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Class.: INTERNAL
TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL
STANDARD
Safety and reliability requirements for operation of Document ID : Yara-TOPS 3-01
ammonia plants Revision date: 2013-06-21
Revision: 08
Valid for: Yara Company
Valid to date: 2016-06-20

Approved by: Head of Yara Project Office

Verified by: Head of Production
Document owner: Technology Manager Ammonia

CONTENTS

1. SCOPE

2. RESPONSIBILITY

3. DEFINITIONS

4. REQUIREMENTS

4.1 General requirements

4.1.1 Design Codes
4.1.2 Materials
4.1.3 Relief systems
4.1.4 Safety studies
4.1.5 Documentation
4.1.6 Conservation
4.1.7 Incident reporting / incident investigation
4.2 Operation
4.2.1 Operating instructions
4.2.2 Systematic operation
4.2.3 Primary reformer
4.2.4 Secondary reformer
4.2.5 CO2 removal system
4.2.6 Methanator
4.2.7 Synthesis loop
4.2.8 Synthesis start up heater
4.2.9 Process condensate stripper
4.2.10 Steam boilers and Boiler Feed Water
4.2.11 Catalysts
4.2.12 Machinery
4.3 Maintenance
4.3.1 General
4.3.2 Inspection
4.3.3 Modifications
4.3.4 Control and emergency shut down system
4.3.5 On-line leak abatement
4.3.6 Use of sockolets

5. REFERENCES

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5.1 External references

5.2 Internal references

6 APPENDIX

6.1 Appendix on Generic SIL analysis

6.2 Appendix on Guidelines for plant conservation

1. SCOPE

This standard defines the principal safety and reliability requirements for operation of ammonia plants in Yara.

The standard is mandatory for all Yara sites.

The requirements of local statutory regulations shall always be complied with. In case of difference between a
statutory requirement and this standard, the more stringent shall apply. In case of difference between documents
on a higher level such as YARA TOPS 0 on 'Health, Environment , Safety, Security Quality and Product
Stewardship and Yara TOPS 1, Standards applicable for all Yara operations, the most stringent requirement shall
apply.

2. RESPONSIBILITY

The site management is responsible for compliance with the standard.

Operating in non-compliance with this standard requires the approval of the Yara Management.

Non-conformity requests shall be documented and forwarded by the Site to the Document Owner who will
coordinate the response.

3. DEFINITIONS

Site
Production plant

Shall
Denotes that the requirement is mandatory

Should
Denotes the preferred action, but is not mandatory ( unless made mandatory under other regulations)

Checklist
List of items to be noted, checked and confirmed by signing of prior to proceeding to a next step

4. REQUIREMENTS

4.1 General requirements

The safe operation of ammonia plants is generally ensured through:

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- Sound design according to relevant codes and standards

- Industry best practices
- Systematic and structured operational follow up and maintenance in compliance with design conditions

4.1.1 Design codes

Ammonia plants shall be designed in compliance with applicable international codes and standards (DIN,
ASME….. etc).
Relevant codes and standards shall be adhered to when modifications and repairs are made.

4.1.2 Materials

The safe and reliable operation of ammonia plants requires good knowledge about materials used in such plants.
An overview of materials and their failure mechanisms is given in Material Recommendation documents BP 502,
BP 506, BP 510, and BP 524. Each site shall perform an assessment of the consequences of the above
recommendations for their installations and shall make sure that these consequences are taken care of in the
operating and maintenance instructions.

Special attention shall be paid to systems containing hydrogen at temperatures above 200°C (400°F). Such
systems shall be verified for compliance with API 941, latest edition, (Nelson curves) and recommendations in BP
502. The results of this verification shall be documented. Sites shall check every third year if the API 941 which
was used for the verification is still the latest edition and shall review the assessment if required. In case of non
compliance, this shall be documented and a program for additional inspection or replacement shall be developed.

