OVER ALL PLOT PLAN

DEFINITION

Plot plan is a master plan locating each unit/facility within the plot boundary for industrial units.
It’s all about Space allocations, relative locations, and minimum inter-distances between different blocks.
Basis of keeping specific inter-distances depends on the lessons learnt during the past years from
accidents which occurred in various plants throughout the world.
TYPES OF INDUSTRIAL UNITS

 Refinery.
 Chemical.
 Petro-chemical.
 Fertilizer.
 Pharmaceutical.
 Power Generation.

CONSIDERATIONS WHILE DEVELOPING PLOT PLAN

 Operation of plant.
 Maintenance.
 Safety aspects of plant and that of the neighboring plant.
 Fire hazards.
 Location of power supply.
 Location of water supply.
 Expansion facilities.
 Man material movement.

PLOT PLAN DEVEOPMENT- OISD

Government body in India which recommends rules for plot plan development of Oil and Gas installations
is:

OISD: Oil Industry Safety Directorate Ministry of petroleum and Natural Gas Government Of India
OISD – STANDARD - 118
Layouts for oil and gas installations
DEFINITIONS

 Petroleum Refinery: Petroleum refinery is a plant where crude oil is received and processed into
intermediates and finished products.
 Oil/Gas production plant: It is a plant where oil and /or gas is collected, stabilized and dispatched for
further processing. Drilling activities and facilities upstream of the Christmas tree of a well are not
covered in this definition.
 Gas processing plant: It is a facility where natural gas is received and processed to make gas, LPG,
condensate etc.
 Other petroleum storage installations: Other petroleum storage installations include :
 Crude oil gathering stations.
  Coastal storage installations for crude oil and petroleum products.
 Marketing depots and terminals.
 Aviation storage and fuelling stations.
 Pipeline installations/terminals

INFORMATION WE GET THROUH PLOT PLAN

 Provides Information in Block Form.

 Representation of Different Buildings and Plants e.g.
 Process Production Units
 Utility Units
 Waste Treatment Units
 Storage Areas – Including Warehouses
 Sub – Station, Switch Yard
 Control Room
 Offices, Administration Bldg., Laboratories, etc.
 Fire Station
 Indicates Details of Ground Profile.
 Access to Plant(s) viz. Roads, Rail tracks, Racks, Trenches,
 Sewers, etc.
 Future Space.

EQUIPMENT LAYOUT

Equipment Layout also called as Unit Plot Plan

Equipment layout is an arrangement drawing that highlights the equipment and supporting facilities.
These are required for a given process integrated within a common battery limit area, usually designed for
independent operation and shutdown.

Equipment Layout Fundamentals

The equipment layout is one of the key documents produced during the engineering phase in any
processing facility.

 It is used to locate equipment and supporting infrastructure.

 To establish the sequence of major engineering and construction activities.

Provides Detailed Information for the Unit / Plant

 Location & Arrangement of Equipments.

 Mounting & Maintenance of Equipments.
 Civil and Structural Arrangement.
 Electrical & Instrumentation Installation.
 Safety and Fire Fighting Details.
 Environmental Protection.
 Paved Areas, Basin, Dykes, etc.
 Road Access./Service Areas./Future Space.
The equipment layout is used by various disciplines for various purposes as listed below.

 Piping design: To produce studies that facilitates the interconnection of above & below ground
process and utility piping systems and to estimate piping material quantities.
 Civil & structural: To develop grading and drainage plans, foundation and structural design etc and
bulk estimates.
 Electrical: To produce Area Classification drawings, cable routing, estimate bulk materials etc.
 Instrumentation: To locate analyzer house, cable trays, location of main control building.
 Systems Engineering: To facilitate hydraulic design, line sizing etc
 Construction :To schedule erection sequence of all plant equipment constructability reviews
 Estimating : To estimate overall cost of the plant
 Client: Safety, operator and maintenance review and to develop as built record of the plant
arrangement.

Input required for preparation of equipment layout.

