MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS & PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI MANI SHANKAR AIYAR)
(a): Yes, Sir. The Government has issued various statutory regulations i.e. Petroleum Rules, 2002, Gas Cylinder Rules, 2004, Static and Mobile Pressure Vessels (Unfired) Rules, 1981, Factory Rules, 1987, etc. for compliance by public sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to reduce the fire incidents. Compliance of these norms by OMCs is monitored/checked by statutory bodes like Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organization (Formerly Department of Explosives), Factory Inspectorates, etc.
Further, Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD), a technical directorate has been set up by this Ministry for developing various Standards and Guidelines for storage & distribution of petroleum products to enhance safety. OISD oversees implementation of these standards and the compliance is checked through Pre-commissioning Safety Inspection of new facilities, conducting Surprise Safety Inspections and periodic External Safety Audits by teams constituted with experts from Oil and Gas industry. Recommendations of these audits are monitored by OISD for earliest implementation. OISD also carries out incident investigations and suggests remedial measures to Oil companies to take steps to prevent recurrence. OISD also shares the knowledge and information through training programmes/workshops where the technological developments, case studies, industry experience are discussed and shared with Oil Industry to enhance the safety.
(b) & (c): The information is being collected and will be laid on the Table of the House.
(d): OMCs have adopted safety measures for Fire prevention and protection in storage & distribution of petroleum products in POL Terminal/Depots, Port Oil Terminals & LPG Bottling Plants, which cover the water/foam requirements, network design, detection aids, sprinklers, foam applications and Fire tenders and also in transportation of petroleum products including LPG in which the relevant OISD standards are used for protection of facilities. The details of the standards used for safety measures by OMCs to minimize the incidents are as under:-
OISD STD 116 : Fire protection facilities for Petroleum depots and terminals and pipeline installations.
OISD STD 118 : Lay out for Oil and Gas Installations.
OISD STD 144 : Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Bottling plant operations.
OISD RP 157 : Recommended practices for Transportation of Bulk Petroleum Products.
OISD RP 158 : Recommended practices on storage and Handling of Bulk Liquefied Petroleum Gas
OISD RP 159 : LPG tank trucks: Requirements of safety on design/fabrication and fittings.
OISD RP 167 : POL tank lorry design and safety.
