Safety interview

Questions and answers

1- What is safety ?
Safety is a condition which gives you freedom from hazard, risk, accident which may
cause injury, damage and loss to material or property damage and even death.

2- What is hazard ?
Any object, situation, product, physical condition or physical effect that has the
potential to cause an accident.

3- What is accident ?

It is an unexpected or unplanned event which may or may not result in injury or

damage or property loss or death.

4- What is risk ?
Is defined as a measure of likelihood of occurrence (task frequency plus event
probability) for an undesired event to happen and of the severity of the
consequences.
5- what is incident ?

It is an event which represents deviation from the intended sequence of designed steps.

A work related unplanned event.

Incidents can be accidents causing personnel injuries, property damage, adverse
effects on the environment and threats to security or near misses.

6- what is safety policy?

Any company has a social and legal obligation to provide a safe and health working
environment to all his improvement to all his employees.

7- What is permit to work system (PTW)?

Ptw system provides a formal method off assessing a field activity to minimize the
associated hazards to the facility asset personal and environment. It is accomplished by
providing a mechanism which requires a formal communication between personal involved in
particular job operators supervisors and staff who have influence on how where and when it is
done,
 7.1 - The man objectives of a PTW system

• Ensure the proper authorization of designated work.

• Communicate to people carrying out the work the exact identity, nature and extent of the
work and the hazards involved, and any limitations on the extent and time during which the
job may be carried out.

• Specify the precautions and mitigations to be taken, including safe isolation from potential
risks such as hazardous substances, electricity and other energy sources.).

• Ensure that the person in direct charge of a unit, plant or installation is aware of all work
being done there.

• Provide a record showing the scope of the work and the precautions needed have been
checked by appropriate persons.

• Provide for the display of Permits.

• Provide a method for suspending the work.

• Provide for the control of Permits for work activities that may interact with each other.

• Manage conflicting activities.

• Provide a formal revalidation/handover method for use when a Permit is issued for a period
longer than one shift.

• Provide a formal hand-back method to ensure that the part of the facilities affected by the
work is in a safe condition and ready for reinstatement.

• Specify training and competency requirements for those persons who have responsibilities
under the PTW system.

7.2- PTW and Hazard Management

One of the main goals when preparing a PTW is to identify the potential hazards linked
to the task covered by the PTW and the associated precautions and mitigation, such that the
risk is reduced to “As Low As Reasonably Practicable”. In other terms, by identifying the
hazards and controls on the PTW form for each planned activity, a Risk Assessment has been
carried out, and the effect of hazards reduced to ALARP. Though, in some cases, a more
detailed Risk Assessment will be needed and conducted through a separate Level 2 Risk
Assessment, which will be attached to the PTW. The decision to conduct a supplemental Risk
Assessment is in the responsibility of the PTW signatory Authorities. It could be, for example,
that the potential hazards associated to the job can’t be addressed in the standard PTW forms,
that the job has never been performed before or that an incident occurred on a similar job
before
 7.3- Permit to Work Forms

The PTW procedure contains various PTW forms that are easy to differentiate from one
another.

• A standard form to cover any Cold Work.

• A specific form to cover any Hot Work; Hot Work Permit forms must enable the clear
differentiation between Category I and Category II hot works.

7.4- Permit to Work Certificates

Certificates are used in the Permit to Work System in order to provide additional
authorization and control for a number of specific activities, in addition to those specified on
the main Permit.

Certificates are used in the Permit to Work System, in order to control the following
activities:

 Confined Space Entry

 Isolation

 Excavation

 Safety System Defeat

NB: Certificates are not Permits; they must not be used to authorize any work.
 7.5- Color Code

The PTW and Certificate forms shall be of different colors. This assists in quick recognition
of the types of work being performed for Emergency Response and the monitoring of the
number of active Permits in each location and their classification.

7.6- Content of the PTW Procedure

As a general principle, the PTW Procedure:

• Describes the overall PTW process and its various stages to perform any work:

o Preparation / Consolidation

o Approval

o Execution

o Close-out

• Identifies the key actors and their respective responsibilities and roles in the PTW process.

