Canada Oil and Gas Installations Regulations (SOR/96-118)

Firefighting Equipment

• 30 (1) Every manned offshore installation shall be provided with at least ten sets of firefighter equipment and every unmanned offshore installation shall be provided with at least two sets of firefighter equipment, each of which shall consist of

  • (a) protective clothing, including boots and gloves, that

    • (i) meets the requirements of National Fire Protection Association 1971, Standard on Protective Clothing for Structural Fire Fighting,

    • (ii) will protect the skin from being burned by heat radiating from a fire and by steam,

    • (iii) has a water-resistant outer surface,

    • (iv) in the case of boots, is made of rubber or other electrically non-conducting material, and

    • (v) in the case of gloves, meets the requirements of National Fire Protection Association 1973, Standard on Gloves for Structural Fire Fighting; and

  • (b) a firefighter’s helmet with visor that meets the requirements of Canadian Standards Association CAN/CSA-Z94.1-92, Industrial Protective Headwear.

• (2) In addition to any firefighting equipment required by the Oil and Gas Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, every manned offshore installation shall be provided with at least four sets, and every unmanned offshore installation shall be provided with at least two sets, of the following equipment:

  • (a) a self-contained breathing apparatus that

    • (i) is capable of functioning for at least 30 minutes,

    • (ii) meets the requirements of Canadian Standards Association CAN/CSA-Z94.4-93, Selection, Use, and Care of Respirators, and CAN3-Z 180.1-M85, Compressed Breathing Air and Systems, and

    • (iii) is equipped with two spare bottles;

  • (b) a portable electric safety lamp that

    • (i) will operate in the conditions anticipated for a Class I, Division 1, hazardous area,

    • (ii) is operated from a rechargeable battery capable of operating for at least 3 hours, and

    • (iii) can be easily attached to the clothing of a firefighter, at or above the waist level;

  • (c) an axe with an insulated handle and a carrying belt; and

  • (d) a fire-resistant life and signalling line and a safety belt and harness that meet the requirements of National Fire Protection Association 1983, Standard on Fire Service Life Safety Rope, Harness and Hardware.

• (3) Each set of equipment required by subsections (1) and (2) shall be kept ready for use and stored so as to be readily accessible.

• (4) One of each of the sets of equipment required by subsections (1) and (2) shall be located within easy access of the helicopter deck.

Automatic Fire Detection Systems

• 31 (1) Every manned offshore installation shall be equipped with a fire detection system that is capable of detecting the presence of fire in every space where fire may occur, including

  • (a) every corridor, stairway and escape route in the accommodation areas;

  • (b) the control station;

  • (c) every work area; and

  • (d) every space containing equipment in which petroleum or any other flammable substance is stored, conveyed, processed or consumed.

• (2) Every unmanned offshore installation shall be equipped with a fire detection system that is capable of detecting the presence of fire in every space where fire may occur, including

  • (a) every work area; and

  • (b) every space containing equipment in which petroleum or any other flammable substance is stored, conveyed, processed or consumed.

• (3) Every fire detection system required by subsections (1) and (2) shall be selected, designed, installed and maintained in accordance with National Fire Prevention Association 72E, Standard on Automatic Fire Detectors.

• (4) The fire detection systems required by subsections (1) and (2) shall, on detection of fire, activate automatically

  • (a) an audible and visual signal on the fire and gas indicator panel in the control station of a manned installation; and

  • (b) an audible alarm that has a tone different from any other alarm in any part of the installation.

• (5) Every onshore installation shall be equipped with a fire alarm system.

• (6) The fire alarm system for a drilling rig at an onshore site shall be connected with the fire alarm system for the accommodation areas at that site where the drilling rig is within 50 m of the accommodation areas.

• (7) Every room in an onshore installation that is used as sleeping accommodation for a drill crew shall be equipped with a smoke detector and alarm.

Gas Detection Systems

• 32 (1) Every offshore installation shall be equipped with a gas detection system that is capable of detecting, in every part of the installation in which hydrogen sulphide or any type of hydrocarbon gas may accumulate, the presence of those gases.