New or refurbished equipment in hydrogen service shall be designed according to specifications 10000-M50-
00046 and 10000-M50-00090. (Appendix 6.3)

4.1.3 Relief systems

Relief systems shall be designed in compliance with recognized codes.

The relief scenario on which the design is based shall be documented.
Such compliance shall be confirmed when modifications are done or plant load is exceeding
original design conditions.

4.1.4 Safety studies

For ammonia plants safety studies shall be performed as requested by Yara TOPS 0-04.

The safety studies shall be performed according to the methodology described in the Yara Process Safety
Handbook, or by another similar method if this method is prescribed by local legislation.

For determining the required SIL level, a Generic SIL analysis for ammonia plants is available as an Appendix
( Par .6.1) This document can be used as a guideline but shall be validated by each Site for their specific plant. If
the HAZOP indicates additional risks not mentioned in the Generic SIL analysis, the site shall perform its own
evaluation of the required SIL level for these risks.
A detailed SIL analysis shall be executed for the following risks:
-Inadvertent ingress of air to secondary reformer while no feedgas is present
-Low level in absorber causing gas breaktrough to regeneration section
-Backflow of gas from absorber to CO2 removal solution circulation pumps
-Low level in last ammonia separator before the ammonia is sent to storage, causing gas breaktrough to storage

The verification that the safety shutdown system is able to achieve the required SIL level defined, taking into
account the applied testing frequency, shall be done by each site.

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4.1.5 Documentation

Documentation for operation shall at least contain the documents mentioned in Yara TOPS 0-04:' Process Safety
Management'.
A system shall be in place to assure this documentation is made up to date after each modification as defined in
Yara TOPS1-03.

4.1.6 Conservation

All plants shall have a procedure in place describing the actions to be taken in case of prolounged outage. A
prolounged outage is defined as an outage lasting longer than a turnaround. This procedure shall be based upon
the guidelines provided in Appendix (Par. 6.2).

4.1.7 Incident reporting / incident investigation

Plant trips are categorized as incidents having at least a Severity 3 according to Yara TOPS 0-01. Reporting and
investigation of trips shall follow the requirements given in Yara TOPS 0-01.
For near - trips , investigation should follow the requirements given in Yara TOPS 0-01 .

4.2. Operation

The operation of ammonia plants shall be based on Yara TOPS1-01:' Productivity Improvement Process'.

4.2.1 Operating instructions

For ammonia plants, additional requirements apply on top of the requirements of YARA TOPS1-01:' Productivity
Improvement Process' with respect to operating instructions:
*Checklists shall be used as a part of the operating procedures during start up / shutdown of plants These
checklists shall contain the items necessary prior to start up or
shutdown of a certain plant section. Filled out checklists shall be filed for a period defined by the Site.
*Operating instructions for normal operation shall include the description of periodic check routines, the
documentation of
these checks, the minimum frequency of field data logging as well as a systematic programme for leak checks of
systems containing hazardous media.
*Operating instructions for start up shall include leak tests to be done as part of the (re)commissioning of
equipment containing hazardous media before start up

4.2.2 Systematic operation

For ammonia plants, additional requirements apply on top of the requirements of YARA TOPS1-01:' Productivity
Improvement Process' with respect to the use of the Brilliant improvement process:

*Not only production volume, but also specific energy consumption shall be monitored and followed up daily.
Improvements shall be systematically pursued according to the Uptime/ Brilliant approach. A minimum specific
energy consumption should be defined in a similar manner as the MDR for the production volume. Deviations
from the minimum specific energy consumption shall be handled in a similar manner as deviations from the MDR.
*The plant testing to be performed according to Yara TOPS 1-01 shall also include overall energy, performance of
catalysts and performance evaluation of major machinery.
*Catalyst performance shall be followed up monthly.at least 4 times per year.

