Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PIP STD - PNC00003 PDF
PIP STD - PNC00003 PDF
PIP PNC00003
Process Unit and Offsites Layout Guide
PURPOSE AND USE OF PROCESS INDUSTRY PRACTICES
In an effort to minimize the cost of process industry facilities, this Practice has
been prepared from the technical requirements in the existing standards of major
industrial users, contractors, or standards organizations. By harmonizing these
technical requirements into a single set of Practices, administrative, application, and
engineering costs to both the purchaser and the manufacturer should be reduced. While
this Practice is expected to incorporate the majority of requirements of most users,
individual applications may involve requirements that will be appended to and take
precedence over this Practice. Determinations concerning fitness for purpose and
particular matters or application of the Practice to particular project or engineering
situations should not be made solely on information contained in these materials. The
use of trade names from time to time should not be viewed as an expression of
preference but rather recognized as normal usage in the trade. Other brands having the
same specifications are equally correct and may be substituted for those named. All
practices or guidelines are intended to be consistent with applicable laws and
regulations including OSHA requirements. To the extent these practices or guidelines
should conflict with OSHA or other applicable laws or regulations, such laws or
regulations must be followed. Consult an appropriate professional before applying or
acting on any material contained in or suggested by the Practice.
PIP PNC00003
Process Unit and Offsites Layout Guide
Table of Contents
7. Piping........................................ 6 Tables:
Table 1 - Minimum Access Provisions ... 10
8. Buildings .................................. 7 Table 2 - Minimum Requirements.......... 11
Appendix:
Recommended Equipment Spacing
Charts
1. Introduction
1.1 Purpose
The purpose of this Practice is to provide guidance for those involved in the layout
of process units and offsites.
This guide shall be used for the development of plans, electronic models, and
working drawings for process units and offsites.
The intent is for this Practice to be coordinated with the overall site and offsites
layout for geotechnical, grading, zoning, building codes, life safety, fire codes, and
owner’s insurer’s requirements.
1.2 Scope
This Practice provides requirements for the layout of plot areas, equipment, pipe
racks, piping, platforms, roads, and other miscellaneous items.
Layout includes equipment location, access and egress for personnel safety, access
for operations and maintenance, and provisions for operational housekeeping and
constructability.
Access and clearances for operation and maintenance on proprietary equipment or
parts of proprietary equipment shall be in accordance with the equipment
manufacturer’s standards.
This guide does not cover any requirements for owner safety and property protection
needs such as loss prevention, vapor cloud explosions, or environmental or flare/vent
stack requirements.
2. References
Applicable requirements in the latest edition (or the edition indicated) of the following
industry standards and references shall be considered an integral part of this Practice. Short
titles will be used herein when appropriate.
3. Definitions
Accessways: Travel ways that provide access to equipment or congested areas
Main operating levels: Areas which, during plant operation, require plant personnel to be
continuously present or to be scheduled for presence at least once every shift
Offsites: Equipment grouped outside a process unit battery limits (e.g., tanks,
loading/unloading facilities, cooling towers, flares, etc.)
Primary roads: Main traffic routes. These roads are subject to tanker and semi truck traffic.
Secondary roads: Roadways serving regular operating and maintenance traffic. These roads
are not subject to high traffic loads.
4. General Requirements
4.1 Prevailing weather and site conditions shall be considered in the development of
general plant arrangements.
4.2 Plant equipment shall be located far enough from public areas and thoroughfares to
minimize risk to or from the public. Obtain and apply applicable local zoning and
building regulations for specific setback, type of facilities permitted, and type of
construction allowed.
4.3 The Process Unit should be integrated within a common plant site such that
independent operating and shutdown requirements for maintenance of other Process
Units is not affected. Facilities shall be provided for the isolation of a Process Unit
when independent operation and shutdown is required for maintenance of that
Process Unit.
4.4 Plant and equipment layout shall ensure that a safe means of egress is provided for
personnel evacuation in the event of an emergency. Egress routes shall be continuous
(not necessarily in a straight line), unobstructed, clearly marked, and lighted.
4.5 Process lines, utility headers, power and instrumentation services shall be carried on
overhead pipe racks at elevations designated for each fluid service. North-south and
east-west piping shall be run at different elevations.
4.6 Fire and safety equipment shall be located to maximize accessibility and minimize
exposure to fires, explosions, or releases.
4.7 Equipment noise levels shall be considered during Process Unit location and layout
(see PIP EVS003).
4.8 Equipment that handles flammable liquids, such as light hydrocarbons, should be
located downwind (considering prevailing wind direction) of fired heaters, boilers,
and other equipment that may cause ignition.
