Recommended Practices for Oil and Gas Producing and Gas Processing Plant Operations Involving Hydrogen Sulfide

0 Introduction

The petroleum industry, through many years of research and operating experience, has developed guidelines for safe operations under conditions involving hydrogen sulfide. Continuing industry efforts, which include planning, prudent selection and layout of equipment, prudent selection of ma­terials, operating and emergency procedures, specialized safety equipment, and appropriate personnel training are all necessary to ensure successful and safe operations. Effective response to emergencies requires prior planning. Good engi­neering practice (engineering and administrative controls) dictates that producing and gas processing systems be de­signed to minimize exposure of personnel and the public to hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide.

1 Scope

Recommendations set forth in this publication apply to oil and gas producing and gas processing plant operations con­ducted with hydrogen sulfide present in the fluids being han­dled. The presence of hydrogen sulfide in these operations also presents the possibility of exposure to sulfur dioxide from the combustion of hydrogen sulfide. Refer to Section 4 for applicability of this standard.

2 References

2.1 STANDARDS

The following standards contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this standard. All standards are subject to revision, and users are encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the most recent editions of the standards indicated below.

ACGffl'

1. Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure
Indices (1993-94).

ANSP

2. B31.3 Chemical Plant and Petroleum Refin-

ing Piping.

3. B31.4 Liquid Petroleum Transportation Pip-

ing Systems.

4. B31.8 Gas Transmission and Distribution

Piping Systems.

5. CGAG-7.1 Breathing Air, Grade D.

6. ISEA 102 Standard for Gas Detector Tube

Units—Short Term Type for Toxic Gases and Vapors in Working Envi­ronments.

7. Z88.2 Practices for Respiratory Protection

 

BULE1

9.

BULE2

Bulletin on the Generic Hazardous Chemical Category List and Inven­tory for the Oil and Gas Exploration & Production Industry. Bulletin on Management of Natu­rally Occurring Radioactive Materi­als (NORM) in Oil and Gas Production.

10.

BULE3

11.

BULE4

12.

RP12R1

Well Abandonment and Inactive Well Practices for U.S. Exploration and Production Operations. Release Reporting for the Oil and Gas Exploration and Production In­dustry as Required by the CWA, CERCLA, and SARA Title III. Recommended Practice for Setting, Maintenance, Inspection, Operation, and Repair of Tanks in Production Service.

13.

RP14C

14.

RP49

15.

RP500

16.

API 510

17. 18. 19.

RP576 RP750 STD1104

Recommended Practice for Analysis, Design, Installation, and Testing of Basic Surface Safety Systems for Offshore Production Platforms. Recommended Practice for Drilling and Drill Stem Testing Operations Involving Hydrogen Sulfide. ' Recommended Practice for Classifi­cation of Locations for Electrical In­stallations at Petroleum Facilities. Pressure Vessel Inspection Code: Maintenance Inspection, Rating, Re­pair, and Alteration. Inspection of Pressure Relieving Devices.

Management of Process Hazards. Welding of Pipelines and Related Facilities.

20. PUBL 2217A

Guidelines for Work in Inert Con­fined Spaces in the Petroleum In­dustry.

ASME"

21. Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code.

EPA'

22. EPA/600/8-86/026A

ISA* 23.

S12.15,PartI

24. RP12.15,Pann

NACE^ 25.

MR0175-94

National Response Team⁸
26. NRT-1

NFPA»

28. NFPA 70

29. NFPA 496

NIOSH'o

30. NIOSH74-111

31. NIOSH 77-158

32. DHHS 85-114

Health Assessment Docu­ment for Hydrogen Sulfide.

Performance Requirements for Hydrogen Sulfide Detec­tion Instruments. Installation, Operation, and Maintenance of Hydrogen Sulfide Detection . Instru­ments.

Standard Material Require­ments Sulfide Stress Crack­ing Resistant Metallic Mate­rials for Oilfield Equipment.

National Electrical Code. Purged and Pressurized En­closures for Electrical Equip­ment in Hazardous (Classi­fied) Locations.

Criteria for a Recommended Standard for Occupational Exposure to Sulfur Dioxide (GPO No. 017-033-00029). Criteria for a Recommended Standard for Occupational Exposure to Hydrogen Sul­fide (GPO No. 017-033-00217-7).

