SAES-B-070 Editorial Revision (10-28-2021)

Engineering Standard
SAES-B-070 28 October 2021

Fire and Safety Requirements for Bulk Plants,
Air Fueling Terminals and Sulfur Loading/Unloading Facilities
Document Responsibility: Loss Prevention Standards Committee
Contents
1 Scope ................................................................. 4
2 Conflicts and Deviations ..................................... 4
3 References ......................................................... 4
4 Definitions .......................................................... 6
5 Layout, Spacing and Access .............................. 8
6 Fire and Gas Detection and Alarms ................. 11
7 Fire Suppression Systems ............................... 12
8 Drainage ........................................................... 15
9 Product Pumps ................................................. 17
10 Flow Restrictions .............................................. 17
11 Tankage and Piping ......................................... 18
12 Area Classification, Bonding and Grounding .... 18
13 Emergency Shutdown (ESD) and Isolation ...... 19
14 Flow Control ..................................................... 19
15 Overfill Protection ............................................. 20
Appendix A - Static Control.................................... 22
Revision Summary................................................. 25
Previous Issue: 20 September 2020 Next Planned Update: 20 September 2025

Contact GHAMSS1I Page 1 of 26
©Saudi Aramco 2020. All rights reserved.
Saudi Aramco: Company General Use

Document Responsibility: Loss Prevention Standards Committee SAES-B-070
Issue Date: 28 October 2021 Fire and Safety Requirements for Bulk Plants,
Next Planned Update: 20 September 2025 Air Fueling Terminals and Sulfur Loading/Unloading Facilities
Summary of Changes
Change Type
Paragraph Number
(Addition,
Technical Change(s)
Previous Revision Current Revision Modification,
(25 May 2017) (9 September 2020) Deletion)
4 4 Modification The definition of ‘White Products’ was deleted

as this term is not used in the document.
5.7 5.7 New New statement added: Parked or queuing

trucks shall not, at any time, obstruct fire
truck access routes.
5.8 5.8 Modification As bunker fuel is a type of fuel oil; to avoid

confusion the term ‘bunker fuel’ was deleted
and the term ‘fuel oils’ was retained.
5.27 5.27 New New statement added: Heel recovery

systems shall be provided per SAES-A-400.
6.3 6.3 Modification Changed from ‘two detectors must detect fire
in order to activate an automatic fire
suppression system’ to 2ooN detectors.
6.5 6.5 Modification Clarified that ‘manual fire alarm pull boxes for
the activation of the suppression system
shall be provided at the ends of each loading
or unloading bay’.
7.7 7.7 Modification Minor editorial correction. Corrected, 15 m

from the fire hazardous zone to 15 m from
the fire hazardous equipment.
7.12.3 7.12.3 Modification Replaced the term ‘black product’ with

‘asphalt’ as in this case the term black
product refers to asphalt.
7.12.5 7.12.5 Modification Deleted statement that ‘the minimum spacing

between foam water deluge skid and fire
hazard is 15 m (50 ft)’ as this was a repeat of
the requirement in section 7.7.
©Saudi Aramco 2020. All rights reserved. Page 2 of 26

7.14.2 7.14.2 Modification This section has been modified to align with
the new edition of NFPA 16 which mandates
that the spill area shall be limited by drainage
or containment to the system design area.
Therefore, the protection should cover the
equipment and the envelope extending to the
system design area.
7.12.4 7.12.4 Modification The foam design discharge density was

increased from 0.10 gpm/ft2 to 0.16 gpm/ft2 to
7.13.1 7.13.1 align with the minimum required design
discharge density in NFPA 16.
7.13.2 7.13.2

1 Scope
This standard covers the minimum mandatory fire and safety requirements for bulk
plants, air fueling terminals and sulfur transfer facilities including truck and tank car
loading and unloading facilities, associated pumps, flow control and storage tanks.
Note: Governmental Air Fueling terminals operated by Saudi Aramco are to be reviewed on
a case-by-case basis for fire and safety requirements and adherence to local
requirements.
Automotive fuel stations are outside this standard’s scope. They shall comply with
with SASO 1277, Safety Requirements for Service Stations, and NFPA 30A, Code for
Motor Fuel Dispencsing, Facilities and Repair Garages.
2 Conflicts and Deviations
Any conflicts between this document and other applicable Mandatory Saudi Aramco
Engineering Requirements (MSAERs) shall be addressed to the EK&RD Coordinator.
Any deviation from the requirements herein shall follow internal company procedure
SAEP-302.
3 References
All referenced specifications, standards, codes, forms, drawings, and similar material
shall be considered part of this standard to the extent specified herein and shall be the
latest issue (including all revisions, addenda, and supplements) unless stated otherwise.
3.1 Saudi Aramco References
Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure

SAEP-302 Waiver of a Mandatory Saudi Aramco Engineering
Requirement
Saudi Aramco Engineering Standards

SAES-A-302 Aviation Fuel Quality Assurance Design Requirement
SAES-A-400 Industrial Drainage Systems
SAES-B-005 Spacing and Diking for Atmospheric and Low-Pressure
Tanks
SAES-B-008 Restrictions to Use of Cellars, Pits, and Trenches
SAES-B-014 Safety Requirements for Plant and Operations Support
Buildings
SAES-B-017 Fire Water System Design
SAES-B-018 Foam Systems

SAES-B-019 Portable, Mobile, and Special Fixed Firefighting

Equipment
SAES-B-054 Access, Egress, and Materials Handling for Plant
Facilities
SAES-B-055 Plant Layout
SAES-B-058 Emergency Shutdown, Isolation and Depressuring
SAES-B-067 Safety Identification and Safety Colors
SAES-B-068 Electrical Area Classification
SAES-B-069 Emergency Eyewashes and Showers
SAES-B-071 Community and Facility Wide-area Alerting Systems
SAES-J-100 Process Measurement
SAES-J-505 Combustible Gas and Hydrogen Sulfide in Air Detection
Systems
SAES-J-601 Emergency Shutdown and Isolation Systems
SAES-L-100 Applicable Codes and Standards for Pressure Piping
Systems
SAES-L-132 Materials Selection for Pipelines, Piping and Process
Equipment
SAES-M-100 Saudi Aramco Building Code
SAES-P-111 Grounding
SAES-S-020 Oily Water Drainage Systems
SAES-S-030 Storm Water Drainage Systems
SAES-Z-008 Design of Terminal Management Systems
Saudi Aramco General Instruction

