(Industrial) Standard of China Chemical & Petroleum Corp.

Surface Color and Identification of Equipment and Piping

in Petrochemical Enterprises
SHJ 43-91

Chapter I General Principles

Article 1.0.1 This Standard is established specially to unify the surface colors and identifications of
equipment, piping and steel structures in petrochemical enterprises, facilitate operation and
maintenance, promote safe production and beautify the appearance of the plant.
Note: Identification means the clear identification codes, such as letter, item number, arrow, etc.,
painted locally on the exterior surface.
Article 1.0.2: This Standard is applicable to the surface colors and identifications of equipment,
piping and steel structures in petrochemical enterprises. For extension projects, reconstruction projects
or existing enterprises, this Standard may be implemented gradually with the specific conditions taken
into account.
This Standard shall also be implemented for imported projects.
Article 1.0.3: This Standard doesn’t include safe marks and safety colors.
Article 1.0.4: The surface color of buildings shall be designed in harmony with those of equipment
and piping. For reinforced concrete structures and fireproof protective coatings normally no colors are
painted.
Article 1.0.5: The surface colors and identifications of equipment and piping in self-supply power
plants of petrochemical enterprises shall be determined according to relevant stipulations of electrical
power authorities.
Article 1.0.6: Colors used in implementation of this Standard shall comply with the “Color Atla” of
Appendix I.

Chapter II General Provisions

Article 2.0.1: All equipment and piping shall be painted with surface color and identification except
for equipment and piping with surfaces made of enamel, ceramic, plastics (including glass fiber
reinforced plastics), rubber, non-ferrous metal, stainless steel, galvanized steel pipe, aluminum alloy
plate, asbestos cement, and they should maintain their original manufacture colors or the original
material colors and no surface color shall be applied (however, identifications shall be made with
paint).
Relevant provisions of Chapter III and IV shall be implemented for surface colors and identifications.
When there are two surface colors available for choice, the surface color within a plant shall be
identical.
Note: Surface means the outer surface of non-insulated equipment and piping or the outer surface of
protective coating of insulated equipment and piping as well as the surface of steel structures.
Article 2.0.2: It is forbidden to apply surface color once again on the equipment and piping that are
already painted with heat indicating paints, however, identifications can be made with paint on them.
Article 2.0.3: Identification tags may be used when it is difficult to paint identifications on piping
with an outer diameter or outer diameter of the protective lay  50mm.
Article 2.0.4: For lifting and transportation machinery and the equipment used in mechanical
maintenance, electrical maintenance and instrument maintenance, it is appropriate to maintain their
original manufacture colors.
Article 2.0.5: Flight obstruction signs shall be provided for the high-rise equipment and steel
structures, such as towers, stacks, flares, etc., nearby airports and air routes according to the
requirements of the local air traffic control authorities.
 Chapter III Equipment
Article 3.0.1: The surface color and identification color of petrochemical equipment and machinery
shall comply with the provisions of Table 3.0.1.

Table 3.0.1 - Surface color and identification color of petrochemical equipment and machinery

No. Category of equipment and Surface color Identification Remarks

machinery color
1 Stationary equipment
(1) Storage tank Silver Bright red
Heavy material tank Medium grey Bright red
(2) Tower Silver Bright red
(3) Cooling and heat exchanging Silver Bright red
equipment
(4) Reactor Silver Bright red
(5) Miscellaneous Silver Bright red Containers other than
those in item (1) – (4)
2 Industrial furnace Silver Bright red
3 Boiler Silver Bright red
4 Pump Silver Bright red
5 Motor Apple green Bright red
6 Compressor Light green Bright red
Large-sized compressor Light green Bright red or the original
manufacture color
7 Fan Sky Bright red
phthalocyanine
8 Centrifugal machine Light green Bright red
9 Oil filing riser Orange Bright red
10 Steel stack Silver Bright red
11 Flare Silver Bright red
12 Coupling guard Faint yellow
13 Fire fighting equipment Bright red white

Article 3.0.2: The surface color and identification color of electrical and instrument equipment shall
comply with the stipulations of Article 3.0.2.

