Practice 000 250 2030

Date 11Feb00
Page 1 of 1

PLANT ARRANGEMENT - GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPACING

PURPOSE
This practice defines recommended spacing for buildings and equipment in oil and
chemical plants.

SCOPE
This practice includes recommendations for spacing in the following types of
facilities:
• Oil Refineries
• Chemical Plants
• Gasoline Plants
• Petrochemical Plants

APPLICATION
This practice is to be used by Designers for preliminary layout and spacing of
facilities and equipment. The specification 000 250 50001, Process and Utility
Piping Design, Layout, and Drawing, should also be used.
It is important to obtain the clients criteria and approval when developing plant
arrangements.

ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 01: (11Feb00)
General Recommendations For Spacing In Oil and Chemical Plants
Attachment 02: (11Feb00)
General Recommendations For Spacing in Oil Pipeline Pump Stations.
Attachment 03: (11Feb00)
General Recommendations For Spacing in Public Utility Natural Gas Pumping
Stations.

/0002502030.doc Piping Engineering

 Practice 000 250 2030
Date 11Feb00
Attachment 01 Page 1 of 2

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPACING IN OIL AND CHEMICAL PLANTS

Inter-Unit Spacing Recommendations (8), (7)

Serv. Elec. Utility Cool. Control Compr. Process Process Process Atmos. Press. Refrig. Unload.
Bldg.. sub. Areas Tower Rooms & Unit Unit Unit Storage Storage Storage & Load.
& Pump Mod. Inter. High Tanks Tanks Tanks Racks
MCC Houses Hazard Hazard Hazard
Service Buildings (1)
(3)
Electrical Substations (1)
and MCC
Utilities Areas 50 50

Cooling Towers 50 50 100

Control Rooms (1) (1) 100 100

(4)
Compressor & Pump 100 100 100 100 100
Houses

Process Units 100 100 100 100 100 30 50

Moderate Hazard (6)
(9)
Process Units 200 100 100 100 200 50 100 100
Intermediate Hazard
(6) (10)
Process Units 400 200 200 200 300 100 200 200 200
High Hazard (6) (11)
Atmospheric Storage 250 250 250 250 250 250 300 350 350
Tanks
Pressure Storage 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 (2)
Tanks (5)
Refrigerated Storage 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 300 (2)
Tanks (5)
Unloading & 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 300 300 250 350 350
Loading
Racks
Fire Stations & Fire 50 50 50 50 50 200 300 300 300 350 350 350 200
Water Pumps

Note: Spacings are shown in feet; Also see page 2 for notes ( ).

/0002502030a01.doc Piping Engineering

 Practice 000 250 2030
Date 11Feb00
Attachment 01 Page 2 of 2

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPACING IN OIL AND CHEMICAL PLANTS

Notes for Inter-Unit Spacing Recommendations

(1) The spacing requirements for building to building are based on occupancy, square area, storage criteria, type of
construction, and access requirements. Minimum spacing for buildings shall be obtained from the Architectural
Engineering Group.

(2) The spacing for storage tanks shall be determined using the NFPA 30 principles.

(3) Service buildings generally include: offices, change houses, maintenance warehouses, cafeterias, labs, hospitals,
garages, etc.

(4) Control rooms serving unusually large or hazardous units and central control rooms for multiple units or housing
computer equipment, require greater spacing and may require blast - resistant construction.

(5) LPG tank locations, preferably, should be isolated to remote sections of the plant vessel heads aimed away from
major plant values or occupancies. Spheres also should be remotely located whenever possible.

(6) Distances are from battery limits.

(7) Flare stacks (with knock out vessels) less than 75 feet in height should be 300 feet distance from other equipment
and tankage; with stacks over 75 feet in height 200 feet distance may be considered. These minimum distances shall
be verified by Fluor Daniel Process Engineering.

(8) Inter-Unit Spacing Recommendations are based on the Industrial Risk Insurers (IRI) Guidelines for Loss
Prevention and Control (IM.2.5.2).

(9) Moderate Hazard: "This category includes processes, operations, or materials having a limited explosion hazard
and a moderate fire hazard. This class generally involves endothermic reactions and nonreactive operations, such as
distillation, absorption, mixing and blending of flammable liquids. Exothermic reactions with no flammable liquids
or gases also fit in this group." Typical examples include: Acetic anhydride, Acetone (dehydrogenation of alcohol),
Ammonia, Crude distillation, Ethanol (from methanol) Ethylene glycol, Formaldehyde, Methyl ethyl, solvent
extraction, Urea, Visbreaking. (IRI, IM.2.5.2A)

(10) Intermediate Hazard: "This category includes processes, operations, or materials having an appreciable
explosion hazard and a moderate fire hazard. This class generally involves mildly exothermic reactions." Typical
examples include: Alkylation (Refinery), Benzene, Benezene-Toluene-Zylene, Methanol (Reforming),
Polypropylene, Polystyrene, Reforming (Refinery). (IRI, IM.2.5.2A)

(11) High Hazard: This category includes processes, operations, or materials having a high explosion hazard and
moderate to heavy fire hazard. This class involves highly exothermic or runaway reactions and highly hazard
products handling." Typical examples include: Acetic acid, Acetone (cumene oxidation), Acrylic acid, Butadiene,
Ethylene, Hydrocracking (Refinery), Polyethylene LD (high pressure), Polyethylene HD (large units), Propylene
oxide, Vinyl acetate, Vinyl chloride. (IRI, IM.2.5.2A)