4.2.3 Primary reformer

Ammonia plant primary reformer furnaces shall have a written procedure for ignition of the first burners in the

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reformer to avoid presence of explosive gases in the furnace during ignition.These requirements also apply to
other fired heaters and boilers.

The site shall also have a written procedure defining the sequence of burner lighting in the reformer in order to
prevent an overheating of the reformer tubes by a poor distribution of the firing over the furnace during start up.
Operating procedures / instructions shall pay particular attention to avoid overheating of the furnace during start
up, shutdown and plant upsets.

The reformer radiant section shall be visually inspected regularly for proper firing and reformer tube condition. The
inspection frequency shall be at least once per shift and shall be increased in a start up situation.

For reformer furnaces a systematic tube skin temperature monitoring programme shall be established as per par
5.4 of BP 63. Sites shall define a maximum allowable spread in tube temperatures
and shall apply furnace balancing ( see par 5.5 of BP 63) when this maximum allowable spread is exceeded.
The maximum permissible tube skin temperature shall be defined. This temperature should be consistent with a
predicted tube lifetime of minimum 100000 hours.

The reformer shall be equipped with minimum one continuous oxygen analyzer on the flue gas as a monitoring
tool for efficient and safe furnace operation.
The preferred location for sampling is between radiant and convection section, but should take into account the
presence of auxiliary burners in case these are installed.

A trip shutting down the feed gas shall be installed on minimum steam / carbon ratio in the mixture entering the
reformer. This shall be combined with appropriate provisions to prevent overheating of the tubes in such a
situation.

The fuel supply to the primary reformer furnace shall be equipped with a shutdown system that effectively isolates
the fuel from the furnace when required by the installation of a double block and bleed system in the fuel supply.
The site shall apply a leak test on the fuel gas system to the burners to assure that the individual burner valves
are closed prior to opening the main block and bleed in the fuel supply. This leak test should be automated and
should use nitrogen as checking gas.

4.2.4 Secondary reformer

Safety systems on the secondary reformer shall be designed to prevent

- Back flow of process gas into the process air (or oxygen) line
- Inadvertant flow of air (or oxygen) into the secondary reformer (or gasifier)

Plants shall have at least one of the following trips on the secondary reformer:
*Trip of air (or oxygen) on high temperature in the secondary reformer. One of the temperatures in the catalyst
bed shall be used as input to such a trip function.
*Trip of air ( or oxygen) on high ratio of air /oxygen flow to feedgas flow.
It is recommended to have both trips.

There shall be a program in place for inspection and criteria for replacement of the burner(s) or spargers to avoid
malfunctioning during operation.

The secondary reformer and any associated refractory lined equipment shall be systematically monitored for
detection of hot areas. In case of water jacketed equipment, the steam from the jacket shall be systematically
monitored for the presence of combustible gases.

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4.2.5 CO2 removal system

There are several processes for removal of CO2 from the process gas in ammonia plants.
For some of the processes (e.g. Benfield) corrosion is kept under control by strict monitoring of the chemistry of
the solution, as failure to do so may lead to severe damage to equipment.
Operating instructions shall include a program for this monitoring including required sampling, required frequency
and limit values.

CO2 removal solutions also dissolve hydrogen to some extent. This hydrogen is released from the solution at
various locations in the system during operation as well as during standstill, if the solution has not been circulated
sufficiently prior to draining. Shutdown instructions shall include precautions to prevent solution still containing
hydrogen to be sent to the solution storage.
Storage tanks for CO2 removal solution shall have nitrogen blanketing.

4.2.6 Methanator

Methanators shall have a high temperature trip to avoid overheating. The temperature measurement used as
input to the trip system shall not be in the deactivated layer of catalyst.
Catalyst containing nickel shall not be exposed to gases containing carbon monoxide at any temperature below
150°C.(300°F)

4.2.7 Synthesis loop

The risk of getting temper embrittlement of synthesis loop equipment shall be assessed as described in Yara-BP-
506 and required measures (e.g. heating of relevant parts of the synthesis loop to 100° C (212°F) below 100 bar
(1500 psi)before increasing pressure further) shall be included in the operating instructions.

