LPG Handling & Storage

Safety Design Aspects

Imran Bokhari, Dr. S. Ahmed, Dr. S. Qadeer

Pakistan Petroleum Limited

1
Contents
o LPG Introduction & Specifications
o Off-spec & General Hazards
o Fire & Explosion Classification
o LPG Major Incident Case Study
o Safety System Characteristics
o Engineering Design Features

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What is LPG
o LPG is Liquefied Petroleum Gas extracted from Natural Gas and Oil refining process.
It consists of Propane, Butanes and mixture of Propane & Butanes.
Propane iso-Butane
n-Butane:

o Proportion of Propane & Butanes in commercial grade LPG depends upon the
extraction method. Propane content generally varies between 30% to 60% and
butanes from 40% to 70% with traces of other components.

o Mixture of Propane & Butanes is used as domestic & industrial fuel where natural gas
is not readily available. It is also used as fuel in form of SNG.

o Propane alone is commonly used as an environmental friendly refrigerant in place of

CFC refrigerant .
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What is LPG…
Physical Properties
o Colorless & odorless liquid at moderate pressure, vapor at
atmospheric pressure (Stored at moderate pressure) .
TI VP
o Liquid phase is 50% lighter than water and gas phase is almost
1.8 times heavier than air.

o Highly volatile liquid expands violently more than 250 times

into gaseous phase at ambient condition.

o Vapor pressure depends upon proportion of propane &

butanes normally varies from 70 to 200 psia. Phase Behavior (LPG Expansion)
 Molar Volume Verses Pressure (Isotherm)

Phase Behavior (LPG Expansion)…

 Molar Volume Vs Temperature (Isobars)

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What is LPG…
Combustion Properties
o LEL (Lower Explosive Limit) is 2.5 mol% & HEL (High Explosive Limit) is 9.5 mol%.

o LPG explosive limit depicts a narrow range of flammability compared to few other
combustible material.

LEL HEL
Hydrogen 4.0 75
Methane 4.5 17
Ethane 3.0 12.0

o LPG calorific value is 21,660 BTU/lb to 21,265 BTU/lb.

o Auto ignition temperature of LPG is 420-500 ºC.

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What is LPG…
Commercial Grade LPG Specification
Spec Value
Propane
Predominantly mixture of Propane & Butanes
Butane
Pentane 2 mole% (max.)

Minimum Vapor Pressure 70 psia at 38 °C

Maximum Vapor Pressure 200 psia at 38 °C

Free water None

Mercaptan Sulphur 4 grains/100 ft3

Volatile Sulphur 15 grains/100 ft3

Corrosion Copper Strip Max No.1

95% Boiling Point (Weathering) 2.2 C at 1 atm

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Off-Spec Hazards
Volatility (Level of lighter components)
o High volatility leads to vapor loss and increased chance of leakage & fire.

Residual (Level of C5+)

o High residual level may lead to splash fire & inefficient combustion.

Choking (Level of moisture)

o Moisture presence cause hydrate formation that may lead to choking.

Corrosion (Level of sulphur compounds)

o Corrosive product affects vessel integrity may lead to pin hole & H2S related
stress cracking. Phase Behavior (LPG Expansion)…
 Vapor Pressure Vs Temperature Plot
Temperature Vs Vapor Pressure
600

500

400

Vapor Pressure (psia)

60:40 %
300 LPG
100 %
Propane

200 100 %
Butane
V.P (200 psia)

100

V.P (70 psia)

0
-45 -35 -25 -15 -5 5 15 25 35 45 55 65 75 85 95 105 115
Temperature (oC)

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General Hazard
Fire
o LPG is combustible and catches fine once LEL is reached. (LPG has narrow
range of LEL & HEL)

Cold Burn
o Releasing vapors cause reduction in surrounding metal temperature, any skin
contact will result in cold burn.

Suffocation
o LPG cloud tends to displace air on the ground and may lead to suffocation.

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LPG Fires & Explosion
Relative percentage of accidents from 80 LPG fire and explosion loss incidents:

Type of incidents Percentage

Flash Fire 41%

UVCE 19%
CVE 19 %
BLEVE 21%

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LPG Fires & Explosion
Flash Fire
o Ignition of over-rich cloud of LPG in air.
o Flame burns back against the cloud without explosion.

