FPSO: Floating Production, Storage & Offloading

Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units play a vital role in offshore oil and gas production, enabling hydrocarbons from subsea wells to be processed, stored and offloaded in remote and challenging offshore environments.

FPSOs are particularly suited to deepwater and remote developments where fixed production infrastructure or export pipelines may be impractical or uneconoomic. 

With hydorcarbons processed and stored onboard, potentially explosive atmospheres can occur in designated areas of an FPSO.  Selecting Hazardous Area lighting appropriate to the area classification  is therefore critical to safe and reliable operations.

Potentially Explosive Atmospheres on FPSOs

FPSOs can contain Hazardous Areas classified as Zone 0, Zone 1 or Zone 2, where flammable gases or vapours may be present depending on the source of release, ventilation and operating conditions.

Typical Hazardous Areas and applications can include:

• Crude oil storage tanks and venting arrangements
• Process and separation modules, manifolds and associated piping
• Flare, vent, relief and drain systems
• Cargo and crude oil pump rooms and certain compressor areas
• Tank entry, inspection and maintenance where a potentially explosive atmosphere may be present
• Temporary work areas within classified zones during shutdowns, upgrades and asset-integrity campaigns

Selecting appropriately certified Ex equipment for the relevant Hazardous Area classification is essential to minimise ignition risk and meet applicable project, classification and local requirements.

Wolf Safety provides ATEX and IECEx certified Hazardous Area lighting for safe use in potentially explosive atmospheres worldwide.