General Plot Plan Development Philosophy

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Plot Plan Development

• Plot plan is a primary document in design of a plant. It takes lot of experience, knowledge of
international and local standards and regulations as well as Process Flow.

General Plot Plan Development Philosophy

1. Block System

Block layout should be adopted as far as possible. The entire area should be sub-divided into
blocks. If process units are operated in an integrated way, and shutdowns are taken simultaneously
of these units, then they may be considered as single block for inter distances and relative placement
purpose.

2. Process Flow

Plant layout arrangement should follow the general route of raw material to process unit(s) with
tankages interposed as required followed by storage & despatch facilities. Blocks should be arranged
in sequential order of process flow.

3. Flooding

All units and roads should be located on high ground to avoid flooding.

4. Roads

All process units and dyked enclosures of storage tanks shall be planned in separate blocks with
roads all around for access and safety. Primary traffic roads in the installation should be outside
hazardous areas. Roads separating the blocks shall act as firebreaks.

Pedestrian pathways should be provided / marked alongside the primary traffic roads. Alternative
access shall be provided for each facility so that it can be approached for firefighting in the event of
blockage on one route.

Road widths, gradient and turning radii at road junctions shall be designed to facilitate movement of
the largest firefighting vehicle in the event of emergency.

Layout of the facilities shall be made to minimise truck traffic ingress in the plant. Two road
approaches from the highway / major road should be provided, one for employees and other for
product / material movement. Both these approaches should be available for receipt of assistance in
emergency.

Roads should be provided in a symmetric manner to serve all process areas requiring access for the
operation, maintenance and firefighting. These roads should encircle the process blocks/ process
units.
5. Pipe Racks

Main pipe racks / pipe track shall not be routed through process units. Provide overhead clearance for
vehicles over roadways and railroads.

6. Rail

Rail spur shall be located close to the periphery of the plant to minimise road/pipe crossings and
blockage of roads during shunting. Locate Rail loading facilities along the periphery of the installation.

7. Ignition Sources

Presence of ignition source shall always be contemplated beyond the boundary wall of the
installation.

8. Flare Stacks

Located flare stacks upwind of the process units to avoid leaking hydrocarbon vapors reaching flare
stack and getting ignited. Area around flare should be paved.

9. Furnaces and Heaters

Located Fired heaters upwind of process unis to avoid hydrocarbon vapors entering in fired heaters.

10. Cooling Towers

Cooling towers shall be located downwind side of process units to avoid fog created by them drift into
process units and cause visibility problems as well as corrosion problems. The short side of the tower
shall be located into the prevailing summer wind, to accomplish maximum efficiency.

11. Control Rooms

Control room should be located in a non-hazardous area. Control room should be upwind of process
plants, hydrocarbon storage and handling facilities. Control room shall not be located at lower level
than surrounding plants and tank farms to avoid flooding with process fluids or contaminated rain
water. There shall be no structure that could fall on the control room in case of a blast.

12. Sulphur Handling

Sulfur handling is a dusty operation. Dust from such operations shall not reach process units. They
should be located downwind side of process units. Minimum separation distance of 50 meters is
recommended between sulfur storage / handling and any facility or boundary wall.

Equipment drawing air (e.g. air compressors, air blower, FD fan etc) should be located away from
Sulfur recovery unit / Sulfur handling facility.

Sulphur recovery unit and sulphur loading area should be located close to product movement gate
and away from process units, hazardous and populated areas.
13. Petrolium Coke Handling

Petroleum coke storage and handling facilities should be located as far as possible away from
process units, air separation plants, populated and hazardous areas.

14. Tank Farm

Group storage tanks according to product classification as per relevant national standard. If the area
is hilly, locate storage tanks at lower elevations.

15. Electrical Power

If a power generation facility supplies steam to a process block also, locate it near that process block.

When external power grid is interconnected with plant’s own power generation facilities, then either
locate the power generation block near the plant boundary or run external power transmission lines
underground. Power transmission lines shall never be run above the plant as well as parking
areas. Horizontal clearance between power transmission lines and plant shall be as per local
electricity rules.

Locate High Tension substations near the major load centers.Locate Low Tension substation in such
a way that distance between distance between distribution transformer and farthest motor is
minimum.

16. Fire Fighting

Fire station, firewater storage & firewater pump house shall be located at a safe place away from
hazardous areas. Fire station should be upwind of process units and hydrocarbon storage area with
straight approach to process units / other critical areas.

17. Loading/Unloading

Locate truck loading/unloading facilities close to the product movement gate, and orient in such a way
to provide one way traffic pattern for entrance and exit.

18. Erection Methods

Erection methods shall be studied for all types of equipment / structures. Towers, reactors, fired
equipment etc should be located in such an area so to facilitate erection.

19. Utility Blocks

Locate Utility blocks adjacent to unit blocks.

20. Effluent Treatment Plants

Separate collection system should be provided for different types of waste generated in the process
plant such as oily water, caustic, acid effluents, fecal etc. Effluent Treatment Plant should be located
minimum one block away from process unit area, down wind of process units and important areas
considering odour & emission of volatile organic compound.
ETP Plant should be closer to disposal point by the side of the boundary and at lower grade to
facilitate gravity flow of effluent.

21. Construction Activities

For construction activities, area should be earmarked.

22. Maintenance Requirements

Maintenance requirements for each type of equipment shall be identified and considered.

23. Future Expansion

Future expansion should be assessed and space provision be made accordingly.

24. Smoking Booths

Smoking booths should not be provided in the hydrocarbon industry. However if required, these shall
be located at minimum distance of 60 meters from any hydrocarbon source.

25. Relative location of units

Locating unit blocks based on their hazard characteristics, wind direction etc. is a critical activity while
developing plot plan. Following rules needs to be adhered to while developing a plot plan.
Input Data Required For Plot Plan Development
All the important input information must be collected from various sources such as Client, Process
Licensor, External Agencies, Government Database etc. so that a proper plot plan can be developed.

1. Information about process Units.


2. Utility Requirements of the Plant.
3. Storage Tanks Requirements and Stored Fluids.
4. Capacity and type of LPG Storage Tanks Sizes, Pressure and Temperatures of Pressurized
Storage Vessels.
5. Product receipt / despatch and mode of transport (rail, road and pipeline).
6. Warehouses, storage areas for solid products such as petroleum coke, petroleum wax, sulfur,
bitumen / asphalt etc and other open storage areas like scrap yards and dumping ground.
7. Requirement of Chemical / Toxic Storage.
8. Hazardous Waste Storage and Disposal.
9. Flares.
10. Service Buildings, Fire Station and Fire Training Ground.
11. Meteorological Data.
12. Bathymetric data (high tide level, surge wave height etc.) for installations in coastal areas.
13. Seismic Data.
14. Highest flood level in the area, water table, natural sterams/canals.
15. Approach roads to main plant areas.
16. Aviation Rules and Regulations, Height Considerations.
17. Dangers posed to and posed by adjacent facility, in an industrial complex.
18. Consideration for the local environment.
19. Statutory Obligations of the local governing body.

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