Element 1

1. Outline the reason why accident and incident should be carried out?

- To identify the immediate and the root causes of the accident / incident – incident are usually
caused by unsafe act or unsafe condition.
- To identify corrective actions that will prevent the recurrence – the main reason for the
investigation.
- To record the facts of the incident – it can be use as reference document in later time for
documentation purposes.
- For legal reason – incident investigation can be an implicit legal duty imposed on the employer.
- For claim management – if a claim for compensation is lodged against the employer the
insurance company will want to examine the investigation report to help determine the liability.
- For staff morale – non-investigation of incident may have a detrimental effect on the safety
culture because the employee will assume that the company does not value their safety.
- For Data gathering purpose – the incident statistics can be used to identify trends and patterns.

2. Outline the types of incident?

Near Miss – any unplanned event that has the potential to cause injury, ill-health, loss or
damage but did not,

Accident – ay unplanned event which resulted to injury, ill health loss or damaged.

a. Injury Accident – unplanned event resulted to personnel injury only

b. Damage only Accident – unplanned event resulted to equipment or property damaged.

Dangerous Occurrence -A specified event that has been reported to the relevant authorities by
statute law.

Ill health – Disease or medical condition that has directly attributable to work.

3. Outline the steps in investigating an accident?

- Gather factual information about the event

a. Secure the scene to prevent alteration
b. Collect witness details quickly, before they start to move away.
 c. Collect factual information from the scene and record it. (i.e. photograph, sketch,
measurement, written description of factors such as wind, temperature, videos, taking physical
evidence.

- Analyze that information and draw conclusions about the immediate and root causes

Immediate Cause: are the unsafe acts and unsafe condition that gave rise to the event.

Underlying / Root cause - Underlying cause less obvious or procedural failure, it is the things
that lie behind the immediate causes. Often root cause will be failure in the management
system.

- Identify corrective action

a. Once the immediate and root cause were identified, appropriate control measure can
be identified. This is to prevent recurrence of the event.

- Plan the remedial action

a. When the action plan is being prepared, appropriate immediate and interim control must be
given priorities and timescale.

1. Outline the techniques required when conducting interview?

- Hold the interview in a quiet room, free from distraction and interruption.
- Introduce yourself and establish rapport with the witness using appropriate verbal and body
language.
- Explain the purpose of the interview (Emphasizing that it is not for blame purpose)
- Use Open Question that do not put in words to the mouth of the witness
- Keep an open mind
- Take notes so that the facts being discussed are not forgotten
- Ask the witness to write and sign the statement to create record of their testimony.
- Thank the witness for the help.

3. Outline ALARP –

As Long as Reasonably Practicable or weighing down the risk versus the trouble, time, money
needed to control it.

4. Outline the category of Incident (10)

 - Minor Injury – injury which not involve time off work
- Significant Injury – one which is not “Major” but which results in the injured person being away
from work OR being unable to carry out their full range of normal duties
- Major Injury – major injuries are those which can be regarded as a serious threat to a person’s
health and wellbeing
- Dangerous occurrence or Damage Only – is an event that happens which has not involved injury
to anyone, but which could have done.
- Near miss – is any unplanned incident, accident, or emergency which did not result in an injury.

5. Outline sources of information during the investigation (10)?

- Victims statement
- Witness statement
- Plans and Diagram
- CCTV coverage
- Process drawings, sketches, measurements, photographs
- Check sheets, permit to work records, method statement
- Details of environmental conditions at the time
- Written instruction, procedures and risk assessments which should have been in operation and
followed
- Previous accident records
- Information from health and safety meetings / Minutes of Meeting
- Technical Information / Guidance / Toolbox talksheets
- Manufacturer’s instruction
- Risk Assessment
- Training Record
- Logs
- Instrument readouts and records
- Opinion, experience, observation