• (2) The gas detection system required by subsection (1) shall, on detection of gas, activate automatically

  • (a) an audible and visual signal on the fire and gas indicator panel in the control station of a manned installation; and

  • (b) an audible alarm that has a tone different from any other alarm in any part of the installation.

• (3) Every offshore installation shall be equipped with

  • (a) at least two portable gas detectors capable of

    • (i) measuring the concentration of oxygen in any space, and

    • (ii) detecting hydrogen sulphide and any type of hydrocarbon gas in any space; and

  • (b) a means of testing the portable gas detectors described in paragraph (a).

• (4) A gas detector shall be provided

  • (a) at every ventilation inlet duct leading to a non-hazardous area on every installation;

  • (b) in every Class I, Division 1, hazardous area on every onshore installation; and

  • (c) in every enclosed hazardous area on every offshore installation.

• (5) Every gas detector provided in accordance with subsection (3) shall be appropriate for the area and installed and operated in accordance with

  • (a) Appendix C of American Petroleum Institute RP 14C, Recommended Practice for Analysis, Design, Installation and Testing of Basic Surface Safety Systems for Offshore Production Platforms; and

  • (b) section 9.2 of American Petroleum Institute RP 14F, Recommended Practice for Design and Installation of Electrical Systems for Offshore Production Platforms.

Alarm Panels and Signals

• 33 (1) Every manned offshore installation shall be equipped with a fire or gas detection system that includes

  • (a) one or more fire and gas detector indicator panels located at the control station, that

    • (i) indicate the source of fire and gas by means of a visual signal,

    • (ii) are capable of being functionally tested, and

    • (iii) are fitted with equipment for resetting the fire and gas detection systems; and

  • (b) an audible fire and gas alarm that has a characteristic tone that distinguishes it from the alarms associated with machinery, safety and control system faults or any other alarm system and that is audible on all parts of the installation.

• (2) A fire or gas detection system referred to in subsection (1) shall

  • (a) be capable of being manually activated from each of the following locations, namely,

    • (i) the space adjacent to each entrance to each machinery and process space,

    • (ii) each accommodation area,

    • (iii) the office of the manager of the installation,

    • (iv) every control point in each machinery and process space, and

    • (v) the control station;

  • (b) be designed so that, on activation of a detection device in one space, any signals received at the same time from a detection device in another space will register at the fire and gas indicator panel at that same time;

  • (c) be installed and maintained in accordance with National Fire Prevention Association 72, Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Protective Signaling Systems; and

  • (d) be arranged so that there will be an automatic changeover to an emergency source of electrical power in accordance with subsection 12(9) in the event of a failure of the primary source of electrical power and so that failure of the primary source of electrical power will be indicated both visually and audibly as a separate fault alarm.

General Alarm System

• 34 (1) Every installation shall be equipped with a general alarm system that is capable of alerting personnel to any hazardous conditions other than fire or gas that might

  • (a) endanger the personnel;

  • (b) endanger the installation; or

  • (c) be harmful to the environment.

• (2) Every general alarm system referred to in subsection (1) shall be

  • (a) operational and in operation at all times other than when the system is being inspected, maintained or repaired;

  • (b) where applicable, flagged as being subject to inspection, maintenance or repair; and

  • (c) designed in such a manner as to prevent tampering.

• (3) Where a general alarm system for an installation is being inspected, maintained or repaired, the operator of the installation shall ensure that the functions that the system performs are performed manually.

Piping Systems

• 35 (1) The piping system and associated equipment of every installation shall be designed and installed in accordance with American Petroleum Institute RP 14E, Recommended Practice for Design and Installation of Offshore Production Platform Piping Systems.

• (2) Every pressure vessel or fired vessel on a production installation shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following standards:

  • (a) American Petroleum Institute Spec 12J, Specification for Oil and Gas Separators;

  • (b) sections I, II, IV, V, VII, VIII and IX of American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code; and

  • (c) Canadian Standards Association B51-M1991, Boiler, Pressure Vessel, and Pressure Piping Code.

