Air Monitoring and Detection at Crude Oil Emergencies MODULE 5

Air Monitoring and Detection at Crude Oil Emergencies MODULE 5

Module Objectives Upon completion of this Module, attendees will be able to: Identify the types of Air Monitoring instruments needed at a crude oil emergency Describe the capabilities and limitations of these devices when used List the detection limit parameters to be used during a crude oil incident

Basics of Air Monitoring It is extremely important that proper air monitoring occur during crude oil emergencies Air monitoring is crucial to the safe and successful mitigation of the emergency Critical information will be obtained which will impact the outcome of the entire incident

Critical Information Obtained The information obtained from Air Monitoring will allow responders to: Determine the level of hazard to the responder Permit for the establish of safe work zones Determine evacuation parameters

Detection vs. Monitoring Detection is the act or process of determining the presence of a material in the air At a crude oil emergency, responders must give the highest priority to detecting the presence of: Flammable Vapors Toxic Vapors

Detection vs. Monitoring Monitoring is the act or process of obtaining known parameters of known materials For crude oil emergencies we are most concerned with Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL) Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) levels Lower and Upper explosive Limits (LEL and UEL) These parameters are continuously monitored to observe changes and assure scene safety

Understanding Flammability Combustion occurs when there is a proper mixture of flammable vapors in air If there is not enough vapors present the mixture is too lean (below the LEL) If there are too much vapors present the mixture is too rich (above the UEL) Combustion occurs when the concentration of gas is between the LEL and UEL or within the Flammable Range

The Flammable Range LEL UEL Too Lean to Burn Too Rich to Burn FLAMMABLE RANGE 1% 10 %

The Flammability of Bakken Crude Oil All crude oil is composed of a variety of fractions of hydrocarbons These major fractions are: Light ends Light Naphtha Medium Naphtha Heavy Naphtha Light Gas Oil Residual Oil The most flammable ones are the Light Ends through the Medium Naphtha These materials in mixture are similar to that of gasoline The hazard of Bakken Crude Oil is that it is made up of a high concentration of these flammable fractions

Toxicity of Crude Oil Toxicity the quality or specific degree of being poisonous

Toxicity of Crude Oil All crude oil contains hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) The toxicity of crude oil lies with the amount of H 2 S Sweet Crude Lower amounts of Hydrogen Sulfide Sour Crude Much higher concentration of Hydrogen Sulfide

Toxicity of Hydrogen Sulfide Very low odor threshold Below 1 ppm Recognizable rotten egg odor Between 30 and 100 ppm has a sweet sickening odor Above 100 ppm paralysis of the olfactory nerve Complete loss of smell Air monitoring is ESSENTIAL!

Danger of Hydrogen Sulfide PPM Physical Effects of Exposure Low 1 Smell odor Level 20 Smell odor, eye irritation 100 150 No odor, eye irritation, visual distortion, headache, nausea, dizziness, irritation of nose, ears and throat 300 Loss of consciousness, Pulmonary edema High Level 500 1000 Paralyzed sense of smell, difficulty breathing > 1000 Stoppage of breathing mechanism, Death

Selecting the Proper Air Monitoring Instrument The following are important considerations for selecting the correct Air Monitoring Instrument: What material is involved in the incident? What are the hazards of the material?

Air Monitoring Instrument Use Considerations Follow a Logical and Orderly Procedure Use data to determine: Level of Protection required Location and boundaries of control zones Evacuation distances SCBA USE WHEN CONDUCTING AIR MONITORING IS ESSENTIAL

Air Monitor Selection Air Monitoring Instruments should be: Rechargeable User Friendly Lightweight and Portable Selective (designed to detect Flammability and Hydrogen Sulfide) Sensitive (detect materials at smallest possible amounts) Have an audible alarm

Combustible Gas Indicators

Using Air Monitoring Instruments Emergency Responders using Air Monitoring Instruments need to use them with established action levels Action Levels: Predetermined quantities that when detected require special actions to be taken

Action Levels Flammability Reading Action <10% of LEL Continue Operations Toxicity 10% - 25% of LEL Use Caution, Continuous Monitoring > 25% of LEL Evacuate the Area <10 ppm Cold Zone 10 ppm 20 ppm Warm Zone > 100 ppm Hot Zone