GI-1781.001 General Instruction - Inspection, Testing and Maintenance
of Fire Protection Equipment
Saudi Aramco Manuals and Codes

SACSM Saudi Aramco Construction Safety Manual (CSM)
3.2 Industry Codes and Standards
American Petroleum Institute

API RP 1004 Bottom Loading and Vapor Recovery for MC-306 Tank
Motor Vehicles

API RP 2003 Protection Against Ignitions Arising Out of Static,

Lightning, and Stray Currents
API STD 2350 Tank Overfill Protection
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

NFPA 10 Portable Fire Extinguishers
NFPA 15 Standard for Water Spray Fixed Systems for Fire
Protection
NFPA 16 Foam-Water Sprinkler and Foam-Water Spray Systems
NFPA 30 Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code
NFPA 30A Code for Motor Fuel Dispensing, Facilities and Repair
Garages
NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code
NFPA 77 Recommended Practice on Static Electricity
NFPA 407 Standard for Aircraft Fuel Servicing
NFPA 499 Classification of Combustible Dusts and of Hazardous
(Classified) locations for Electrical Installations in
Chemical Process Areas
3.3 Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO)

SASO 1277 Safety Requirements for Service Stations
SASO 2288 Road Vehicles Bottom Loading Tank Trucks and Trailers
4 Definitions
Air Fueling Terminal: Bulk receiving and storage facilities owned by Saudi Aramco
associated with supplying aircraft fuel, included are tanks, pumps and filter systems.
Aromatics: Benzene, Toluene and Paraxylene.
Bay: Truck lane or rail siding where a tank truck or rail car is parked during loading or
unloading operations.
Bay Island: A raised area adjacent to loading or unloading bay, containing equipment
related to the operation of the bay.
Bottom Loading System: A system in which products are loaded into a tanker truck
through one or more connections on the bottom of a tank.
Bulk Plant: A facility whose function is to receive and/or store petroleum products for
the purpose of distribution by tank truck, tank car, or pipeline.

Car Set: Railroad cars loaded or unloaded as a coupled unit.
Closed Circuit Television with Flame Detection (CCTV/FD): Detectors providing

live video and fire sensing in the Visible or Ultraviolet (UV) segment of the
electromagnetic spectrum to identify fires using flame detection algorithms.
Electronic Fire Detection (EFD): Fire detection technologies based on sensing

variations in the Infrared, Visible or Ultraviolet regions of the electromagnetic
spectrum. Examples are Close Circuit Television with Visible Flame Detection
(CCTV/VFD), Close Circuit Television with Sun Blind Ultraviolet flame detection
(CCTV/SBUV), Multi-spectrum Infrared (MIR), or Combination UV/IR technologies.
Emergency Valve: A bottom loading inlet/outlet valve installed in a tank compartment

that is capable of self-closing in the event of an emergency. Also referred to as a
pneumatic bottom valve in SASO 2288, Exhibit VI and equivalent to a spray deflector
in API RP 2003.
Foam-water Deluge System: A deluge valve activated foam-water fire suppression

system, including foam concentrate proportioner, distribution piping, and application
devices (collectively referred to herein as foam).
Linear Fire Detection: Fire detection using a heat sensitive cable.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): Liquefied Petroleum Gases
Loading System: The piping downstream of the pumps taking suction from tanks
including, meters and vehicle connections.
MTBE: Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether
Multi-spectrum Infrared Fire Detection (MIR): Detectors sensing in infrared

segments of the electromagnetic spectrum that identify fires based on flame radiation.
Operations Center: A building or room where loading or unloading and tank farm
status is monitored.
Parking Couplings: Couplings mounted on a bracket near the hose or loading arm to
store the hose or loading arm when not in use.
Petrochemicals: Ethyl Amine, MTBE, etc., not intended for direct fuel usage.
Queuing Area: An intermediate parking area where documentation is completed and a

bay assignment is made.
Rack: A group of contiguous loading or unloading bays.
Roll Curb: A slightly raised concrete curb used for drainage control at the ends of the
bays and along the outer edges of the end bays.

Staging Area for Trucks: A parking area away from the loading operation where
trucks are parked during initial inspection and processing.
Standby Area: The area where trucks queue for specific loading or unloading bays.
Sulfur: A chemical element, which is typically associated with oil and gas production
and later separated to avoid toxic and corrosive concerns and allow the petroleum
products to meet sales requirements. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow crystalline at
room temperature. It melts at 115°C (239°F).
Sulfur Transfer Facility: A facility whose function is to receive and/or store sulfur
products for the purpose of distribution by tank truck, tank car, or pipeline.
Tank Car: A railroad car for transporting liquids or gases in bulk.
Tank Train: A system of interconnected railroad tank cars with single point
loading/unloading.
Terminal Management System (TMS): An integrated system of hardware and

software components for the monitoring and control of plant operations and for local
maintenance of the customer account transaction database. Refer to SAES-Z-008.
Top Loading System: A system by which liquid products are loaded via loading arms
into road or rail vehicle tank through one or more openings in the top of the tank.
UV/IR Detection: Detectors that identify fires based on flame radiation sensing in both
the ultraviolet and infrared segments of the electromagnetic spectrum simultaneously.
Vapor Recovery Unit (VRU): A self-contained vapor gathering system capable of

collecting the released hydrocarbon vapors and gases in a system and processing such
hydrocarbon vapors and gases so as to prevent their emission into the atmosphere.
5 Layout, Spacing and Access
5.1 Layout, access, and spacing of these facilities and associated storage shall
comply with SAES-B-005, SAES-B-014, SAES-B-054, SAES-B-055 and this
standard. Equipment separation distances are contained in Table 1 of this
standard.
Note: Compliance with the flow control limits (vd) may have a significant effect on site
layout as the length/size of piping required may be significant, refer to Section 10.
5.2 A truck staging area for inspection and initiation of paperwork shall be provided
adjacent to the bulk plant truck entrance.
5.3 A truck queuing area for completion of paperwork and bay assignment shall be
provided.

