Hydrocarbon Processing - April 2022 - GP-29

LNG
the plant and training, trying to operate
the plant when half the operators suddenly
leave to respond to an emergency,
and attempting to maintain the proficiency
of personnel who are only " part-time
responders. " Many operators have concluded
that a specialist, third-party organization
that solely focuses on emergency
response is the best option.
For an organization that specializes in
emergency response, the preparation and
readiness to deal with an emergency is
much more extensive. For example, a new
recruit at the author's company will receive
~14 wk of training covering National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Codes and Standards 1, 10, 11, 12, 12A,
12B, 25, 30, 59A (LNG), 329, 471, 472,
600 (Facility Fire Brigades), 704, 1001,
1002, 1005, 1006, 1062, 1071, 1072,
1081, 1404, 1405, 1451, 1500, 1561,
1670, 1961 and 1983, in addition to various
parts of the U.S. Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) 29
CFR 1910/1926 requirements and the
American Heart Association CPR/AED
First Aid courses. This training provides
full coverage for industrial/marine/
structural firefighting, emergency vehicle
operations, HAZMAT response, rescue,
inspection of fire protection equipment
and ICS. Additionally, all recruits are required
to obtain their medical EMT-B
(Emergency Medical Technician, Basic)
certification, which adds 6 wk of training.
Paramedic training is optional. Continuing
education maintains proficiency.
Equipment must also be kept in readiness
(FIG. 2). A good third-party organization
will conduct ongoing inspections
of all fire hydrants, fire detection/alarm
systems, building extinguishing agent systems,
emergency lighting and exit signs,
fire extinguishers, fire hose carts and
reels, firewater main block valves, firewater
hoses, foam carts and trailers, foam
systems, storage tank-fixed systems, fire
monitors, mobile apparatus and equipment,
fire pumps, self-contained breathing
apparatus (SCBA), air supplied respirators,
control room emergency air,
halon/dry chemical systems, deluge systems,
eyewash/safety showers, fire doors
and HAZMAT suits, among others.
These systems and equipment require inspection,
and having an onsite emergency
response team conduct the inspections
offsets part of their cost by eliminating
the need for other third-party inspectors.
Additionally, a good third-party emergency
response organization will offer respirator
fit testing/training, air monitoring,
marine spill response, fire extinguisher
training, incipient emergency response
training, confined space entry pre-planning,
industrial hygiene assistance and
emergency procedures consultation.
They will ensure regulatory compliance
for emergency procedures, fire-fighting
and regulatory mandated drills, providing
training to plant personnel on all regulatory
mandated initial and recurrent training
and conducting periodic drills.
Responding when called upon. Before
discussing how to respond to an
LNG emergency, it is important to understand
the properties of LNG. LNG is
mostly composed of methane (CH4
normally boils at approximately -260°F
(-162°C), expanding ~600 times when
the liquid turns to vapor. CH4
to boil off, with ethane (C2
(C3
is the first
H6), propane
H8), butanes and other substances following
at higher boiling point temperatures.
The flammable range of LNG vapors
in air is 5 vol%-15 vol%, and LNG vapor
normally will not explode unless confined,
such as a leak in an enclosed space.
LNG vapors are colorless; however,
because they are cold, they often condense
moisture from the air, creating a
white cloud that, in very humid environments,
can be a good indication of a
flammable mixture (FIG. 3). The initial
vaporization rate after a spill of LNG can
produce 10 ft3
/min/ft2
) and
/min of vapors). A similar
of surface area
(i.e., a 10-ft × 10-ft pool of LNG will create
~1,000 ft3
FIG. 2. RTFC ensuring emergency equipment readiness.
FIG. 3. RTFC Training Academy live spill LNG training.
Gas Processing & LNG | MARCH/APRIL 2022 29
Hydrocarbon Processing - April 2022

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