The risk of fire is present during all stages and operations of the oil and gas industry, whether

during exploration and production both in onshore and offshore installations or during
refining/processing or transportation, storage or during dispensing to the end user. All petroleum
products from crude to final products produce vapour that is being mixed with air creating the
potential for ignitable mixture. While petroleum products have different rates of releasing
vapours to the environment, they all share the risk of starting a fire when an ignition source is
introduced to the mixture. Fires involving hydrocarbons can take several shapes from pool fires
to fire balls and jet fires. Due to the severity and Heat Release Rate (HRR) of Hydrocarbon fires
(which may result in catastrophic consequences), fire prevention, protection and mitigation
measures are considered to be of utmost importance/most advanced in relation to same measures
in other industries.

The fire services are one of the first responders and shall be adequately trained and equipped to
handle chemical emergencies. Fire services are to acquire a thorough knowledge of likely
hazards at the incident site and the emergency control measures required to contain it.

Fire Fighting Facilities at ONGC, Uran Plant

1. FIRE STATION

The plant has a full-fledged ‘Fire Station’ manned by trained personnel from CISF (Fire
wing) and supervised by ONGC Fire Officers. There are two nos. of multipurpose fire
tenders, two nos. of Foam Tenders, two nos. of Foam Nursers, and one no. of DCP tender
with latest technology. Also there is one Rescue Tender with equipment like high capacity
cutters, spreader, pneumatic lifting bag and RAM.

2. List of firefighting equipment

S. Equipment Quantity
No
1 Fire Hose 2½” Ø RRL 15 m Each (In hose boxes) 508 Nos.
2 Fire Hose 2½” Ø RRL 10 m,15 m and 30 m 32 Nos.
3 Diffuser Branch (In hose boxes) 508 Nos.
4 Diffuser Branch/Kuglite Branch 13 Nos.
5 Long/Short Branch 65 Nos.
6 AFFF (In store, fire tender and HVLR Tanks) 72,052 l
7 Dry Chemical Powder (DCP) 3840 kg
8 Fire Entry Suit 8 Nos.
9 Fire Proximity Suit 4 Nos.
10 Suction Hose 100 MM Ø 11 Nos.
11 Suction Collecting Head 3 Way 10 Nos.
12 Dividing Breaching 16 Nos.
13 Collecting Breaching 12 Nos.
14 Portable High Volume Long Range Water/Foam 5 Nos.
 Monitor
15 Portable Water Monitor 5 Nos.
16 Foam Tender 2000 Ltrs. Capacity 2 Nos.
17 Emergency Rescue Tender 1 Nos.
18 Foam Nurser 2 Nos.
19 DCP Tender 2000 Kg. Capacity 1 Nos.
20 Ambulance (With Dispensary) 1 Nos.
21 Foam Filling Pump 2 Nos.
22 Hydraulic Testing Machine 2 Nos.
23 DCP Extinguisher
 05 Kgs. 19 Nos.
 06 Kgs. 11 Nos.
 09 Kgs. 113 Nos.
 10 Kgs. 518 Nos.
 25 Kgs. 15 Nos.
 50 Kgs. 16 Nos.
24 Clean Agent Extinguisher
 02 Kgs. 4 Nos.
25 CO2 Extinguisher
 2.0 Kgs. 26 Nos.
 4.5 Kgs. 264 Nos.
 6.8 Kgs. 108 Nos.
 9.0 Kgs. 7 Nos.
26 Mechanical Foam Extinguisher 32 Nos.
27 Fire Alarm System Points 207 Nos.
28 Fire Hydrant 402 Nos.
29 BA Set Cylinder Filling Compressor 1 Nos.

3. Fire and Gas Detection Systems

The plant is equipped with ‘Fire & Gas Detection’ system. There are 469 fixed HC Gas
Detectors and 72 Nos.. of H2S Gas Detectors throughout the plant which continuously
monitors the presence of hydrocarbon as well as H2S gases. In addition, there are 41 Nos..
UV/IR Flame Detectors installed at various strategic location of the plant for detection of
fire/flame. The systems provide audio visual alarms in the process control room and audio
alarm in the field operator’s cabins.

S. Type of Detector Total Installed Nos.

No.
1 Fixed HC Detectors (Infra-Red Type)
(a) MSA made 283
(b) DETRONICS made 186
2 Fixed H2S Detectors (Electro Chemical Type)
(a) MSA made 72
3 Smoke Detectors 212
 4 Fire Detectors
(a) UV Type install in machines & units 10
(b) UV/IR Type installed in plant areas
 MSA made 16
 DETRONICS made 25
5 Heat Detectors 27

4. Firefighting System

The firefighting system consists of –

(a) Fire Alarm System

Break glass type manual call points are installed at 207 locations. Any person in the plant
who notices fire can break the glass, which actuates automatic alarm in the Process Control
Room, Fire Control Room and also the Sirens installed 11 different places of the plant
respectively.

(b) Fire Water Network

9 numbers of Fire water pumps (1000 m3/hr @ 12 Kg/cm2 capacity each) are provided. The
jockey pumps ensure that the fire water header always remains pressurized at the set
pressure. These pumps are tested weekly. The Fire Water network has Hydrants and monitors
at all suitable locations in the plant.

(c) Fixed Fire Fighting Systems

(i) Water Sprinkler System

 Crude oil storage tanks - Auto

 LPG spheres - Auto
 Propane sphere - Auto
 Cogen cable cellar - Auto
 Transformer at Cogen - Auto
 Process pumps CFU-1, 2 & 3
 C2C3 spheres
 C2C3 pump house
 LPG pump house
 Mercaptan dosing area in LPG-2 plant
 Naphtha Tank in Old & New

(ii) Drencher System

  Naphtha tanks
 C2C3 spheres-auto
 LPG spheres - Auto
 Propane sphere - Auto
 Intermediate Tanks

(iii) Foam System

 Crude oil storage tanks - fixed

 NGL tanks - semi fixed
 Naphtha tank - fixed
 Intermediate tanks - semi fixed

(iv) Rim Seal Fire Protection

Foam based automatic detection and suppression Rim Seal Fire Protection System for 8
numbers of crude oil storage tanks.

(v) High volume water monitor for gas processing area.

(vi) High volume long range water cum foam monitors for tank farm area.
(vii) Halon System – all Control Rooms, Satellite Earth Station.
(viii) CO2 flooding system – in GT s of Cogen.
(ix) First aid firefighting system – portable extinguishers at 63 locations.