5.4 An access platform to inspect the top of tank cars or trucks is required for each
facility. The access platform shall have stairs and shall otherwise comply with
SAES-B-054. At elevated areas where railings or other fixed fall protection
devices are not installed or are removable, anchor points for fall protection shall
be provided capable of supporting at least 2,268 kg per person attached.
The anchor point shall be at least 2 m (6.5 ft) above the walking surface. A safe
access to the top of any tanker for a driver, operator or inspector is required to
verify the top hatch car-seal numbers and to open or close the hatches of sulfur
tankers.
Note: For details, see the CSM, Volume 2, Part II, Section 5, Fall Protection.
5.5 The minimum spacing for truck standby areas shall be 15 m (50 ft) from racks.
5.6 Staging and queuing areas shall be 30 m (100 ft) from normally occupied
buildings.
5.7 Traffic patterns for trucks shall be designed as one-way through traffic.
Entrance paths shall not cross exit paths. Counter flow lanes or mixed traffic
patterns are prohibited. Parked or queuing trucks shall not, at any time, obstruct
fire truck access routes.
5.8 Racks shall be segregated by product type:

a) Fuel oils and asphalt
b) LPG
c) Petrochemicals
d) Sulfur
e) Gasolines, diesel, kerosene, jet fuels and crude oil
5.9 The minimum separation distance between any two racks shall be 15 m (50 ft).
5.10 A reinforced concrete roll curb for spill containment shall be installed
surrounding each truck rack area. The nominal size roll curb is 1 m (4 ft) wide
with a 75 mm (3 in) height at the center, smoothly tapering to the edges.
5.11 A non-combustible canopy shall be installed over each loading rack or metering
area, extending 1 m (4 ft) beyond the containment area of the rack or metering
base.
Exceptions:
Top loading bays and tank car racks shall have canopies at the minimum
practicable height.
A full-cover canopy is not necessary for tank car racks. A canopy covering
loading arms and metering equipment shall be provided.

5.12 Truck bays shall have a clearance height of 4.5 m (15 ft) from grade.
5.13 The canopy structure may be used to support fire detectors, fire protection
piping, lighting equipment, and ancillary piping.
5.14 The product headers and cable trays shall be located not less than 1 m (4 ft)
outside a canopy.
Exception: Rail car loading/unloading headers shall be located as required by detailed
design and comply with 5.24.
5.15 The maximum number of truck bays in any one rack shall not exceed six.
5.16 Loading and unloading truck bays shall be drive-through design.
5.17 The minimum clear width of a loading or unloading bay shall be 5 m (16.5 ft).
5.18 Truck bay length shall be 20 m (65.5 ft) minimum between roll curbs.
5.19 For loading bays, surfaces shall be constructed so that vehicles sit level.
5.20 LPG loading bays shall have a minimum separation of 30 m (100 ft) from bays
of other products.
5.21 Vapor Recovery Units (VRUs) shall be located a minimum of 15 m (50 ft) from
loading racks or other structures, excluding pipe racks.
5.22 Bay islands shall be elevated 200 mm (8 in) above grade, sloped, no less than
1%, to enhance drainage and wide enough that no stowed equipment extends
beyond the edge of the island. This includes loading/unloading/vapor arms and
hoses in their retracted position and the low-level fire suppression spray heads.
5.23 All aboveground interconnecting piping and supports shall be protected from
vehicle contact by using curbs, posts, or bumpers.
5.24 Loading or unloading and vapor recovery arms or hoses shall be mounted so as
not to trap the driver/operator between the arms or hoses during hookup.
Loading/unloading/vapor arms or hose parking couplings shall be provided.
5.25 Emergency eyewashes and showers shall be provided and shall comply with
location and spacing criteria in SAES-B-069.
5.26 Operator shelters shall be of non-combustible construction and located outside

roll curbs.
5.27 The use of cellars, pits, vaults, telecommunication service points and trenches
shall comply with SAES-B-008. Heel recovery systems shall be provided per
SAES-A-400.

5.28 Buildings shall comply with SAES-B-014. Operations centers, process interface
buildings (PIBs), and other buildings at bulk plants are not considered control
rooms.
5.29 Signs shall be provided at each rack ESD and fire alarm pull box indicating the
purpose and function of the actuating button. Signs shall be in both Arabic and
English. The size of letters shall not be less than 13 mm (0.5 in).
6 Fire and Gas Detection and Alarms
All facilities shall have fire detection and alarm systems reporting to the master fire
alarm control panel in the Operations Center or other offsite 24 hour manned facility for
the installation if the onsite Operations Center is not continuously manned.
Design, drawings, and calculations for fire detection and suppression systems shall be
done by or directly supervised by a registered professional engineer in the specialty of
fire protection. All drawings shall bear the seal of that registered engineer.
The system’s detailed design shall be reviewed by the Area Loss Prevention
Department.
At loading and unloading racks, product and pipeline shipping pumps and fueling
facilities where a deluge fire system is required, a fire detection and alarm system shall
be installed. Fire detection shall be by an EFD technology. Heat detectors are
prohibited.
6.1 Fire alarm systems shall be of the addressable type per NFPA 72. Audible alerts
shall be provided at each rack shall be per SAES-B-071, “General Emergency.”
Visual strobe lights/beacons for fire and gas detection shall be per NFPA 72 and
SAES-J-505.
6.2 All detectors and sounders shall be labeled, listed or certified for their application.
6.3 EFD systems shall be cross-zoned such that 2ooN detectors must detect fire in
order to activate an automatic fire suppression system. Point type heat detectors
are prohibited.
Note: CCTV/SBUV or UV/IR flame detectors are required for monitoring racks
handling sulfur.
6.4 Linear fire detection shall be installed on floating roof tanks, above the seal of
the tank, in accordance with manufacturer’s requirements.
6.5 Manual fire alarm pull boxes for the activation of the suppression system shall
be provided at the ends of each loading or unloading bay mounted between 1.2
m (4 ft) and 1.5 m (5 ft) above grade.