Equipment layout shall be developed based on the following data:

 P&IDs
 Overall Plot Plan
 Wind direction
 Equipment Data Sheets
 Indicative Equipment Layout from Process Licensor/EIL Process
 Project Design Data – Is Supplied by the Client or Project Engineering
 Statutory Rules / Regulations
 Safety Requirements-As a minimum, ‘OISD Std. 118’ shall be followed.
 Fire fighting facilities shall be provided as per ‘TAC’ & ‘OISD’ norms
Development of Equipment Layout

Development of Equipment Layout is not an exact science, but a reflection of the designer’s ability to
anticipate mechanical problems and provide the necessary access for operation and maintenance as well
as the designer’s general experience with plant layout requirements.

GOAL - To produce a Safe, Cost effective, operational plant which will probably remain in use for
at least 25 years.

The equipment layout is generally developed in stages

a) Proposal stage
b) Planning stage
c) Construction stage

The entire process of development of equipment layout can be simplified by breaking into a number of
smaller steps

1) Collection of input
2) Placement of equipment
3) Configuring and designing of Pipe rack
4) Determining Roads, access ways and paving
5) Positioning of Buildings
6) Equipment Spacing

The following aspects shall be considered during development of equipment layout:

 Process Requirement - i.e. proper inter-connection between equipment as per P&IDs to achieve the
intended process parameters.
 Economy of piping material- Minimize the quantity of costly piping.
 Erection & Construction requirement -Erection scheme and schedule of all equipment must be
considered during equipment layout to have smooth erection mainly in case of tall columns, heavy
equipments like thick walled reactors, space for laying tall column, approach road for cranes /
derrick for lifting the column or reactors and requirement of special foundation / pile etc.
 Safety shower location shall be marked in equipment layout. For detailed guidelines refer General
 Operation and Maintenance Requirement:
 Overhead and side clearances for exchangers and pumps
 Provision of exchangers tube bundle pulling area
 Horizontal & overhead clearances for easy movement of working personnel
 Crane approaches for air coolers/fired heaters.
 Provision of catalyst loading / unloading facilities
 Provision of monorail for pumps and exchangers
 Provision of EOT/HOT crane for compressors
 Provision of operator’s cabin
 Similar equipment grouping - All columns, exchangers, pumps etc. should be grouped together for
convenience of maintenance and safety wherever feasible.
 The technological structures should be inter-connected for easy movement of operational personnel.
 U/G piping corridors for main headers should be marked in equipment layout for all Underground
piping.
 All areas requiring crane excess for erection or specific maintenance purpose e.g.
Catalyst loading etc. shall be marked on the equipment layout.
 Basic position, arrangement and its elevation with a diagram for various equipments such as

Pumps
Exchangers/ Reboilers
Vessels/drums
Columns
Tanks
Coolers
Heaters
Compressor
Knockout drum

 Rack Design in detail.

 Main artery of a process unit.

 Connects all equipment with lines that cannot run through adjacent areas.
 Located in middle of most plants, hence must be erected first, before it becomes obstructed by
rows of equipments.
 Corresponding piping drawings are also required early for the same reason.
 Carry process and utility piping and may also include instrument and electrical cable trays as well
as equipment mounted over all of these.
 Requires considerable planning and coordination with other technology groups regarding
construction because costs are so high.
 Design concern includes:
1. Rack Width
2. No of levels and elevations.
3. Bent spacing.
4. Pipe flexibility.
5. Access and maintenance of each item present in pipe rack area.

 Data required for design of pipe rack includes:

1. Plot plan.
2. PIDs.
3. Plant layout specification.
4. Client specification.
5. Construction materials.
6. Fireproofing requirements.

 Job Specification
Job specification SP....C100 contains design criteria, agreed between Company and
Client, affecting pipe rack design:

1. Battery limit, valving and spade requirements.

2. Catwalk, platform and ladder access to valves and relief valves in pipe rack.
3. Minimum headroom and clearances under overhead piping or supporting steel within
areas
4. Pipe ways and secondary access ways
5. Main access roads
6. Rail roads
7. Standard to be used for minimum spacing of lines in pipe racks
8. Handling and headroom requirements for equipment positioned under pipe racks
9. Operating and safety requirements affecting pipe rack and structure design
10. Location of cooling water lines underground or above ground
11. Trenched piping, if any.