4.2.8 Synthesis start up heater

Fired synthesis start - up heaters shall be equipped with the fololwing features:
- Double block and bleed in the fuel gas supply
-Trip of fuel gas in case of too low flow of synthesis gas or in case of too high synthesis gas temperatures at the
outlet of the coil(s)

The site shall apply a leak test on the fuel gas system to the burners to assure that the individual burner valves
are closed prior to opening the main block and bleed in the fuel supply. This leak test should be automated and
should use nitrogen as checking gas.

Site shall perform an assessment on the suitability of keeping a side flow through the start up heater in order to
prevent corrosion from the outside.

4.2.9 Process condensate stripper

Carbon steel parts of the process condensate stripper shall be protected against corrosion by
maintaining the pH of the water in the stripper bottom in the range of 8-9.

4.2.10 Steam boilers and BFW

The quality of the boiler feed water shall meet the specifications required according to the operating conditions
(pressure, temperature) of the steam system and shall also comply with the specifications from the boiler
manufacturer.

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Each plant shall have a systematic monitoring and follow up programme to ensure correct quality of boiler feed
water and boiler water.
Boiler feed water and boiler water shall comply to the requirements of TOPS 1-16.

Boilers with an operating pressure above 25 barg (400psi) and boilers downstream the secondary reformer shall
be equipped with a low level protection tripping the plant section supplying heat in case of too low level.

A procedure shall be in place how to handle in case of a plant trip due to a low level of the boiler downstream the
secondary reformer. Such procedure shall take into account the effect of continued heat supply on the boiler as
well as the effect of a sudden complete stop of the flow on the various components of the primary reformer.

4.2.11 Catalysts

Catalysts shall generally be handled and operated according to suppliers` instructions.

When charging new primary reformer catalyst, an automated loading method should be used and the uniformity of
the loading shall be verified by measuring the pressure drop of the individual tubes.

Precautions paying due attention to catalysts in the pyrophoric state shall be described in the start/up shut down
procedures, with focus on the oxydation of these catalysts during shutdown. For catalysts with the potential of
forming nickel tetracarbonyl (e.g. methanation catalysts, but also other Ni containing catalysts if unsufficiently
purged or steamed), adequate precautions to prevent these hazards shall be included in procedures for operating
and handling such catalysts.

Reduction of LTS and synthesis catalyst, desulphurisation of HTS ( if catalyst needs desulphurisation) or other
activation procedures shall be described in a separate procedure.

Spent catalysts shall be disposed of in a safe and environmentally acceptable manner.

4.2.11 Machinery

Operation and maintenance of rotating equipment shall be performed according to TOPS 2-03.

4.3. Maintenance

4.3.1 General

Maintenance shall be performed in compliance with Yara TOPS 2-01:'Systematic Maintenance'

Turnarounds shall be planned and executed in compliance with Yara-BP-05 : Turnarounds in ammonia plants.

One year before the turnaround, the Site shall perform a preliminary residual lifetime assessment as per par 5.7 of
BP 63 in order plan which tubes are planned for retirement.

During turnarounds, a combination of NDT techniques shall be applied for catalyst tube inspection as per par 5.9
of BP 63. If the catalyst is changed, a measurement of the tube
expansion from the inside shall be performed.

When replacing catalyst tubes, the quality control of the new tubes being procured shall follow all points
mentioned in par 5.1 of BP 63.

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4.3.2 Inspection

A documented system for condition monitoring of plant equipment according to equipment classification shall be
in place.

Equipment inspection programmes as well as inspection programmes for critical piping and safety relief valves
(scope and frequency) shall be defined based on a Risk Based Approach.