6.6 Fire detection and alarm panels shall be independent of panels of other types. It
is permissible for detection and alarm panels to send signals in accordance to
NFPA 72 to other types of panels or to the TMS.
6.7 Fire detection and alarm systems for buildings shall be provided when required
to comply with SAES-B-014 and SAES-M-100.
6.8 Sulfur handling facilities and LPG racks are to be provided with H2S gas
detection in accordance with the requirements of SAES-J-505, if there is a
possibility H2S vapors may be present.
7 Fire Suppression Systems
7.1 The fire water system shall comply with the requirements of SAES-B-017 and
SAES-B-019, except as required by this standard.
7.2 Fire suppression system designs shall comply with the applicable requirements
of SAES-B-017, SAES-B-018, and this standard.
7.3 Primary actuation of a deluge system shall be initiated by the EFD. Manual
foam actuating stations shall be provided in a safe location to comply with
SAES-B-058. The deluge valves shall be located at foam skids.
7.4 The design of water spray systems shall be based on the hydraulically most
remote spray nozzle pressure of that system to be not less than 170
kPag (25 psig), to ensure wind effects are accounted for.
7.5 The ability to control individual systems shall be provided in the operations
center. Manual actuation of individual systems shall also be possible at the
deluge valves.
7.6 Actuation of a fire suppression system shall cause the master emergency
shutdown system to activate.
7.7 The minimum spacing between a foam skid and any fire hazardous equipment is
15 m (50 ft).
7.8 Air fueling terminals shall be protected as applicable under the requirements
below, SAES-B-017 and NFPA 407.
7.9 Pump areas, buildings, warehouses, rail sidings, etc., shall have extinguishers
provided in quantities and locations to comply with the requirements of
SAES-B-019 and NFPA 10.
7.10 Commissioning and testing procedures shall comply with NFPA 15 and NFPA
16 requirements. All tests shall be witnessed by designated representatives of
the Area Loss Prevention and Fire Protection departments, per GI-1781.001.

7.11 Tankage Protection
7.11.1 Bulk plants that do not have a Saudi Aramco fire station located on-site
shall have an automatic fixed foam system provided for open-top
floating roof tank rim seal protection, pipeline shipping pumps, product
loading and unloading pumps.
7.11.2 The foam distribution piping system shall be designed so that foam can
be diverted to any open-top floating roof tank. All foam distribution
valves shall be operable from outside the diked areas.
7.11.3 The system shall include a deluge valve for each tank on the discharge
side of the foam proportioner. The control of the valve shall be
possible by local actuation and from the Operations Center.
Note: For existing facilities, the retrofit of a foam water deluge system is
recommended at bulk plants where no Saudi Aramco fire station is
located onsite. The retrofit can be phased with other projects or T&I
activities.
7.11.4 The tank farm shall be provided with a looped fire water system. The
tank farm loop shall not be less than 255 mm (10 in) pipe. The tank
farm header capacity design basis shall meet SAES-B-017, but in no
case shall it be less than 190 l/s (3,000 gpm) at 690 kPa gauge (100
psi).
Note: It is not required to provide permanently installed pump capacity to
handle a fully involved tank fire or dike fire. Portable pumps or fire
trucks can be tied into the system to supplement flow in the remote
chances of a fully involved tank fire.
7.12 Truck Rack Protection
7.12.1 Deluge systems shall activate and discharge foam to a complete rack.
Each rack deluge system shall be independent of other racks.
Incremental coverage on a bay-by-bay basis is prohibited.
7.12.2 Deluge water only spray system shall be provided for LPG loading
facilities.
7.12.3 At sulfur and asphalt racks, no spray system is required, except for
crude oil loading/unloading racks that require an evaluation of crude
components for volatile components.
7.12.4 Spray nozzles shall be at an elevation not exceeding 5 m (15 ft) and
shall have an unobstructed spray pattern. For product loading or
unloading facilities, a foam system shall provide 100% spray coverage

of the area within the roll curb at a density of 0.11 L/m² S (0.16
gpm/ft²) over this area.
Where foam water deluge is provided four directional foam nozzles

(horizontal fan pattern) on the loading side of each truck lane
approximately 1 m (4 ft) above local grade shall be provided equally
spaced along the island.
7.12.5 All bays, four foam nozzles on the loading side of each truck lane
approximately 1 m (4 ft) above local grade, shall be equally spaced
along the island. The primary foam spray nozzle shall be 3 m (10 ft)
forward of the primary spray.
7.12.6 Two (2) fire hose reels (water only) shall be provided at each truck
rack. The hose reels shall be located outside the roll curb at diagonally
opposite corners of the rack.
7.13 Tank Car Rack Protection
7.13.1 Tank car bottom-loading and unloading racks for hydrocarbons, shall
be provided with foam coverage to each tank car. Foam coverage shall
be at a density of 0.11 L/m² S (0.16 gpm/ft²) on the spill collection
pans.
7.13.2 Train tankcar foam protection shall be provided on the spill

collection pan of the loading/unloading car at a density of 0.11 L/m² S
(0.16 gpm/ft²).
7.13.3 Tank car racks for sulfur shall be protected by two-monitor coverage
per SAES-B-017.
7.13.4 For railroad tank car racks handling flammable liquids, top loading
racks shall be provided with foam sprays to protect the dome area.
Two ground level directional foam nozzles shall be provided for
coverage underneath the tank car. Bottom loading racks shall be
provide with two ground level directional foam nozzles for coverage
underneath the tank car.
7.14 Pump and Meter Protection
7.14.1 Pipeline shipping, product pumps and meters at bulk plants shall be
protected by foam water spray.
7.14.2 Protection for pumps shall be applied at a rate of 0.34 L/m² S

