Oil storage, distribution and safety

Created by: Talbi Takoua and Feryel askri

Acknowledgment

 We would like to express our special thanks of gratitude to our

supervisor Madam Ouesleti Sana as well as Our supervisor In
The company Mr Abdelli Wahid who gave us the opportunity to
be a part of Agil Company and to do this project which also
helped us in collecting data and to know about so many new
things we are really thankful to them.

 May all those who encouraged us with their advices and follow-
up find the expression of our deep gratitude.

Dedication

We Dedicate this work to:

 Our brave parents

 Our teachers
No dedication can express what we owe you for your sacrifices and
your patience during all this years of study.

May God preserve your health and grant you long life.

Table of content
General introduction

Chapter I : General presentation

I.1.Introduction

I.2.Company’s Presentation

 I.2.1. National Company of Oil Distribution Agil.S.A

 I.2.2. Key dates

 I.2.3. The organization chart of the Company

 I.2.4. Activities

 I.2.5. Competitors

Chapter II: Internship activities

Chapter III : Assessment of the internship

Chapter IV: Storage

 IV.1. Definition of storage

 IV.2. Function of storage

  IV.3. Storage Tanks

IV.3.1.Foundation of tanks

IV.3.2. Classification of tanks

IV.3.3. Venting of tanks

 IV.4. Conditions of storage

 IV.5. Organisation of deposit

Chapter V: Distribution

 V.1. Introduction of distribution

 V.2. Sources of Distribution
V.2.1. By Pipelines:
a. Types of pipelines
b. Environment concerns due to pipelines
V.2.2. By tanker trucks:
a. Features of tanker trucks
 V.3. The precautions needed for tanker trucks transportations

Chapter VI: Safety

 VI.1. Introduction
 VI.2. Typology of accidents
VI.2.1. Typology of accidents occurring on fixed roof
tanks
VI.2.2. Typology of accidents occurring on floating
screens tanks
 VI.3. Analysis of risks
VI.3.1. Risk analysis related to equipments and
operating conditions
VI.3.2. Risks analysis related to external elements
 VI.3.3. Risks analysis related to climate conditions
 VI.4. Measures to take to reduce the possible consequences
 VI.5. Rules of tanks establishment

Table of figures:
Figure N° 1: Headquarters of the National Company of Oil Distribution

Figure N° 2: Capital evolution chart of AGIL

Figure N° 3: Typology of accident occurring on fixed roof tanks

Figure N° 4: Causes of accidents on fixed roof tanks

Figure N° 5: Consequences of accidents on fixed roof tanks

Figure N° 6: Typology of accidents occurring on floating screens

Figure N° 7: Causes of accidents on floating screens

Figure N° 8: Consequences of accidents on floating screens

Figure N° 9: Sprayer

Figure N° 10: Foam chamber fixed on a tank

Figure N° 11: Foam of tank

Tables :
Table N°1: Company data sheet

Table N°2: Organization of the deposit

Table N°3: Risk analysis related to equipment and operating conditions

Table N°4: Risk analysis related to external elements

Table N°5: Risk analysis related to climatic conditions

 General introduction
 Oil and gas sector has a huge importance for economical
activities and social life for the industrialized countries. It is
rather fundamental for economical development and well-
being as it’s used both in the production processes of industry,
agriculture and in services.

 The energy sector has three key areas: Upstream which involves
the search for underwater and underground natural gas fields
or crude oil fields and the drilling of exploration wells and
drilling into established wells to recover oil and gas. Midstream
which entails the transportation, storage, and processing of oil
and gas. Once resources are recovered, it has to be transported
to a refinery, which is often in a completely different geographic
region compared to the oil and gas reserves. And downstream
which refers to the filtering of the raw materials obtained
during the upstream phase. This means refining crude oil and
purifying natural gas. The marketing and commercial
distribution of these products to consumers and end users in a
number of forms including natural gas, diesel oil, petrol,
gasoline, lubricants, kerosene, jet fuel, asphalt, heating oil, LPG
(liquefied petroleum gas) as well as a number of other types of
petrochemicals.

 CHAPTER I : GENERAL PRESENTATION

 I.1.Introduction

 For years, increasing hydrocarbon storage capacity has been a

global strategy to ensure maximum autonomy in terms of
petroleum product. And such a sector is exposed to several
 incidents which threaten the security of property and
individuals.

 That’s why in this project we’re going to present first the

company,then we’re going to divide the study into four
chapters which include the storage, the distribution, the control
and the safety of oil and gas.