For equipment constructed from Cr-Mo materials, the following requirements apply:
-No pressure testing shall be performed as part of an inspection program on equipment operating in hydrogen
service, once the equipment has been in operation, unless the equipment is heated to a temperature above the
ductile-brittle transition temperature.
-A documented evaluation shall be made about the risk of temper embrittlement. A description of the temper
embrittlement phenomenon and of the main contributing factors is given in BP 506. The start up procedures shall
reflect the result of this evaluation.

4.3.3 Modifications

A documented Management of Change System shall be in place complying with the requirements defined in Yara
TOPS 1-03: Modifications / Management of Change.

4.3.4 Control and emergency shut down system

The plant shall be equipped with an automatic shut down system for safety and protection of equipment.
The trip system shall comply to the requirements of Yara TOPS 1-04, as defined for 'Plants with high level of
safety integrity or regularity'.

The trip system shall be tested regularly according to a written procedure. The results of the tests shall be
documented.
The trip system shall be tested every turnaround unless a Safety Integrity Level (SIL) analysis is performed
according to IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 indicating that a lower testing frequency is acceptable, while still
achieving the required SIL level.

On site, there shall be a procedure describing the requirements and the approval process in case a trip function is
bypassed, which is compliant with Yara TOPS1-05: 'Temporary override of safety functions'

4.3.5 On-line leak abatement

On-line leak abatement by injection method shall be performed pursuant to Yara TOPS 2-02

4.3.6 Use of sockolets

The use of sockolets shall be in a compliance with Yara TOPS 2-04.

5. REFERENCES

5.1 External references

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IEC 61508 : Functional safety of electrical / electonic / programmable electronic safety related systems
IEC 61511 : Functional safety - Safety instrumented systems for the process industry sector
API 941, 6th edition, 2004

5.2 Internal references

Yara-DIR-01-P01TOPS 0-01:Reporting of accidents, near-miss accidents, sickleave, environmental incidents and

security breaches
Yara-DIR-01-P04 TOPS 0-04 : Process Safety Management
Yara-TOPS1-01: Productivity Improvement Process
Yara-TOPS1-03: Modifications/ Management of change
Yara-TOPS1-04: Instrument Based Safety functions
Yara-TOPS1-05: Temporary override of safety functions
Yara-TOPS1-16: Water quality and conditioning of boiler water and feed water
Yara-TOPS2-02: On-site leak abatement in operating conditions by injection method
Yara-TOPS2-03: Rotating Machinery Operation and Maintenance
Yara-BP-05: Turnarounds in ammonia plants
Yara-BP-63 : Reformer furnace catalyst tube life-cycle management
Yara-BP-502 : Steel in high temperature service
Yara-BP-506 : Ageing of steels in NH3 production units
Yara-BP-510 : Metal dusting in high temperature service
Yara-BP-524 : Creep and stress induced cracking
10000-M50-00090: Requirements for 2 1/4 Cr-1Mo and 3Cr-1Mo Low alloy steel base materials (available at
YPO)
10000-M50-00046: Requirements for welding of STC quality 2 1/4 Cr-1Mo and 3Cr-1Mo Low alloy steel materials
(available at YPO)

6. APPENDIX

6.1 Appendix on Generic SIL analysis

6.2 Appendix on Guidelines for plant conservation

6.3 Specifications for equipment in hydrogen service

REQUIREMENTS FOR 2 1-4 and 3 CR LOW ALLOY STEEL MATERIALS.doc

REQ.FOR WELDING OF STC QUALITY 2 1-4 CR AND 3 CR LOW ALLOY STEEL

MATERIALS.doc

External references:
Internal references:
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Approvers: Rene Zoetekouw/Yara Approved by: Rene Zoetekouw/Yara on 2013-06-28

Verifiers: Jan Duerloo/Yara Verified by: Jan Duerloo/Yara on 2013-06-26
Executive off.: Wim Versteele/Yara Valid for: Yara Company
Secretary: Wim Versteele/Yara Valid to: 2016-06-20

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