(0.50 gpm/ft²) to the equipment and the envelope extending to the
system design area per NFPA 16. The system design area is equal to

the spill area that is limited by drainage or containment, such as toe

walls.
7.14.3 If a pump or meter area is 15 m (50 ft) from another similar area, each
area shall be protected by a separate deluge valve, actuation of which
shall not result in actuation of the other.
7.14.4 VRUs shall have single monitor coverage, per SAES-B-017,

Section 9.3 (a), unless protected by a 158.8 kg (350 lbs) wheeled type,
BC rated dry chemical unit.
Wind induced drift shall be taken into account when locating foam
nozzles at pump shelters. Spray head placement shall counter any
coverage deficiencies generated by trolley cranes.
7.15 Portable Fire Extinguishers
7.15.1 A 12.5 kg BC type dry chemical hand fire extinguisher shall be

provided at each end of the loading or unloading bays.
7.15.2 A 68 kg (56.7 lbs) BC wheeled type dry chemical extinguisher shall be

provided at each loading or unloading rack.
8 Drainage
8.1 Drainage shall be designed to prevent one area being affected by a spill in
another area.
8.2 Drainage systems shall comply with the requirements of SAES-A-400,

SAES-S-020, and SAES-S-030.
8.3 Surface drainage shall be sloped away from equipment and structures. Drainage
patterns outside the rack areas shall be designed with consideration for
personnel escape routes.
Sulfur truck loading and unloading water drainage patterns shall accommodate
the weigh scales as needed.
8.4 For tank car bottom loading and unloading and top loading of sulfur and asphalt,
spill collection areas shall extend to 2 m (6.5 ft) each side from the centerline of
the track, for the length of the car set.
8.5 For Tank Trains, spill collection pans shall extend to 2 m (6.5 ft) each side from
the centerline of the track, for the length of the loading/unloading car.
Foam water catch basins shall pass effluent into the oily water sewer system.

8.6 Rack area paving shall be of reinforced concrete sloped to catch basins.
8.7 For loading/unloading bays, catch basins shall be located at the entrance and exit
of the bays.
For offloading bays the catch basins shall be located at the entrance of the bays.
Exception: Asphalt and sulfur terminals should avoid the use of catch basins to avoid
the possibility of these becoming plugged during spillages and should
utilize curbing or channels instead.
8.8 The catch basins shall be offset from the vehicle lane so that trucks do not drive
on a catch basin. Custom catch basin designs shall be reviewed by the
Chairman of Plumbing & Utilities Standards Committee.
8.9 Drainage systems shall be designed to drain the total flow of an area deluge
system plus 1,900 L (500 gallons).
Drain laterals and headers serving loading and unloading racks shall be designed
to drain the total flow of the racks deluge system plus 32 L/s (500 gpm) of
product spill or hose stream allowance.
Surface drainage from one product pump group shall not go to the catch basin(s)
of another product group. Catch basins, sloping of slabs, and curbing shall be
designed to prevent surface drainage of one product group approaching 3 m (10
ft) of another product group.
8.10 Holding tanks or sumps shall be installed for wastewater handling.
8.10.1 The primary containment for the liquid hydrocarbon truck racks shall be
sized to hold 5 minutes of deluge flow plus 41,000 L (11,000 gallons);
85,000 L (22,500 gallons) where aircraft fuelers are used.
8.10.2 The primary containment for pump areas shall be sized to hold 5
minutes of deluge flow plus 1,900 L (500 gallons).
8.10.3 The primary containment for sulfur loading racks shall be sized to hold
9,500 L (2,500 gallons). The design shall provide clean-outs every
15 m (50 ft) in piping runs.
8.10.4 The primary containment for LPG truck loading facilities shall have
sealed catch basins draining to holding tanks or sump containment
sized to hold 5 minutes of deluge system flow.
8.10.5 The primary containment for hydrocarbon tank car loading and
unloading facilities shall be sized to hold 5 minutes of deluge flow plus
130,000 L (34,350 gallons).

9 Product Pumps
9.1 Pumps shall be segregated into groups by product.
9.2 Loading pumps shall be located a minimum distance of 15 m (50 ft) from
loading racks.
9.3 Emergency isolation valves (EIVs) shall be power-operated, regardless of size

or pressure rating.
9.4 Unloading pumps and piping shall be designed to ensure tankers are completely
emptied, through sloping and drain points.
10 Flow Restrictions
The flow restrictions for safe design are based on reducing the static electric charge on
products to the lowest practicable level prior to product entering tankage. The
determining factor is referred to as vd, (fluid velocity) where v is velocity in m/s; d is
inside diameter of the piping in meters. Refer to the Appendix - Static Control, for
guidance.
10.1 In general the maximum fluid velocity for hydrocarbon truck loading shall not
exceed vd <0.5 m2/s in any section of the loading system within 30 seconds
upstream of fluid entry to a tanker.
The maximum fluid velocity for truck loading of products with ≤50 ppm sulfur
and conductivity of <10 pS/m (picosiemens/m) or unknown conductivity shall
not exceed vd <0.35 m2/s in any section of the loading system within 30 seconds
upstream of fluid entry to a tanker.
10.2 The maximum fluid velocity for aromatic products with conductivity of less
than 10 pS/m or unknown conductivity shall not exceed vd <0.38 m2/s in any
section of the loading system within 100 seconds upstream of fluid entry to a
tanker.
10.3 The maximum fluid velocity for hydrocarbon tank car loading shall not exceed
vd < 0.75 m2/sec in any section of the loading system within 30 seconds
upstream of fluid entry to a tank car.
The maximum fluid velocity for tank car loading of products with ≤50 ppm
sulfur and conductivity of <10 pS/m (picosiemens/m) or unknown conductivity
shall not exceed vd <0.53 m2/s in any section of the loading system within 30
seconds upstream of fluid entry to a tank car.
10.4 The loading rate for inerted Tank Train systems is limited by the car
interconnecting hose manufacturer’s specification or SAES-L-132.