 Development
With the receipt of engineering flow diagrams and utility flow diagrams, a more complete and
accurate assessment of rack space is possible. Utility headers generally run the whole length
of the pipe rack, so should be taken into account when estimating additional space required.
To assist Process Department in sizing utility headers in the pipe way a line routing on a
repro of the plot plan, showing order of take-offs is required.

 Line Identification

 Process Lines
Lines interconnecting nozzles on process equipment more than 6M apart (closer speced
equipment may be directly interconnecting inside piping areas).
1. Products lines which run from vessels, exchangers or pump to battery / unit limits
2. Crude or other charge lines entering the unit which run along piperack before
connecting to process equipment, furnaces, exchangers, holding drums or booster
pumps.
 Relief Headers
 Individual relief lines, blowdown lines and flare lines should be self draining from all relief
valve outlets to knock-out drum, flare stack or to a point at the plant limit. To achieve this,
lines will connect into the top of the header and at 45 degrees in direction of flow. To
eliminate pockets, and obtain required slope to knock-out drum some relief headers must be
placed above the main piperack.
 Instrument and Electrical Cable Trays
Often instrument and electrical cable trays are supported on the piperack track. Space must
be allocated to accommodate them from the outset. Due to the possibility of induced current
interference instrument and communication cable trays must be located away from electrical
and power cable trays. Consult with Instrument /Electrical Department for separation
requirements

  Piperack Width
The width of piperack is influenced by :
 The number of lines
 Electrical/instrument cable trays.
 Space for future lines.

The width of a piperack may be calculated using the following method : First estimate number
of lines as described. Add up the number of lines up to 18” diameter
The total width in meters (W) will be :
W = ( f x N x S ) + A meters
Where f, safety factor = 1.5, if the lines have been laid out as described in initial evaluation.
Where f, safety factor = 1.2, if the lines have been laid out as described under development.
N = number of lines below 18” diameter
S = average estimated spacing between lines in millimeters.
Usually - S = 300 mm
Usually - S = 230 mm ( if lines in piperack are smaller than 10” )
A = additional width required meters for :
 Lines larger than 18”.
 Future lines.
 Instrument and electrical cable trays.
 Any slot for pump discharge lines 500 mm - 1 meter.
The total width is thus obtained. If W is bigger than 9M usually two piperack levels will be
required.
Note : At the beginning of a job, `W` should usually include 30 - 40% of clear space for future
lines.
The width of the piperack may be increased or determined by the space requirement, and/or
access to equipment arranged under the piperack.
Below figure shows typical piperacks bents with tabulated dimensions. Total available
piperack width of each type of support is included. This table can be used for selection. The
most commonly used piperack supports are types 2, 3, 4 and 5.

 Spacing between Piperack Bents

Normal spacing between piperack bents varies between 4.6M to 6M.
This may be increased to a maximum of 8M consideration must be given to :
 Smaller lines which must be supported more frequently ( see Company design
specification “recommended span between pipe supports” )
 Liquid filled lines requiring shorter span than gas filled lines
 Hot lines which span shorter distances than cold lines of the same size and wall
thickness
 Insulated lines; small bore, cold - insulated lines due to weight of insulation must be
supported at relatively short intervals
  Space requirements of equipment at grade can sometimes influence piperack bent
spacing.

  Piperack Elevation
Piperack elevation is determined by the highest requirement of the following :
 Headroom over main road
 Headroom for access to equipment under the piperack
 Headroom under lines interconnecting the piperack and equipment located outside.
The size of steel or concrete beam supporting overhead piping must be taken into
consideration. Headroom requirements for each job are detailed in Company specification no.
C100 and coordination procedure.