• Defines the type, model and content of the various supporting PTW forms, as well as the
area of application, the restrictions and the expectations as regard to their use.
8- What is fire?

The rapid oxidation of a fuel evolving heat, particulates, gases and non-ionizing radiation.
8.1- classes of fire

A - Free burning materials, paper, wood, plastics etc.

B - Flammable liquids, petrol, meths, solvents etc.

C - Flammable gases, methane, hydrogen etc.

D - Metals, potassium, sodium, magnesium etc.

F - Cooking fats Electricity can be involved in any class of fire

8.2- fire extinguishers

1- Water

.Red body

.Suitable for use on Class A Fires, wood and paper etc

. Not suitable for combustible liquids, cooking fats etc

. Not safe to use on fires involving electricity

. Extinguishes by cooling.

2-Foam

Cream body (Old type) or Red Body with Cream label

Suitable for Class A and B Fires.

Not suitable for use on fires involving electricity

Extinguishes by cooling and sealing the surface of a burning liquid

3- Powder

Blue body (Old type) or Red body with blue label.

Best on Class B fires but safe to use on any type of fire.

Works by chemically interfering with the combustion reaction

4- Carbon dioxide

Black body (Old type) or red body with black label (New type)

Best on Class B and C fires but safe to use on any type of fire

Safe to use on fires involving electricity

Extinguishes by reducing oxygen levels and cooling.

Beware of the cold discharge; it can burn your skin.

9- What is PPE?

Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other
garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The
hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat,
chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter. Protective equipment may be worn for
job-related occupational safety and health purposes, as well as for sports and
other recreational activities. "Protective clothing" is applied to traditional categories of
clothing, and "protective gear" applies to items such as pads, guards, shields, or masks, and
others.

Safety glasses or goggles

Safety harness

Safety boots

Coveralls

Gloves

Ear protection

Chemical gloves

Dust and vapour mask

10- What is risk assessment?

It is a Proactive approach to identify what can go wrong, at what likelihood and what are the
adequate control measures to minimize that likelihood.

The 5 steps to risk assessment:

1 Identify the hazards

2. Identify who can be harmed and How

3. Assess the risks

4. Record the assessment

5. Monitor and Review

 PRODUCTION
General introduction
after leaving the wellhead the crude oil is collected in the collection manifold through the
pipeline network, in the cpf the fluid is exported to the separation train, it is train consists
of two types of separators the test separator used generally to measure the different
parameters of a single well in order to determine their behavior and the production
separator, the separator is cylindrical vertical or horizontal pressure container (vessel) in which
a mixture of a well or process fluids that are not soluble in each other are Separated from
one another or hold on for a short period of time.

• Multiple stages are used to liberate gas and remove water.

• The pressure is reduced in stages delivering gas to compression or gas treatment at differing
pressures.

• The final stage pressure and temperature is used to control crude vapour pressure.

After the separation the crude oil leaving the oil compartment of last stage is degraded towards the
stabilization tanks in order to drain the accumulating water and to eliminate the water vapor this
operation can last a few hours before pumping the crude oil to the storage tanks and metering.

The water drained from separators is exported to the skimmer to recover oil before injecting or treating
of this water.

As it has been said the gas coming out of different stages of separation flows towards the compression
or the treatment.

To improve the separation it is sometimes necessary to heat the crude oil especially in winter
conditions and to inject an emulsifier to boost the separation and to break the foams.

Aims of field processing

Field processing may have one of three basic objectives:

• To produce a Transportable stream: minimal processing in the field and transport through
a pipeline to a final processing plant. Three main constituents are of concern: water, hydrogen sulfide,
and condensate

• To produce a Salable stream all processing necessary to meet specifications

• To Maximize Liquid Production:

• Maximize crude oil production when processing associated gas

• To recover the condensate and reinject the gas to the reservoir

• In some markets, the NGL produced from the condensate may be more valuable as liquid
products than as sales-gas components.
Crude Oil Treatment

Separation
Separation of different phases: GAS - OIL – WATER.