Table 3.0.2 - Surface color and identification color of electrical and instrument equipment

No. Description Surface color Identification Remarks

color
1 Switchgear Apple green or Bright red Inner surface,
navy grey ivory tint
2 Distribution board Apple green or Bright red Inner surface,
navy grey ivory tint

3 Transformer Navy grey

4 Power or lighting distribution Navy grey or Bright red
box ivory tint
5 Console Apple green or Inner surface,
navy grey ivory tint
6 Instrument panel Apple green or Bright red Inner surface,
 navy grey ivory tint
7 Local instrument cubicle Apple green or Bright red
navy grey
8 Instrument installed on panel Navy grey
9 Local instrument panel Navy grey
10 Cable tray and cable channel Medium grey

Article 3.0.3: For the equipment not included in table 3.0.1 and 3.0.2, it is appropriate to have a
silver surface color or maintain their original manufacture colors, the identification shall be in bright
red.
Article 3.0.4: The equipment identifications shall be provided according to the following
requirements:
1. Identifications are indicated with item numbers.
2. Identifications shall be made with paint on a clear position or foundation on the side of the primary
line of sight of the equipment.
3. The identification characters shall be written in print with an appropriate size, and neatly arranged.

Chapter IV Piping
Article 4.0.1: The surface color and identification color of ground piping shall comply with the
stipulations of Article 4.0.1.

Table 4.0.1 - Surface color and identification color of piping

No. Description Surface color Identification color

Character and arrow
1 Material piping
(1) Normal material Silver Bright red
(2) Acid and caustic Pipe purple Bright red
2 Utility piping
(1) Water Bright green White
(2) Sewage Black White
(3) Steam Silver Bright red
(4) Air and oxygen Sky phthalocyanine Bright red
(5) Nitrogen Faint yellow Bright red
(6) Ammonia Medium yellow Bright red
3 Emergency vent (mouth of pipe) Bright red Faint yellow
4 Fire fighting pipe Bright red White
5 Electrical and instrument protection Black
tube
6 Instrument pipe
(1) Instrument air pipe Sky phthalocyanine
(2) Pneumatic signal tube and pressure pipe Silver

Article 4.0.2: The piping identifications shall be made according to the following requirements:
1. For the piping with the identification colors listed in Table 4.0.1, characters and arrows shall be
painted at valves, branches, inlets and outlets of equipment as well as on boundaries of the line
balance converters.
2. The characters shall be indicated with one of the following methods, however, those within the
same plant or unit shall be indicated consistently:
a. Chinese name of the media.
b. Abbreviation of the English name of media.
c. Schedule number of pipe.
3. Two way arrows shall be used to indicate the two way flow of media.
4. The characters and arrows shall be neatly arranged with appropriate size.
Article 4.0.3: The surface color of valves in pipelines and small-sized equipment shall comply with
the stipulations of Table 4.0.3.

Table 4.0.3 - Surface color of valves in pipelines and small-sized equipment

No. Description Surface color Remarks

1 Valve body
(1) Cast iron and malleable cast iron Black
(2) Ductile iron Silver
(3) Carbon steel Medium grey
(4) Acid-proof steel Navy blue
(5) Alloy steel Medium
phthalocyanine
2 Valve hand wheel and handle
(1) Steel valve Navy blue
(2) Cast iron valve Bright red
3 Small-sized equipment Silver or the original
manufacture color
4 Control valve
(1) Cast iron valve body Black
(2) Cast steel valve body Medium grey
(3) Forged steel valve body Silver
(4) Membrane Bright red
5 Safety valve Bright red

Chapter V Steel Structures

Article 5.0.1: The surface color of frames, platforms and ladders in connection with equipment shall
comply with the stipulations of table 5.0.1.

