EI TR Performance Standard

Guidance on integrity testing for offshore
installation temporary refuges
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GUIDANCE ON INTEGRITY TESTING FOR
OFFSHORE INSTALLATION TEMPORARY REFUGES
First edition
June 2017
Published by
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GUIDANCE ON INTEGRITY TESTING FOR OFFSHORE INSTALLATION TEMPORARY REFUGES
CONTENTS
Page
Foreword �� 6
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Dedication �� 8
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2 Scope �� 10
3 Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4 Technical detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.1 Discussion on test procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.1.1 Existing standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.1.2 Pressurisation tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.1.3 Air change rates and TR volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.1.4 Applied pressure and air leakage rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4.1.5 Failure criterion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.1.6 Range of pressures used to determine air leakage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.1.6.1 Multiple point method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.1.6.2 Single point method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.1.6.3 Preferred method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.1.7 Frequency of tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.1.8 Consistency between tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.1.9 Passive fire protection implications for applied sealing measures . . . . . . . 17
4.1.10 Planning, training and experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.1.11 Modifications to existing TRs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.1.12 New TRs on existing installations and TRs on new installations . . . . . . . . 18
4.1.13 Outdated concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.2 Test conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.3 Environmental concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.3.1 Stability of pressure readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.3.2 Bias pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4.3.3 Stack effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4.3.4 Limiting environmental conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4.3.5 Standard conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
5 Test procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5.1 Determine the limiting air change rate criterion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5.2 Survey �� 22
5.3 Pre-test actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5.4 Initial test measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5.5 Pressurisation tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5.6 Check initial measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5.7 Check air leakage at defined differential pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
5.8 Remedial actions and re-test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Contents continued
Page
5.9 Post pressurisation test actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
5.10 Data manipulation and reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6 Data analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.1 Determine the induced differential pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.2 Adjust air flow rates for manufacturer’s calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.3 Adjust air flow rates for internal and external temperatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.4 Plot the results for each test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
6.5 Convert to standard conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
6.6 Characteristic air leakage rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6.7 Determine pass/fail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
7 Report�� 30
Annexes
Annex A Use of English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Annex B Test method theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Annex C Sample test record sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Annex D Air density calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Annex E References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Annex F Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Annex G Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
LIST OF FIGURES
Page
Figures
Figure 1 Example of the effect of air change rate on the atmosphere within
a TR, showing the concentration of gas inside the TR (C) normalised
by the exterior concentration varying with time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Figure B.1 Example of positive and negative pressurisation tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
FOREWORD
This guidance has been developed by the Energy Institute (EI) Steering Group on temporary refuge
(TR) integrity testing and has been researched and written by MMI Engineering (MMI).
The objective is to provide a single methodology for testing and reporting the integrity of offshore
TRs with regard to air leakage rate and the potential for ingress of gas or smoke.
The intended users of this guidance are duty holders and all persons involved in the operation, testing
and maintenance of offshore temporary refuges. This will typically include the owner/operator of the
offshore platform where the TR is located, the offshore installation manager, offshore maintenance
engineer/technicians, offshore safety engineer and any independent test organisations which may
carry out integrity testing on the TR.
The guidance is intended primarily for use in the United Kingdom (UK) offshore industry.
Whilst written in the context of the UK legislative and regulatory framework, the principles set out
in this publication can similarly be applied in other countries, providing national and local statutory
requirements are complied with. Where the requirements differ, the more stringent should be
adopted. A similar legislative and regulatory framework generally applies elsewhere in the European
Communities.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Fatima Al-Aidaroos BG Group

Peter Bamforth BG Group
Mike Bilio Health and Safety Executive
Martin Brearley Health and Safety Executive
Sam Dalziel ConocoPhillips
Peter Gedge BP
Kieran Glynn BP
Ayssar Hanza BP
Keith Lewis Total E&P UK Ltd
Marc McBride Centrica
Sumeet Pabby BG Group
Tony Peakin Total E&P UK Ltd
Michael Skidmore BG Group
Donald Smith ENI
Chris Venn Chevron
Martin Worth Plant Integrity Management
Chui-Fen Wu Talisman
This guidance was coordinated and managed by Dr Cameron Stewart, EI, Upstream Technical
Manager.
DEDICATION
This first edition guidance is dedicated to Keith Lewis, process safety professional and valued
colleague, who did much to pass on his wealth of experience and to lead 'younger' process safety
professionals across the industry.
1 INTRODUCTION
A TR provides an important component of safety on an offshore platform and the Cullen