Separators: Separators protect downstream equipment designed to process a single phase

Separators are classified on the basis of:

• Geometry: Horizontal or Vertical

• Number of separated phases:

Two (gas-oil separators)

Three (gas-oil-water separators)

Gas-liquid separators contain in general the following 4 sections:

• Primary separation: accomplished by utilizing the difference in momentum between gas and
liquid. Stream flow is diverted by impingement on a vessel internal at the separator inlet.

• Gravity settling: requires low gas velocities with minimal turbulence to permit droplet fallout.
To reduce turbulence, the settling section may contain vanes. They also act as droplet collectors to
reduce the distance droplets must fall.

• Coalescing: this section contains an insert that forces the gas through a torturous path to bring
small mist particles together as they collect on

• Liquid collecting: The liquid collection section acts as a holder for the liquids removed from the
gas in the above three separation sections. This section also provides for degassing of the liquid and
for water and solids separation from the hydrocarbon phase.

Stabilization (gas liberation)

Compliance with RVP (Reid Vapour Pressure) specification.

Sweetening
Compliance with H2S specification and more generally with other sulphur compounds specification.

Dehydration
Removal of emulsified or insoluble water Compliance with BSW specification.

Desalting
Dilution of the emulsion + Dehydration Removal of minerals soluble in water Compliance with salt
content specification.

Gas processing
Natural Gas can be either a wellhead stream from natural reservoir or associated to a crude production:
Gas reception and separation
Test separator: (nawara cpf)

Test separator is horizontal pressure vessel equipped with an internal weir, which allows settling of
water in the first section of the vessel. Condensate overflows the weir and collects in the oil
compartment. Separator design includes provisions for sand jetting. Note: The accumulation of sand
on the bottom of the equipment affects the separation performance. The decision of starting the sand
removal is due to the occurrence the following events.

Inlet separator: (nawara cpf)

The Inlet Separator is a horizontal pressure vessel equipped with:

• Vane type inlet device, to absorb the kinetic energy of the entering fluids. It promotes primary gas-
liquid separation and ensures good gas distribution across the vessel cross sectional area.

• Calming baffle, to provide stable flow to the liquid settling compartment by reducing surface
movement between the fluid phases;

• Internal weir, designed to collect the water in one compartment of the vessel and oil in the other
compartment.

Gas treatment
In the Gas Treatment Unit, consisting of Filter Coalescer, mercury removal bed and after filter. Tie-in
points for future installation are provided between the Filter Coalescer and the amine absorber. The
separated gas stream from the Inlet Separator is combined with gas from the 2nd Stage off Gas
Compression Discharge Cooler and enters the Gas Treatment Filter Coalescer. The Gas Treatment
Filter Coalescer serves as a highly efficient gas/liquid separator to mitigate the risk of foaming in the
downstream Amine Contactor. Gas Treatment Filter Coalescer is provided to collect liquid droplets
and products of corrosion or minor construction debris carried over from the upstream of Inlet
Separator in order to protect the Mercury Removal Bed. The Coalescer is also equipped with a by-
pass; during change-out of the coalescing elements the vessel can be by-passed while for this
temporary period of time some carry-over is allowed to be entrained to the amine contactor. Antifoam
injection may be necessary during this period. The coalescing filter contains an upper and lower
compartment in which liquids accumulate. The Filter Coalescer feed is via an inlet distributor into the
lower compartment which achieves bulk liquid/ gas separation. The gas then flows into the upper
section via the coalescing filter elements which are mounted into a cassette assembly. Any liquid
intercepted by the elements drain by gravity into the upper compartment.

Gas sweetening
Sour natural gas compositions can vary over a wide concentration of H2S and CO2 and a wide
concentration of hydrocarbon components. If the H2S content exceeds the sales gas specification limit,
the excess H2S must be separated from the sour gas. The removal of H2S from sour gas is called
“sweetening.”