Table 5.0.1 - Surface color of frame, platform and ladder

No. Description Surface color

1 Beam, column, support and hanging pile Apple green or bluish grey
2 Floor plate and pedal Apple green or bluish grey
3 Railing (including uprights), guard rail, handrail Faint yellow
4 Guards for railing Apple green or bluish grey

Article 5.0.2: Pipe supports and hangers shall be in apple green or in bluish grey.
Article 5.0.3: Air vent towers, lightning arrester and projector stands, flare frames shall be in silver.
Article 5.0.4: The surface color of other steel structures shall be in harmony with those of equipment
and piping.
 Color Atla
Appendix I
Silver Sky phthalocyanine PB09

White Bluish grey PB08

Black Navy blue PB05

Pipe purple Medium phthalocyanine PB04

Ivory tint Y04 Apple green G01

Faint yellow Y06 Light green

Medium yellow P07 Bright green G03

Orange YR04 Navy grey B05

Bright red R03 Medium grey B02

Appendix II Notes of Wording

The wordings used to express the degrees of strictness shall be dealt with in accordance with the
following statements of wordings:
(I) Wordings used to express requirements that must be very strictly followed without any deviation
therefrom.
Wording in positive form to be used is "shall", and wording in negative form to be used is "shall not".
(II) Wordings used to express something shall be done in this way under normal conditions.
Wording in positive form to be used is "shall", and wording in negative form to be used is "shall not".
(III) Wordings used to expression the action steps are allowed with possibilities for selection or when
the conditions are permissible it should be done first:
Wording in positive form to be used is "should" or "may", and wording in negative form to be used is
"should not".

Explanatory notes
Name list of the unit in charge of the compilation, units participating in the compilation and major
draftmen.
Unit in charge of the compilation: Design Institute of SINOPEC Shanghai Gaoqiao Petrochemical
Company
Units participating in the compilation: Design Institute of SINOPEC Yangzi Petrochemical Company
Design Institute of SINOPEC Baling Petrochemical Company
Major draftmen: Xu Fuyuan, Wang Zeng, Zhang Qiangli, Gui Linchang, He Hongshui,. Tang Guihua

Directives to the Clauses

Beijing, 1991
Chapter I General Principles
Article 1.0.1: Working in an environment with harmonic colors has an important effect on the
concentration of mind and inspiration of enthusiasm for people
Along with the development of the production of petrochemical enterprises, the Corporation has
constructed or is going to construct many plants. In order to facilitate the operation and maintenance,
promote safe operation and beautify the appearance of plant, it is necessary to establish the
Corporation (industrial) standard of the surface color and identification which is applicable to the
design, construction and production.
I. The reference has been made mainly to the following standards during the establishment of this
Standard;
1. International standards:
(1) ISO/R 508---1966 “Identification color of gas and liquid transport piping of plants on board and
land”
(2) JIS Z 9102 Japanese Industrial Standard “Identification of tubing”
(3) TEC Standard of Japan TEC Engineering Company “Color identification of final paint”
(4) CHIYODA Standard of Japan CHIYODA Engineering Company “ Specifications of colors”
(5) UBE Standard of Japan UBE Industrial Company “Guidelines for painting work”
(6) FLUOR Standard of FLUOR Engineering Company USA “Surface Colors”
(7) LUMMUS Standard of LUMMUS Engineering Company USA “Final surface colors”
2. Domestic standards:
(1) GB 3181-82 Color standard samples for paint film
(2) GB 7231-87 Basic identification colors and code indications for industrial pipelines
(3) Relevant standards promulgated by the Ministry and institute standards of major design institutes
within the SINOPEC.
II. During the establishment, present conditions of the surface colors and identifications in
petrochemical and chemical fibre plants such as YANGZI, Zhenghai General Petrochemical
Works, Shanghai General Petrochemical Works , Shanghai Gaoqiao Petrochemical Company,
Dongting Nitrogen Fertilizer Plant, Yizheng Chemical Fibre Plant, etc. have been investigated and
studied.
The surface colors and identifications of this Standard are determined on the basis of synthesizing the
standards both at home and abroad, on the principle of approaching as close as possible the standards
of foreign engineering companies and our national standards, making reference to and analysis of the
present conditions of the surface colors of imported plants in YANGZI.
The surface colors of this Standard are mainly light colors, while clear and sharp colors are used as
identification colors.
Article 1.0.2: This Standard is mainly applicable to the inner and outer surface colors and
identifications of the plants in petrochemical enterprises.
This Standard shall be implemented for engineering, design, construction and production.
For the extension, reconstruction projects of plants or the existing enterprises, this Standard shall be
implemented gradually by the production party during maintenance depending on the size of the
project and specific conditions, and arrangement to get in consistence with this Standard shall be made
as soon as possible.
For domestic projects and imported projects, relevant requirements of this Standard shall be proposed
to the manufacturer or foreign company when making orders so as to avoid repainting after the
receiving of the goods. Relevant information shall be added into design documents.
Article 1.0.3: For safety colors and safe marks, since there have been national standards available, no
special clauses are listed here in this Standard.
Alarm signs such as “No Smoking”, are not in the scope of this Standard. They shall be determined by
safety supervision departments of the enterprises based on actual needs for their identifying modes
and positions.
Article 1.0.5: At present, the surface colors and identifications of equipment and piping in self-supply
power plants of petrochemical enterprises shall follow the stipulations of SDGJ59—84 “Design
Specifications for Painting of Thermoelectric Equipment and Pipe Insulation in Thermal Power
Plant” and other regulations of electrical power authorities. For the boiler house not belonging to self-
supply power plants, this Standard shall also be implemented.
Article 1.0.6: Totally 18 color samples are provided in “Color Atla” of appendix I.
Among them 13 are selected from national standard GB3181—82 Appendix A, i.e., medium
phthalocyanine, navy blue, bluish grey, sky phthalocyanine, medium grey, navy grey, bright green,
apple green, ivory tint, faint yellow, orange, medium yellow and bright red.
One color sample is selected from GB7231—87, i.e. pipe purple.
Since there are no similar descriptions for silver, white, black, light green in national standards, other
descriptions outside of national standards are used instead.
Paint plants all over the country shall be able to turn out the pain products in the above colors.
During the implementation of this Standard, colors shall be mixed according to the “Color Atla” in
Appendix I.

