By: Jobin Yohannan

Plot Plan- What is it?

• A key document produced during the Engineering stage of any processing facility.
• It’s an engineering landscape and architectural plan drawing of a process plant.
• In terms of detailing scope, plot plans can be divided into two types. They are:
Unit Plot Plan and Overall Plot Plan (Site Plan)
• A unit plot plan shows the relative location of equipment, inter-distances, piperack or sleeper
orientation and location, plant and true north, prevailing wind direction, primary and
secondary roads, escape routes, maintenance and drop-out zones etc. Sectional views may be
shown for clarity if required.
• Unit plot plan shows the above details for a particular unit of the total facility. Hence it may
also be referred to as the Equipment layout.
 Then what is a Site Plan?
• An overall plot plan or otherwise a site plan is the complete depiction of a processing facility.
• Site plans are overhead views drawn to show the overall facility site and adjacent areas that
may include roadways (state or national highways), railway corridor, harbour, gantry, green
belt area, utility feed from local authority (electricity, gas and water), administration buildings
etc.
• The initial site plan drawing is provided by the client or civil/topographical department for the
client.
• Overall plot plans do not show significant details of individual process units. They show the
layout and extents of real estate of a facility.
 Plot Plan- Why is it needed?
• Besides being a key document of the Piping layout group, a plot plan drawing serves as an
interface with other engineering disciplines. The disciplines which use it are:
1. Process
2. Mechanical
3. Civil
4. Instrumentation
5. Electrical

• Plot plan is then finally used by Construction and Operation & Maintenance team.
 How do they use the Plot Plan?
• Process- The plot plan is used for hydraulic design and calculations, equipment sizing, line
sizing, pressure drop calculations and utility block flow requirements.
• Mechanical- For reviewing the equipment erection philosophy and locations of manholes,
nozzles and drop-out zones.
• Civil- Plot plan is used to develop foundation and structural designs, grading and drainage
plans, holding ponds, diked areas and paving plans. Also to estimate bulk materials.
• Instrumentation- To locate analyser house, cable trays and process interface buildings (PIB).
To estimate bulk MTO and locate main control house.
• Electrical- To develop area classification drawings and estimate BMTO. To locate switchgear,
incoming substations and motor control centre and route cables.
• Piping- For finalizing piping layout, access ways, interconnection piping for process and
utilities and layout of underground piping. Also for estimating bulk MTO.
 How do they use the Plot Plan?
• Construction- To schedule erection sequence of all plant equipments, decide erection and
rigging schemes for large equipments. Constructability review, marshalling and laydown areas
throughout construction phase.
• Operation & Maintenance- To review accessibility of equipments at site for maintenance,
day to day activities and implementation of safety and evacuation plans.
 Inputs for Plot Plan development
• Process design data • Storage tank requirements and fluid class.
• Process flow diagram • Feed receipt, product dispatch and mode
• Prevailing wind direction of transport.
• Equipment list • Service buildings and fire stations.
• Utility data and requirements • Approach road to main plant areas.
• True north direction • Statutory obligations of local authority.
• Grade level of plant
• Location of electrical supply and receiving station
• Emergency evacuation plan
• Future/Expansion requirements
 Principal considerations for Plot Plan
• Economy- equipment to be positioned for maximum economy of piping and steel usage.
• Available plot area- optimum use of space while locating equipments keeping operability and
maintenance in mind.
• Process compliance- requirements such as NPSH for pumps, allowable pressure drop, gravity
flow, catalyst loading must be met.
• Constructability- ease of crane access, movement, lift and laydown areas must be given
weightage.
• Future expansion- this requirement is given by specifically by the client
• Operation & Maintenance- equipment type and size and its maintenance frequency,
operational requirements and shutdown requirements are primary considerations.
• Safety & statutory compliance- OISD/ NFPA/ PESO/ IBR mandates to be adhered to during
equipment and facilities location or adding equipment in existing plot plan also.
 Principal considerations for Plot Plan
• Underground facilities: Depending on soil conditions equipment foundations may be spread
footing or piled. Electrical and instrument cabling may be below grade along with
underground piping viz. oily water sewer, storm water, firewater and chemical drainage.
Sometimes cooling water system could be positioned underground.
Equipment and structures on a Plot Plan
• Piperack:
• Piperack orientation and its shape is
decided based on directions of incoming
feed and outgoing product/intermediates
lines.
• Using PFD a line routing diagram is
drawn on a preliminary plot plan. An
allowance of 20% is added to width of
piperack for detailing. Another 20% for
future space requirements if specified.
• Air fin coolers may be supported on
piperack and maintenance space would be
required beneath the rack.
Equipment and structures on a Plot Plan

• Pumps:
• Pumps are located while minimising
suction length requirements but satisfying
flexibility requirements.
• Boiler feed pumps are located close to the
deaerator.
• Suitable provision for motor removal and
maintenance is to be considered.
• Generally pumps are aligned keeping their
discharge centrelines on a same line.
Equipment and structures on a Plot Plan
• Exchangers:
• Exchangers may be located on grade or
elevated structures as per space
availability or process requirements.
• Preferred stacking height is 2 units or
3.6m high as a good engineering practice.
• Channel end is positioned towards road
for maintenance access.
• Vertical reboilers are supported on their
related towers.
• Horizontal reboiler elevation is set as per
process requirements or BOP from bottom
nozzle kept at 600mm from paving.
Equipment and structures on a Plot Plan
• Fired heaters/Furnaces:
• Heaters must be located upwind of
compressor house and process units
preferably in a corner.
• Space to be provided for removal of
furnace tubes and accessibility of crane.
• When furnaces are arranged in group,
common stack is preferred.
• A minimum clearance of 15m must be
given between shell of furnace and other
hydrocarbon containing equipment.
• Adjacent furnaces to be provided with an
interconnecting platform.
Equipment and structures on a Plot Plan
• Air fin coolers/Fin fan coolers(AFC):
• Air fin coolers are located adjacent to the
equipment they serve for optimum piping.
• AFCs may be supported on grade or over
pipe racks which is most common.
• No equipment to be positioned directly
above or below an AFC.
• Platform has to be provided around them
for access to motors and header boxes.
• Crane access is required for
removal/replacement of tube bundles, fans
and drivers.
Equipment and structures on a Plot Plan
• Columns/Towers:
• Towers to be located near related
equipment such as pump, reboiler, drums
or condensers.
• Manholes and drop-out zones for internals
to be preferably facing the road or
opposite side or rack.
• Tower BTL elevation can be set by NPSH
and/or a combination of operator access,
maintenance access, minimum clearance,
vertical reboiler or common access.
• Interconnecting platform may be provided
for adjacent columns.
 Other details on a Plot Plan
• Cooling towers are located downwind of control rooms, substations, process areas and far
away from roads to minimise corrosion and vision obstruction by vapour clouds.
• When operator attention is required more than once in an 8- hour shift, or for a platform
on an elevated rotating equipment or storage tanks exceeding 4.5m in diameter and 6m in
height, Stairs are used.
• To access and service PSV at elevated locations, manholes, removable heads of vertical
reboilers or exchangers with centreline above 3.5m from grade, platform and ladder
arrangement is required.
• Emergency eyewash and safety showers, breathing air stations, emergency egress routes
are marked on plot plan in consultation with Loss prevention or HSE group.
• For chemical dosing tanks inside process units a kerb wall of maximum height of 300mm
is provided for limited spillage containment.
 Other major equipments
• Drums
• Reactors
• Compressors
• Storage tanks
• References:

• Process Plant Layout & Piping Design by Ed Bausbacher and Roger

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