11 Tankage and Piping
11.1 Piping shall be designed in accordance with SAES-L-100 and the flow rate
restrictions.
11.2 The product tank piping shall have bypass capability to transfer product from
one tank to another same-service tank.
11.3 Product storage tanks for jet fuel, shall comply with SAES-A-302.
11.4 Safety-identification of piping, storage tanks, and other equipment shall comply
with SAES-B-067.
11.5 Cam type vapor hose and API listed dry break product couplers shall be provided.
11.6 Piping with a drip leg shall be provided for vapor collection. The vapor from
each loading bay shall be vented individually. A vent outlet that is located
within a horizontal distance of 7.5 m (25 ft) of any canopy shall terminate at
least 1.5 m (5 ft) above the canopy elevation.
Exception: Flammable vapors shall be routed to VRUs. Top loading operations do not
require vapor collection.
11.7 Tank car and tank truck loading of LPG shall be via a closed system.
12 Area Classification, Bonding and Grounding
12.1 Electrical area classifications shall comply with SAES-B-068 and NFPA 499 for
locations handing solid sulfur.
12.2 The entire 3-dimensional area under a canopy shall be Class 1, Zone 2.
12.3 Bonding, grounding and other types of protection against ignitions arising out of
static or stray electrical currents shall comply with API RP 2003, SAES-P-111,
NFPA 30 and NFPA 77.
12.4 Charge dissipation designs for bulk plant loading shall comply with API RP 2003
requirements for intermediate and high vapor pressure fluids. Diesel, kerosene, jet
fuel, and naphtha shall be treated as intermediate vapor pressure fluids for the
purposes of design. Gasoline (91 & 95) shall be treated as high vapor pressure
fluids for truck loading/unloading operations.
Exception:
Petrochemicals shall be evaluated by the Proponent and the Chief Fire

Prevention Engineer’s office, based on international petrochemical industry
practices.

13 Emergency Shutdown (ESD) and Isolation
13.1 ESD design shall comply with SAES-B-058 and SAES-J-601.
13.2 ESD actuating buttons shall be located adjacent to the fire alarm pull boxes at
each loading or unloading bay. For unloading bays, without a bay island,
actuating buttons shall be located as specified by the Proponent Operating
Department in consultation with the CFPE or his representative.
13.3 For pump stations, an actuating button shall be mounted between 1.2 m (4 ft)
and 1.5 m (5 ft) above grade and located at least 7.5 m (25 ft) beyond the edge
of the fire-hazardous zone.
13.4 ESD actuating functions shall be provided in the operations center.
13.5 ESD and Isolation System Functions
13.5.1 Bay isolation shall be per API RP 1004, Figure 4A.
13.5.2 Each bay shall be isolated from the product and VRU headers when
loading is inactive via a TMS interlock.
13.5.3 The ESD actuating button at any loading or unloading bay shall cause
shutdown and isolation of the bay.
13.5.4 A master emergency shutdown button shall be located in the

control room to shutdown the site by isolating pumps, and all bays.
The design shall incorporate the isolation features of API 1004,
Figures 4A and 4B. Interruption of pipeline operations to tankage
during an emergency bulk plant shutdown is a proponent option.
13.5.5 The ESD actuating button located at the pump station shall shut down
the pumps and close the pump station EIVs.
13.5.6 Panels for ESD systems shall be independent of other types of panels.
Note: The intent of this requirement is not to prohibit inputting of shutdown
signals from other panels to the ESD panel, but to prohibit signals from
other panels overriding any shutdown function of the ESD panel.
13.5.7 Activation of an ESD actuating button shall not cause activation of any
fire protection system at the respective area.
14 Flow Control
14.1 Design and operation of bottom loading or unloading systems shall comply with
API RP 1004 and this standard.

Flow while loading trucks and tank cars shall be controlled, providing a slow-
flow start, increase to a maximum loading rate, and final slow-flow during each
loading cycle.
The slow-flow initial rate shall not exceed 1 m/s velocity in any part of the
loading system until there is sufficient liquid level to submerge the liquid fill
line by two fill line diameters above the top of the emergency valve inside the
tank as required by API RP 2003. The final rate shall not exceed the 1 m/s
velocity limit.
Exception: For inerted TankTrain loading, variable flow rates are not required.
14.2 A vapor motion sensing interlock system shall be provided to detect that the
displaced vapors are vented during loading/unloading operations; no flow
detected shall stop the loading.
14.3 Individual bay vapor systems shall be isolated from the VRU header when the
bay is not actively loading.
15 Overfill Protection
15.1 Connections for fail-safe overfill protection and bonding cable sensors shall be
via a multiple-pin plug per API RP 1004.
15.2 Vapor knock out pots shall have level detection to interlock the loading on
detection of liquid carryover to isolate the loading bay EIV or the main inlet
EIV.
15.3 Fixed tankage receiving liquids shall have overfill protection per API STD 2350
and as follows:
15.3.1 A high-level pre-alarm that complies with SAES-J-100 shall be

installed on each tank.
15.3.2 Each tank filled by pipeline shall have an independent high-high-level

detection system that shall automatically shut off or divert the
incoming flow. The automation shall also shut off pumps, during tank-
to-tank product transfer and or ship unloading. The independent HH
alarm and level transmitter system for this application shall not fail
undetected. The alarm set point on the high level shall be set such that
approximately ten minutes time interval is available before the
independent HH level alarm is reached. The design shall be reviewed
by the Proponent Operating Department.
Exception: Tanks that are filled only by truck do not require automatic shut-
off unless specified by the Proponent Operating Department.