6. Outline the hazard inherent in oil and gas ? (10)

- Flashpoint – the lowest temperature at which the volatile liquid will vaporize to form an
ignitable mixture when mixed with air. Consequently, storing a fluid below its flash point is an
effective way of preventing ignitable vapors from forming.
- Vapor Density – is the measurement of how dense a vapor is in comparison with air. ; air has a
density of 1. Ex. Propane has a density of 2, propane is heavier than air.
- Vapor pressure – The process of evaporation involves the molecules on the surface of a liquid.
When the energy within the molecules is sufficient for those molecule to escape, they do so in
the form of vapor. (1 Pa – 1 Pascal is 1 newton per square metre) . (ex. 1 m3 in liquid phase
while 600 m3 in vapor)
 - Flammability – Vapor which is flammable presents the risk of an explosion. Degree of
flammability can be expressed as:
o Flammable – product which is easily ignitable and capable of burning rapidly (FP
between 21 - 55 deg celcius)
o Highly flammable – product which has a FP below 21 deg celcius but which is not
defined as extremely flammable.
o Extremely flammable – Product which has a FP lower than 0 deg celcius and boiling
point of 35 deg celcius or lower.
- Flammable Range – The percentage of flammable vapor which falls between these two
parameters (not to rich to burn also not too lean to burn)
o UFL – Upper flammable Limit – is the highest concentration of flammable vapor in air
which will ignite when exposed to ignition source. Above UFL, the vapor is too rich not
to burn.
o LFL – Lower flammable Limit – is the lowest concentration of flammable vapor in air
which will ignite when exposed to ignition source. Below LFL, the vapor is too lean to
burn.
o Fire triangle – To be able o produce fire, there is a need for a source of fuel, source of
heat / ignition and oxygen. Combination of this will result to fire.
- Toxicity – Indicate the adverse effects caused by a chemical, with regards to toxicity, the
following maybe use.
o Acute toxicity - describe the effect of a substance has had on person after either single
exposures within a short space of time. (e.g. 24hrs or less; radiation)
o Chronic Toxicity – describe the effects of substance has had on a person after many
exposures over long period of time (e.g. month, year, exposure to asbestos)
- Skin Irritant – chemical which is not corrosive but which causes reversible inflammatory effect
on living tissue by chemical action at the sight of contact. (strong irritant – dermatitis)
- Carcinogenic Properties – any substance that can cause or aggravate cancer. They fall into two
groups.
o Genotoxic carcinogen – those which react with DNA directly or macromolecules which
then react with DNA.
o Non-genotoxic Carcinogen – Don not react directly with DNA although they cause
cancer either way.

7. Outline the properties and hazard of the gases?

- Hydrogen – Properties of hydrogen

o Difficult to detect as it is odorless and colorless
o It has a density of 0.07 and is lighter compared to air
o Highly flammable (flammable range is 4-75 percent)
o Burns with invisible flame
o The only way to detect burning hydrogen is when it ignites something else which has
visible flame.
- Hydrogen sulfide – produced from decaying vegetation and marine micro-organisms.
o It is toxic, corrosive and flammable gas.
 o Hazard within oil and gas industry as it be released as it comes to the surface with
drilling shale.
o Has a density of 1.39, more dense than air.
o Toxic when inhale because when it enters the bloodstream, it combines with the
hemoglobin in red blood cells, preventing absorption of oxygen into the blood thus
rapidly causing asphyxiation.
o Foul odor in lower concentration, rapidly paralyse sense of smell ins higher
concentration.
- Methane – odorless and colorless gas which exist naturally in the substrate with density of 0.717
compared with air.
o Flammable gas when mixed with air in concentration between 5 and 15 percent is
explosive
o Not toxic in low concentration but can cause asphyxiation if the level is high enough to
reduce the amount of inhaled oxygen.
- Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) – a mixture of hydrocarbon gases which are highly flammable
and used as fuel in heating and cooking appliances and motor vehicles.
o Use as an aerosol propellant and refrigerant
o Two main types are butane and prophane
o Colorless and odorless and may need additive to detect
o LPG density is 2.0 which is heavier compared with air
o Expand at a rate of 250:1, can cause major vapor clouds from relative small amount of
liquid.
o To store it effectively, it must be converted from gas to liquid which means it is stored in
temperature between (0 to -44 deg celcius)
o Risk of water freezing the drain valve in an open position and allowing LPG to escape.
o BLEVE
- LPG is toxic and can cause –
o Asphyxiation
o Cold Burn to skin on contact
o Brittle fracture to carbon steel on contact
o Environmental damage
o Fire and explosion