Report into the Piper Alpha disaster recommended that a TR should be provided on all
offshore installations. Most offshore safety cases attribute high availability and survivability
of the TR as a key component in establishing an acceptable risk profile for the installation.
The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) document Assessment principles for offshore
safety cases, Principle 22 defines the TR as: 'a place where personnel can muster safely in an
emergency, monitor and assess the developing situation, and either take control action or
initiate evacuation'. The TR provides protection from credible fire and explosion scenarios and
has some sealing function to prevent excessive air outflow and ingress of toxic smoke and
gases. The key component of the TR which provides the sealed environment is usually the
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) fire dampers. Other potential air leakage
paths include door seals, windows, cable and pipe penetrations, water traps and degradation
of the TR structure itself.
Ongoing assurance of a TR’s physical integrity against smoke and gas ingress is therefore
a critical activity. Proper integrity testing should demonstrate the effectiveness of the TR to
protect personnel from the effects of fire, smoke and toxic fumes during a major incident
as required by the Offshore Installations (safety case directive) (Safety Case etc) Regulations
2015. The effectiveness of this depends on the ability of the TR boundary to withstand the
hazards associated with these events, including blast, impact and fire.
A number of national, international and industry bodies have released methodologies for
leakage testing and permeability assessment of onshore buildings and rooms. However,
before the issue of this guidance there was no test standard or guidance specific to the
offshore industry. Furthermore, anecdotal evidence from offshore operators pointed clearly
to some inconsistencies in the way such testing is carried out between test organisations and
operators.
This guidance is intended to provide a standard methodology to the offshore industry to

