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

23 (1) In this section,

class A-0 division

class A-0 division means a division formed by a bulkhead or deck that is constructed

• (a) of steel or an equivalent material and suitably stiffened, and

• (b) to prevent the passage of smoke and flame after 60 minutes of exposure to a standard fire test; (cloisonnement de classe A-0)

class A-60 division

class A-60 division means a division formed by a bulkhead or deck that is

• (a) constructed of steel or an equivalent material and suitably stiffened,

• (b) constructed to prevent the passage of smoke and flame after 60 minutes of exposure to a standard fire test, and

• (c) insulated with non-combustible materials so that, if either side is exposed to a standard fire test, after 60 minutes the average temperature on the unexposed face will not increase by more than 139°C above the initial temperature and the temperature at any point on the unexposed face, including any joint, will not increase by more than 180°C above the initial temperature; (cloisonnement de classe A-60)

class B-15 division

class B-15 division means a division formed by a bulkhead, ceiling or lining that is

• (a) constructed and erected entirely from non-combustible materials,

• (b) constructed to prevent the passage of flame after exposure to a standard fire test for 30 minutes, and

• (c) insulated so that if either face is exposed to the first 30 minute period of a standard fire test, the average temperature on the unexposed face will not increase at any time during the first 15 minutes of the test by more than 139°C above that initial temperature, and the temperature at any point on the unexposed face, including any joint, will not increase by more than 225°C above the initial temperature after exposure for 15 minutes; (cloisonnement de classe B-15)

class H-120 division

class H-120 division means a division formed by a bulkhead or deck that is

• (a) constructed of steel or an equivalent material and suitably stiffened,

• (b) constructed to prevent the passage of smoke and flame after exposure to a hydrocarbon fire test for 120 minutes, and

• (c) insulated with non-combustible material so that, if either face is exposed to a hydrocarbon fire test, after 120 minutes the average temperature on the unexposed face will not increase by more than 139°C above the initial temperature, and the temperature at any point on the unexposed face, including any joint, will not increase by more than 180°C above the initial temperature; (cloisonnement de classe H-120)

hydrocarbon fire test

hydrocarbon fire test means a test in which a specimen division, which division resembles as closely as possible the intended construction of the division, includes, where appropriate, at least one joint and has an exposed surface of not less than 4.65 m² and a height or a length of not less than 2.44 m, is exposed in a test furnace to temperatures corresponding approximately to a time-temperature relationship defined by a smooth curve drawn through the following temperature points measured above the initial furnace temperature, namely,

• (a) at the end of the first 3 minutes, 880°C,

• (b) at the end of the first 5 minutes, 945°C,

• (c) at the end of the first 10 minutes, 1032°C,

• (d) at the end of the first 15 minutes, 1071°C,

• (e) at the end of the first 30 minutes, 1098°C,

• (f) at the end of the first 60 minutes, 1100°C, and

• (g) at the end of the first 120 minutes, 1100°C; (essai de résistance au feu d’hydrocarbures)

low flame spread

low flame spread in respect of a surface, means that the surface restricts the spread of flame; (à faible indice de propagation des flammes)

standard fire test

standard fire test means a test conducted in accordance with Regulation 3.2 of Chapter II-2 of International Maritime Organization International Conference on Safety of Life at Sea. (essai standard de résistance au feu)

(2) Subject to subsection (3), on an offshore installation,

• (a) the wellhead and process areas on a production installation shall be separated from other areas by class H-120 divisions;

• (b) all control stations shall be separated from other areas by class A-60 divisions;

• (c) the accommodation areas shall be separated from other areas by class A-60 divisions;

• (d) every machinery space and every storeroom containing paint, oil, any gaseous substance or other flammable material shall be separated from galleys or accommodation areas by class A-60 divisions and from each other by class A-0 divisions;

• (e) galley supply and exhaust ventilator trunking within the accommodation areas or any other enclosed spaces shall be made of steel covered with a fire-resistant insulation material of a type and thickness equivalent to that in a class A-60 division;

• (f) every deck and its supporting structure within the accommodation areas that is not required to be a class A-60 division shall be constructed of material that by itself or due to insulation provided will not lose its structural stability and fire integrity when subjected to a 60 minute standard fire test;

• (g) every corridor bulkhead that is not required to be a class A-60 division shall be a class B-15 division and extend from deck to deck or, when continuous class B-15 divisions that are ceilings are fitted, from the deck to the continuous ceiling;

• (h) every door in every class B-15 division that is a bulkhead shall meet the standard for a class B-15 division, except that a door to a cabin or to a public space other than a stairway may have ventilation openings or a louvre in the lower half;

• (i) no door of a division forming any part of a stairway enclosure shall be provided with ventilation openings or louvres;

• (j) every opening in every bulkhead and deck in the accommodation areas shall have permanently attached to it a means of closing that will maintain the fire integrity of the bulkheads and decks;

• (k) where a class A-0 division, class A-60 division, class B-15 division or class H-120 division is pierced for the passage of electric cables, pipes, trunks or structural elements or for other purposes, arrangements shall be made so that the fire resistance of the division is not impaired;

• (l) air spaces enclosed behind ceilings, panelling or linings shall be divided by close-fitting draught stops that are spaced not more than 14 m apart and that are fitted transversely if the length of the space exceeds 14 m and lengthwise if the width exceeds 14 m;

• (m) every internal stairwell, ladderwell and crew elevator trunk within the accommodation areas shall be constructed of steel or equivalent material;

• (n) every stairwell in the accommodation areas shall be enclosed within a trunk constructed of class A-60 divisions and shall have self-closing doors, except that a stairwell connecting only two decks need only be fitted at one deck level with a division that has the same fire integrity and structural stability as the deck and self-closing doors;

• (o) for compartments that contain or are affected by oil and oil vapour, the surface of insulating materials fitted to the inside of bulkheads and decks and forming the casings and crowns shall be impervious to oil and oil vapour;

• (p) every door and shutter in a bulkhead opening to hatches in the galley and pantry shall be constructed so that the fire integrity of the bulkhead is maintained, and shall be capable of being readily closed from a position outside the galley or pantry;

• (q) primary deck coverings shall be of a type that will not readily ignite;

• (r) paints, veneers and other finishes used on surfaces on concealed or inaccessible spaces and on exposed surfaces, except furniture, furnishings and floor coverings, shall be such that the surfaces are of a low flame spread type;

• (s) overboard scuppers, sanitary discharges or other outlets close to the water shall be of material unlikely to fail in the event of fire;

• (t) every load-bearing steel structural element shall be fire protected; and

• (u) blast-resistant panels and explosion venting systems shall be provided in locations that are susceptible to an explosion.

(3) Subsection (2) does not apply to an unmanned offshore installation, if the passive fire and blast structural protection provided will prevent major damage in the case of a fire or explosion.

(4) Galleys on an offshore installation shall be provided with fire blankets.

(5) Notwithstanding subsections (2) to (4), every offshore installation shall be arranged in such a way that a fire in one area on the installation will be prevented from spreading to other areas and the consequences of an explosion on the installation are minimized, taking into account the fire or explosion hazard of any particular area.