 I.2. The Company’s Presentation

 I.2.1. National Company of Oil Distribution Agil.S.A

 The National Oil Distribution Company AGIL S.A. is a public

company known by distributing petroleum products and their
derivatives under the AGIL label. Its headquarters is
represented on Figure N°1.and the company data sheet is
represented in table N°1. As a company, Agil has achieved
growth and prosperity revealed by its capital increase as shown
in the graph N°2 bellow:
 Figure 1 : Headquarters of the National company of Oil
Distribution

Name of the company The National Oil Distribution

Company AGIL S.A

Creation’s date 1960

activities Oil distribution

Gardianship Ministry of Industry and Small

and Medium Enterprises

adresse Head office : Av. Mohamed Ali

Akid Olympic City-El Khadra-BP
769

website www.agil.com.tn

Revenue figure 1,526 million dinars in 2013

  Table 1 : Company Data Sheet

Figure 2: Capital Evolution Chart of The SNDP

 In developing its activities, AGIL is today the number one

company among the companies in terms of volume of sales, the
importance of its turnover, the know-how of its human
resources and is constantly working to strengthen this position
by offering its customers the highest quality of product and
service.

 I.2.2. Key dates

 1960 : Creation of the international company AGIP S.A. Tunisia

by the Italian group ENI.

 1963 : Acquisition of 50% of the capital of AGIP S.A. Tunisia by

the Tunisian State.

 1975 : Purchase of the rest of the capital of the company AGIP

S.A. by the Tunisian State.
  1977 : Change of the name and the status of AGIP S.A. to
become the "National Company of Petroleum Distribution".

 2000: The National Company of Petroleum Distribution

becomes a public limited company.

 I.2.3. The organization chart of the Company

 This organization chart of Figure 3 describes the hierarchical

organization of employees as well as the function of each. In
fact, each manager is responsible for directing only subordinate
employees, and conversely, each employee is accountable to
his or her immediate superior. Thus each service has its own
lead, whose responsibility and authority is limited to employees
who are part of the same division.

Chief Executive Officer

gy and Studies and Management Control

egy and studiesInternal

and management control
Audit Management
Direction Old Technology
Quality Assurance Coordinator
Department of Communica-tionand
IT Quality
Public Relations
Control
Regional
ServiceManagement
Permanent Secretariat
Sfax et Sudof Thecontra

egy and studies and management control

Deputy General Director

Financial ManagementJudicial
Management
Department
Information System and Organization
Human Resources
Management
Department Supply andand
Contract Management Marketing
Orders Department

Gas Department Fuel Department Lubricants and SpecialProducts Department

Aviation Department
Projects and Technical ServicesDepartment

Department of Hygiene, Security and

Medical
Environment
Departemen

Quality Correspondant
Quality Correspondant Quality Correspondant
Quality Correspondant
Quality Correspondant
 I.2.4. Activities

 The National Company of Oil Distribution distributes liquid and

gaseous hydrocarbons and their derivatives.

 Fuel Activity: It presents the most important activity in the

SNDP as it guarantees the availability of quality hydrocarbons in
accordance with the expected requirements.

 Lubricating activity: This business consists in producing a wide

range of lubricants and greases, of high quality and in
compliance with international standards, for engines and
industry.

 Gas Activity :

 Domestic gas: It sells bottles of 3.13 and 25 kg and recently, it

has enriched its range with a new 6 kg packaging for different
uses.

 Industrial Gas: It sells gas conditioning and bulk LPG mainly to

industries, hospitals, hotels and schools.

 Fuel Gas: In order to safeguard the environment, AGIL S.A

markets LPG fuel in 17 service stations.
 Aviation Activity: This activity ensures the supply of airplanes,
for this it has the largest storage capacity of kerosene spread
over 6 airport depots.

 AGIL S.A. supplies all types of vessels in any Tunisian

commercial port: Goulette, Bizerte, Rades, Sfax, Gabès, Zarzis et
Menzel Bourguiba.

 Special Products: Generally "white spirit" which is a mixture of

paraffins and aromatics. It is colorless, chemically stable and has
a characteristic odor. Its distillation range is between 135 ° C
and 205 ° C.

 I.2.5 Competitors

 The National Oil Distribution Company operating in a

competitive sector (5 multinational oil companies) which are :

 Shell Company

 Total Company

 company Oil-Lybia

 Star-Oil Company

 Vivo company

II. Internship activities

During our internship in SNDP we were being supervised by Mr
Abdelli Wahid who is responsible for management department
and we have worked with Mr Abd Razek the safety manager.

Actually SNDP has no relation with the production of the

product it’s just a distribution channel that receive petroleum
product from abroad then transport it by pipelines or tank
trucks then store it in the tanks of the deposit carefully with
adding the additives.