4.9 Layout shall permit full utilization of plant mobile handling equipment for
construction, servicing, and maintenance from roads through or adjacent to the unit.
4.10 Permanent handling equipment shall be limited to specific items that cannot be
serviced manually or by plant mobile equipment.
4.11 Equipment that shares common service shall be grouped together where cost
effective.
4.12 All special process requirements (e.g., gravity flow, self-draining, critical Net
Positive Suction Head (NPSH), etc.) shall be addressed.
4.13 In general, electrical power distribution equipment should be located in an
unclassified area and should be located to minimize the length of power distribution
conductors. Consideration should be given to minimize exposure of electrical
equipment to damage from heat sources and chemical and particulate contamination.
Electrical equipment installation shall be in compliance with NFPA 70 and shall be
suitable for the area classification established in accordance with NFPA 497, API
RP500, or API RP505, and local codes (where applicable).
4.14 If at all possible, catch basins, floor drains, and other flammable fluid spill collection
points should not be located under fixed ladders, stairways, low platforms, or
flammable/heat-sensitive fluid storage equipment or close to egress points.
4.15 Spacing requirements shall be in accordance with the Equipment Spacing Charts
located in the Appendix.
4.16 The following information shall be considered when preparing offsite plot plans:
Prevailing wind direction
True North as related to Plant North
Location and elevation of railroads
Location and extent of fencing
Location of gates
Location of wells
Existing and original grade elevations
4.17 The following items shall be considered when developing overall site plans for
process plants:
Emergency response requirements
Legal boundaries
Adjacent land usage
Nearby public facilities
Public roads
Public utilities
Local regulations (e.g., noise)
Railroads
Waterways
Meteorology
Site data (e.g., contaminated soil, seismic, wetlands, etc.)
Topography
Future development
5.8 The distance between the edge of equipment and the pipe rack shall be set so that
there is operator access to equipment and grade level instruments.
5.9 Stairs and ladders shall not obstruct access to instrumentation items.
5.10 Permanently installed stairs or other appropriate means of fixed access should be
considered for electrical equipment and instrumentation not installed at grade.
7. Piping
7.1 Where located at ground level, runs of lines shall not obstruct any maintenance,
operational accessways, or emergency egress/access. Where crossing of walkways is
unavoidable, the lines shall be provided with stiles.
7.2 Requirements for piping spacing around equipment shall be considered in the layout.
7.3 Additional insulation thickness shall be considered in the requirements for piping
spacing.
8. Buildings
Buildings shall be located in accordance with applicable zoning, building regulations, and
API RP752. Where possible, locate buildings upwind of process and flammable storage tank
areas (based on prevailing wind direction). All drainage shall be directed away from
buildings.
9.4 Pumps
9.4.1 Access to pump auxiliaries such as seal pots, starter button stations, motor
conduit connections, etc. shall be provided.
9.4.2 Clearances for removal of pump, drivers, pump rods, impellers, and other
parts shall be provided.
9.4.3 Access around and between pumps shall be provided.
9.4.4 Vertical pumps shall have appropriate overhead clearances for removal of
drivers, shafts, impellers and other parts.
9.7 Instrumentation
For specific requirements see PIP PCCGN002.
9.8 Miscellaneous
9.8.1 Equipment and instruments for which no permanent access is provided shall
be located so that temporary access can be provided.
9.8.2 Reserved space shall be provided for routine maintenance activities such as
filter cartridge removal, catalyst handling, tray removal, relief valve removal,
etc.
11.1 Tank spacing and location shall comply with NFPA 30.
11.2 Equipment such as pumps and exchangers should be located outside of diked storage
areas.
