are usually not allowed to operate at all. While a large part of safety derives from
the way a facility is operated, many features can be designed into the plant to
enable safer operations.
This part of the Handbook focuses on the systems and practices that allow for
excellent safety. Included here, you will find discussions of
• Process safety management (PSM) basics
• Safety systems for pressure and temperature
• Oxygen deficiency protection practices
• Confined space entry practices
• Facility siting considerations
• Hazardous materials
• Fire prevention and protection
Part V: Reference
The Reference part of the book provides detailed discussion of several general
equipment types and how to design them:
• Vessels
• Fractionation towers
• Pumps
• Compressors
• Heat exchangers
• Fired heaters
• Piping and pressure drop
This part also has a comprehensive (and in some cases fairly detailed)
dictionary of abbreviations, acronyms, expressions, and terms you will hear
around refineries and petroleum processing facilities. We have added many
terms and eliminated most of the repetition in the first edition. Many of these
terms we use in the industry without even realizing they have specific connotations in our business. Having them all in one place helps. Where appropriate, the
definitions provide references back to specific chapters in the book for additional
information.
Part VI: Appendices
The appendices include reference materials that either did not fit elsewhere or were
needed in multiple chapters. The appendices are divided into four sections:
Appendix “Examples of Working Flow Sheets in Petroleum Refining” provides
examples of various flow sheets and documents used in petroleum processing.
Appendix “General Data for Petroleum Processing” contains general data on
petroleum properties and some equipment properties. Included here, you will
find relationships for viscosity, specific gravity,
API gravity, boiling points,
freezing points, and tray geometry.
Appendix “Selection of Crude Oil Assays for Petroleum Processing” has several
examples of crude and other oil properties in the form of simple assays. This
appendix has been expanded to include many of the newer stocks, such as shale
crudes, bitumens, and synthetic crudes. Some of these assays are dated, so for
Preface to the Second Edition
vii
the way a facility is operated, many features can be designed into the plant to
enable safer operations.
This part of the Handbook focuses on the systems and practices that allow for
excellent safety. Included here, you will find discussions of
• Process safety management (PSM) basics
• Safety systems for pressure and temperature
• Oxygen deficiency protection practices
• Confined space entry practices
• Facility siting considerations
• Hazardous materials
• Fire prevention and protection
Part V: Reference
The Reference part of the book provides detailed discussion of several general
equipment types and how to design them:
• Vessels
• Fractionation towers
• Pumps
• Compressors
• Heat exchangers
• Fired heaters
• Piping and pressure drop
This part also has a comprehensive (and in some cases fairly detailed)
dictionary of abbreviations, acronyms, expressions, and terms you will hear
around refineries and petroleum processing facilities. We have added many
terms and eliminated most of the repetition in the first edition. Many of these
terms we use in the industry without even realizing they have specific connotations in our business. Having them all in one place helps. Where appropriate, the
definitions provide references back to specific chapters in the book for additional
information.
Part VI: Appendices
The appendices include reference materials that either did not fit elsewhere or were
needed in multiple chapters. The appendices are divided into four sections:
Appendix “Examples of Working Flow Sheets in Petroleum Refining” provides
examples of various flow sheets and documents used in petroleum processing.
Appendix “General Data for Petroleum Processing” contains general data on
petroleum properties and some equipment properties. Included here, you will
find relationships for viscosity, specific gravity,
API gravity, boiling points,
freezing points, and tray geometry.
Appendix “Selection of Crude Oil Assays for Petroleum Processing” has several
examples of crude and other oil properties in the form of simple assays. This
appendix has been expanded to include many of the newer stocks, such as shale
crudes, bitumens, and synthetic crudes. Some of these assays are dated, so for
Preface to the Second Edition
vii