J. van Kasteren
Fire protection and fire fighting on offshore platforms.
Literature survey,
Report 87.3.2326.OS, Transport Engineering and Logistics / Offshore Engineering.
The risks of fire and explosions are high due to the presence of highly
flammable hydrocarbons.
To ensure the safety of people, present on an offshore platform, and to
protect the structure from damage, laws and recommended practices are set up
which form the minimum safety requirements with respect to fire detection
and fire fighting for an offshore installation.
The following detection systems are provided on an offshore platform:
gas detection
heat detection
flame detection
smoke detection.
It is noticed that gas detection is a preventive detection system, because it
gives an alarm even before fire occurs (the amount of flammable gas or
vapour in air is detected).
The fire fighting media applied on an offshore platform are:
water
foam (AFFF)
dry powder
Halon.
These media are provided for by fixed as well as portable extinguishers.
In the last chapter of the report is shown in which areas what kind of fire
detection and fire fighting equipment generally is applied. A schematic
drawing of a (seawater) fire main system is presented, together with the
requirements of such a system, and the fire detection and fire fighting
equipment for an (imaginary) helideck is worked out.
Conclusion
In 49% of the total number of accidents damage is caused by fire of
explosions. Thus it can be concluded that more care has to be taken with
respect to fire prevention.
Because of the fac that the accidents which resulted in fire alse caused
acceptable damage, it can be concluded on as a satisfactory operation of the
applied fire detection and fire fighting equipment.
Reports on Transport Engineering and Logistics (in Dutch)
Modified: 2008.01.27;
logistics@3mE.tudelft.nl
, TU Delft
/ 3mE
/ TT
/ LT.