 Elevation at Piperack Intersection

 Where two two-tier piperacks meet, it is essential that elevations of lateral piperacks
slot between elevations of main piperack.
 Figure 2A illustrates this requirement. Choice of top elevation of lateral piperack
midway between the top an bottom main piperack elevation allows turning up or
down at the intersection.
 Generally, lines running at right angles to main piperack are assigned elevations 500
mm to 1 meter higher or lower (depending on headroom requirements) than lines
running in main piperack. 500 mm differential between pipe runs is the absolute
minimum.
 Figure 2B shows a piperack intersection where the respective main and lateral
piperack elevations do not slot between each other. This design complicates routing
of lines from piperack to the other, especially where lines run on the bottom levels of
both piperacks. Avoid this design at all cost.
 Where a single tier piperack turns through 90°, and all lines can be kept in the same
sequence in both directions, no elevation difference is necessary. When lines
sequence changes, introduce an elevation change at the turn. See below figures.

 Description of Check Points

 Document / Drawing format are as per project specific formats.

 Details (logo, name) of Client / PMC / Contractor are mentioned on the document /
drawing.
 Scale of drawing is defined.
 Document / Drawing are signed by designated persons in original and the same
should match with the Signature List.
 Drawing is legible.
 Document numbering & revision description is as per approved EEP / PLEs QMS
documents.
 Revisions identified by triangle, vertical line or clouding.
 Previous revision identification removed.
 Holds are identified and listed in Hold List.
 Font size & style is as per Project specific requirement / Appendix 2 of PLEs QSP
(PLE-QA-QSP-01).
 Plant north arrow / wind rose shown.
 Battery limit coordinates shown are as per overall plot plan.
 Equipment layout matches with indicative equipment layout
 (If available).
 Layout meets the requirement of engineering design basis e.g. width/ span of pipe
rack, no. Of tiers, future space requirement on rack, location of pumps, tube bundle
pulling and monorail arrangement for pumps/exchangers, movement space of hydro
 extractor , shed for pump/ compressor house, control room philosophy, location of
electrical cables (U/G or A/G) etc..
 Inter equipment distances followed as per OISD/ client/ licensor’s specific
requirement (if any).
 Equipment spacing takes care of foundation of equipments and U/G piping.
 Fire heater stack level reviewed for 45m separation if columns are taller than stack.
 Air coolers over pipe rack and/ or tech. structure arranged for optimum piping and
requirements of P&ID fulfill and check a symmetrical piping arrangement is being
provided or not. Air cooler bundle arrangement checked for fire water sprinkler
supports. Air cooler separation checked if located at different location and levels.
 Tech. structure provided for slender columns where platform cannot be provided from
the columns.
 Adequate separation between instt. Cable ducts and electrical cable trays along with
walk ways provided.
 The relevant special notes of the P&IDs taken care of.
 Stress analysis of critical lines (as identified by process requirement of minimum
bends, length, pressure drop etc.)
 Equipments located to minimize the length of lines: two phase flow line, Compressor
suction line downstream of suction KOD, Reboiler in/out lines, Low pressure lines
and Ejector suction lines.
 Safety distances of heater/ furnace within the unit checked with outside tankages,
fire-stations, adjoining units, other facilities.
 Battery limit platforms and arrangement of battery limit valves shown.
 Flare knock out drum and the underground CBD drum located at the end of unit
towards battery limit.
 Platform for safety valves provided over pipe rack for slender columns & equipments
on grade.
 Battery limits finalized to ensure that FG, Oxygen, Ethylene lines etc. do not run
across the major part of unit length.
 Feasibility to interconnect the column platforms with adjacent columns and tall
buildings checked.
 Latest drawings / documents considered for dimensions of equipment/packages. In
the absence of these best estimate obtained from originating depts.
 Cross section of pipe rack and compressor house shown.
 Cross section of process buildings/platforms, elevation view of entire length, tech-
structure and details of EOT crane, if any, shown.
 Access checked for furnaces and columns from road for installation and
maintenance.
 Acid/caustic handling areas requiring special pavement/lining marked.
 Adequate space for future equipments provided.
 Area for handling catalyst marked.
 Eye wash & safety showers are marked as per HSE requirement.
 Equipment list mentioned is complete w.r.t. equipments shown in the layout and
equipment list issued by Process.
 Utility hose stations marked.
 Stack location w.r.t. wind direction so that emission does not pause problem for
operator.
 Fire pit location removal of hose.
 Crane parking (hard stand) areas shown.
 Hold marked where salient dimension or input is not available.
 Auxiliary requirements of individual equipments considered (e.g. Turbine drive of
pumps, lube oil, seal oil facility of pumps and compressors etc.)
 Maintenance access provided for compressors, blowers and air coolers.
 Fire protection requirements coordinated with general civil.
  Drop out areas and davits considered for all columns, elevated structures and air
cooler motors.
 All equipments located with proper dimensions.
 HPP/FGL/MSL marked.
 Legend shown and notes mentioned.
 Equipment layout issued to, and commented upon by all disciplines including process
licensor (if any) and client and comments reviewed/ discussed and incorporated.
 Layout put up to Apex committee for approval.