There are some incentives used in order to create and efficient

and effective organization such as the high competition. For
information there are lots of oil companies in Tunisia and all of
them receive the same product in the same time with the same
transporter so SNDP’s workers are doing their best to create the
difference and make the best quality by giving attention on the
storage operations and the quantity of additives that should be
added and here the difference lies.

III. Assessment of the internship

From this internship we did learn lots of interpersonal skills
such as how to behave around managers and directors, how to
approach to them and when we should keep quiet, it helps us
to maintain our attitude and how much listening is necessary to
build communication among colleagues and supervisors it show
us how to deal with real life working situations.

The Responsibilities that we have undertaken during this

internship are:

Understanding the department daily process and goals

Assuring that workers are following the health and safety codes

Learning about conflict resolution

Observing and learning from experienced staff members

Taking detailed notes and liaising with supervisors.

we think that internships are really a career booster and could

influence our future plans through many ways for example it’s a
 good way to figure out what really we are good at, what field or
what department we should work in. it helps us to gain
confidence and develop our soft skills. Internships help to get
network with professionals in the field and learn lots of things
from them.

Through this internship, we noticed that some of the activities

we carried out are correlated with our classroom knowledge.

Chapter IV: Storage

IV.1. Definition of storage

 Oil and gas storage consists of temporarily immobilizing certain

volumes of oil or gas in storage capacities called pressure
vessels or tanks depending on whether or not the product
stored is under pressure.

 IV.2. Function of storage

 Storage has a primary function: to facilitate market supply

which presents great irregularities during the year due to
seasonal variations in demand (fuels in summer, fuel in winter).
It also helps to cope with unpredictable consumption ups and
downs.

 Storage needs to be well studied to avoid failures which have

massive catastrophic consequences impacts on human lives and
lead to environmental toxification. The storage of liquid
hydrocarbons is generally done in cylindrical above ground
tanks with a capacity of up to 120,000 m3. In Tunisia, The
National Oil Distribution Company AGIL S.A- where our
internship took place- is invested in the storage task. Agil main
 storage activities are concentrated and installed in the deposit
of Rades “Petroleum Zone”.

 IV.3. Storage tanks

 Storage tanks are used in refinery, chemical, and petrochemical,

and operations to store crude oil, intermediate and refined
products, gas, chemicals, and water. They are generally
installed inside containment basins in order to contain spills in
case of rupture of the tank.

The problem here that there are some characteristics should be

taken into consideration while choosing the type and size of the
storage tanks such as the quantity, volatility, chemical
characteristics, and corrosiveness.

 IV.3.1.Foundation of tanks

 The foundation of tanks depend on a variety of things such as

the type of tank, it's dimensions, environmental conditions,
material availability, local codes, Consumers demands.

 And there are many of foundation types industries could use

such as :

 Gravel ring walls supporting the tank shell.

 Concrete ring walls supporting the tank shell.

 Concrete mat on grade supporting the entire tank.

 Concrete mat on piles supporting the entire tank.

 Concrete mat and heating coils for cold storage tanks.

IV.3.2. Classification of tanks

 Storage tanks can be categorized into 3 sorts which are
atmospheric storage, Floating tank storage and Refrigerated
storage.

Atmospheric storage: Applied to tanks operating at or near

atmospheric pressure and they are used to hold liquids. They divided
into the following types :

Open top (no roof)

Has no roof and may store or process non-volatile liquids such as

water, brine, etc.

Fixed roof

Such as cone roof or umbrella roof are used to store low vapor

pressure liquids.

Generally used for gas oil, water, chemicals.

Floating roof
Floating roof is the core component of floating roof storage tank, which is divided into
two types:

External floating roof" and "internal floating roof". Because the flexible floating roof
deck can float up and down to close to the liquid level, gas space above the liquid
level can be greatly reduced, thereby greatly reducing the evaporation loss of the
stored oil

Refrigerated storage tanks:

Refers to low temperature/cryogenic storage

In cryogenic storage the gas is at, or near to atmospheric pressure

and remains liquid because of low temperature.

 IV.3.3. Venting of tanks

 Tank vents allow the flow of air in and out of a storage tank,
process vessel or line and control the pressure within vapor
space.

 Venting of tanks is a needful act to take because without tank

vents, the transfer of fluid would compromise the integrity of
the vessel. When you fill a vessel, air/vapor needs to be allowed
to escape else the vessel will burst. When you empty a vessel,
air needs to be allowed to enter else it will implode. We call this
escape and entry of air ‘breathing’. A tank needs to be allowed
to breathe, not only through filling and emptying but when
thermal effects influence, imagine a vessel in full sunlight all
day, only to be hit by a rainstorm as the sun goes down, the
rapid cooling of the product with result in a significant vacuum
which needs to be relieved.

 Causes of overpressure or vacuum

 Liquid movement into or out of the tank.

