Remote Operated High Volume Long Range Water cum Foam Monitors to fight tank fires

The OISD standard, in its recent revision mandates requirement of fixed Remote Operated High
Volume Long Range Water cum Foam Monitors to fight tank fires. The subject requirement is
presumably, for fighting full surface fires in Floating roof tanks under roof sunken condition.

The international standards and practice on design of Fire Protection systems is based on
credible scenarios. The credible scenario for the floating roof tanks is a Rim Seal Fire.

The LAST Fire Study statistics on floating roof tank fires based on incident database collected
from 164 oil installations of 16 major oil companies spread over 34 countries indicate that of
the total 2420 floating roof tanks of diameter 40 mtrs. & above, there were incidents of 55 rim
seal fires and only one Full surface fire during 14 years of tank farm operation.

The study statistics, further indicate that the frequency of rim seal fires is 1.6 x 10^-3 incidents /
tank year whereas frequency of full surface fires is 0.03 x 10^-3 incidents/tank year.

While recognizing the possibility of full surface fires is very remote, LAST Fire study further
concludes that Rim seal fires are the most likely fire scenario in open-top floating roof storage
tanks. In well maintained tanks it is unlikely that rim seal fires will escalate to full surface fires.

Further, the LAST Fire study summarises the policy of Fire Hazard Management in Floating roof
tank as below:

* Secondary seals for high vapour pressure products.

* Fire retardant rim seal material

* Independent high-high level alarms

* Linear heat detection in the rim seal

* Extended discharge rim seal foam application systems.

* Wind girders with handrails facilitating inspection and allowing back-up foam
application to the rim seals from a safe location via hydrant outlets at top of tank
level.

In view of above, provision of fixed remote operated HVLR water cum foam monitors for full
surface firefighting is not justified.