UVCE (Unconfined Vapor Cloud Explosion)

o LPG cloud burns in unconfined space and flame front accelerates from a low
initial velocity to sonic velocity creating explosion.

CVE (Confined Vapor Cloud Explosion)

o Heat source causes rise in excessive LPG storage pressure beyond relief capacity
which leads to CVE.

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LPG Fires & Explosion
BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion)
o It is an explosion phenomena caused by rapid phase change by absorption of
external heat.

o Constant heat source from fire causes rise in excessive LPG storage pressure
beyond relief capacity which leads to BLEVE.

o BLEVE corresponds to the violent rupture of a storage vessel.

Ball of fire

Projectiles

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LPG Fires & Explosion
Magnitude of BLEVE
o Pieces of container can shoot off hundreds of meter.

o Death from such missiles may occur up to 250 m.

o Fire balls of 30 meter diameter is common.

o Severe burn damage in a 300-400 m radius.

o Shock wave from BLEVE can break windows several kilometer away.

o Flame temperatures as high as 1200 oC.

o Remember: there is no safety period, BLEVE can occurs at any time.

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 LPG Major Accident Case Study
Feyzin Refinery Accident (France)
o Storage
• 4 propane spheres of 1200 m3
• 4 butane spheres of 2000 m3
• Two horizontal tanks (C3 &C4s) of
150 m3.

o Storage located at 450 m of the refinery &

300 m from the nearest houses in the
village.

o Accident happened on January 4, 1966.

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Feyzin Accident..
Feyzin Refinery LPG Spheres Storage Area

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Feyzin Accident
Step 2. Operator
Step 1.
opens valve B to
Step 4. Ice moves Operator
allow flow of LPG.
under the pressure opens valve A

Valve- B
Valve- A

Step 3. Ice prevents liquid

from leaving the vessel
Sample
Point Step 5. Ice exits
and LPG is ejected
into the atmosphere

Step 6. Valve A stuck in open-position

preventing its closure releasing LPG
cloud.

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Feyzin Accident…
LPG Dispersion of a propane Cloud (height=1m)
Sphere
Ignitio
n
Sourc
e

A vehicle ignites the mixture of

propane/air at 160 m from the
Fire goes up to the sphere leakage point

o Sphere at the origin of the leak engulfed in flames.

o Firemen tried to cool the nearby tanks meanwhile the sphere explodes (BLEVE).

o Few moments later, a second sphere explodes causing the rupture of pipes
connected to a third sphere which also intensified fire in the area.
o Fire spreads to 4 aviation kerosene tanks about 30 m away & also an other similar
tank 75 m away.
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Feyzin Accident…
Major Causes of Incident & Its Escalation

o Operational fault as the operator did not follow standard operating procedure.
o Valves were not provided with permanent valves spanner or valve-keys.
o Probably a solid ice plug in draw-off line above upper valve ceased flow path which
released later on due to vessel pressure & fully opening of the valve.
o Direction of drain line discharge downwards to the floor instead of side, which
caused cold burn to the operator & dense vapour cloud all around that caused lever
re-positioning impossible for valve closing .
o Immediate barrication of nearby roads for vehicles movement.
o At once activation of fixed water sprays on all 8 spheres and also coupling of many
fire nozzles to the fire water system that reduced fire water pressure.

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Feyzin Accident…
Consequences
o 18 persons died and 84 were wounded
primarily at the time of the first BLEVE.

o On the whole, 11 tanks of propane, butane

& nearby aviation kerosene were
destroyed.

o 5100 m3 of LPG & 3800 m3 of aviation

kerosene stocks were combusted.

o Projectiles were found within an area of

around 800m away from the location of the
vessels.
o The monetary damage was said to be
about 18 million US$.
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Feyzin Accident
Possible Accident Prevention Strategies/ Lesson Learnt
1. Adequate water showering from top of tanks.
2. Vehicles movement restriction in storage area on gas detector alarm.
3. Install a larger pressure relief valve (Fire case), so if the tank is exposed to fire,
its contents can be flared more rapidly.
4. Space the tanks further apart so that an outbreak of fire in one does not impose
excessive heat radiation on adjacent units.
5. Insulation on vessel which reduces heat input.
6. Provide fire proofing structure of the legs. The metal structure without fire
proofing melts on receiving excessive heat.
7. Spray water over the top of tank to keep it cool and hence maintain its
mechanical strength.