 Tank breathing due to weather changes (e.g., pressure and

temperature changes).

 Fire exposure.

 Other circumstances resulting from equipment failures and

operating errors.

 IV.4. Conditions of storage

 The drilled Oil and Gas have to transport from the occurrence
to the destination Refinery so it have to be planned well and
many safety procedure have to be done to avoid any problem in
those transportation and after transporting to the destination it
must be maintained in perfect temperature condition and
 perfect storage tanks either above the ground or the
underground .Again there are some safety procedures to be
followed which were approved by the Government safety
norms.

There are some regulations should be taken into consideration

when making the storage of oil and petroleum goods such as
the following:

✓ never dispense (or pump) manually/electrically from a

storage tank at the premises

✓ Ensure that the fuel is stored in open air. If not feasible then
it needs a direct exit to the open air and ventilation to this exit

✓ prevent any sources of heat or ignition that would ignite

✓ don’t use fuel in the storage place other than in the fuel tank
of any combustible engine.

IV.5. Organisation of deposit

The repository can be divided into six zones, the choice of the
location of each of which is based on the arguments presented in
the following table:

Zone Justification
Administrative building Compliance with safety
distances and installation
rules.
• Removal from all potential
danger zones and implantation
outside the classified zones.
• Facilitate the control of
product reception and
refueled loading operations.
Technical building Compliance with safety
distances and installation
rules.
• Proximity to areas of
operation to facilitate operator
intervention

Maintenance workshop Compliance with safety

distances and installation
rules.
• Removal from all potential
danger zones and implantation
outside the classified zones.

Jet A 1 storage area Tanks distant from truck traffic

lanes.
• Saving space and reducing
the length of pipelines (loading
and unloading)
• Distance from the storage
site fence and other premises

Hydrocarbons pumping system Facilitate the control of

operations, access and
intervention when necessary.
The location has been
designed to reduce the length
of the pipeline routes and
avoid vehicle maneuvers

Loading/ unloading station Placed in the direction of

traffic to avoid maneuvers.
• Proximity to storage and
delivery tanks
Chapter V: Distribution
 V.1. Introduction

A distribution channel is a structure of interdependent business

organizations ranging from the point of production of the product to
the consumer, through which channel members motivate and
communicate with the customers, sell and transport, stores, distributes
and secures product service.

 V.2. Sources of distribution

Oil is often produced in remote locations away from where it will be
consumed that’s why getting it to market requires many
transportation technologies. And while there are various
transportation options for oil, the decision of which way to use
usually depends on cost and location.

Petroleum products are normally transported by one of four options

which are pipelines, trucks, ships, and rails. However the national
distribution company of Agil has been transporting oil by two
methods which are pipelines and trucks.

V.2.1. By pipelines:
There is a principle company that takes the mission of reaching oil to
Agil deposits and it called SOTRAPIL. It typically used only pipelines as
a way of transportation.

Pipelines require significantly less energy to operate than trucks and

have a lower carbon footprint.

a. Types of pipeline
There are basically 3 kinds of pipeline:

Gathering pipelines; characterized by Short length, Small diameter,

Variable pressure

Gathering pipelines take the resources between the point of

extraction, and the relevant processing location.

Transporting pipelines: characterized by long length, large diameter

and high pressure.

Transportation pipelines traditionally handle the “long hauls.”

Transportations might run between cities, but they can stretch much
farther. You can find transportation pipelines running between
countries and across continents.

Distributing pipelines: characterized by medium length, small

diameter and low pressure.

The distribution pipeline is comparable to the gathering pipeline in

that it is relatively small in diameter and short compared to
transportation lines. This line is the one that delivers resources to
their final industrial, commercial, and residential destinations.

b. Environment concerns due to pipelines

Despite of their importance in oil and gas industries but pipelines
considered a harmful way when it comes to how and where they are
being built. Some of the concerns are:

Reduction of air quality as a result of dust production during

construction and emissions due to the combustion of fossil fuels used
for construction equipment.

Increased noise pollution as a result of construction and pumping

stations.
Soil erosion and contamination from construction and any leaks.

Loss of plant life as a result of construction, surface disturbances, and

changes in water flows.

Water resource disturbances in terms of quantity and quality as a

result of erosion, herbicides and leaks.

Pipelines have been constructed extensively for many years and thus
there are numerous steps taken to minimize any environmental
effects. The environmental impacts cannot be avoided entirely, only
reduced. Although these issues are all concerning, most people are
concerned with a rupture in a pipeline and a spill. A spill of petroleum
products can cause significant environmental damage and pose a risk
to human health—as they can burn, contain toxic chemicals, and
pollute groundwater. However, pipeline ruptures are not extremely
common, but they do occur. Older pipelines are much more
vulnerable to rupture as a result of corrosion.