/0002502030a01.doc Piping Engineering

 Practice 000 250 2030
Date 23Sep02
Attachment 02 Page 1 of 2

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPACING IN OIL PIPE LINE PUMP STATIONS

Control Service Tanks Manual Emerg. Open Loading Dwellings

Room Bldg. Valves Shutdown Flame Docks
(1) Stations
Pump House 0 ft 50 200 100 250 150 200 200
(3)
Tanks 200 200 2 dia. 100 250 200 250 200
(3) largest

Terminal and Tank Farms

Storage Loading Pumps Service Docks Open Compressor Pressure

Tanks Racks Bldg. Flame Tanks
Product Storage 2 dia. 250 200 200 350 200 200 50
Tanks largest (3) (4)
Not LPG
Loading Racks 250 50 - 250 200 200 200 200 100 100
(3)
Open Flame 200 200 200 - 200 - 100 200

Pressure Tanks 50 100 100 100 100 200 100 50

(4) (3)

Offshore Properties
Service Proc / Gas Open Gas Emerg Product
Bldg. Separation Flame Compressor Shutdown Storage
Stations
Service Building 20

Process and 50
Gas Separation (3)
Open Flame 100

Gas Compressor 50 50 50
Houses (4)
Emergency 50 100 100 50 - 250
Shutdown Stations
Product Storage 50 50 100 200 100
Tanks (2)
Loading Docks 100 100 100 100 100 100

Note: Spacings are shown in feet; Also see page 2 for notes ( )

/0002502030a02.doc Piping Engineering

 Practice 000 250 2030
Date 23Sep02
Attachment 02 Page 2 of 2

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPACING IN OIL PIPE LINE PUMP STATIONS

Notes:
(1) Control room should be pressurized.

(2) Small open flame devices should be located no less than 50 feet from any vapor hazard area.

(3) Service buildings include: Offices, change houses, maintenance warehouses, laboratories, garages,
except as specifically indicated.

(4) 300,000 gallons per group: 100 feet groups.

/0002502030a02.doc Piping Engineering

 Practice 000 250 2030
Date 11Feb00
Attachment 03 Page 1 of 2

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPACING IN PUBLIC UTILITY NATURAL GAS PUMPING STATIONS

Compr. Gen. Shop Office Boiler Gas Air Gas Jacket Ware- Main Product
Houses Bldg. Bldg. Bldg. Houses Meter Cooled Cooling Water Houses Lines Storage
Reg. Exch. Tower Cooling Tanks
Houses (Gas) Wood Tower
Compressor Houses (4), (6)

Generator Buildings 100 (4)

(5), (6)
Shop Building 100 30 (4)
(5) (4)
Office Buildings 100 30 30
(5) (4) (4)
Boiler Houses 100 30 30 30 (4)
(5) (4) (4) (4)
Gas Meter Regulator 100 100 100 100 100 (4)
Houses
Incombustible or Air 100 100 100 100 100 40
Cooled Exchangers (4)
(Gas)
Gas Cooling Towers 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
Wood Construction
Jacket Water 50 30 30 30 30 40 40 50
Cooling Towers (4), (5) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4)
Warehouses 100 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30
(5) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4), (5) (4), (5) (4), (5) (4), (5)
Main Lines 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 350
(3) (3) (3) (3) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5)
Product Storage 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 500 -
Tanks 1000
Fire House & 50 - 50 - 50 - 50 - 50 - 50 - 50 - 50 - 50 - 50 - 100 100
Equipment 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Note: Spacings are shown in feet; Also see page 2 for notes ( ).

/0002502030a03.doc Piping Engineering

 Practice 000 250 2030
Date 11Feb00
Attachment 03 Page 2 of 2

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPACING IN PUBLIC UTILITY NATURAL GAS PUMPING STATIONS

1. There should be a minimum of 2 remote control stations to actuate the main-line power operated valves. One
(RCS) should be located 250 feet or more from any gas pumping building, and 250 feet or more from any gas
line. The second (RCS) should be located 250 feet or more from the other (RCS) or any gas line or gas
pumping building, or shielded by topography or structures so as to be accessible at all times.

2. Power operated valves with no remote control stations and manually operated valves on main suction or
discharge lines should be located no less than 500 feet but not over 1,000 feet from any station building.

3. Main lines when equipped with other than power operated valves with (RCS) should be located no less than
500 feet but not over 1,000 feet from any station building.

4. Distances indicated are for buildings or structures of incombustible construction. If otherwise, consult you
Insurance Underwriters.

5. All open flame devices or ordinary electrical equipment, should be located 100 feet from any gas vapor hazard
area, gas line or gas pumping building; and 200 feet from Product Storage Tanks.

6. Often electrical generating equipment, gas turbines, or other similar items are housed in the same building with
gas compressors. In such instances, you should consult you Insurance Underwriters concerning the standards
for the installation of this equipment.

General Notes:

(A) Main-line power operated valves with (RCS) should be located 350 feet from all station buildings.

(B) Electrical Equipment should be located 100 feet from gas sources and 50 feet from cooling towers.

/0002502030a03.doc Piping Engineering