Table 1
Minimum Access Provisions
Table 2
Minimum Requirements
Appendix
Recommended Equipment Spacing Charts
Offsite Equipment Spacing*
Pumps (NonFlammable)
Pumps (Flammable)
Buildings Utility
Cooling Tower
Process Units
Fired Boilers
Flare Stacks
Blowdown Facilities (Drums, Pumps, Stacks) A 100 200 100 100 50 50 100 50 200 200 100 50 20 50 25 200 50 100 25 15 200 200 200 200 NFPA 200 100
Fired Boilers A 200 100 A 100 50 100 25 100 100 200 100 20 50 5 100 25 200 50 15 100 200 300 200 NFPA 200 100
Bldg. High Occupancy (>15 persons)* A 20 150 100 100 50 0 50 100 200 200 100 50 0 150 40 200 50 50 100 200 300 200 NFPA A 200
Bldg. Low Occupancy (<=15 persons)* A 0 100 50 25 0 50 50 100 100 20 50 0 25 A 100 25 30 25 150 200 200 NFPA 200 100
Buildings Utility A 100 20 0 0 50 50 150 100 20 50 0 0 A 150 20 15 25 150 250 200 NFPA 200 50
Cooling Tower A 100 100 20 100 100 100 100 25 50 A 100 35 100 20 25 25 50 100 200 NFPA 200 50
Electrical Overhead Pole Lines A A A 25 20 50 25 0 5 5 25 A 50 20 4 25 25 25 25 min. 25 min. 25 min. 10
Electrical Main Substations A A 50 0 100 100 20 100 5 25 A 100 20 15 0 100 200 200 NFPA 200 100
Electrical Control and Distribution Centers A A 0 50 100 0 25 5 0 A 50 20 15 A 50 100 A NFPA A 50
Fire Stations, Fire Pumps A 50 200 100 20 100 0 50 50 200 20 40 25 200 300 250 200 250 200
Flare Stacks A
Highways, Roads & Public Areas A 100 100 0 100 5 A A 100 10 A A 200 300 200 NFPA 200 100
Loading and/or Unloading Racks A 100 20 100 5 200 A 100 10 20 100 100 100 200 NFPA 150 200
Natural Gas Metering Stations (Main Plt.) 10 10 50 10 25 25 100 10 15 25 100 100 A NFPA A 100
Pipeways (Major) A 5 0 0 A 20 A 3 25 25 50 10 NFPA 10 15
Pumps (Flammable) 3 3 100 15 10 10 10 100 25 25 A NFPA A A
Pumps (NonFlammable) 3 50 A 5 10 10 50 25 25 A NFPA A A
Railroads (Main Lines-R/W) N/A A 100 10 10 N/A 200 200 200 NFPA 200 100
Railroads (Spurs-Center Line) A 100 10 A A 100 100 A A A A
Oil-Water Separators (API-CPI) 25 10 15 100 200 200 200 100 200 200
Sewer Mains (Flammable) A A 10 25 50 A A A 20
Plant Roads (Edge) A A A A A A A 15
Property Lines (Other than roads & railroads) N/A A 200 A A A 100
Pressure Storage Vessels, 500,000 gal. or less A A A A A 200
Spheres and Spheroids (Over 500,000 gal.) A 100 100 100 200
Fixed Roof Crude Oil Tanks (No Floater) A A A 200
NFPA Class III Lliquid Storage A A A
Atmospheric, Low & Inter. Vapor Press. Storage A 150
Process Units 50
Pumps (NonFlammable)
Pipeways (Within Units)
A - Engineering/Safety decision must be
made
Towers (Flammable)
Coolers, Air Fin-Fan
Pumps (Flammable)
Cooling Towers
Blowdown Facilities (Pumps, Drums, Stacks) A 50 100 100 50 50 50 50 50 50 100 20 5 50 25 50 50 50 50 50 50
Compressors Gas (No Ignitiion Source) 10 100 100 25 50 25 50 25 25 100 15 A 25 8 25 25 50 25 25 50
Control Houses (For Single Unit) A A 50 75 50 4 0 50 50 15 2 50 8 50 50 0 50 50 0
Central Control Houses (For 2 or More Units) A 100 100 100 4 4 50 100 15 15 75 8 100 75 0 50 75 0
Coolers, Air Fin-Fan A 50 8 50 15 8 50 A A 25 A 10 50 20 A 8 25
Cooling Towers A 50 50 15 50 100 25 3 50 A 50 50 50 50 50 15
Drums-Containing Flammables 5 50 15 5 25 5 3 5 3 10 20 20 3 8 25
Electrical Control & Distribution Centers 4 A 50 50 10 10 50 25 50 50 4 50 50 4
Electrical Switch Racks, Critical A 15 40 0 0 25 8 15 15 4 15 15 4
Exchangers Containing Flammable or Combustible Liquids A 50 3 3 5 3 10 25 20 3 8 15
Furnaces (Process Fired Equipment) 25 25 3 50 25 25 50 50 50 50 50
Pipeways (Between Units) A A 3 3 10 15 0 0 8 0
Pipeways (Within Units) A 0 0 5 A 0 0 5 0
Pumps (Flammable) 3 3 10 10 20 5 5 25
Pumps (NonFlammable) 3 8 3 3 3 5 3
Reactors (Internally Lined & Externally Ins.) 10 50 50 20 10 50
Separator Unit(s) (Light Ends) A 30 50 20 20
Snuffing Steam Operating Valve for Furnaces 0 15 25 0
Structures (Equipment & Process) 0 5 0
Towers (Flammable) 8 25
Water Spray Deluge Valves 0