 V.2.2. By Tanker Trucks :

The Tunisian Society of Refining Industries or STIR is considered as
the only Tunisian public company whose object is importing and
refining of crude oil.

It has a refinery, the National Refinery of Tunisia, located in the

industrial-port area of Bizerte (Zarzouna). Two-thirds of the space is
devoted to the storage of petroleum in around sixty tanks with a
capacity reaching one million m³. The port of Bizerte has two quays
allowing the mooring of oil tankers.

And since it’s the only refining and importing company in Tunis, Agil
company had to deal with it.
Tanker trucks are commonly used for transporting smaller amounts
of oil from remote regions to where it is needed.

a. Features of tanker trucks

The tank trucks have different features such as:

Some have two or three compartments so more than one type of oil
can be transported at a time or less than a full truckload of oil can be
transported. However, they are hard to find.

Some are insulated to protect the higher melting stocks from

solidifying in the transit.

Some have heated jackets to maintain higher temperature during

extreme cold weather. This is not always safe because the
temperature control is not always good.

Some have two heating coils inside that can be used to melt the
solidified product upon arrival by using low-pressure steam and
thermodynamic traps.

 V.3.The Precautions needed for tank truck

transportation:
Due to the particularity of the transported materials, the safety
requirements for the transport of tank trucks are strict, and the
following provisions should be met:

It should have measures to eliminate static ignition, and a static

elimination device should be installed at the tail of the tank.

It should have a reliable grounding device and a protective device for

forming a static conduction path between the tank car and the liquid
receiving device.
Electrical components and conductor connections should be reliable,
well shielded, with explosion-proof measures.

The sides of the tank should have a prominent word to prevent fire
(such as “no fireworks”) or other obvious signs.

The exhaust pipe of the oil truck engine is a front-mounted

structure, and a fire-proof cap should be equipped during use to
prevent accidents. Oil trucks must also be equipped with fire
extinguishers as an essential safety measure.

Chapter VI: Safety

VI.1. Introduction
the condition of being protected from harm or other non-desirable
outcomes is an important act to be taken in any field especially when
you are ruling Oil and gas industry safety considers one of the vital
constituents because we all know that most of the operational
conditions, chemicals and end products associated with oil and gas
production are well-known to pose a serious safety and health
threats to the workers as to the products themselves.

It's obvious that SNDP is a Midstream means caring about

transportation, storage and marketing not exploration and
production of oil but Oil and gas still should be carried carefully to
reach to customers with good quality. That's why in this chapter we
will mention the hazards, how to avoid it and the solutions if
something dangerous happened how workers could get out without
being harmed.

 VI.2. Typology of accidents

VI.2.1. Typology of accidents occurring on fixed roof tanks
The typology of events listed on fixed roof oil storage tanks is established in the
following figure:

Typology of accidents occuring on fixed roof

tanks

Fire 44,4%
Leak 22,2%
Boil-over 22,2%
Explosion 11,1%

Fire: represents 44.4% of the accidents recorded in the ARIA database. This is
the most encountered typology. If the fire is not quickly brought under control,
it is generally followed explosions.

Boil-over: is present in 22.2% of the accidents studied and for which the cause
is unknown.

Leak: This typology represents 22.2% of the accidents recorded. It has leaked
hydrocarbons followed by releases to the ground.

Explosion: represents 11.1% of the accidents listed in the ARIA database. They
mainly affect hydrocarbon storage facilities following an uncontrolled fire or
following a handling defect (material failures or human errors).

Causes of accidents:

The analysis of the causes of accidents, which is one of the main objectives of
feedback, is also one of the most difficult parameters to grasp in the absence of
detailed expertise. The "human and organizational factor" prevails in more
than half of the accidents involving the design, operation or maintenance of
facilities.
 Causes of accidents with fixed roof tanks

External attacks 22,2%

Human error 33.3%
Hardware failures 22.2%
Unknown 22.2%

Consequences of accidents:

The accidents listed revealed that the most frequent consequences were
property damage (58.3%), generally corresponding to damage to the tanks and
loss of the stored product.

Pollution is the second consequence identified (25%) and it corresponds to an

infiltration of hydrocarbons in the soil and contamination of groundwater.

For the human consequences, there are 16.7% accidents among the accidents
studied.

Consequences of accidents on fixed roof

tanks
Human damage ( dead, injured)
16,7%
Pollution 25,0%
Property damage 58,3%

VI.2.2. Typology of accidents occurring on floating screens

The typology of the events listed on the floating roof liquid hydrocarbon tanks
is established in the following figure:

Typology of accidents occuring on tanks with

floating screens

Fire 20%
Leak 40%
Explosion 40%

The statistical analysis of accidents that occurred concerns a sample of 15

events, 40% of which were accidents linked to fires and oil spills and 20% linked
to explosions.