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Major Causes of LPG Leakages
o Leakage from valve stem seals and flange gaskets.

o Leakage when taking a sample or drawing water.

o Leakage from transfer piping - corrosion, mechanical damage, screwed piping

connections.

o Failure of transfer pipe flexible joint or cargo hose.

o Leakage from a storage vessels - corrosion.

o Tank overfilling, which forces liquid out from the pressure relief safety valves.

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Characteristics of LPG Leakages
o LPG forms a visible vapor cloud at high concentration.
o Being heavier than air LPG dispersion moves downward
along the wind direction.
o Catches fire from any ignition source due to its ability for
maintaining air/fuel ratio above LEL at a longer distance.

o Fire propagation may reach leakage source in reverse

direction and may reach vessel.

o Improper vessel material may result in brittle metal fracture.

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Typical Design Safety System Path

Inherent
Safety

Engineered
Safety
Inherent Safety Procedural
Safety
Operation
Safety Operation
Safety
Audit
Compliance
& Feedback

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Safety Design Characteristics
Inherent Safety
o To avoid hazards instead of controlling them.
o Inherently safe plant has low level of risk, if things go wrong.
o Major features of IS design:
o Simplify design
o Minimize Risk
o Substitute Material or Process
o Moderate concentration level
o Tolerances (Design Margins)
o Boundary Limit Effects (Safe Location)

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Safety Design Characteristics
Engineered Safety

o Working within the boundaries of established standards and practices, e.g.

ASME, API, NFPA, ANSI, ISA, ISO, OSHAS, EPA & OGRA etc.
o Quality of design and safety assurance through safety studies particularly
HAZOP & SIL studies.

Procedural Safety
Inherent Safety
o Training of personnel involved in producing, storing & handling of LPG.
o Develop standard operating procedures for each activity.
o Carry out internal & external audits for a continuous improvement.

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Engineering Design Features
o Maximum Allowable Working o Storage Vessel Shapes
Pressure o Vessels Spacing
o Minimum Metal Temperature o Containment
o Storage parameters indications o Catchment & Slope
o Control System – pressure & level o Area Classified Electrical Devices
alarms & switches
o Fire Proofing of Vessels
o Maximum flow check valve
o Flame Proof Instrument Devices
o Pressure Safety Valve
o Flame Proof Conduits & Cables
o Blowdown System
o Fire Water System
o Safety Studies such HAZOP & SIL
o LPG Transfer Pump & Tanker Loading
o Fire & Gas Detection System system
o Emergency Shutdown System

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LPG Storage P&ID

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Typical Layout of LPG Storage Facilities

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LPG Storage Deluge System

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LPG Metering & Loading Dock P&ID

F
V

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Safety System Design…

Backup Slide

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Work Consulted
1) API Std 2510, Eight Edition , MAY 2001 [Design & Construction of LPG Installation]
2) NFPA-58 Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code, Edition 2004 [Safe Distance LPG Storage & Placement]
3) API Recommended Practice 520 & 521 Seventh Edition, January 2000 [PSV & Flare System Standard Design Practices].
4) GPSA Section-6 [Petroleum Liquids Storage Types & Requirement].
5) http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/501hcboilingpts.html [Boiling Point & Hydrocarbon Structure Data).
6) http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/explosive-concentration-limits-d_423.html [ Hydrocarbon Flammable Limits Data]
7) http://www.icheme.org/~/media/Documents/icheme/Resources/LPB/LPB%20samples/FeyzinDisaster.pdf
8) http://http://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casefeyzin66.htm
9) Feyzin Oil Refinery Disaster [Presentation]
10) http://www.ineris.fr/outils/lexique.htm [Présentation: Feyzin Bleve Understanding & Lesson Learnt ]
11) www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/casepemex84.htm [Mexico LPG City Terminal Details]
12) www.comcare.gov.au [Layer of Protection Analysis]
13) Title CSChE-PSM Summer Institute Canada, Graham Creedy Presentation [Inherent Safety Analysis]
14) HSB Professional Loss Control [HSB PLC Presentation]
15) UNEP APELL Program (Presentation)
16) ASPEN HYSYS V-7.2 [for physical data verification]
17) Hala EPF LPG Storage P&IDs (P08-1021-P-DW-0116 Rev 03 (Storage), P08-1021-P-DW-0121 Rev 03 (Deluge & Fire Water)
P08-1021-P-DW-0118 Rev 03 (LPG Metering & Dispatch)