- Liquefy Natural Gas (LNG) – colorless and odorless,

o Highly flammable natural gas which is made up of (85-95 percent) methane, ethane,
prophane and butane.
o Non corrosive and non toxic
o Asphyxiant if concentration is high enough when inhaled.
o In order to convert natural gas from a gas to liquid it needs to go to process of
condensation using liquid nitrogen. Temperature reduces to -162 deg celcius where it
takes up 600 times less space in its liquid phase.
- Hazard associated –
o Asphyxiation
o Cold burns when contact on skin
 o Brittle fracture to carbon steel on contact
o Fire and explosion
- Nitrogen – Most abundant gas in the earth atmosphere, 78 percent by volume.
o Colorless and odorless
o Non flammable gas which often use as blanket gas in storage tank and for purging
equipment and processes and of oxygen and hydrocarbons, thus eliminating the hazard
of fire and explosion.
o Asphyxiant when used in confined space to displace oxygen
- Oxygen – odorless and colorless gas which is present in the atmosphere
o Vital for sustaining life as it is breathed in and absorbed into the bloodstream
o Considered as safe gas
- Asphyxiation because the body is stimulated to breathe by the level of carbon dioxide(CO2) in
the air and should a situation arise where oxygen is released into an area displacing the carbon
dioxide, then the stimulus to breathe could cease
- One element of the Fire Triangle
- It can oxidize metal causing rusting (serious hazard in oil and gas; most materials are carbon
steel and at risk.

8. Outline the properties and hazard associated products and their control measure? (10)

a. Anti foaming agent

o used to prevent foam forming or to break down foam that already been created in a
process liquid during any production process.
o Some anti-foam agent are oil based or silicone based.

b. Anti wetting agent

- Are coating which are applied to surfaces of vulnerable components which is subsequent
corrosive activities.
- Known as “Hydrophobic” coating meaning they repel moisture.

Control Measure:

- Wash any areas of skin in contact with soap and water.

- SDS should be consulted when they are used.

c. Microbiocide
 - use to protect from harmful effects of bacteria which can proliferate in air conditioning and
humidifiers.
- Use as corrosive inhibitor in steel pipeline
- Classed as irritant to skin and eyes on contact.
- Toxic if inhaled

d. Corrosion Preventatives.

- Comes in forms of water displacing film which acts by spreading across the surface of metals.
- Displacing water from cracks and crevices and forming a barrier to corrosive activity.
- Other types of preventatives are applied to metals; they then dry to a hard resin or waxy film.

d. Water / Stream

- Legionella which proliferate air-conditioning system.

- Leptospira which can be found in water which has its source in freshwater rivers or lakes.
- Can be transmitted to human thru broken skin or through mucus membranes of the eyes, nose.
- Can cause Weil’s disease
- Can cause corrosion to metal. Controls for this includes applying a protective coating to steel
components or fitting sacrificial anodes within the system to provide cathodic protection.
- Build up of electrostatic charge resulting to potential explosion.Controls will be bonding, reduce
flowrate.
- Increased of pressure within the pipeworks and other component system. (E.g. Hydrotest)
- Water can expand when freezes that can result to pipe failure (fracture) and or other
component of the system.
- Freezing water can form hydrates (ice plugs) that can block the pipes and pumps and preventing
closing of valves.

e. Refrigerant – Liquefied gas under pressure pose a minimal risk

- Can provoke asphyxiation when release to atmosphere which can displace oxygen
- Hazard associated with refrigerant
o Injury from component material ejected by the high pressure ejection
o Frostbite injury when skin on contact
o Asphyxiation
o Possible fire and explosion if the refrigerant is flammable.
o Overpressure, liquid refrigerant have a very high expansion rate.
o Heavier than air and will slump when accidental release

f. Seawater -contains living organism that can cause blockage e.g head of the sprinkler system. Controls
will be regular maintenance program, kill the living organism using additives.
g. Steam – Use tod to power turbines and generate electricity as well as serving as source of heat. Can
also be used to protect systems from the risk of freezing (tracer lines) and used as heating system for
areas where personnel are housed.

- Hazard of steam –
o Can cause thermal shock to a system if it is introduced to cold pipes or steam lines.
o Can cause failure of parts of the system if there is an uncontrolled expansion within it.
o Can cause burns if contact on skin

h. Mercaptan – Substance containing sulfur which is used to help detect natural gas by giving it odor.

