20 - Special Locations, Facilities, and Equipment

Abstract

This chapter briefly describes the special locations, facilities, and equipment. Process facilities are found practically everywhere and in diverse environmental constitutions. These environmental facets are different and remote that unique situations develop and that require specialized requirements for fire and explosion protection considerations. Arctic environments pose different ambient conditions than normally encountered at most process facilities. Along with this, a desert environment also poses different ambient conditions than normally encountered at most process facilities. The most obvious is that the ambient temperature level can reach extremely high levels. Tropical environments have unique ambient effects, which have to be considered for process facilities and the installed equipment. Heavy rains (monsoons, hurricanes, typhoons, etc.), animal or insect infestations, and direct sunlight exposures are the most common concerns for firewater system components located in tropical locations. Heavy rains can produce flooding conditions that may envelop a firewater pump location, especially if it is taking suction from a river source, without flood control measures. Offshore facilities pose critical questions regarding personnel evacuation and the possibility of total asset destruction if prudent risk assessments are not performed. In addition, many more facilities such as loading facility and oil filled transformers are discussed.