the truck/rail car at a terminal have some degree of fire
resistance
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RECOVERY MEASURES

The fire fighting means should always be effective

In that respect special attention should be given to fuel containing bio
components
 Ethanol, for instance, is soluble in water and breaks down regular foam
almost immediately
 Therefore, it is difficult to extinguish a fire involving ethanol using regular foam

 Water is not effective to fight an ethanol fuelled fire, until the ethanol
contains ~80% water
 For this reason alcohol resistant (AR) foams need to be used for sustained
fire cases (e.g. large and/or long duration pool fires) for neat ethanol or
Gasohol blends with ethanol concentration above 15%
 Special foam is not required for E5 and E10 (blending of 5% or 10%
(bio)ethanol in gasoline)

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OTHER HAZARDS

Other hazards to be aware of:

 Working at height (e.g. top loading)

 Toxic fluids (e.g., Benzene, HF and H2S containing fluids)

 These fluids requires a specific flush and purge system and additional personal
protection measures
 Fluids above auto ignition
 Additional safety risk include: in general higher loading temperatures, risk
for burns during handling and fires without any other ignition source
present
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OTHER HAZARDS

In rare occasions nitrogen is used for inerting of the truck/rail car

during filling
 The use of nitrogen introduces the risk of asphyxiation

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2.0
Communalities and Differences Between
Marine Loading and Rail and Road Car
Loading/Unloading
MARINE LOADING AND RAIL AND ROAD CAR LOADING
/UNLOADING

The loading /unloading of vessels (ships) has many features in

common with the loading/unloading of road and railcars as the
products handled are the same
The systems in place are alike, be it that the volume transferred and
associated transfer flow rate is much higher with vessels than with
road or rail cars, which may lead to more severe consequences if a
loss of containment takes place

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MARINE LOADING AND RAIL AND ROAD CAR LOADING
/UNLOADING

For LPG (and LNG) there are special requirements (SHALL) for bulk
transfer and transportation by vessels as there are special (SHALL)
requirements for the LPG bulk transfer and transportation by means of
road and rail transport
These requirements are lead down in the various DEP’s and in the
DEP’s referenced documentation (DEP 30.06.10.13. LPG bulk transfer
and transportation)

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MARINE LOADING AND RAIL AND ROAD CAR LOADING
/UNLOADING

The metering and shut down systems compared to those for rail and
road car loading/unloading are basically the same, as well as the use
of loading arms and hoses
With a vessel for the products considered LPG, Gasoline and diesel,
the product will be loaded from the “top”’ into the vessel, via closed
connections, dedicated measures not building up any static charge as
with the rail and road cars shall be included
Note that tankers of over 20,000 tones deadweight constructed after
September 1984 are required to be fitted with an inert gas system
and to conduct operations under inert conditions
For details on how to handle ships outside this category reference is
made to the Terminal operations Manual Chapter 5 and ISGINTT

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MARINE LOADING AND RAIL AND ROAD CAR LOADING
/UNLOADING

A major difference between the loading/unloading of vessels and

rail/road cars is the interaction between the vessel crew and the
shore, the jetty operations
The communication and the actions during mooring activities,
coupling, normal operations and those in case of emergencies are
lead down in the ship/shore conference, and the applicable protocols

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MARINE LOADING AND RAIL AND ROAD CAR LOADING
/UNLOADING

Possible causes for failure of the loading/unloading connection that

are typical associated with vessels are different:
 Tidal difference (evaluation change)
 Movement of the vessel due to current or wind
 Impact by another vessel during loading/unloading
 Mooring failure
For the causes above the vessel is moving outside the operating
envelop of the (un)loading arm or (un) loading hose, specific
measures to prevent loss of containment are dealt with in the slides to
come

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MARINE LOADING AND RAIL AND ROAD CAR LOADING
/UNLOADING

Another potential cause for Loss of containment is surge, related to

closure(s) of valves in the Emergency Shut Down system (ESD)
Consequences of a loss of containment during loading/unloading
depend on the liquid transferred, with Liquefied gas fire/explosion
resulting in Injury to people and asset damage while the loading of
gasoline and diesel may also have considerable Environmental effects
For Marine loading/unloading the environmental effects may be
much more significant than for railcar or road car loading, such as
spillage of gasoline or diesel into the harbor front and further away.