- Hazard associated
o Harmful if inhaled
o Respiratory irritant – chronic exposure can cause lung damage.
o Skin irritant
o Eye irritant
o Can depress the nervous system
o It has a flashpoint of -18 deg celcius.

i. Drilling Mud –

o Allow cooling and cleaning of the drill bit throughout its operation; functions of drilling mud,
o removes cuttings from well;
o suspend and release cutting;
o control formation pressures;
o seal permeable formation;
o maintain wellbore
o Transmit hydraulic energy to tools and bit
o Ensure adequate formation evaluation
o Control corrosion to an acceptable level
o Facilitate cementing and completion
o Allows crushed rock cuttings, which have been drilled from the bore hole, to be carried out to
the surface and separated by shale shaker before return to mud pit.
- Flammable materials may combine with the mud as a result there is a risk of explosion.

8. Outline the Low Specific Activity (LSA) ? (2)

- The formation of rock and shale which contain oil and gas and Naturally Occuring Radioactive
Materials (NORM) these include Uranium, Thorium, Radium, Lead 210.
- Various minerals and radioactive minerals dissolve in brine and separate out and form wastes at
the surface includes, mineral scales inside pipes; sludges; contaminated equipment or
components; produced water
-

9. Identify the areas where sludges might be found? (5)

 - On the drill string
- Inside vessel (demister pads)
- In coalescar (coarse filter / emulsifier)
- In coolers where tubes might be coated with sludge

7. Identify risk associated with sludge? (6)

- Skin irritant (possibly causing dermatitis)

- Inhalation (Fumes or dust from dried sludges)
- Ingestion (poor hygiene; not washing the hands, eating at work site)
- Radiation
- Carcinogenic
- Environmental (Pollutant)
- Absorption through skin (dermatitis)
- Exposure to ionizing radiation if they

8. Outline control measures to reduce risk to worker from working with sludge? (8)

- Provision of ventilation system to contain dust and fumes

- Use of wet methods of working and good housekeeping to reduce the amount of dust in the
atmosphere.
- Having equipment to collect sludge instead of using manual means.
- Using of permit to work system especially if the concentrations of dust or fumes reach a level
where only designated or classified persons are allowed to work under the restriction of a
written safe system of work.

9. Outline the steps in identifying hazard?

- Conduct a tour of the workplace – ABBI above, below, behind, inside

- Consult the workers for their views and opinion
- Consult the manufacturers instruction or data sheet.
- Consult the accident and illness log record.

10. Outline the steps in deciding who might be harm or exposed and how?

- For each hazard identify the group or team who might be harm, this will help identify the best
way of managing the risk.

11. Outline the steps in Evaluating the risk and decide existing control?
 - Having identified the hazards, decide what action to take to reduce the risk to ALARP using
Hierarchy of control.

12. Outline the steps in recording the findings and implement control?

- Implementing the results of risk assessment, the first step is to write down the results of risk
assessment and share documents with those staff member involve. RA does not eliminate the
risk but is expected to be suitable and sufficient. In order for it to meet criteria, it will need to be
able to show that
o A proper check was made
o All those who might be affected were consulted
o All the significant hazards were addressed
o Recommended risk control are suitable and sufficient and the remaining risk is low
o All the staff or their representatives were involved in the process.

13. Outline when is the risk assessment needed to be review?

- Introduction of new equipment will introduce new hazard and it is needed to review the control
measure to incorporate additional suitable and sufficient control measure.

14. Define Qualitative Risk Assessment?

- Based on conclusions reached by the assessor using his / her knowledge and experience to judge
whether current risk control measures are effective and adequate.
- When making qualitative judgement on the severity of a risk, two parameters are taken into
consideration. The likelihood of an event to occur and the consequence of the severity if the
event occurs.
- Severity can be assessed in terms of its effect on harm caused, time, cost, quality,
- Qualitative is rated using low, medium, very high.

15. Describe Semi-Quantitative Risk Assessment?

- Using a semi quantitative risk assessment involves putting numerical value on the likelihood and
the severity of an event.
- Example of rating is measure ranging 1-5. 5 as the highest.