Causes of accidents:

The common causes of accidents are due in 73.3% of cases to human errors
and in 26.7% of cases to material failures (cracking in the tank, corrosion, etc.).

The breakdown of accidents according to their causes is presented as follows:

Causes of accidents

Human error 73,3%

Material Failures 26,7%

Consequences of accidents:
 The accidents listed revealed that the most frequent consequences were
property damage (57.9%), generally corresponding to damage to tanks and loss
of stored product.

Pollution is the second consequence identified (26.3%) and it corresponds to an

infiltration of hydrocarbons in the soil and contamination of groundwater.

For the human consequences, there are 15.8% accidents among the accidents
studied.

conseauences of accidents of tanks with

floating screen

Human damage 15,8%

Pollution 26,3%
Property damage 57,9%

 VI.3.Analysis of risks
VI.3.1. Analysis of risks related to equipment and
operating conditions

Pipes The pipes that will be used in the depot will meet the requirements of
the regulations in force. Their dimensioning will be adapted to the use
that will be made of it. The potential for hazards residing in the pipes
consist of:
Either in a failure of the pipeline or its ancillary elements (flanges,
valves, etc.), Either in a loss of containment, a rupture or wear due to
an external event (external attack due to work, etc.).
To minimize the risk of external attack, the overhead pipes will be
protected against attack and mounted on racks at the level of traffic
lanes. In some places they will be installed in gutters.
Pumps The risks linked to the pumps of the products are mainly due to a leak
of liquid hydrocarbon which can generate a fire and / or an explosion
(of the vapor cloud formed by evaporation). This leak can occur due to
loss of tightness in the equipment of a pump or loss of integrity of a
pump.
In order to minimize this risk, the operator opted for pumps adapted to
the required function and to the climatic conditions in the area and also
of high reliability. These pumps will be installed in a dedicated bowl and
an inspection and preventive maintenance program will be
implemented.

Tanks The rupture of a tapping or a pipe, the opening of a purge valve, a rise
in pressure or a loss of physical integrity of a storage tank could lead to
a release of liquid hydrocarbons and the formation vapors.
The potential for hazards associated with storage tanks resides in the
large volumes that can be brought into play in the event of loss of
containment.

Loading/ The main risks associated with loading and unloading operations are
unloading of related to oil spills and tank overflows.
tanks Each storage tank will be equipped with a remote gauging system and
it will be installed in a retention basin. The latter is compartmentalized
to limit the spreading area in the event of a leak.

Loading/ The main risks associated with tanker truck loading operations are
unloading of related to oil leaks, overflowing tanks, release of hydrocarbon vapors
tank trucks (dome loading) and the formation of sparks (metallic shock or static
electricity). ). The prevention of sparks during the loading operation is
expressed by various measures:
The filling by the dome is carried out with a conductive dip tube
(aluminum or derivative to avoid sparks when the arm hits the tank);
The entire tube will be electrically connected to the metallic masses
and to the ground. It will be sized to reach the bottom of the tanks and
to remain submerged;
The loading will be done at a low flow rate at the beginning and at the
end of loading to avoid the formation of static electricity on an insulating
product;
In dome: only one compartment will be loaded at a time (only one
dome open);
In the event of a thunderstorm, the loading operations will be
interrupted;
In case of sampling or gauging, a sufficient relaxation time should be
 observed
Internal The risks that could be generated by the movement of tankers inside
circulation the depot are listed below:
Loss of control of a tank truck, off the road and collision with sensitive
equipment; Collision between two tankers; Ignition of a drifting
hydrocarbon cloud.
The main measures that will be implemented are:
The establishment of a one-way traffic plan and the establishment of a
road sign
Limiting the speed of circulation inside the site to 10 km / h.
The establishment of a parking lot outside the depot.
The control of tankers before access to the site via a checklist and the
ban access to non-compliant trucks (absence of flame shield for
example).
The limitation of the number of tankers circulating inside the depot.
The traffic lanes will be designed and sized to facilitate the movement
of trucks and avoid maneuvers.
The site will have fire rescue means in order to fight against any vehicle
fire and to protect the equipment exposed.