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards.

Bureau of Mines (DOI)¹² 34. 30 CFR Chapter 1, Subchapter B, Part П, Subpart H

Coast Guard (DOT)¹³
55. 33 CFR Parts

36. DOT» 37. EPA' 38. 39. 40. 41.

140,143, and 146 54 FR 21566, May 18, 1989

49 CFR Part 178, Subpart С

40CFflPart264,

Subpart D

40 CFR Part 302

40 CFR Part 355 40 CFR Part 370

MMS (DOI)"

42. 30 CFR Parts 250

&256

43. 53 FR 10596-
10777, April 1,1988

44.

MMS-OCS-1

Review of Ambient Hydro­gen Sulfide Standards in Canada.

Respiratory Protection De­vices.

Emergency Evacuation Plans for Manned OCS Facilities. Emergency Evacuation Plans for Manned OCS Facilities.

Shipping Container Specifi­cations.

Contingency Plans and Emergency Procedures. Designation, Reportable Quantities, and Notification. Emergency Planning and Notification.

Hazardous Chemical Report­ing: Community Right-to-Know.

Oil, Gas, and Sulphur Opera­tions in the Outer Continen­tal Shelf.

Oil, Gas, and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Con­tinental Shelf.

Safety Requirements for Drilling Operations in a Hy­drogen Sulfide Environment, Outer Continental Shelf. (February 1976).

Recommended Practices for Oil and Gas Producing and Gas Processing Plant Operations Involving Hydrogen Sulfide

45.	Al FR 28888,	Safety Requirements for
	July 1,1982	Drilling Operations in a Hy-
		drogen Sulfide Environment,
		Outer Continental Shelf. (July
		1,1982).
OSHA16
46.	29 CFR Part	Employee Emergency Plan
	1910.38	and Fire Prevention Plans.
47.	29 CFR Part	Process Safety Management
	1910.119	of Highly Hazardous Chem-
		icals.
48.	29 CFR Part	Hazardous Waste Opera-
	1910.120	tions and Emergency Re-
		sponse.
49.	54 FR Part 9294,	Hazardous Waste Opera-
	March 6,1989	tions and Emergency Re-
		sponse.
50.	29 CFR Part	Respiratory Protection Stan-
	1910.134	dard.
51.	29 CFR Part	Permit-required Confined
	1910.146	Spaces.
52.	29 CFR Part	Toxic and Hazardous Sub-
	1910.1000	stances (Air Contaminants).
53.	54 FR 2332,	Air Contaminants.
	January 19,1989
54.	58 FR 35338,	Air Contaminants.
	June 30,1993
55.	29 CFR Part	Hazard Communication
	1910.1200	Standard.

2.3 OTHER REFERENCES

56. Poda, George A., "Hydrogen Sulfide Can Be Han­
dled Safely", Archives of Environmental Health, Vol.
12,795-800, June 1966.

57. Ronk, Richard and White, M. K., "Hydrogen Sulfide
and the Probabilities of Inhalation Through a Tym­
panic Membrane Defect", Journal of Occupational
Medicine, Vol. 25, No. 5,337-340, May 1985.

58. Synopsis of Boiler & Pressure Vessel Laws, Rules,
and Regulations by States, Cities, Counties, and
Provinces (United States and Canada), available
from Uniform Boiler and Pressure Vessel Laws Soci­
ety, P. O. Box 1521, Oceanside, New York, NY
11572.

59. Pasquill, F., Atmospheric Difusion, Second Edition,
John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, 1947.

60. Slade, D. H., Metrology and Atomic Energy NTIS-
TID 24190 (1968), National Technical Information
Service (NTIS), U.S. Department of Commerce,
Springfield, VA 22161.

61. Wilson, D. J., "Release and Dispersion of Gas from

^Occupational Safety & Health Administration (U.S. Department of Labor), available from U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.

Pipeline Ruptures", Department of Mechanical Engi­neering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

62. Jann, P. R., "Evaluation of Sheltering In Place",
Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industry,
Vol. 2, No. 1, Jan. 1989, pp 33-38.

