Technical Bulletin

Fuel Systems

Technical Bulletin December 2021

Piping Detector Tape Installation
Foreword

With reference to Shell GIDS Technical Specification 08.015 – Clause 5.1, installation of detector
tape has been made a minimum requirement for all UPP pipe works.
Detector Tapes are essential for:
• Tracing underground pipes by using a low-frequency signal generator and detector; without
excavation.
• Visual warning indication to alert the presence of buried pipes during excavation works in the
vicinity.
Based on recent site visit findings, Meinhardt EPCM discovered that the installation of detector tapes
is not standardized across all existing and NTI sites. This technical bulletin is intended to provide
standard detector tape installation details to be adopted for all NTI and existing sites undergoing fuel
systems upgrading works.

Detector Tape at Buried Pipe Runs

The tape shall be installed/laid below ground at approximately 250mm (10”) directly above the pipe
runs to indicate the exact position of each pipe. The detector tape shall not be embedded within the
RC slab/floor. Furthermore, the detector tape shall not be laid directly on top of pipes as this
arrangement would not give an early visual warning during excavation works.

Figure 1: Installation of Detector Tapes above Pipe Runs

Author: Jasmine Wong & Thinagaran N. Maniam Page 1 of 4 Date Issued: December 2021
 Technical Bulletin
Fuel Systems
Detector Tape at Routing and Grounding Details
The detector tape must be laid continuously along with the product, fill, and vent piping, and
grounded at both ends, when not in use. At all earthing point connections, the detector tape shroud
shall be stripped to expose the metal cores. The metal cores shall be then sleeved and connected
to cable lugs for easy connection to earthing terminals.
A dedicated probe access manhole (20URTATG) is introduced to combine the detector tape ends
from the product, fill and vent piping at the landscape area adjacent to the tank sumps. The probe
access manhole (20URTATG) is supplied by Titan / FFS.

Figure 2: Earthing Method for Detector Tapes

a. Product Piping Detector Tape

The detector tapes shall be laid from the probe access manhole (20URTATG) towards the tank
sumps and then laid along each product pipe from the tank sump to the UPP dispenser sumps. The
detector tape shall be continuous and laid to pass around the tank sumps and all intermediate UPP
dispenser sumps.
At the probe access manhole (20URTATG), the detector tape ends shall be connected to the
earthing cable that is connected to a dedicated earthing chamber. On the other end, the detector
tape shall be connected to the earthing terminal within the last UPP dispenser sump.

Figure 3: Detector Tape Routing for Product Pipe

Author: Jasmine Wong & Thinagaran N. Maniam Page 2 of 4 Date Issued: December 2021
 Technical Bulletin
Fuel Systems
b. Fill Piping Detector Tape
The detector tapes shall be laid from the probe access manhole (20URTATG) towards the tank
sumps and then laid along each fill pipe from the tank sump to the discharge goosenecks. The
detector tape shall be continuous and pass around the tank sumps.
At the probe access manhole (20URTATG), the detector tape ends shall be connected to the
earthing cable that is connected to a dedicated earthing chamber. On the other end, the detector
tape shall be connected to an earthing chamber dedicated for discharge goosenecks and vent risers.
Note: There shall be a minimum 1.5m interval allowed in between the earthing chamber dedicated
for probe access manhole earthing connection and the earthing chamber dedicated for fill and vent
pipework earthing connections.

Figure 4: Detector Tape Routing for Fill Pipe

c. Vent Piping Detector Tape

The detector tapes shall be laid from the probe access manhole (20URTATG) towards the tank
sumps and then laid along each vent pipe from the sump to the vent riser. The detector tape
shall be continuous and pass around the tank sumps.
At the probe access manhole (20URTATG), the detector tape ends shall be connected to the
earthing cable that is connected to a dedicated earthing chamber. On the other end, the detector
tape shall be connected to earthing chamber dedicated for discharge goosenecks and vent
risers.

Author: Jasmine Wong & Thinagaran N. Maniam Page 3 of 4 Date Issued: December 2021
 Technical Bulletin
Fuel Systems

Figure 5: Detector Tape Routing for Vent Pipe

Appendix
Sample Detector Tape Drawings from Shell Bukit Bintang
1. Bukit Bintang / FSY-2019 / M / CD / STD / 08
2. Bukit Bintang / FSY-2019 / M / CD / STD / 09

Author: Jasmine Wong & Thinagaran N. Maniam Page 4 of 4 Date Issued: December 2021
 TANK SUMP
FORECOURT LEVEL

DEPTH
TO
SUIT
INTENDED
MIN. 250mm
PIPE
EARTHING PROBE ACCESS
SLOPE
CHAMBER MANHOLE
FOR (20URTATG)
DETECTOR CONNECTION TO EARTHING
TAPE EARTHING CONNECTION TERMINAL WITHIN THE UDC
FROM PROBE ACCESS
INTERMEDIATE UPP DISPENSER SUMP TERMINATION UPP DISPENSER SUMP
MANHOLE DETECTOR TAPE SHALL
DETECTOR TAPE SHALL
PASS AROUND THE TANK PASS AROUND /
SUMPS. THE TAPE SHALL BE UNDERNEATH THE
CONTINUOUS. INTERMEDIATE UDCs.
THE TAPE SHALL BE
CONTINUOUS.

TANK SUMP
FORECOURT LEVEL

EARTHING PROBE ACCESS MIN. 250mm EARTHING

CHAMBER MANHOLE CHAMBER
DETECTOR TAPE SHALL
FOR (20URTATG) FOR
PASS AROUND THE TANK PIPE SLOPE: 1:100
DETECTOR DISCHARGE
EARTHING SUMPS. THE TAPE SHALL BE
TAPE GOOSENECK
CONNECTION CONTINUOUS. EARTHING STRIP
& VENT
FROM FOR VENT PIPE
RISER
PROBE DETECTOR TAPE CABLE
ACCESS TO TERMINATE AT THE
MANHOLE EARTHING CHAMBER

TANK SUMP
FORECOURT LEVEL

EARTHING PROBE ACCESS MIN. 250mm EARTHING

CHAMBER MANHOLE CHAMBER
FOR DETECTOR TAPE SHALL
(20URTATG) FOR
DETECTOR PASS AROUND THE TANK PIPE SLOPE: 1:50 DISCHARGE
TAPE EARTHING SUMPS. THE TAPE SHALL BE
EARTHING STRIP GOOSENECK
CONNECTION CONTINUOUS.
FOR VENT PIPE & VENT
FROM RISER
PROBE DETECTOR TAPE
ACCESS CABLE TO
MANHOLE TERMINATE AT
THE EARTHING
CHAMBER
FOR CONSTRUCTION
DATE OF ISSUE : 23 DEC 2021

SHELL MALAYSIA TRADING SDN. BHD

Empowering Safety to the Frontline

MEINHARDT EPCM (MALAYSIA) SDN. BHD.