VI.3.2. Risk analysis related to external elements

Roadways Accidents involving road traffic and which may have repercussions
on the site facilities may be limited to the study of accidents
involving the transport of dangerous goods and more specifically,
the transport of flammable materials which may cause accidents.
It is noted that under current conditions, the transportation of LPG
by tanker near the proposed location of the depot is almost zero.
Rail tracks Note the absence of railways within 500 m of the proposed site of
the depot.
Airways According to the information provided by the Civil Protection, the
most important risks are at the time of takeoff and landing.
Accidents in the landing phases, approach and takeoff accounts
for 65% of all aircraft accidents. The area most likely to be
exposed is the area inside a rectangle delimited by:
A distance of 3 km on either side of the center line of the track
A distance of 1 km on either side perpendicular to the track.
The probability of a plane crash outside this area is very low. And
the probability of occurrence of a plane crash on the site is all the
lower since it is located 6 km from the nearest end of the runway
and it is not located in the axis of the runway.
In conclusion, the plane crash does not pose a security risk to the
site.

VI.3.3. Risk analysis related to climatic conditions

Temperatures The main risk linked to climatic conditions would be the risk of a
rise in temperature of the tanks in the event of strong external
heat, which could generate sufficient vapors to create an
explosive atmosphere.
In fact, in the case of a tank operating at atmospheric pressure,
operation requires a permanent equilibrium of the product stored
with the ambient air. This balance is achieved by putting the
product in direct contact with the atmosphere, for example
through vents.
The creation of a flammable atmosphere inside the tank is
therefore not accidental. It occurs when the product has a
sufficiently low flash point, that is to say that it is capable of
 generating enough vapor under operating conditions to form a
flammable mixture with air. However, in the case of depot
storage bins, the risk is limited thanks to the fixed roofs with
floating screens of the unleaded super fuel tanks.
Indeed, thus the interior of the tanks is devoid of air, this
precaution makes it possible to avoid the systematic presence of
a flammable mixture under normal operating conditions.
For fixed roof tanks, the flash point of the hydrocarbons present
(diesel and diesel 50) is at least 55 ° C. However, we note that
the absolute maximum temperature reached in
Tunisia is 46.6 ° C. This temperature is below the flash point of
these two products.
Regarding low temperatures, the risk would be freezing of pipes
carrying water. For this, the flows are kept permanent during
working hours. Furthermore the minimum temperature recorded
on the site is -0.8 ° C; the risk of freezing in the pipes is
therefore negligible.
Winds Wind related risks are:
In strong winds, significant efforts on structures; on the other
hand, they participate in a better dispersion of flammable vapors
in the event of a leak of a volatile product (unleaded super fuel);
In weak winds, the low dispersion of flammable vapors which
keeps them at high concentrations. At equal initial flow,
explosions of clouds of flammable vapors under such conditions
have more serious consequences than by wind Medium or
strong. The prevailing winds are mostly weak winds (from 1 to 5
m / s). These wind speeds correspond to those used for
scenario modeling. In conclusion, the winds do not represent a
risk for the security of the site.
Fog The presence of fog can:
On the one hand hinder visibility, especially when maneuvering
trucks. Foggy days are very rare (around 6 days a year) and it
usually disperses in the morning. In addition, the site will be lit
and the drivers will be trained and know the site and traffic
lanes.
On the other hand, generate external corrosion phenomena on
pipes or other metallic devices. Hydraulic tests and pipe
thickness checks will be carried out periodically and the tanks
will be tested
decennial hydraulics in accordance with the regulations in force.
In conclusion, the fog does not represent a risk for the security
of the site.
White jelly The presence of snow or white frost on the site can hinder site
activity due to the difficulty of movement of handling equipment
and trucks. However, white frosts and especially snowfall are
very exceptional in
Tunisia. In conclusion, the white frost does not represent a risk
for the security of the site.

Flood A flood or marine submersion can Cause a tank to rupture in the

event of a large wave. The site reservoirs will be protected by
the retaining walls of the basins.
Cause the rupture of a pipeline by displacement of the line
supports. The sizing of the line supports will be carried out by
the operator according to the regulations and standards in force.
A study of the history of the chosen site has shown that it is not
exposed to the risk of flooding or to the risk of marine
submersion during a storm.
In conclusion, flooding and marine submersion do not represent
a risk for the security of the site. However, measures will be
implemented to reduce these risks (rainwater network, elevated
reservoirs and fitted with retention basins).
Lightning Lightning is a potential source of ignition, either through the
activation of combustion, or through the generation of a local
auto-ignition temperature where it occurs.