perform air-tightness testing as part of their demonstration of the integrity of the TR and on-
going safety management procedure.
2 SCOPE
This guidance is intended for application to testing offshore installation TRs only.
It may also be used to test leakage properties of other enclosed spaces on offshore installations,
although in this case the definition of test pressures and limiting leakage rates may need to
be adjusted to suit the duty of the particular enclosure.
This guidance note is not applicable to testing onshore buildings or enclosures as the
environmental conditions are likely to be significantly different. In this instance the relevant
British Standard is BS EN 13829:2001 Thermal performance of buildings and the guidance
therein may be appropriate depending on the function of the building.
10
3 APPLICATION
This guidance should be used by offshore duty holders, as part of their TR integrity assessment
and maintenance procedure and by independent test organisations commissioned by offshore
duty holders to carry out TR testing.
HSE Offshore Information Sheet No 1/2006 Testing regime for offshore TR-HVAC fire
dampers and TR pressurization requirements, 2007 recommends that TR pressurization tests
are carried out at a frequency of no less than three years and preferably every two years. Duty
holders may require tests more frequently than every two years to build up sufficient data to
understand the reduction in performance of the TR over a period of time and the effect of
environmental conditions on TR performance.
11
4 TECHNICAL DETAIL
4.1 DISCUSSION ON TEST PROCEDURES
4.1.1 Existing standards
There exist a number of national standards and reports relating to HVAC, air-tightness and
air permeability of buildings. Mostly these are specific to buildings of different types located
onshore, although in the UK, the HSE has produced a number of documents specific to
the offshore industry of which the most pertinent is Offshore Information Sheet No 1/2006
Testing regime for offshore TR-HVAC fire dampers and TR pressurization requirements, 2007.
International Standard ISO 15138 Petroleum and natural gas industries – Offshore production
installations – Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning provides a lot of detail on the design
of HVAC systems. This includes detail on the development of a design basis, system design
in general, area specific design, equipment, bulk selection, testing and commissioning.
However, the advice provided is for offshore HVAC systems in general and does not extend
to the detailed testing methodology required to demonstrate TR integrity. Although a HVAC
system can be designed to provide a basic TR integrity testing capability, this is not its prime
function and 'certification' tests may be better achieved using bespoke equipment.
Other standards referenced in the development of this guideline are included in the references.
4.1.2 Pressurization tests
Almost all documented test procedures rely on pressurization tests, which apply either a
positive or negative pressure differential, and then measure the resulting leakage.
The ASHRAE Research Project 438-RP Report Evaluating the techniques for the measurement
of air leakage of building components describes this method as a 'DC' test; it also describes
'AC' tests where a fluctuating pressure is applied to the enclosed space. However, AC tests
are harder to apply to determine leakage rates; they are consequently much less common
and are not discussed further in this guidance.
In a 'DC' pressurization test, the pressure differential is generated by either the in situ HVAC
system or the temporary installation of a fan/blower door. In offshore TRs it is most likely that
testing would be carried out using a fan/blower door.
There are differing opinions over the main objectives of conducting both positive and negative
pressure tests. In general, negative pressure tests are thought to pull doors onto their seals
and are likely to show less air leakage, although this does depend on the specific design and
layout of the TR. It is also considered possible that equipment or parts of the TR structure
itself may act as 'flap' valves (in one direction only) and thus allow different rates of leakage
when positive and negative pressures are applied.
Hence the most generally held position is that positive and negative pressure tests both
provide valid and valuable data, but not necessarily the same information on TR integrity.
4.1.3 Air change rates and TR volume
The purpose of the pressurization test is to determine the air leakage rate from the TR.
This is usually converted to an air change rate measured in the non-SI units of 'air changes
12
per hour' or ac/h. This measure of volume flow rate is widely accepted in the offshore industry
and is more convenient than using the SI equivalent of m3/s, as in using ac/h the volume flow
rate is normalised by the volume of the TR. This allows the air-tightness performance of
different TRs with different volumes to be compared directly using the same variable.
Ac/h is also a useful variable to help determine the rate of accumulation of toxic atmospheres
of gas or smoke products within the TR. If the concentration of the toxic substance outside
the TR and the air change rate are both known, a first approximation of the time to generate
a toxic atmosphere inside the TR can be readily made.
For example, Figure 1 shows the increase of a gas inside a hypothetical TR for different air
leakage rates: 0,1, 0,3 and 1,0 ac/h. This assumes a constant concentration outside the TR and
a simple 'continuously stirred' model of the air flow inside the TR. In this particular example,
when the air leakage rate is relatively well controlled at 0,1 ac/h, the concentration of gas
inside the TR is only around 10 % of the external concentration after one hour. However,
when the air leakage rate is allowed to increase to 0,3 or 1,0 ac/h, the concentration of gas
increases to around 26 % and 63 % of the external concentration after one hour.
It should be noted that this is only an example to demonstrate the action of air change rate
and these values do not necessarily apply to any TR.
1,00
Air Leakage = 0,1 ac/h
0,90
Concentration of Gas Inside TR, C/Co [ppm]
Air Leakage = 0,3 ac/h