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3.0
Marine Loading/Unloading
MARINE – VESSEL LOADING/UNLOADING SCOPE

Focus on the jetty vessel connection(s) for the loading/unloading

Product LPG, Gasoline and Diesel
Focus on differences between rail and road car loading/ unloading
(high level), specially focus on:
 Movement of the vessel, outside the operating envelope
 Surge

 Specific recovery measures for a release

New designs, details in documentation like DEP’s ISGOTT, MPM,
TOM, and the MOSAG

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MARINE – VESSEL LOADING/UNLOADING SCOPE

Special items not in the scope of this section:

 Design a jetty facility is a team effort where the relevant experts shall
be involved
 The communication between the vessel and the jetty is an important
tool and shall follow the ISGOTT requirements (ship/shore
conference checklist)
 Note for existing design, reference is made to the Model bow ties
available for the various DS businesses and Gas GAME

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MARINE – MOVEMENT OF THE VESSEL, OUTSIDE THE
OPERATING ENVELOPE

Moving outside the operating envelop may lead to Loss of

Containment
Possible causes for movement of the vessel outside the operating
envelope of the loading arm or hose:
 Tidal difference (evaluation change)
 Movement of the vessel due to current or wind
 Impact by another vessel during loading/unloading
 Mooring failure

Note: Impact by another vessel is not further worked out , as this is a “vessels” issue (Harbour and
vessel management procedures). However the ESD system discussed in the following slides is a recovery
measure.

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MARINE – LOADING ARM OPERATING ENVELOPE

Illustration from DEP 30.06.10.13 on Marine Loading arm envelope

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MARINE – MEASURES TO PREVENT A LOC FROM VESSEL
MOVEMENT

Mooring procedures/mooring plan to be followed

Loading/Unloading shall not be started or stopped at adverse
wheatear conditions , follow procedures
Jetty operator/Vessel crew suspend operations taking manual actions
initiating emergency shut down
Automatic activation of Emergency Shut Down of (un) loading, and if
necessary release the connection between vessel and shore
 This is a SHALL for LNG/ LPG for other product this should be
considered
 For other product break away couplings with the (un)loading hoses
to be considered

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MARINE – EMERGENCY SHUT DOWN SYSTEM

From DEP 30.06.10.13 (figure 11) responses to emergency situations Marine

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MARINE – EMERGENCY SHUT DOWN SYSTEM

For vessels containing products other then liquefied gas, the ESD
(Emergency Shut Down) system shall be assessed and based on the
ALARP principle
A special ESD SHALL be applied in liquefied gas loading/unloading
systems (reference DEP 30.06.10.20. ESD systems for loading and
discharging liquefied gas Carriers)

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MARINE – EMERGENCY SHUT DOWN SYSTEM

The Terminal Emergency Shutdown (ESD) system has been developed

to minimise risks during the transfer of liquefied gases (or other
transferred hydrocarbons) between ship(vessel) and shore loading
and unloading installations
This ESD system includes fast closing valves, Loading Arms (LAs)
equipped with emergency release couplers, and surge protection
equipment (where required)

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MARINE – EMERGENCY SHUT DOWN SYSTEM

The first stage emergency shutdown system (known as the ESD-1

system) shuts down the product transfer operation in a controlled way
by closing valves and stopping pumps in the shore facilities. On
board ships this stage is commonly referred to as emergency
shutdown (ESD)
The second stage emergency shutdown system (ESD-2) activates the
Loading Arms (LA) emergency release system (ERS) to disconnect the
arm from the ship
“Dry break” uncoupling is achieved by ensuring the closure of two
isolation valves, one directly upstream and one directly downstream of
the emergency release coupler (ERS) prior to the uncoupling action
 Note that activation of an ESD-2 includes automatically all actions
associated with ESD-1
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MARINE – MEASURES TO PREVENT A LOC FROM SURGE