 VI.4. Measures to take to reduce the possible

consequences
General operating instructions:
In order to guarantee adequate working conditions and
environment, workers' safety must be ensured so they should
follow the safety instructions which represented in:
 Protective clothing, safety helmets, safety shoes, ear protection
helmets, gloves (leather or PVC) depending on use, protective
glasses, gas and steam mask, safety harness, as required,
control and alarm systems at the depot.
The depot will have the following alarms and means of control
and prevention:
Emergency stops and general alarm buttons
An automatic gauging system and level alarms on the tanks
Remote monitoring system and an anti-intrusion system
 Emergency stops and general alarm buttons
The depot will have nine (9) general alarm buttons distributed
throughout the site. They have the following characteristics:
Action on a stop punch and broken glass
Consequences of a general alarm
Triggering of the alarm siren
Automatic start of 2 fire engine pump groups.
Automatic gauging and level alarms on tanks
Each tank is equipped with a manual gauging well, an
automatic dipstick and a strip. The remote gauging system fitted
to each tank makes it possible to monitor the level of the
product and to measure the temperature inside the tank. The
results are reported on a monitoring screen installed at the
office of the security manager.
Each tank is equipped with four alarm levels:
Very high level alarm
High level alarm
Low level alarm
Very low level alarm
Remote monitoring and anti-intrusion system:
The depot will have several video surveillance cameras
distributed throughout the site, which will be broadcast to the
warden's room and to the depot manager's office. An anti-
intrusion system composed of several infrared cells distributed
throughout the Site fence will be set up at the depot.
Fire fighting equipment:
1- Sprayer: or the automatic extinguishing head
It is a device for detecting excessive heat and automatic
dispersion of water during a fire. In fact these are half spherical
jet tools used:
- In water for cooling tanks or for extinguishing solid fuel
-In doped water for extinction of flammable liquid
=> An enormous increase in temperature leads to the rupture of
the bulb or the melting of the fuse which keeps the head closed

Figure: Sprayer
2- The foam chambers:
They are used for the protection of storage tanks for
hydrocarbons or other flammable liquids of the fixed roof or
internal floating roof model.
Feed in premix (water + foam concentrate) under pressure, they
form the foam by mixing the premix with air sucked through
nozzles and diversify it inside the tank against the coat, using a
deflector weir.
The foam chambers normally fixed on a flange mounted at the
top of the tank coat as shown in the following figure:

Figure: Foam chamber fixed on a tank

3- The foam tank
It is installed at the top of the hydrocarbon tanks to extinguish a
fire by generating a foam layer. They are made up of 2
integrated elements:
- A foam generator to produce profusion
-A weir to guide the foam down the tank wall, on the surface of
the joint
Each foam generator operates by transferring a pressurized
foaming solution through a calibrated orifice in stainless steel.
the foam thus produced pass into the spillway and end up being
projected
The foam obtained falls on the tray and spreads over the air in
the tank seal.
 Figure: Foam of tank

VI.5. Rules of tanks establishment

The various hydrocarbon locations of the same establishment
must be grouped together in one or more hydrocarbon parks as
much as possible.
Distance between fixed air tanks:
The minimum distance between the walls of 2 air tanks must be
at least equal to a quarter of the diameter of the largest tank,
without this distance being less than 1.50 meters.
The walls of tanks must be at least 1 meter from the base of
walls constituting the bowl.
Buried tanks:
They are subject to the provisions of Tunisian standard NT
109.09 setting the conditions to be fulfilled by underground
tanks in which flammable liquids are stored.
Distance between locations:
The following minimum distances must be observed:
- Between unloading station for road tanks, wagons, barges,
and fixed tank walls 5 meters
- Between loading station for road tanks, wagons, barges, and
mobile filling station for tanks on the one hand and fixed tank
walls on the other hand 15 meters.
These minimum distances are reduced by half if it is a second
category hydrocarbon.
In addition, fire water pumps must be located outside the fire-
free area
The laboratories located inside the depots must be located at
least 15 meters from the following hydrocarbon locations: air
tanks, loading and unloading station, oil pumps.
 When an establishment includes both liquid hydrocarbon
locations and Liquefied Hydrocarbon locations, the minimum
distance between those locations with the exception of
pipelines must be 20 meters.

Conclusion
The national Oil Distribution Company AGIL is considering the
largest distribution company among Tunisia, where our rapport
takes place in.
The report starts by introducing the company. The second
chapter highlights the activities that we have been working on
and our responsibilities. Next chapter is about the assessment
of the internship. The forth chapter presents Oil storage. The
fifth chapter explains the distribution methods that AGIL
depends on. Finally, the last chapter consists of the safety
techniques of the products.
This project has allowed us to learn something new, something
that we have not studied it before, but thanks to our supervisor’s
help we discover lots of staff about petroleum regulations and
policies and we gain an experience about this field.

References
https://www.oilandgasiq.com/strategy-management-and-information/articles/oil-gas-industry-an-introduction

https://vdocuments.mx/storage-tank-foundation-design-guidedoc.html

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
309487430_Introduction_to_API_Storage_tanks_and_their_venting

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
337211701_Storage_Handling_and_Safety_Procedure_for_Fuel_in_Oil_Gas_Industry