Chapter II General provisions

Article 2.0.1: For heat-insulation equipment and piping for which the insulation materials such as
glass fiber is used, surface colors and identifications shall be made with paint on the wrapping glass
cloth.
In the table 3.0.2 and 5.0.1 of this Standard, two colors are listed for part of the surface colors. When
making choice, the surface colors within the same plant shall be identical; however, the case “or the
original manufacture color ” as mentioned in table 3.0.1 and 4.0.3 is not limited by this requirement.
Article 2.0.4: For lifting and transportation machinery, equipment used for mechanical maintenance,
electrical maintenance, and instrument maintenance, which have special requirements on color
painting, requirements can be proposed to the manufacturer when making orders.
Article 2.0.5: The provision of flight obstruction signs has an important impact on the safe taking off
and landing of aircraft. There are many high-rise equipment and steel structures in petrochemical
plants, so sufficient attention shall be paid to the design, construction, and production. In order to
avoid omission and resulted losses, special care shall be taken for this point.
 Chapter III Equipment
Article 3.0.1: The surface colors of petrochemical equipment and machinery are determined with the
reference made mainly to the standards of international engineering companies and the present
conditions of surface colors of imported plants in YANGZI, which are listed below:

Comparison table of surface colors of equipment

Standard This TEC Chiyoda UBE Flour LUMMUS Yangzi

surface Standard (Present
color Conditions)
Category
1.Stationary
equipment
(1) Storage Silver Silver Silver Silver Silver Grey Silver
tank
(2) Tower Silver Silver Silver Silver / / Silver
(3) Cooling Silver Silver Silver Silver Silver / Silver
and heat
exchanging
equipment
(4) Reactor Silver / Silver Silver / / /
2. Industrial Silver / / / Silver Silver Silver
furnace
3. Boiler Silver Silver / / Silver / Silver
4. Steel Silver Silver / / / / Silver
stack and
flare pipe
5. Fire Bright / / / Bright Bright red Bright red
fighting red red
equipment

Note: “/” indicates no such item in the standard of this engineering company.
In the standards of international engineering companies, rotating machinery is a major category,
including pumps, motors, compressors, fans, centrifugal machine, etc.. Grey is adopted by TEC,
FLUOR, LUMMUS while green is adopted by CHIYODA. There is no such item in the standard of
UBE. In order to be in harmony with the color of the whole plant and take into account the present
conditions of the manufacturers, four colors of silver, apple green, sky blue and light green are used
respectively for such a major category of equipment.
Article 3.0.2: The comparison table of the surface colors of electrical and instrument equipment and
the present conditions of surface colors of imported equipment of YANGZI is as follows:

Comparison table of surface colors of electrical and instrument equipment

Standard this Standard TEC CHIYODA LUMMUS YANGZI

Surface color (present
Category conditions)
1. Electrical Apple green or Silver / / Apple green or
equipment navy grey navy grey
2.Instrument Apple green or Grey Green, grey Green Apple green or
equipment navy grey navy grey
Note: “/” indicates there is no such item in the standard of international engineering company due to
the rough classification of surface colors of electrical equipment. There are no such items in the
standards of UBE and FLUOR.
In order to make this Standard comply with the actual situation in our country, additional kinds are
provided for the category.
Article 3.0.4: Provision of identifications of equipment:
I. For this Standard, the identification on equipment is the item number. Item number consists of
equipment codes and Arabic numerals.
II. Item numbers shall be painted as far as possible on the proper of equipment. When the equipment
is too small, and it is very difficult to paint them on the proper, they can be painted on the foundation.
As to the specific locations on equipment, they can be determined at discretion.

Chapter IV Piping
Article 4.0.1: Ground piping indicates the piping above the ground and the piping in the open trench ,
excluding embedded piping and the piping in the covered trench.
Surface colors of material piping are determined mainly based on standards of international
engineering companies. The surface colors of utility piping, fire fighting piping or emergency vents
(mouth of pipes) are determined with reference made to the international and national standards. For
the details, refer to the comparison table of surface colors of piping.
The so-called emergency vents mean the pipeline downstream of the last valve in the vent pipeline.

Comparison table of surface colors of material and fire fighting piping

Standard this National TEC Chiyoda UBE FLUOR LUMMUS JIS Yangzi
Surface Standard standard (present
color conditions)
Category
1.
Material
piping
(1) Silver / Silver Silver Silver Grey, Grey Silver Silver
normal silver
material
(2) Acid Pipe purple Purple / / / / / Purple /
and
caustic
2. Fire Bright red Red / / / Red Red Red Red
fighting
piping

Comparison table of utility piping and emergency vent (mouth of pipe)

Standard this Standard National standard YANGZI (present

Surface color conditions)
Category
1. Utility piping
(1) Water Bright green Green Green
(2) Sewage Black / Black
(3) Steam Silver Silver Red
(4) Air and nitrogen Sky blue Light blue Sky blue
(5) Nitrogen Faint yellow Yellow Yellow
(6) Ammonia Medium yellow Yellow Yellow
2. Emergency vent Bright red Red Bright red
(mouth of pipe)

Article 4.0.4: The surface colors of valves (including control valves) are mainly classified based on
the material of valve, so as to distinguish among materials of various kinds of valves to facilitate
operation, maintenance and installation, meanwhile, the surface colors of this Standard is in harmony
with the original manufacture colors.

Chapter V Steel Structures

Article 5.0.1: For the surface colors of platforms and frames connecting with equipment, they are
determined mainly based on the standards of international engineering companies and present
conditions of painting of YANGZI, Zhenghai General Petrochemical Works. The comparison table of
surface colors of steel structures is as follows:

Comparison table of surface colors of steel structures

Standard This CHIYODA UBE FLUOR LUMMUS YANGZI Zhenghai

Surface Standard (present (present
color conditions) conditions)
Category
1. Beam, Apple Green Blue Grey Yellow Apple Bluish grey
column, green or green
support, blue grey
hanging
column
2. Flooring Apple Grey Brownish Yellow Grey Bluish grey
plate, pedal green or grey
blue grey
3. Railing Faint Yellow / Yellow Yellow Yellow
(including yellow
uprights),
handrail,
4. Guards Apple Green / Yellow Yellow Yellow
of railing green or
blue grey
5. Pipe Apple Green / Grey Apple Blue
support and green or green
hanger blue grey
6. Tower Silver / / / / Silver grey Silver grey
support

Note: “/” indicates that there is no such item in the standard of the engineering company.
Based on the above comparison, for this Standard apple green and bluish grey are selected as the
surface colors of steel structures.