• (3) Every compressor in hydrocarbon service at a production installation shall be designed in accordance with the following standards:

  • (a) Canadian Standards Association CAN/CSA-Z184-M92, Gas Pipeline Systems;

  • (b) American Petroleum Institute STD 617, Centrifugal Compressors for General Refinery Service;

  • (c) American Petroleum Institute STD 618, Reciprocating Compressors for General Refinery Services; and

  • (d) American Petroleum Institute STD 619, Rotary-Type Positive Displacement Compressors for General Refinery Services.

• (4) All materials and procedures used in a production installation used to produce and process sour gas shall conform to National Association of Corrosion Engineers (U.S.) MR-01-75, Sulfide Stress Cracking Resistant Metallic Materials for Oil Field Equipment.

• (5) Where an operator handles, treats or processes oil, gas or water that contains hydrogen sulphide, the operator shall do so in accordance with good industry practice to minimize the discharge of hydrogen sulphide into the environment and to ensure that the operation is carried out in a safe and efficient manner.

Communication Systems

• 36 (1) No person shall operate a manned installation unless the installation is equipped with

  • (a) a radio or telephone communication system; and

  • (b) an emergency communications system.

• (2) The communication systems referred to in subsection (1) shall be operational at all times.

• (3) No person shall operate a manned offshore installation unless the offshore installation is equipped with a two-way radio communication system that

  • (a) enables effective communication by radio to be maintained between the installation and helicopters, the shore base, support vessels, standby vessels, search and rescue aircraft, and other nearby offshore installations; and

  • (b) enables effective communication with marine traffic in the vicinity.

• (4) The operator of a manned offshore installation shall ensure that the radio communication systems comply with the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020 as if the installation were a ship to which those Regulations apply.

• (5) Each installation shall comply with the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020 as if the installation were a ship to which those Regulations apply.

• (6) No person shall operate a manned installation unless the installation is equipped with

  • (a) an internal telephone system;

  • (b) a public address system with loudspeakers located so that a voice transmission can be heard throughout the installation; and

  • (c) a means of transmitting written data to the shore base of the installation.

• (7) No person shall operate an installation that is usually unmanned unless the installation is equipped with

  • (a) an operational two-way radio communication system during any period when the installation is manned; and

  • (b) a system capable of detecting under ambient conditions any hazardous conditions that could endanger the safety of the installation or damage the environment and of alerting the control station about the hazardous conditions.

PART IIAnalysis and Design

General Design Considerations

• 37 (1) Every installation and every component of an installation shall be designed in accordance with good engineering practice, taking into account

  • (a) the nature of the activities on and around the installation;

  • (b) the type and magnitude of functional loads, environmental loads, and foreseeable accidental loads;

  • (c) operating and ambient temperatures;

  • (d) corrosion conditions that may be encountered during the construction, operation and maintenance of the installation;

  • (e) the avoidance of damage to any part of the installation that may lead to the progressive collapse of the whole installation; and

  • (f) soil conditions.

• (2) The design of an installation shall be based on such analyses or model tests of the installation, including simulations to the extent practicable, as are necessary to permit the determination of the behaviour of the installation and of the soils that support the installation or anchoring systems, under all foreseeable transportation, installation and operating conditions.

Design of Offshore Installations

38 Every offshore installation shall be designed in accordance with the

• (a) section 4 of Canadian Standards Association CAN/CSA-S471-92, General Requirements, Design Criteria, the Environment, and Loads;

• (b) for the foundation, section 5 of Canadian Standards Association CAN/CSA-S472-92, Foundations, Offshore Structures;

• (c) for a steel platform, section 7 of Canadian Standards Association CAN/CSA-S473-92, Steel Structures, Offshore Structures;

• (d) for a concrete platform, sections 3 and 7 of Canadian Standards Association Preliminary Standard S474-M1989, Concrete Structures; and

• (e) in respect of its transportation and installation, sections 5, 6 and 7 of Canadian Standards Association Preliminary Standard S475-M1989, Sea Operations.