1. The Necessities of Fire and Gas Detection System On
Offshore Platforms
Ir. Gan Chun Chet

2. THE WORLD WE LIVE IN TODAY(1)
• Today, we live in a real world that implements (simulated) results, a
simulated world in actual beginnings, depend on circumstances.
• Environmental conditions are carried out with data recorded to assure the
situation.
• Are these worlds, that have been created, actually real or simulated?
• Have humans invention harmed the environment.
• Some would said that their inventions are working in harmony with nature
while some will say that their inventions has been damaged by the
environment that they lived in.
• That the power of nature against human inventions (e.g. tsunami,
hurricane, heavy snowfall, flood, etc.)
Natural Disaster
2011, Sendai Japan.

3. THE WORLD WE LIVE IN TODAY(2)
• At present, engineering based on human invention is based on a simulated
world where it all begins. Models are scrutinized at various organization,
and some are applied in the petrochemical or oil and gas facilities.
• Inventors of internal combustion engines linked back to 2nd century in
Switzerland where a crank shaft or connection rod was documented. Later
used and developed up to present stage as a reciprocating device.
• Henry Ford the founder of Ford Motor Company sponsor the development
of assembly line technique of mass production.
• Today, we see internal combustion engines massively in used with variety
of lean gas mixture designs.
Ford assembly line 1913
Roman crankshaft dated to the 2nd
century AD. The right handle is lost.

4. A WORLD THAT SOME LIVE IN
• In a place far beyond, lives another system that seems to be in a conducive
nature. The atmosphere is soothing to a person BUT MIGHT NOT if there is
a catastrophe.
• It is a situation that is beyond our imagination, Piper Alpha Disaster (1988)
at North Sea.
• In a fire situation, or a gas leak scenario, is it real? Or is it simulated?
Operator : Occidental Petroleum

5. TYPES OF FIRE AND GAS DETECTION SYSTEM ON OFFSHORE
PLATFORM(1)
• What are implemented:
• 1) In some application, the complete Fire and Gas Detection SYSTEM are
required at a huge cost for implementation for the safety and wellbeing of
a defined population, e.g. including Motor Control Centre MCC/Switchgear
Room, FM-200, Battery Room, and Control Room.
• 2) Some requires only a SUB-SYSTEM, for smaller group, where it will be
safe for all in the vicinity (entry from process into utility areas/control
building and addressable system to protect the personal in living
quarters).

6. TYPES OF FIRE AND GAS DETECTION SYSTEM ON OFFSHORE
PLATFORM(2)
• 3) Or probably requires only a fire watch (in quarters) and a portable
detector that accompanies the person to detect a gas leakage in its define
walk (utility) on occasional visits to the platform.
• 4) Other method of studies : To apply noise detectors or microphone, due
to small leakages. This is use measure the amplitude of the noise as the
frequencies are visible on the spectrum.
A Noise Spectrum Tool;
SpectrumView

7. FIRE AND GAS SYSTEM BLOCK DIAGRAM (configuration of
hardwired signals for initiation/alarm)

8. APPLICATION OF VARIOUS FIRE AND GAS DETECTORS

9. FLAMMABILITY TRIANGLE
• WHAT IS FIRE AND GAS DETECTION ?
• It is the method of detecting the presence of flammable/toxic gases
and/or fire in identified areas of risk
• WHY IS IT IMPORTANT ?
• To protect and safeguard
• Personnel, equipment and the environment
• POSSIBLE CAUSES OF GAS LEAKS AND FIRES ?
• Gas leak from pump seals, flanges, etc.
– Wear and Tear,
– Vibration, etc.
• High pressured flammable gas will shoot out from pressurized pipeline or
equipment from point of leakage
• Possibility of an explosion or a fire (see flammability triangle)
Figure 1 : Flammability Triangle

10. Figure 3 : Methane Gas Explosive Limits
Figure 2 : Early Gas Detection Warning Level
GAS DETECTION : The ability
to detect lean concentration
of METHANE gas at an early
leakage stage before a
catastrophe.

11. TYPES OF GAS DETECTORS
• Gas detectors
– Infra red, electrochemical, catalytic (point detectors)
– Infra red (line-of-sight)
Model Polytron 2IR
Model Pulsar
Model Polytron FX
Model APEX
Model ECLIPSE
Model OPECL

12. ANIMATION OF A GAS LEAK (animation)
V-1
WIND
GD-1
GD-2
Tx
Rx

13. Line of Sight Gas Detectors

15. FLAME DETECTION : The ability to
detect infrared flame when it appears
Extract from NFPA 72

16. Model S251f+
(Triple IR)
Model X3301 (Triple
IR)
TYPES OF FLAME DETECTORS
• Flame detectors
– Infra red (triple 3IR)
– Ultraviolet (UV)
– Ultraviolet and Infra red (UV/IR)

17. PLACEMENT OF FLAME DETECTORS (animation)
FD-1 FD-2
V-1
FD-3

18. FIRE AND GAS DETECTORS LAYOUT

19. FIRE AND GAS MAPPING

20. A fusible plug is a threaded metal plug, which has a tapered hole
drilled completely through its length. This hole is sealed with a
metal of low melting point, usually lead or tin.
PNEUMATIC FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM

21. LOCATION OF PNEUMATIC PLUGS

22. FUSIBLE PLUG LOOP SCHEMATIC

23. TYPES OF SMOKE AND HEAT DETECTORS
• Smoke detectors
– optical
– ionisation
(being phased out due to stringent disposal requirements of
radioactive substances)
• Heat detectors
– rate of rise
– fixed
Model 601P
Smoke Detector
Model 601H-R Model 601H-F
Heat Detector
Courtesy of THORN

24. PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER

25. Fail Safe Controller (FSC)
Human Machine
Interface (HMI)
Addressable Fire Alarm
Panel (AFAP)
Part of the Shutdown System
SDS
Part of Fire Alarm System FAS
Part of Fire and Gas System
FGS or Process Control System
PCS

26. ATTACHMENTS
• Article (Technical)
• 1. Fire and Gas Detection – A Safeguarding System Worth Investing,
Institute of Engineers Malaysia, Jurutera Magazine, 24 May 2008
• 2. Reliability of Gas and Flame Detectors on Offshore Platform, Institute of
Engineers Malaysia, Jurutera Magazine, p25, Nov 2013
• Data Sheet (Technical)
• 1. Sample of Gas Detectors Datasheet
• 2. Sample of Flame Detectors Datasheet