Two main techniques are used: - Chemical Absorption

 - Physical Adsorption

Chemical Absorption (amine solution)

An amine based process is used for removal of CO2 from process gas. The CO2 content in the gas has
to be reduced from 2.5 mol% to 1.8 mol% to provide a margin on the product specification of 2 mol%
(maximum). Considering the small quantity of CO2 to be removed, the Amine Contactor operates on a
slip-stream and part of the flow bypasses the column. The flow of the slip stream to the Amine
Contactor is controlled by measuring the CO2 concentration in the re-combined gas stream
downstream of the Amine Contactor. CO2 removal unit consists of Amine Contactor and Amine
Regeneration Package. The gas slip-stream downstream of future mercury removal system flows to the
bottom of the Amine Contactor. The gas flows upward through the Amine Contactor this flow rate is
expected to vary based on the gas composition and plant throughput, while CO2 is absorbed by a
downward flowing lean amine solution supplied from Amine Regeneration Package. Rich amine from
the Amine Absorber bottoms flows through a level control valve to Amine Regeneration Package.

Physical Adsorption

Molecular Sieves Natural or Synthetic ZEOLITES Classified as ALUMlNOSlLlCATES Crystalline

Structure (cavities of uniform form and shape) Affinity between Polar Molecules and Zeolites Used to
remove H2S and C02 when they are present in small quantities and used to remove Mercaptans.
Gas Dehydration
Natural gas can be dehydrated to pipeline specifications by several processes, including:

• Liquid Desiccants (Glycols)

• Solid Desiccants (Alumina, Silica Gel, Molecular Sieves)

• Expansion refrigeration: normally used when the prime objective is hydrocarbon recovery.

Gas dehydration by absorption process (teg):

• Glycols are widely used for natural gas dehydration (TEG)

• TEG systems are used onshore and offshore for both sweet gas and sour gas applications.

• Water Dew Point depression typically 30°C - 100°C

• Special TEG processes available for difficult applications (e.g. Stripping)

Conventional TEG Process- PFD

  Glycol process

• Simple operating principle

− Direct contact at pressure between gas and glycol

− Glycol circulating in a closed loop.

 Triethylene Glycol (TEG) is the preferred choice of desiccant because of:

• High thermal stability

• Efficient regeneration at high reboiler temperatures (up to 204°C)

Concentrations higher than 99.9+ wt% are obtainable

• Low vaporization losses

 Key design factors: Low dew point application

• Contactor equilibrium stages: height of structured packing or number of trays)

• Glycol flow rate: typically 15 - 40 litre TEG/ kg H2O to remove

• Glycol concentration: typically 99.0 - 99.95 wt% and more.

Troubleshooting- Degradation & Contamination of TEG
 Principals of Valves
Definition:
Valves are all the devices installed on pipelines and which modify or stop the flow of fluids

These devices have a closure element which is:

 Wrench or hand wheel (standard equipment)

 Pneumatic, hydraulic or electrical actuator (upon request)

The type of valves used will depend on:

 Flow control required,

 Type of fluid conveyed,

 Operating conditions

 Isolation and availability

There are several different types of valves:

 Stop valves

 Check or non-return valves

 Safety and relief valves

 Emergency Shutdown Valves (ESDV)

 Control Valves

The way the closure member moves

onto the seat gives a particular group of valve

a typical flow-control characteristic.

This flow control characteristic has been used to establish a preliminary chart for

the selection of valves.

The final valve selection may be made from the description of the various types of valves and
their variations that follow that chart.

1. Stop valves:
Valves can be made from many different metals and alloys and for some specific uses are also
manufactured from plastics, glass and ceramics. The valves that the operator uses will, however,
normally be fabricated in metals such as iron, steel, bronze, or aluminium.
 Service Conditions
 Temperatures and pressures presses requirement
 Specific conditions of service: Comply with the corresponding specific standards or
client's own specifications.
Group
Stop valves are divided into four groups according to the way the closure member moves onto the
seat. Each valve group consists of a number of distinct types
 Stopper type : Globe, Needle
 Vertical slide: Gate
 Rotary type: Ball, Plug, Butterfly

1.1- Globe valve

The globe valve is a low pressure valve (up to 20 kg/cm2) generally used for utility systems.