Surge, may occur with the closure of valves in the terminal or at the
ship during loading or unloading
 Systems shall be capable of withstanding the maximum surge
pressures that can occur
 Closure of any valve available in the system requires detailed surge
pressure verification and may necessitate a surge pressure relief
system
 For liquefied gas, DEP 30.06.10.20 requires an intrinsically safe
design for the common product supply headers to withstand the
maximum surge pressure due to surge by closure of valves

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MARINE – RECOVERY MEASURES TO MITIGATE SPILL IN
THE HARBOUR

Recovery measures to mitigate a spill in the harbour / pollution of the

surface water depend strongly on the nature of the product released
For a spill in the harbour following measures amongst others should
be considered
 Oil spill contingency plan and availability of associated equipment
such as:
 Oil booms
 Special equipment to clean up or combat spill
 Other equipment as per legislation/permit and good practice

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MARINE – SPECIAL RECOVERY MEASURES

Other recovery measures that should be considered, depending on

the product transferred and the scale of the loss of containment, are:
 Remove vessel from the jetty, which may require the presence of a
tugboat
With the jetty design consideration shall be given to:
 Measures to prevent spills into the harbor of the product released
and contaminated firewater

For details and requirements, refer to the DEP’s, TOM, MPM, ISGOTT etc.

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MARINE – OTHER ITEMS AND ISSUES

All vessels/ships to be vetted STASCO (Shell International Trading and

Shipping Company Ltd)
All legal, local statutory and permit requirements shall be in place
Systems to be designed such that the loading arms/hoses are product
”free” to avoid a loss of containment from the system
Cleaning of the vessel may give rise to the build up of static charging,
vessel is responsible for following correct procedure, to control the risk
of vessel and jetty damage

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SUMMARY ROAD AND RAIL CAR LOADING

Top and bottom loading systems

Measures required to manage process safety risks involved during
loading and unloading
 Interlock system: loading cannot start before all measures are in place
 Measures against
 Overfill (don’t forget ullage) and/or overpressure
 Operator check that the road/rail car is empty
 Weighbridge or volumetric flow meter
 High level trip
 Pressure relief valve

 Vehicle movement resulting in failure of loading/unloading connection

 Damage to facility and external impact to truck/rail car by other vehicle
 Static electricity
 Restricting loading velocities
 Earth connections
 Prevent splash loading, switch loading and multiple phase flow
 Addition of anti static agents

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SUMMARY ROAD AND RAIL CAR LOADING (CONT’ ED)

 Recovery measures
 Layout: safety distances, drainage and access/escape
 Control of ignition sources
 Fire and gas detection
 Active and passive fire protection
 ESD system
 Emergency response
 Vapor recovery system

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SUMMARY MARINE LOADING/UNLOADING

Differences Between Marine Loading and Rail and Road Car

Loading/Unloading
 Volume transferred and associated transfer flow rate is much higher with
vessels than with road or rail cars
 Interaction between the vessel crew and the shore, the jetty operations
 Possible causes for failure of the loading/unloading connection that are
typically associated with vessels are different:
 Tidal difference
 Movement of the vessel due to current or wind
 Impact by another vessel during loading/unloading
 Mooring failure
 Typically larger environmental consequences in case of spill

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SUMMARY MARINE LOADING/UNLOADING (CONT’ ED)

2 stage ESD system:

 The first stage (ESD-1) shuts down the product transfer operation by closing
valves and stopping pumps in the shore facilities
 The second stage (ESD-2) activates the Loading Arms (LA) emergency
release system (ERS) to disconnect the arm from the ship
Surge may occur with the closure of valves in the terminal or at the
ship during loading or unloading
Recovery measures should be in place to mitigate a spill in the
harbour / pollution of the surface water

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