There is no doubt that there is a growing business in Nigerian Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) sector. Also, there is this saying that says Nigerians lack maintenance culture. Please, this wrong culture should not reach into LPG storage tanks and its business. LPG Business and LPG storage tanks Safety with standards are the main topic. We also narrow it down as it regards to LPG storage tanks in Nigeria.
LPG is ideal for subsistence and industrial use but hazardous when you fail to use it well or follow the recommended LPG storage tank regulations. There are specific ways of storing an LPG storage tank that you should never miss out on, especially if you have plenty of them in station or home. LPG storage tank regulations are in order to keep facilities and residential homes with LPG tanks safe.
Read: Buy LPG Tanks in Nigeria
As a business man/woman who want to start LPG business in Nigeria, you need to register your business and obtain the necessary approvals or permits and license from land approval to approval to construct and licensing to sale before you can start. When you have completed the above, the next thing is to start LPG business. Your LPG station design and construct could be as below:
– LPG Depo
– Standard LPG Refiling
– Stand Alone
– Mini-Gas Plant
In Nigeria, many buy LPG tanks from local Manufacturers. Some LPG station buy their tanks from abroad while others buy a used tank. In general, all LPG suppliers need to supply you LPG gas is your payment to tally with the quantity of gas you need and your location for haulage.
It is very important to look after the tank and its fittings (their integrity and maintenance) but again check this with expert if you are unsure, as legally it needs to be maintained in a safe condition.
Contact us: LPG (Gas) Station Construction and Installation Services
The Importance of Storage Tank Regulations
Adhering to LPG storage tank regulations can help you foster safety in your facility or home. You need to check the cylinder collar dates to ensure they aren’t past the requalification date. Replace any tank that is out of date.
Key Safety Area of LPG storage tank
The user of the LPG (ie the person operating the station/site) does have responsibilities in relation to the tank including:
Siting of the tank
Ventilation and conditions around the tank
Tanker access
Security
Impact protection
Emergency arrangements
Read Buy LP Gas and Propane from AzizaGroup
The legal framework provides more information on the background to these responsibilities.
Siting of the Tank
There should be a minimum distance (called the separation distance) between the tank and any building, boundary line or fixed source of ignition.
There are minimum LPG tank safety distances approved by Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) formerly called DPR. There are different distances for home use, station facilities and others.
For storage vessels distances, separation distances are intended to protect the LPG facilities from the radiation effects of fires involving other facilities as well as to minimize the risk of escaping LPG being ignited before being dispersed or diluted. Storage vessels are normally installed above ground in the open air but they can be buried underground or mounded. They should never be installed in or on buildings or in open pits. Storage vessels, whether at ground level, underground or mounded, should be spaced and located in accordance with World LPG Association Guidelines or other international standards recognized by NUPRC.
Modifications to the area may have been made since the tank was installed. These could include altering walls, building sheds or fences, installing electrical equipment near the tank or planting trees or shrubs nearby. These should not be any closer to the tank than this minimum distance and, if they are, then arrangements need to be made to move them.
There should not be any drains or gullies near to the tank unless a water trap is provided to prevent gas entering the drains. This is because LPG is heavier than air and if a leak were to develop from the tank or its controls or pipework or when it is being filled then the vapour could accumulate in an untrapped drain or gully. Ignition of these vapours could then lead to fire/explosion.
Read: Nigeria Local Content Registration
The tank should also not be painted in any colour other than originally supplied as this may increase the amount of heat it absorbs from the sun.
This picture shows a well-sited tank:
Ventilation and Conditions around the Tank
In case of leaks there should be plenty of room around the tanks to ensure good air flow so that pockets of heavier-than-air LPG vapours cannot build up around them.
It is also very important to keep the area around the tank free of rubbish, particularly if it is combustible or could reduce the levels of ventilation. For similar reasons keep weeds and grass cut down around the tank. If you choose to use a weed killer then you should not use something that is chlorate-based (as this can make the dead plants easier to ignite)
Tanker access
There should be a dedicated flat parking area for the tanker delivering LPG. This parking area should be clear on a delivery day and people should be kept away from the tank and tanker while the transfer of LPG is taking place. The supplier of the LPG will need to make sure that the tanker cannot drive away with the supply hose still connected, that there is no risk of an electrical spark being generated from static electricity or by other means. The LPG suppliers should ensure that their drivers are suitably trained and have the correct procedures to follow.
Security
People not involved with the installation, for example workers with no responsibility for the LPG or visitors to the site, should be kept well away from it. No one should smoke, use electrical equipment or park vehicles near the tank. ‘No smoking’ and other signs should be clearly displayed and maintained. Ignition sources, e.g bonfires and barbecues, should not be allowed near the tank. Temporary use of grass-cutting equipment within the vicinity of the tank is permitted.
The tank should be protected from unauthorised access to reduce the chance of intentional or accidental interference. For larger tanks (ie four tonnes or higher LPG capacity) a security fence is required to keep it secure. This fence should allow natural air flow (e.g made from wire mesh) and should be kept in good condition. Any gates should be kept locked unless access to the tank is required. For tanks below four tonnes LPG capacity, there may be certain circumstances where a fence may not be necessary. This can only be justified where the risk of interference is low, and there is no uncontrolled public access – for example due to tank location or other accessibility factors. Tank valve covers should be kept locked whether or not the tank is fenced.
Read: Oil & Gas Registrations and Permits
Impact protection
If possible, the tank (and its associated piping) should not be located in areas where there is motor traffic. However, where this is not possible, then protection from a motor vehicle hitting the tank is required such as crash barriers, bond wall of about 3 feet height or bollards. A security fence and/or road markings (eg ‘no-parking’ notices, double yellow lines) are unlikely to provide this protection.
Impact protection around tank
Emergency arrangements
The LPG tank will have printed on it the supplier’s emergency number that should be called if there is a leak. If a fire breaks out then the user should have in place an emergency plan which includes evacuating people from the premises. In general, leave tackling any fire near the tank to the fire brigade unless it is judged that it can be put out without endangering anyone. In the event of an emergency, and where it is safe to do so, the shut-off valve on the top of the tank and the emergency control valve (ECV) should be closed.
Resources
https://www.hse.gov.uk/