These valves are never used on gathering or main flow lines because they cannot pass a scraper pig.

There is a drop in pressure whenever there is a change in flow direction

1.2- Needle valves

Used to Flow control rate, Needle valves are manually operated to give a very fine control over the
flow of fluids. High pressure valves, usually fitted in pipelines with a diameter of 1 inch or less.
 1.3-gate valve

Stop valves, (not throttling), high pressure and temp, not for slurries, viscous fluids
 1.4- check valve:

The many types of check valves are also divided into four groups according to the way the closure
member moves onto the seat.

 Flap Check Valve

 Ball Check Valve

 Lift Check Valve

 Swing (Y) Check Valve

The basic duty of these valves is to prevent back flow.

1.5- Safety and Relief Valves

Safety and relief valves prevent injury or damage by venting accidental overpressure to atmosphere or
some low pressure point in the system. Most are spring-loaded to operate at a set pressure; however,
weigh levers or a combination of levers and springs may also provide the load.

Safety valves: Pressure safety relief valves are used to release excess pressure that may develop as a
result of a sudden change in the velocity of the fluid flowing or accumulating.

Relief valves: Automatic pressure-relieving device, actuated by static pressure upstream of the valve,
which opens in proportion to the increase in pressure.

1.6- Emergency shutdown valves (ESDV)

A shut down valve (SDV, ESV, ESD, or ESDV) is an actuated valve designed to stop the flow of a
hazardous fluid or external hydrocarbons (gases) upon the detection of a dangerous event.

Shutdown valves form part of a Safety instrumented system.

A simple Solenoid operated system to Modulation Control, Blow Down Valves (BDV) - Emergency
Shut Down Valves (ESDV)
 1.7-Control Valves Generalities

The interface with the process at the other end of the control loop is made by the final control element
which is in a vast majority of chemical engineering processes an automatic control valve that throttles
the flow of a manipulated variable.

Generally all control valves for process liquids, high-pressure steam and gases shall have globe bodies.

They may be double seated with top and bottom guides or single seated trim with plug or stem guiding
or cage trim.

1.8- Valve Symbols

 UTILITY SYSTEMS
Most utility systems also need to be very reliable. When they are performing properly this means
that like any well- run infrastructure they are apt to be invisible; when things go wrong they have the
potential to bring an entire site to a halt. In fact, utilities may need to be even more reliable than
processes themselves, because process and site safety often depends on the continued supply of
utilities including compressed air and water.

1. Air instrument / Plant:

Compressed air is supplied on industrial sites for two main uses- Plant air for general uses and
instrument air for control systems.

• Instrument air should be oil free, dust free and dry, is typically provided at 7 - 9 barg and may
be used for:

– Instrument actuators (largest user)

– Motor purging/pressurisation

– Flare ignition

– Inert gas generation

• Plant air does not have any particular specifications, is typically provided at 7 barg (minimum)
and may be used for:

– Air driven tools

– Paint spraying

PSHL
Inert Gas Generation

Air Compressor Air Filter

Packages Packages
Instrument Air Instrument Air Header
Receiver
PC

Cooler
Plant Air
Receiver
Black Start Air
Black Start Air Filter Package
Compressor Package Plant Air Header

Black Start
Air Receiver
Cooler

Typical Combined Air instrument And Plant

 1.1-Air Instrument

Consumption rates for instrument air should be based on all instruments operating simultaneously and
then applying a design margin typically 30%.

– Each instrument component: 8.5 Sm3/h

– Motors, positioners and purge air: 5 - 18 Sm3/h

– Inert gas generation: 170 Sm3/h

1.2-Air Compression

The preferred compressor types are:

• Oil free centrifugal air compressors (2000 - 30000 Sm3/h).

• Dry running oil free rotary compressor, generally with two stages and intercooling (1000 -
5000 Sm3/h).