Table 1: Minimum Required Equipment Separation Distances

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11)
1 LPG Racks 15 30 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 60 60
Loading
2 15 15 15 15 15 30 30 30 30 60
Racks
Unloading
3 15 15 15 Note 1 39 39 39 39 60
Racks
Product
4 7.5 7.5 30 30 30 30 30 Note 3
Tanks
Loading
5 Note 2 Note 2 30 30 30 30 30
Pumps
Unloading
6 Note 3 30 30 30 30 30
Pumps
Fire
7 Water Note 3 7.5 7.5 7.5 60
Pumps
Admin.
8 Office, Operations Note 3 7.5 7.5 60
Center
Ware-
9 house, Service Note 3 7.5 60
Bldg.
Sales
Office
10 Note 3 60
Computer
Room
LPG
11 Note 3
Tanks
NOTES:
Note 1 See Paragraph 9.2
Note 2 See Paragraph 9.1
Note 3 Refer to SAES-B-055

Appendix A - Static Control
The flow of liquid through piping generates static charge. Charge separation and the
accumulation of a static charge are inherent properties of low conductivity hydrocarbon
fluids. The need for residence time for charge relaxation increases as the conductivity
decreases. The magnitude of the charge is a complex function of a fluid’s composition
and the product flow rate.
When charged fuel enters a tank, a substantial voltage difference may be produced
between the surface of the liquid and the tank walls and this may result in an incendiary
discharge. The voltage difference is limited by charge dissipation/ relaxation processes,
which occur both in the pipework and in the tank itself. Relaxation in the pipework
reduces the amount of charge that reaches the tank while relaxation in the tank reduces
the voltage produced by a given amount of inlet charge.
Under most loading conditions, the voltage generated by a given inlet charge density is
proportional to the relaxation time of the fuel. This relaxation time is inversely
proportional to the conductivity and is approximately 20 seconds when the conductivity
is 1 pS/m (picosiemens/meter). The conductivity of hydrocarbon fuels is highly
variable; diesel fuels may have conductivities of less than 1 pS/m. The relaxation time
can therefore be anything from a fraction of a second to a number of minutes. The
highest voltages and electrostatic ignition risks are associated with low conductivities.
Unless conductivities are controlled, the possibility of encountering a low conductivity
product should be allowed for when defining safe loading procedures.
A simple empirical formula relating the maximum recommended linear velocity to

minimize charge generation as a function of loading arm diameter has been developed
over the years for tank trucks (vd<0.5 m2/s, where v is velocity in m/s; d is inside
diameter of the piping in meters). The 0.5 m2/s limit does not ensure that static ignition
will not occur, but it greatly reduces the probability of ignition. There is a vast
background of experience with tank truck loading at this recommended velocity limit
with traditional products.
The shift to lower sulfur content in fuels has resulted in increased interest and concerns
regarding maximum velocities. By reducing the sulfur content in fluids, the charge
retention increases. Saudi Aramco is shifting to production of low (<10 ppm) sulfur
products. Studies have shown that the traditional velocity limit (vd <0.5 m2/s) is not
adequate protection against charge carryover with those fuels.
Flow rate is an important parameter in charge generation because the delivery of more
fuel per second generates more charge per second. NFPA 77 and IEC 60079-32 now
stipulate the maximum flow rate for low sulfur intermediate vapor pressure products
with conductivity <10 pS/m or unknown (e.g., Product Code A-861, Low Sulfur Diesel)
be limited to vd <0.35 m2/s when filling trucks rated for high speed loading (SASO
2288 compliant). API 2003 and ASTM specify the flow rate restrictions apply to all
piping segments from 0 to 30 seconds (minimum) upstream of the tank fill opening,

including the piping segments on the tank vehicle itself. Even at the lowest
conductivities, where the risk of static discharge is greatest, the charges produced by
pipe flow are normally safely dissipated within the receiving tank if the velocity limits
are adhered to. Therefore, efforts should be undertaken to control static charge
carryover to as low as practicable into tankage--this is the reason for specifying the vd
limits.
How to evaluate loading rack piping for flow rate and static control
1. Determine the applicable vd limit for the product involved. Note that the
determination is very dependent on the concentration of sulfur in the product, the
conductivity, and composition. Refer to the Saudi Aramco product specifications
for sulfur content and conductivity. If the conductivity is unknown or is controlled
by static dispersive additives (SDAs) at <50 pS the vd <0.35 value applies for road
tankers and vd <0.53 tank cars.
2. Next, determine the piping sizes required. Standard loading skids for tanker trucks
use 4-inch piping. The branch piping to the meter skids are typically 6 or 8-inch.
The header size varies depending on how many tankers can possibly be loaded
simultaneously based on the proposed piping configuration, NOT on the projected
operating program.
3. Develop a listing of potential piping sizes starting at the tanker:

• Called Pipe Diameter (4-inch)
• Actual Internal Diameter (inches) from commercial tables
• Actual Internal Diameter (meters)
• Actual Internal Radius (meters)
• Internal Area (m2)
• Flow rate (m3/second)
• Velocity (m/sec)
• vd required (m2/second)
4. With vd determined, solve for a velocity the satisfies the vd limit [Velocity (m/sec)
x Actual Internal Diameter (meters)] for the final connection (loading hose).
5. Solve for flow rate, [Velocity (m/second) x Internal Area (m2)]. This is the flow
rate for one loading hose (A).
6. Determine the number of hoses supplied by the next size pipe (typically two hoses
for truck loading racks). Multiply the flow rate by the number of hoses; this is the
value that must be exceeded in the next piping section (A x # hoses=B).