16. Define Semi-Quantitative Risk Assessment?

17. Give Four Modelling techniques that can be use to designed out the risk?

- HAZID (Hazard Identification Study)

- HAZOP (Hazard and Operability Study)
- FMECA (Failure Modes and Effective Critical Analysis)
- FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis)

18. Give the purpose of Hazard Identification Study (HAZID)?

- A tool for identifying hazards during the design stage.

- It is normally a qualitative risk assessment and is judgement based.

19. Give the definition of Hazard checklist?

- These are an effective means of producing a comprehensive list of standard hazards which can
be used for hazard identification studies at the concept and design stage.

20. Identify strength of hazard checklist ?

- It is relatively cheap to produce and can be created by a single analyst.

- It can be used to prevent recurrence of the previous incident.
- It can be used for concept design with minimum of installation information.
- It can use the experience gained from previous assessment.

21. Identify weakness of hazard checklist?

- It may not be able to anticipate accidents which may occur in new design
- Using generic checklist does not encourage new thinking about possible hazards.

Isused to systematically examine every part of the process or operation in order to find out how
deviation from the normally intended operation of a process can happen.

22. Give meaning of HAZOP?

- A Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP) is a tool which is used to systematically examine every
part of a process or operation in order to find out how deviations from the normally intended
 operation of a process can happen, and if further control measures are required to prevent the
hazards, which have evolved from the study, from happening.
- The HAZOP uses a complete description of the process including Process and Instrumentation
Diagram (P&IDs)
- Uses a qualitative assessment technique to ask ‘what if’ questions to identify problems before
the start of operations.
- The hazard and operability study is useful in the communication between the design team and
the operator(s) of the installation.

23. Outline how the effectiveness of the HAZOP will depend?

- How the team is made up

- The team leadership
- How current the information
- The team systematically examining the information to establish the cause and effects of any
potential hazards resulting from deviation from the design.

24. Outline the consideration in designing plant Layout?

- The inherent safety – reduction of inventory of the hazardous substance

- Fire – can spread by direct burning, convection, conduction or radiation
- Explosion – can be describe as the release of energy in a violent manner
- Toxic gas release – the release of toxic gas may render the plant inoperable due to the domino
effect.

25. Outline the Hierachy of Management of Major Risks?

- Elimination and minimization of hazard

- Prevention – reduction of the likelihood or major incident
- Detection – warning and alarm systems transmitted to the control area.
- Control – Limitation of the scale, its intensity and / or the duration of an incident
- Mitigation of Consequence – (the protection from the effects of an incident)

26. Outline the content of the safety report / safety case?

- Descriptive information
- Information on management measure to prevent major incident
- Information on potential major incident
- Information on measures to prevent or mitigate the consequence of major incident
- Information on emergency response to major incident

26. Outline the content of Major Accident Prevention Policy?

- Description of the Safety Management System

- Roles and Responsibilities of all key personnel
 - Training requirements to maintain the level of competency
- Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Process
- Procedures and instructions for the safe operation of the plant
- Design and subsequent modification of the site
- Accident investigation procedure
- Identification of foreseeable emergency scenario and preparation for them
- How compliance will be measure
- Review and audit frequency and procedures
- When, and under what circumstances the MAPP is required to be updated

27. Outline the content of emergency response plan on major incident?

- Onsite –
o What equipment there is to limit the consequence of the major incident
o What arrangements there are for alerting and intervening in an emergency
o What onsite and offsite resources are available
o What arrangements have been made to ensure all the resources and other equipment
are maintained to an acceptable standard.
o What arrangements there are for the training of personnel in emergency response
o What arrangement there are for testing the emergency plan.

- Onsite –
o Details of the site including its location roads and access points
o A site plan showing key facilities such as control centers, medical centers, main process
plants and storage areas
o Details of site personnel
o Details of offsite areas likely to be affected by a major incident as well as level of harm /
damage possible
o Details of dangerous substances on site including types of substances, quantities,
hazardous properties, location etc.
o Details of any relevant technical advice
o Detail of equipment and resources that are available for fire-fighting purposes
o The function of key posts with duties in an emergency response, their location and how
they can be identified
o An outline of the initial actions to be taken in case of an emergency situation, such as
warning the public, setting up emergency facilities such as control room.