63. MacFarlane, D. R. and Ewing, T. F., "Acute Health
Effects From Accidental Releases of High Toxic
Hazard Chemicals", Journal of Loss Prevention in
the Process Industry, Vol. 3, No. 1, January 1990, pp
167-176.

64. Wilson, D. J., "Stay Indoors or Evacuate to Avoid
Exposure to Toxic Gas?", Emergency Preparedness
Digest, Ottawa, Canada, January-March 1987, pp 19-
24.

65. Davies, P. C. and Purdy, G., "Toxic Gas Risk Assess­
ments—The Effects of Being Indoors", North West­
ern Branch Papers 1986 No. 1, Institution of
Chemical Engineers, Health and Safety Executive,
Major Hazards Assessment Unit, St. Annes House,
Stanly Precinct, Bootle, Merseyside, England.

66. Glickman, T.S. and Ujrhara. A. M., "Protective Ac­
tion Decision Making in Toxic Vapor Cloud Emer­
gencies", Center for Risk Management, Resources
for the Future, Washington, D. С 20036.

67. Wilson, D. J., "Variation of Indoor Shelter Effective­
ness Caused by Air Leakage Variability of Houses in
Canada and the USA", US EPA/FEMA Conference
on Effective Use of In-place Sheltering as a Potential
Option to Evacuation During Chemical Release
Emergencies, Emmitsburg, MD, November 30-De-
cemberl, 1988.

2.4 BIBLIOGRAPHY

The following publications contain information related to this subject:

API RP14F Recommended Practice for Design and Installation of Electrical Systems for Offshore Production Platforms. API RP54 Recommended Practices for Occupa­tional Safety for Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing Operations.

Recommended Standard for Occupational Exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 125 Baker Drive, Morgantown, WV.

Texas Railroad Commission Rule 36: Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources Operations in Hydrogen Sulfide Areas, Texas Railroad Commission, Austin, TX.

Public Health Service Publication 999-AP-26, Workbook on Atmospheric Dispersion Estimates, D. Bruce Tanner, available from U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Cincinnati, OH.

2.5 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

The following acronyms and abbreviations are used in this publication:

ACC	Acceptable Ceiling Concentration
ACGIH	American Conference of Governmental
	Industrial Hygienists
ANSI	American National Standards Institute
API	American Petroleum Institute
ASME	American Society of Mechanical Engi-
	neers
ASTM	American Society for Testing and Mate-
	rials
CERCLA	Comprehensive Environmental Re-
	sponse, Compensation, and Liability
	Act
CFR	Code of Federal Regulations
CWA	Clean Water Act
DC	Direct Current
DOI	U. S. Department of Interior
DOL	U. S. Department of Labor
DOT	U. S. Department of Transportation
EMI	Electromagnetic Interference
EPA	Environmental Protection Agency
ERPG	Emergency Response Planning Guide
FR	Federal Register
HAZWOPER	Hazardous Waste Operations and Emer-
	gency Response
IDLH	Immediately Dangerous to Life or
	Health
ISA	Instrument Society of America
LEL	Lower Explosive Limit
LEPC	Local Emergency Planning Committee
MMS	Minerals Management Service
MSDS	Material Safety Data Sheet
NACE	National Association of Corrosion Engi-
	neers
NFPA	National Fire Protection Association
NIOSH	National Institute for Occupational
	Safety and Health
NORM	Naturally Occurring Radioactive Mate-
	rial
NRTL	National Recognized Testing Labora-
	tory
NTIS	National Technical Information Service
OCS	Outer Continental Shelf
OSHA	Occupational Safety and Health Admin-
	istration

 

PEL	Permissible Exposure Limit
PG	Pasquill-Gifford
RCRA	Resource Conservation & Recovery Act
REL	Recommended Exposure Level
RFI	Radio Frequency Interference
ROE	Radius of Exposure
RP	Recommended Practice
RQ	Reportable Quantity
SARA	Superfund Amendments and Reautho-
	rization Act
SCF	Standard Cubic Foot
SSC	Sulfide Stress Cracking
STEL	Short Term Exposure Level
TLV	Threshold Limit Value
TPQ	Threshold Planning Quantity
WPS	Welding Procedure Specification