7. Solve again (vd constant) for the next pipe size (typically 6 or 8-inch branch) and
determine which case provides a flow rate (C) that equals or exceeds the previous
flow rate (B).
8. Determine how many branches are to be supplied by the header and solve again for
the minimum header size that equals or exceeds the total branch flow rate (C x #
Branches). That is the minimum size of the header needed.
9. Now determine the total length of piping to satisfy the 30 or 100-second flow
control restriction. Include the piping on the vehicle to the tank inlet, loading hose,
metering skid, branch piping and header. Divide the length of each segment by the
velocity in that segment and totalize the flow times. When the total flow time
equals the time constraint, (30 or 100 seconds) the length of the piping system
required to be rate controlled is determined.
Typical piping lengths at tanker truck racks are: tanker piping, hose and meter length
18.5 m, branch to header 20 m. Values are approximate and must be developed for
each project.
Example solution:
Pipe Flow
Diameter Diameter Radius Area Velocity
Diameter rate vd
(inches) (meters) (m) (m2) (m/sec)
(inches) (m3/sec)
4 4.026 0.102 0.051 0.008 0.028 3.421 0.35
Two loading hoses/arms = 0.056 m³/sec flow

Pipe Flow
Diameter rate vd
(inches) (m3/sec)
6 6.065 0.154 0.077 0.019 0.042 2.274 0.35
8 7.981 0.203 0.101 0.0323 0.056 1.726 0.35
Four branches = 0.228 m³/sec flow

Pipe Flow
Diameter rate vd
(inches) (m3/sec)
36 35.188 0.894 0.445 0.627 0.228 0.355 0.35
Required length of rate restricted piping for 30 seconds of flow:

Tanker and Meter piping, 18.5 m/3.42 m/sec = 5.4 sec flow time
Branch piping, 20 m/1.73 m/sec= 11.6 sec flow time

Subtotal = 17.0 sec flow time

30 second requirement, 30-17 = 13 sec flow time
Header piping, 13 sec/0.355 m/sec = 37 meters of 36-inch pipe from the main supply
line.
Therefore, 37 meters of 36-inch pipe is required from the first branch of the velocity-
limited system back toward the supply piping that is not limited by the vd restriction,
refer to SAES-L-132.
Revision Summary
28 October 2021 Editorial revision to reflect the correct organization name.
20 September 2020 Major revision. The required fire protection system coverage area for pumps has been
aligned with the new edition of NFPA 16 and the foam design discharge density for
specific areas has been increased from 0.10 gpm/ft2 to 0.16 gpm/ft2 to align with the
minimum required design discharge density in NFPA 16.
25 May 2017 Major revision changing operation of bulk plants for bay-by-bay operational isolation
requested by Distribution operations (DO). Additional bay isolation is included for both
incoming product headers and the Vapor Recovery Unit (VRU) header to comply with
SAES-J-601. Incorporated is a change in the classification of gasoline product from
“intermediate” vapor pressure to “high” vapor pressure to allow an increase in truck loading
in accordance with API RP 2003. Electrical area classification for the loading bays has
been standardized. Also separate comments from Distribution Operations (DO) have
been addressed primarily associated with clarification of the provision of fire protection
foam water sprays. Additional information for static electricity generation from product
flows is provided as a new Appendix.
6 February 2012 Major revision.


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Engineering Standard

SAES-B-070 28 October 2021

Previous Issue: 20 September 2020 Next Planned Update: 20 September 2025

Saudi Aramco: Company General Use

4 4 Modification The definition of ‘White Products’ was deleted

5.7 5.7 New New statement added: Parked or queuing

5.8 5.8 Modification As bunker fuel is a type of fuel oil; to avoid

5.27 5.27 New New statement added: Heel recovery

7.7 7.7 Modification Minor editorial correction. Corrected, 15 m

7.12.3 7.12.3 Modification Replaced the term ‘black product’ with

7.12.5 7.12.5 Modification Deleted statement that ‘the minimum spacing

©Saudi Aramco 2020. All rights reserved. Page 2 of 26

Saudi Aramco: Company General Use

7.12.4 7.12.4 Modification The foam design discharge density was

©Saudi Aramco 2020. All rights reserved. Page 3 of 26

Saudi Aramco: Company General Use

2 Conflicts and Deviations

3.1 Saudi Aramco References

Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure

Saudi Aramco Engineering Standards

©Saudi Aramco 2020. All rights reserved. Page 4 of 26

Saudi Aramco: Company General Use

SAES-B-019 Portable, Mobile, and Special Fixed Firefighting

Saudi Aramco General Instruction

Saudi Aramco Manuals and Codes

3.2 Industry Codes and Standards

American Petroleum Institute

©Saudi Aramco 2020. All rights reserved. Page 5 of 26

Saudi Aramco: Company General Use

API RP 2003 Protection Against Ignitions Arising Out of Static,

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

3.3 Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO)

Aromatics: Benzene, Toluene and Paraxylene.

©Saudi Aramco 2020. All rights reserved. Page 6 of 26

Saudi Aramco: Company General Use

Car Set: Railroad cars loaded or unloaded as a coupled unit.

Closed Circuit Television with Flame Detection (CCTV/FD): Detectors providing

Electronic Fire Detection (EFD): Fire detection technologies based on sensing

Emergency Valve: A bottom loading inlet/outlet valve installed in a tank compartment

Foam-water Deluge System: A deluge valve activated foam-water fire suppression

Linear Fire Detection: Fire detection using a heat sensitive cable.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): Liquefied Petroleum Gases

MTBE: Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether

Multi-spectrum Infrared Fire Detection (MIR): Detectors sensing in infrared

Queuing Area: An intermediate parking area where documentation is completed and a

Rack: A group of contiguous loading or unloading bays.

©Saudi Aramco 2020. All rights reserved. Page 7 of 26

Saudi Aramco: Company General Use

Tank Car: A railroad car for transporting liquids or gases in bulk.

Terminal Management System (TMS): An integrated system of hardware and

Vapor Recovery Unit (VRU): A self-contained vapor gathering system capable of

5 Layout, Spacing and Access

©Saudi Aramco 2020. All rights reserved. Page 8 of 26

Saudi Aramco: Company General Use

5.8 Racks shall be segregated by product type:

©Saudi Aramco 2020. All rights reserved. Page 9 of 26

Saudi Aramco: Company General Use

5.16 Loading and unloading truck bays shall be drive-through design.

5.26 Operator shelters shall be of non-combustible construction and located outside

©Saudi Aramco 2020. All rights reserved. Page 10 of 26

Saudi Aramco: Company General Use

6 Fire and Gas Detection and Alarms

©Saudi Aramco 2020. All rights reserved. Page 11 of 26

Saudi Aramco: Company General Use