With the rapid advancement of science and technology, high-tech equipment is increasingly being integrated into safety production and emergency response efforts within the petrochemical industry. This helps to safeguard the well-being of enterprises and personnel. Natural gas, as a high-risk substance, demands strict measures to ensure the efficient operation of gas pipelines and the safe functioning of gas stations. Therefore, it's crucial to develop comprehensive fire protection technologies for these facilities.
Since March 2010, the Southwest Oil and Gas Field Branch of China National Petroleum Corporation and Sichuan Wei Telong Fire Equipment Co., Ltd. have formed a research group focused on developing a CO₂-based fire safety protection system tailored for natural gas transmission stations. Leveraging Wittron’s patented CO₂ inerting and low/constant pressure storage technology, the system actively neutralizes potential hazards such as ball valves and filter devices in the gas station. It provides CO₂ gas for critical areas like power distribution rooms and DCS rooms, offering an efficient, clean method of fire suppression when needed.
Moreover, the COâ‚‚ gas is used to power specialized cleaning machines and suction pumps, enabling safe and effective sewage removal without causing dangerous situations like electric sparks or explosions. This enhances the overall safety and operational efficiency of the gas station, improving its intrinsic safety and fire-fighting capabilities.
Li Wei, Chief Engineer at Sichuan Wei Telong Fire Equipment Co., Ltd., stated that this COâ‚‚ fire protection system significantly improves the safety of natural gas pipelines and stations in China. It offers scientific, reliable, and environmentally friendly solutions for fire safety, while also providing new methods for ensuring the safe operation of natural gas pigging systems in the oil and gas industry.
Crude oil, being highly flammable and explosive, presents major challenges when stored in large quantities. The development of advanced fire protection technology for petroleum storage tanks is therefore essential. Currently, most fixed fire suppression systems for large floating roof oil tanks rely on foam extinguishing and water spray cooling. However, these systems are often ineffective in quickly addressing fires in the floating roof seal, requiring numerous fire trucks and manual firefighting from the tank top.
To address this, the National Petroleum Reserve Center commissioned research by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Graduate School and Sichuan Wei Telong Fire Equipment Co., Ltd. They developed an active safety protection system that shifts from reactive firefighting to proactive prevention, enhancing the ability to suppress fires and control explosions in large oil storage tanks.
The system includes a central monitoring host, primary supply station, multiple active protection subsystems, and an intelligent rapid fire suppression unit. During normal operations, the active protection subsystem continuously monitors gas concentrations inside the seal ring, while the intelligent fire suppression subsystem detects fires in real time. When gas levels exceed set thresholds, the system activates inerting to reduce oxygen levels and temperature, keeping the area safe. In case of a fire, the intelligent suppression system automatically identifies the source and performs rapid, targeted fire suppression through remote, on-site, or automated controls.
This active safety protection system combines proactive measures with intelligent fire suppression, integrating remote and on-site control to shift from passive firefighting to active prevention. It has greatly improved the safety and fire control capabilities of large-scale storage tanks, offering reliable technical solutions for the petrochemical industry.
Recently, at the National Petroleum and Petrochemical Enterprise Safety Production Emergency Rescue Management Seminar and New Technology Exhibition hosted by the China Petroleum Enterprise Association, it was noted that high-tech innovations originally used in space exploration, lunar missions, and launch vehicles are now being applied to enhance safety and emergency response in the petrochemical sector.
Optical fiber sensing technology, known for its intrinsic safety, long-distance measurement, and cost-effectiveness, has unique advantages in petrochemical safety monitoring. Beijing Aerospace Times Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. has developed a distributed optical fiber temperature sensing system that can be widely used in oil pipeline leakage detection, oil well temperature monitoring, hazardous chemical storage safety, and oil tank fire monitoring. With features such as distributed measurement, long-range capability, accurate positioning, and remote monitoring, this technology is gaining attention. The State Administration of Work Safety has called for policies to promote its application in key safety areas, aiming to enhance overall safety standards.
Additionally, desktop exercises offer a cost-effective, flexible, and efficient way to conduct emergency drills. By combining electronic maps, 3D simulation, and scenario-based training, they provide realistic virtual environments for participants to practice emergency responses. According to China's "Guidelines for Production Safety Accident Emergency Exercises," implemented in September 2011, desktop exercises involve simulating emergency scenarios using various tools to test and improve emergency preparedness.
Ma Haoran, Senior Engineer at Sinopec Safety Engineering Research Institute, explained that the desktop exercise system allows participants to simulate different roles and collaborate to complete tasks. It supports roles such as trainers, operators, and observers, helping to enhance the emergency response capabilities of safety personnel and on-site teams. This approach is being widely adopted and further developed across the industry.
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