Question related to Equipment and piping Layout:

– Part – 1
1. What are the steps involve in Plant design?
Answer: -The mechanical design and development of the plant has three major steps as: -A. Conceptual
layout design.
B. Equipment layout design.
C. Piping layout design.
2. What is conceptual layout design?
Answer: -It is the part of basic engineering package. It consists of following information: -A. Essential
process design requirement such as horizontal & vertical relationship of equipment.
B. Space allocation for basic plant requirement (space required for laboratories, office, storage etc.)
C. Planning for control room, motor control center room etc.
3. What is Equipment layout design?
Answer: -It is the detailing of conceptual layout. It is the basic document of mechanical engineering
design or in
other words this document is the basis for development of construction drawing by all disciplines. It is
sometimes also referred as plot plan for large outdoor plant.
It consists of following information: -A. Floor space needed for the equipment and other facilities are
shown.
B. Access, removal space, cleaning area, storage space and handling facilities are outlined.
4. What are the essential data/ documents required for preparation of equipment layout?
Answer: -The essential data or documents required for preparation of equipment layout is as: -A. Process
flow diagrams (PFD) and Piping & instrument Diagrams (P& ID).
PFD/ P& ID indicates the interconnectivity of each equipment, information regarding solid
handling, gravity feed, line slopes, loop sizes, venting requirement, special piping materials etc.
which in turns governs the equipment location to a great extent.
B. Project design data.
Geographic location, proximity to roads and railway, topography and local codes and regulations,This
consists of following information as: -
weather conditions such as rainfall records, seasonal temperature differences, wind direction,
outlet points for drains etc.
The above information such as wind direction influences the location of cooling towers, furnaces,
stacks etc. Similarly, the information regarding outlet drain points affects the design of storm water
drains and requirements of enclosures.
C. Equipment sizes and Building.
This includes fabricated equipment such as vessels, Heat Exchangers, Reactors, Tanks and
proprietary equipment like pumps, Compressors, Furnaces etc. For locating the above, the
equipment is grouped to have optimum location for minimum pipe run as well as fallow the process
flow sequence.
5. What are the two basic configurations for the equipment layout (unit plot plan )?
Answer: -The equipment layout can basically be divided into two configurations:
A. The Grade Mounted Horizontal arrangement as seen in the refineries and petrochemical plants.
B. The vertical Arrangement as seen in many chemical process industries.
6. What is Grade mounted Horizontal Arrangement of equipment layout?
Answer: -In the Grade mounted Horizontal Arrangement, the equipment is placed on the either side of the
central pipe rack with auxiliary roads. Advantage of this arrangement is that the equipment is located
at grade level, which makes it easier to construct, operate and maintain. Disadvantage is that it takes
lot of ground area.
7. What is Vertical arrangement of equipment layout?
Answer: -The structure mounted vertical arrangement has equip ment located at multilevel in steel or
concrete
structure. This could be indoor or outdoor. Advantage is of small coverage area and ability to house
the facility to suit process requirement or climate conditions.
8. What are the basic principles of locating the Equipment irrespect of the type of arrangement?
Answer: -The certain basic principles to be followed while locating the equipment is as: -A. Economic
piping :
In order to minimize the cost of piping, the equipment should be located in process sequence and
close enough to suit safety needs, access requirements and flexibility. The equipments are identified
which forms the subsystem within the unit. The component within the subsystem to be arranged to
have most economical piping and the whole subsystem to be arranged within the unit to have most
economic interconnection.
B. Process Requirement:
The equipment layout should support requirement like minimum pressure drop, gravity feed and loop.
C. Common operation:
The equipment that requires commo n maintenance facilities, common utility and continuos operator
attention shall be located the same area.
D. Underground Facilities:
Before deciding the equipment location, the facilities such as storm water drain, effluent drain, fire
water, cooling water to be placed underground.