• Oil injected rotary screw compressor (150 - 2500 Sm3/h)

1.3-Air Dryers

Instrument air should be dried to a suitable dew point at operating pressure (typically -40 oC).

1.4-Air Receivers

– Air receivers are necessary to damp pressure surges in the system and provide storage
which will maintain an air supply on compressor failure

– The volume of storage required is given by:

t⋅Q
V=
57⋅( P1 −P2 )
– V Storage volume (m3)

– P1 Normal operating pressure (bara)

– P2 Minimum acceptable pressure (bara)

– t Required duration of flow from storage (min)

– Q Air flow required (Sm3/h)

• The time allowed for start-up of a standby compressor is typically five minutes

2- Instrument Gas

On some remote and isolated installations of primary production (Treatment Gathering Satellite) it
would be too costly in terms of economic to install individual production of IA for each of them.

so the IA will be replaced by the gas produced from the wells, it is subjected to a surface treatment
after have expanded to a pressure of 6 to 8 barg:
 • Filtration

• Liquid separation

• Condensate recovery

Theoretical schemes of instrument gas production section

Troubleshooting

1. KO drum full of liquid and arrival of liquids to valve actuators which may causes an ESD.

 Drain manually the KO drum (dismantle the flange on downstream of LCV and connect a
flexible hose to safe location).

 To restart we must use the nitrogen bottle which is connected to the ESD cabinet allowing the
ESD system reset (the procedure must be available in the cabinet).

2. Plugging of PCV with hydrates (during night) mainly when line

Upstream of PCV are not insulated.

What should we do in this case?

3- Inert gas system

  MAIN UTILISATION OF INERT GAS

Inert gas is utilised for purging and blanketing purposes:

 Purging of:

• gas compression trains

• gas pig launchers/receivers

 Blanketing of:

• produced water flotation units

• heating medium expansion tanks

• lube and seal oil tanks

 Gas freeing of vessels for maintenance

Two types of inert gas production may be used on facilities

 Units producing a gas rich in CO2 and nitrogen

 Units producing a pure nitrogen

Typical CO2 production scheme

Inert gas CO2 production: An inert gas generator is comprised of:

• Diesel storage tank

• Combustion chamber

• Blower

• Diesel pump
 • Deck water seal

• Anti overpressure system (PV breaker)

Typical N2 Generation Scheme (Membrane)

Two types of units allow to obtain pure nitrogen:

• Membrane unit

• Molecular sieves unit (Pressure switch absorber)

Advantages and disadvantages of different types

Advantages Disadvantages

 High flow to inert storage tanks  Not always available

 Easily detectable (eyes irritation)  Need to start production if needed

 Low pressure

 Inert gas is heavier than air therefore

fatal asphyxia

Advantages versus disadvantages of inert gas with CO2

 Advantages Disadvantages

 Permanent availability  Limited flow.

 Possibility of using a high  Odorless gas and heavier than air

pressure network therefore fatal asphyxia

Advantages versus disadvantages of pure nitrogen unit

3- Fuel gas system

The fuel gas is a utility used in production facilities as fuel for:

 Furnaces & TEG reboiler and generally for all heating equipment using gas.

 Gas turbine generators and gas turbine compressors.

 Blanketing for storage tanks to avoid contact with air (O2).

 Keeping the flame of flares.

 Particular equipments as inert gas generators (IGG)

The source of fuel gas for an oil and gas facility comes in general from the process at a level or to
another:

 From a separator

 From the outlet of gas dehydration unit

 From the pipeline during start up after a maintenance period.

 From production manifold during first start up or total shut down

Note: The design of the installation must provide these engineering options to avoid being in a
situation of not being able to restart vital equipment in good conditions.

Downstream of providing source the fuel gas will be treated as follows:

 Pre filtration to protect the PCV

 Liquids removal in FG scrubber

 Heating to avoid condensation and ensure a correct mixture with air in burners.

And finally Fuel Gas is set to desired operating pressure and distributed:

To consumers via two or three different pressure network HP, MP and LP

Bloc scheme for FG production system

Example of providing FG