28. Define Contractor and Client?

- Contractor
o Contractor are used extensively in the oil and gas industry for all kinds of work and at
every stage of the work. (maintenance during shutdown, inspection, testing)
- Client
o Are the organization who select and engage contractors to undertake specific work for
them.
o Responsible in providing adequate control measures to contractor such as limiting the
access to the specific area and giving detailed induction course on specific hazard.
29. Checklist for selecting Contractor?

- Is the contractor adequately insured?

- Has adequate risk assessment for the contracted works?
- Are the health and safety policies and practice of the contractor adequate
- Is the contractor recent health and safety performance reasonable? (number of accident)
- IS the contractor health and safety training and supervision adequate?
- Does the contractor have arrangement in place for consulting with their workforce
- Does the contractor or their individual employees hold a passport or other type of certification
in health and safety training.
- Have any enforcement notices have been served on the contractor?
- Can the contractor can offer any independent assessment of their competencies
- What relevant qualification and skill does the contractor have?
- What is the level of competency of the staff doing the job
- Does the contractor’s financial viability?
- Does the contractor’s safety method statement meet expectation?

30. Define Permit to Work PTW?

- Detailed document which describes specific work at specific site at a particular time, which is to
be carried out by authorized personnel?

31. Outline the Purpose of the Permit to Work

- It set out any precaution and control measures, which are necessary to complete the work
safely.

32. Outline the content of a typical permit to work (8)

Title and Permit Number– it differs on the kind of activity such as hot work, cold work, and or equipment
disjoining permit.

Reference to other Permit / Isolation certificates in place

Job Location – Specific location of the activity

Plant Identification – Specific identification of the plant

Description of Work – the description of the activity to be undertaken

Hazard Identification – Hazard associate with the activity including the residual hazards.

Precautionary Measure – precaution to undertake to avoid exposure to identified hazard

Protective Equipment Required – Protective equipment including PPE

Permit Issue – Signature (of issuing authority) confirming that isolation and precautions are taken. Date
and time duration of the permit is indicated here.
Permit acceptance – Signature confirming understanding of the work to be done, hazard involves and
precautions required. Also confirming that permit information has been explained to all workers
involved.

Extension / shift handover procedures – Signature confirming that checks have been made and the plant
remains safe to be worked on, and new performing authorities and permit users have been made fully
aware of the hazards and precaution. New expiry date given.

Hand Back – Signed by performing authority certifying that work is complete. Signed by issuing authority
certifying work completed and plant ready for testing and recommissioning.

Permit Cancellation – Certifying work tested and plant satisfactorily recommissioned.

33. Outline the circumstances when the permit is cancel?

- If there is a change to the planned type or extent of work

- Whilst awaiting for the delivery of the spares
- Where the work is in conflict with other work being carried out
- If there is a risk that the work to be carried out will present a hazard (E.g. if the PTW is hotwork
and at the same time there will be an activity of sampling of process fluid.

34. Outline the Handover information for PTW?

- Any outstanding work under permit control

- The status of the work
- The status of any other work which may affect the permit controlled job
- The status of the plant or installation

35. Outline the aspects in ensuring day to day maintenance of managing an assets integrity?

- Inspection
- Testing
- Maintenance
- Corrosion prevention
- Monitoring
- Competency
- Training
36. Safety Critical Elements (SCE)

- Devices in place to deal with the consequences by quelling, controlling or mitigating the event or
situation

- Blowout Preventer – are used to control blowouts or sudden surges of pressure from within the
well
- Fire Deluge System – Fire deluge system is positioned where the risk of fire is a serious concern.
They can apply continuous and large volume of water to an area.
- Emergency Shutdown Valves – a device which is designed to automatically shutdown the flow of
a fluid when a dangerous situation is detected. ESV must operate within specific parameters.
- Fire and Gas Detection System – Use of two types of detection one type for fire and the other
for gas. Use to FD detect heat, flames and smoke while GD detect toxic gas as well as vapor.
- Safety Inspection and Testing – It is essential that all SCE are totally effective at all times, and the
only way to assured of this is to conduct a pre defined program of inspection testing and
maintenance
- Corrosion Prevention – Corrosion can deteriorate equipment to such level that it can affect the
integrity of an asset with potential catastrophic consequences.
- Training and competency – It is essential that personal have the appropriate training in order to
become competent in the skills necessary to maintain asset integrity.