9. What is Line Routing Diagram?

Answer: -A line routing diagram is a schematic representation of all process and utility – piping system
drawn on
a copy of plot plan. This diagram does not show the exact locations, elevations or interference but it
locates the most congested area.
10. How do you calculate the width of Pipe rack?
Answer: -W = (f X n X s) + A + B.
…Where, f : Safety Factor
= 1.5 if pipes are counted from PFD.
= 1.2 if pipes are counted from P&ID.
n : number of lines in the densest area up to size 450NB.
= 300 mm (Estimated average spacing)
= 225 mm (if lines are smaller than 250 NB )
A : Additional Width for: –
: Lines larger than 450 NB.
: For instrument cable tray / duct.
: For Electrical cable tray.
s : 300 mm (estimated average spacing)
: 225 mm (if lines are smaller than 250 NB)
B : future provision
= 20% of (f X n X s) + A
11. Up to what limit the width of pipe Rack is restricted? What type of arrangement shall be done
if the width of rack calculated is more then the restricted limited?
Answer: -Normally pipe Rack width is limited to 6.00 Mtrs. If the width of rack calculated is more then the
arrangement shall be done in multiple layers. The arrangements adopted are: -A. Single column Rack ‘T’
type.
B. Double column Rack with a single tier.
C. Double column Rack with a double tier.
12. How much space is kept in between column of pipe rack?
Answer: -Normally, 5 to 6 Mtrs. spacing is kept in between the column of pipe rack.
13. At which location the wide spacing (spacing more than the normal) in between the column is
necessary?
Answer: -Wide spacing is necessary at road crossing or where loading or access space is needed.
14. How much Headroom clearance is required under the following type of crossing?
A. Structures/ pipe lines inside operating area.
B. From top of the Rail.
C. Above crest of road for crane movement.
D. Above crest of road for Truck movement.
E. Above crest of road between process units.
Answer: -The Headroom normally provided is as: -A. Structures/ pipe lines inside operating area. : 2200
B. From top of the Rail. : 7000
C. Above crest of road for crane movement. : 7000
D. Above crest of road for Truck movement. : 6000
E. Above crest of road between process units. : 4500
15. What sort of drawing/ layout is required for piping layout?
Answer: -The following Drawing/ Layout are required for piping layout.
A. Piping & instrumentation Diagram (P& ID).
B. Equipment Layout.
C. Piping Specification.
D. Equipment Drawing.
E. Vendor Requirement for proprietary equipment.
16. What care shall be taken while routing piping for instruments?
Answer: -Following points shall be taken care of while routing piping for instruments.
A. Flow measuring instrument needs certain straight length on upstream & downstream of the
instruments. Normally, 15D on the upstream and 5D on the downstream is kept.
B. The pipe line in which flow meters such as magnetic flow meters, vortex meters, turbinemeters etc
are located shall be routed in such a way that the line must be filled with liquid all the time. The
pipe line shall be supported with robust support on both side of the meter.
C. Control valves are located at grade e.g. at about 500mm height from finished ground to provide
convenient access for operation and maintenance. Block and bypass valve shall be located to
have easy operation/ access from the grade. Locating control valve on the vertical line shall be
avoided.
D. Isolation valves for level gauges and pressure gauges shall be made accessible. All primary and
secondary indicators of pressure, temperature, flow, level, positioners etc shall be visible from the
operating area.
E. Rotameter shall be placed on vertical line and the inlet shall be from the bottom of the instrument.