0,80 Air Leakage = 1,0 ac/h
0,70
0,60
0,50
0,40
0,30
0,20
0,10
0,00
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Time (minutes)
Figure 1: Example of the effect of air change rate on the atmosphere within a TR,
showing the concentration of gas inside the TR (C) normalised by the exterior
concentration varying with time
However, the disadvantage in using ac/h is that this variable is dependent on having a
reasonably accurate knowledge of the internal volume of the TR itself. This may be difficult
to determine if drawings of the TR are incomplete, the TR has been modified or if there is
a large amount of equipment, furniture or other fittings within the TR. Once the overall
volume of the TR has been calculated, common practice is to apply a 'congestion factor'
13
to account for the volume occupied by personnel, furniture, equipment and other internal
fittings. Congestion factors are usually assessed subjectively and typical values applied vary
between 0 % and 20 %.
On some installations, the volume occupied by personnel may be particularly significant – i.e.
where there is a high persons on board (POB) count but relatively small TR, and this should
be taken into account when estimating the congestion factor.
Caution must be applied when selecting the correct congestion factor: a large congestion
factor reduces the effective volume of the TR. When applied to the calculation of ac/h,
the smaller volume increases the apparent number of air changes occurring in the hour.
Conversely, a small congestion factor does not reduce the TR volume by as great a degree,
resulting in a reduced value for ac/h. Clearly it is not conservative if the number of ac/h is
under-estimated and for this reason a congestion factor should always be applied. If there is
a degree of subjectivity in selecting the congestion factor, sensitivity tests should be carried
out on the value chosen during the analysis of leakage test data.
Care may also be required in specifying the TR volume when it exists over several floors of
a block. For example, some installations have a helicopter operations room on the top deck
and a CCR on a lower deck linked by a stairwell – these may all be included in the TR but the
intervening decks may not.
4.1.4 Applied pressure and air leakage rate
The range of applied pressure differentials between the inside of the TR and the outside
environment which are typically used to measure air leakage rates may vary between
∆Pmin = 20 Pa and ∆Pmax = 60 Pa. The lower value may be limited by environmental condition
– gusty winds will have an effect on the bias pressure (see 6.4) and it may not be possible to
maintain steady conditions at this low pressure differential. The upper value chosen for testing
may be as high as ∆Pmax = 100 Pa; however, this is likely to be limited by the performance
limitations of the blower door and inherent leakage properties of the TR.
Whatever applied pressure differential is selected for testing, its purpose is to generate air
leakage and hence determine the overall air-tightness properties of the TR. The precise
relationship between applied pressure differential and air leakage rate will not be known
a priori, as it depends on the type, size, shape and length of leakage paths. The relationship
between applied pressure differential and air leakage rate is generally taken to be of the
form:
Q = C.(∆P)n Equation 1
where Q is the air leakage rate (m3/s), C is a constant, ∆P the applied pressure differential
(Pa) and n is the air flow exponent which must be between 0,5 and 1,0. The lower limit 0,5
represents turbulent flow which is characteristic of flow through orifice type leaks; the higher
value 1,0 represents laminar flow which is characteristic of flow in elongated leakage paths.
Values of n outside this range are unlikely to be representative of true flow conditions.
The constant, C, can be adjusted to standard temperature and pressure to allow comparison
of leakage rates in different conditions and on different installations.
14
4.1.5 Failure criterion
The onus of responsibility to define the performance requirements and failure criterion for a
TR remains with the duty holder. This will normally be defined by a limiting air leakage rate
which is permissible for a stated applied pressure differential. However, in the absence of
specific information from the duty holder, or to help inform the failure criterion given by the
duty holder, the following information is provided.
The consensus of a number of standards (including BS EN 13829:2001) and the UK HSE is

that air leakage should be assessed at ∆P = 50 Pa. The reason for this value is not clearly
stated and appears to have been developed as industry standard practice over a number
of years and in different countries. The selection of the pressure differential appears to be
somewhat arbitrary but 50 Pa is considered to be a reasonable value as it is high enough to
be generally clear of 'bias pressures' which may be caused by wind fluctuations, and not so
high that it would be unachievable in a standard fan/blower door test.
A significant attribute of the applied pressure differential is that the air leakage rate measured
in a test is dependent on the value chosen for applied pressure differential. Higher pressure
differentials will generate higher leakage rates and if a limiting leakage rate standard is set,
it must also have an associated pressure differential defined.
HSE Offshore Information Sheet 1/2006 states that the air leakage rate is usually taken
as 0,35 ac/h, but that new build TRs are constructed to a leakage standard of 0,25 ac/h.
However, there are many reasons why a duty holder may specify a different air leakage rate
limit. HSE OIS 1/2006 itself goes on to highlight that the actual numerical value selected for
limiting air leakage is not critical and should not be considered in isolation. For example, an
accommodation platform with no production or processing functions is unlikely to be subject
to high concentrations of gas or smoke products in the event of an incident, hence a larger
air leakage rate may be appropriate in this case. Conversely, TRs located close to production
and process areas are more likely to be exposed to high concentrations of flammable/toxic
atmospheres and may require lower limits on acceptable air leakage.
Also of significance is that the air leakage rate measured during the pressurization test is
only an indication of the TR integrity – it is simply the air leakage rate due to the pressure
differential applied on the day of the test, with the environmental conditions which existed
at the time of the test. In reality, TRs must provide a habitable environment on all days,
under all credible environmental conditions. This allows for some subjectivity in test results’
interpretation and acceptable leakage performance.
This guidance does not advocate any particular value or range of values for acceptable air
leakage rate. In establishing an appropriate air leakage rate, some of the items that duty holders
should consider are: the likely hazards that will be present; proximity to and complexity of
production facilities; volume of hydrocarbon inventories; type of hydrocarbons, and potential
for ignition of released hydrocarbons. The selection of the air leakage rate criterion should be
supported by suitable evidence, for example a risk assessment and consequence modelling
which show what the risks are from smoke- and gas- producing events.
4.1.6 Range of pressures used to determine air leakage
Given a specific requirement for TR integrity such as 0,35 ac/h at an applied differential
pressure of ∆P = 50 Pa, different testing methods can be applied to assess whether this is
achieved.
15
4.1.6.1 Multiple Point method