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LPG Storage (Bullet Vessels)

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LPG Transportation

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LPG Extraction Techniques
• LPG Production Facilities

LPG is produced from natural gas conditioning processes & also from crude oil fractionation.
o Natural Gas LPG Plant
Various techniques are available to extract LPG from natural gas, fundamental principle to extract LPG is
same for all which is to chill down the gas to very low temperature where LPG contents liquefy and
separated out from gas phase. Few famous techniques are listed below:

o Mechanical Refrigeration Process [Propane Recovery: 30-50 %]

o JT Valve Expansion Process [Propane Recovery: 40-50 % based on expansion ratio]

o Turbo-Expander Expansion Process [Propane Recovery: 70-85 %]

o Proprietary Technique: SCORE Process by Ortloff [Propane Recovery: 85-95%]

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LPG Extraction Technique …
Turbo Expander Based Natural Gas LPG Recovery Plant

LPG

35
LPG Extraction Methods…
Gases (Including LPG)
Typical Crude Oil Distillation
Gasoline (also share
LPG production during
The most volatile fractions. (i.e. - those its stabilization)
with lowest boiling point) come out of the
top of the column and are gases, as these
have very low molecular masses (e.g.
methane, Ethane, Propane, Butanes etc).
Naphtha

Kerosene

The heaviest compounds fall to

the bottom of the column.
Gas oil

These compounds have the

highest molecular masses and are
the least volatile. Fuel oil

Crude Oil
Residue
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Phase Behavior (LPG Expansion)
 Molar Volume Verses Pressure (Isotherm)

37
Phase Behavior (LPG Expansion)…
 Molar Volume Vs Temperature (Isobars)

38
Phase Behavior (LPG Expansion)…
 Vapor Pressure Vs Temperature Plot
600

500

400
Vapor Pressure (psia)

300 60:40 %
LPG
100 %
Propane
200 100 %
Butane
V.P (200 psia)

100

V.P (70 psia)

0
-45 -35 -25 -15 -5 5 15 25 35 45 55 65 75 85 95 105 115
Temperature (oC)
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Vessel Spacing
Process Plant Inter-Equipments Spacing

* Reference: GPSA Section-18 Fig 18-35

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Vessel Spacing
Minimum Separation Distance Between Containers, Important Buildings & Properties
Capacity Under Ground Above Ground Between Containers
(Water-m3) (m) (m) (m)
<0.5 3 0 0
0.5 - 1.0 3 3 0
1.0+ - 1.9 3 3 1
1.9+ - 7.6 3 7.6 1
7.6+ - 114 15 15 1.5
114+ - 265 15 23 ¼ times sum of the diameters
of adjacent containers
265+ - 341 15 30
341+ - 454 15 38
454+ - 757 15 61
757+ - 3785 15 91
>3785 15 122
*Reference: NFPA-58/Table 6.3.1

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Vessel Spacing…
Max no. of containers in a group & their Separation Distance. Max single container
water capacity is 45 m3

Max no of Containers in One Maximum Separation Between

Fire Protection (Provided by)
Group Groups (m)

Hose Stream Only 6 15

Fixed Monitor Nozzles 6 7.6

Fixed Water Spray 9 7.6

Insulation 9 7.6

*Reference: NFPA-58/Table 6.4.2 (conditions applied for individual type of fire system)

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LPG Major Accidents
WHEN WHERE WHAT FATALITIES REGULATIONS

1966 Feyzin, France LPG Bleve 18 First LPG prescriptive regulations

US Emergency Planning and Community

1984 Mexico LPG Bleve 600+
Right-to-Know Act 1986

US OSHA 1910-119 Process Safety

1988 Norco, USA Propane FCCU Management 1992

1989 Pasadena TX, USA Ethylene/ isobutane 23

1992 La Mède, France Gasoline/LPG FCCU 6 EU Seveso II Directive 1996

1998 Longford, Australia LPG, brittle fracture 2 UK Control of Major Accident Hazard
Regulations 1999

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LPG Storage P&ID

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