37. Outline ways in detecting and monitoring corrosion?

- Electromechanical noise
- Electrical resistance monitoring
- Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI)
- Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and radiography

38. Outline ways to protect materials from corrosion?

- Induced cathodic protection system

- Sacrificial anodes
- Corrosion inhibitor
- The use of appropriate construction materials
- Use of protective coatings on the surface of metal equipment.
- Use of a veneer of expensive metal over a cheaper metal to provide protection.

39. Outline the effects of the Corrosion inhibitor?

 - Increase the electrical resistance of the metal surface
- Reduce the diffusion of ions to the metal surfaces
- Increase the cathodic polarization

40. Outline the Risk Based Maintenance RBM?

- Is the techniques used as means of developing detailed maintenance schedules.

- This schedule pre-empt faults occurring as well as deal with predictable normal wear and tear.
- Risk Based maintenance increase the reliability of equipment by assessing the probability of
various failure scenarios and applying an appropriate maintenance schedule in order to pre-
empt these failures.
- Includes inspection and maintenance, inspection is done to ensure the integrity of the plant and
maintain to ensure a safe and reliable condition of the plant.

42. Identify Sources of Ignition?

- Cigarettes and matches

- Heated process vessels, e.g. dryers furnace
- Flame from cutting and welding
- Lightning strikes
- Direct fired space or process heating
- Electrostatic discharge sparks
- Vehicles (unless they have been specially designed or have adapted)
- Electric Sparks from electric motor and switches
- Electromagnetic radiation of difference

43. Outline control measures to control ignition source?

- Implementation of a Permit to work system for maintenance activity which may generate heat
or spark
- There should be a strict working procedure in place for the hazardous activities (Loading and
unloading of tanks)
- Prohibition of smoking and the use of matches and lighters
- Only using electrical and mechanical equipment and instrumentation which has been designed
and manufactured for use in the zone
- Controlling the risk of pyrophoric scale
- The earthing, bonding of the plant equipment
- Bonding od equipment by connecting the equipment to prevent difference in electrical potential
 - Appropriate selection and control of vehicles and internal combustion engines for zoned areas
in which they are to be used.
- Installation of lighting protection on vent
- Elimination of surfaces, which are above the auto ignition temperature of any flammable
substance.

45. Identify sources of ignition from vehicle?

- Their exhaust system of combustion engine

- Their electrical systems including ignition and timing device
- Hot brakes
- Potential electrostatic discharge from static build up

46. Outline Gas freeing and purging?

- Gas freeing and purging involves filling spaces in plant or equipment that are currently filled
with hazardous vapor, with an inert gas, sometimes known as blanket gas.

46. Define the Inerting Operation?

- The partial or complete substitution of a flammable or explosive atmosphere in a contained

environment by an inert gas is a very effective means of preventing an explosion.

47. Define Venting Operation?

- There is always a need to vent the system if an overpressure problems occurs, which will then
activate a pressure relief valve.
- The venting system is made up of a series of pipes, which are connected to each pressure relief
valve.
- The pipes then route the substance to the vent stack (for non-hazardous substances) where the
overpressure is release to atmosphere in a safe and controlled manner.
- Alternatively, the overpressure can go to flare where it is allowed to combust (burn) in a
controlled manner.
- Other drain and liquid vent systems go via a closed drain header to a process vessel known as
Gas Zone Drum in the collection system where the dissolved gases from produced water are
separated or flashed out of the liquid and sent to the flare.

48. Define Drained Water?

 - All hydrocarbon processes produced a mixture of oil gas and water and solid that must be
separated so they can be dealt individually.
- Separation process takes place in the ff. equipment
o Inlet separators
o Production separators
o 3 – phase separators
o Slug catchers
o Surge drums
o Filters
- Methods on separating water from the oil and gas includes:
o Dehydration processes
o Pressure let down
o Level control
o Interface
o Filtration
o Demisting

49. Outline the circumstances when the pre-start safety review is conducted?

- Before start up of the new installation

- When new chemical or other hazardous materials are introduced into a process
- When existing facilities have had significant modifications or a maintenance shutdown

50. Outline the purpose of the safety review?

- To ensure that all materials / equipment used to construct/modify or maintain conforms to the
design criteria.
- Process system hardware, fire protection and prevention system, alarm and instrument relief
and safety devices and signal system has been inspected, tested and certified,
- Safety, fire prevention and emergency response procedure have been formulated, reviewed and
tested and are appropriate and adequate.
- Start up procedures are in place and all appropriate actions have been taken
- A process hazard analysis has been conducted and any resulting recommendation have been
implemented.

51. Identify the control measure of thermal shock during start up and shutdown?

- Gradual introducing of steam or warm product from lower temperature base.

- Thoroughly warming up the system prior to use
- Designing the expansion loop into the system. (e.g. bellow pieces)
 - Using material with thermal conductivity
- Reducing the coefficient of expansion of the material
- Increasing the strength of the materials.

52. Outline how hydrate is formed?

- Hydrate is formed when water is trapped within the oil or gas process and the conditions within
the process allow it to freeze into solid plug.
- Hydrates can also formed in the pipelines, which run across the sea bed due to the temperature
at the seabed can be low enough to freeze unsalted water. Some hydrates can form into sticky
crystal that can block the pipeline.

53. Identify controls to prevent hydrates?

- Using antifreeze such as methanol or glycol than can be introduce to the process system
- Trace heater along the with insulation are cables which run along the outside of the pipe work
and which apply warmth to the system.

54. Outline ways on removal of water from the processed oil and gas?

- Gravity separation – Where the product is a mixture of oil and water and is allowed to stand for
a while, water will naturally settle to the bottom as the specific gravity of the water is greater
than oil. Then water can be drained off.
- Centrifuge (Spin the oil clean) – uses the principle of centrifugal force, the difference of the
specific gravity allows this system to separate the two materials.
- Absorption – absorption water removal is a process of using filter to absorb the moisture from
products as the products passes through the filter
- Vacuum dehydration – works on principle that water boils at lower temperature when it is in
lower pressure. (at 0.9 bar, water will boil in 52 deg celcius)
- Air stripping – is another form of vacuum dehydrator, which work by mixing air, or nitrogen gas,
with a stream of heated product within the air stripping unit.
- Heat the oil dry – self cleansing because some processes run at elevated temperature where
water naturally evaporates.

55. Give the meaning of Commissioning?

- The commissioning of a process plant involves undertaking tests on the plant prior to it going
into production in order to determine that it will function adequately and safely.

56. Outline the typical sequence of phases undertaken during the commissioning?
 - The system configuration is checked (walking the line) – all pipe works and connections are
physically inspected to ensure they are configure correctly against Engineering Line Diagram.
- The pipework and system integrity is checked – pressure is checked and no leaks or unexpected
deformation.
- The instrumentation system is checked – this is the phase where the system is checked against
the P&ID
o All the instrument, name and location
o Mechanical equipment, names, number and function
o All the valves with their identification and function
o All the piping with their size and identification
o Any miscellaneous equipment such as vents, drains, sampling lines.
o Start up and flush lines
o The direction of flow
o Any interconnection references
- All lines and vessels are flushed and cleaned – this is where the all the vessel is flushed with
water or purge with air in order to flush away contaminant.
- All ancillary equipment is inspected and assessed as to its adequacy -this phase is where
ancillary equipment such as fans, heat exchangers, condensers, compressors are tested to
ensure they perform to the expected requirement
- All instrument and vessel are calibrated – all instrument and vessels are check if they are
calibrated correctly
- The start up protocol is established – this is where the procedure for starting up the installation
from complete shutdown to full production is evolved and set down in writing.
- The shutdown protocol is established – this is where the procedure for shutting down the
installation from full production to complete shutdown is evolved and set down in writing.
- Commissioning trial is undertaken -This phase is where the plant is started up, run for a
predetermined length of time within specific parameters and then shutdown
- The plant hooked up – this phase is where the system is connected to
- The plant is a handed over – this is the final phase of the commissioning process and involves
handing over of the responsibility for the plant, as well as plant itself to the operational
department.

51. Identify how weld failure happen?

- Improper design of the joint

- Poor selection of base material and filler material
- Inappropriate welding process
- Residual stress
- Ineffective or non-existent inspection procedures
- Welded components operating outside their safe parameter
52. Outline the types of weld failures?

- Cracks – occurs when the weld undergone inappropriate welding process, porr joint design,
fault welding equipment. Classified into two types, hot or cold cracks
-