In this method, the air leakage is assessed over a range of pressures to determine overall
leakage characteristic; the overall characteristic is then used to determine the characteristic
leakage rate at +/− 50 Pa (rather than the measured leakage rate which is determined if
pressure tests are carried out at only a single value of pressure differential). This method is
defined in a number of national standards, including: BS EN 13829:2001, ASTM E779-10,
and has also been adopted by a number of other bodies including The Air Tightness Testing
and Measurement Association (ATTMA) – a special interest group within The British Institute
of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT).
The Multiple Point test method is carried out by initially pressurising to a low pressure limit
(which is high enough to overcome any pressure bias which may exist), typically ∆P = +/− 30 Pa,
and the air leakage rate is recorded. The pressure is then increased in a series of increments
up to a high pressure limit, say +/− 90 Pa, with the pressurization paused and the air leakage
recorded at every increment. The aim is to gather at least three and up to 10 data points
across this range, with a target increment of around 5 Pa. However, it is recognised that in
the offshore environment it may only be practicable to measure at increments of 10 Pa.
From the data, the values of the constant C, and exponent n (Equation 1) can be determined to
define an air leakage versus pressure relationship for the positive and negative pressurization
tests. The average air leakage rate of the positive and negative pressurization tests defines
the characteristic air leakage rate for the TR. This incorporates the integrity performance of
the TR across the whole range of pressures tested. This method is described in more detail
with an example calculation in Annex B, Test Method Theory.
4.1.6.2 Single Point method

A simple approach is to pressurise the TR to ∆P = +/− 50 Pa and record the associated air
leakage rate measured by the fan door equipment. Repeating the test a number of times and
taking the average air leakage rate provides some protection from experimental error. The
shortcoming in this method though, is that the TR integrity is only assessed at two values of
pressure differential, ∆P = +/− 50 Pa, whereas in normal operation, the TR must perform at all
reasonable values of overpressure. For example, a particular damper or door seal may 'blow
out' at a particular pressure; if the air leakage rate is assessed below this pressure, then the
effect will not be found; if the air leakage rate is assessed above this pressure, the effect will
be considered to be present at all times.
4.1.6.3 Preferred method

The preferred method to follow is the Multiple Point method. Offshore testing procedures
must be practicable and this requires a certain amount of compromise. For example, in the
available time slots for testing, when test personnel are on the installation, it may be found
that adverse weather conditions persist and testing may need to be carried out in non-ideal
conditions. This is reflected in this guidance by setting the limiting wind speed (See 6.3)
higher than would be acceptable in onshore testing. The consequence of allowing higher
wind speeds is that greater inaccuracies may be introduced in the test results. One way
to protect against these inaccuracies affecting the outcome of the tests is to use the more
detailed, Multiple Point method.
4.1.7 Frequency of tests
HSE Offshore Information Sheet No 1/2006 recommends that TR pressurization tests are
carried out at a frequency of no less than three years and preferably every two years.
16
Duty holders should consider the frequency of tests required to reassure themselves
of continued TR integrity. Testing at more frequent intervals may help a duty holder to
understand more fully the integrity of a TR and how its performance may change over
time. TR pressurization tests are dependent on the weather (see 4.3) and if poor weather
compromises the test, it could be several years before this is rectified, which would have
implications for the safe operation of the TR.
Duty holders may consider more frequent testing to assure themselves of the continued
suitability of the TR integrity and which would enable them to build up a more detailed
database of a TR’s performance and potential deterioration over time.
4.1.8 Consistency between tests
On TRs which have more than one door where it is possible to install the temporary
pressurization equipment, consideration should be given to the need for consistency between
tests. For example: if it is necessary to understand whether a TR’s integrity has degraded over
time then it will be important to use the same door during the later tests as was used for
earlier tests. However, if it is more important to gain a full appreciation of factors affecting
TR integrity, or if there are concerns over the integrity of the door first selected for testing, it
may be considered better to use a different door in later testing.
4.1.9 Passive fire protection implications for applied sealing measures
In addition to the air leakage testing described in this guidance, it is necessary under the The
Offshore Installations (Prevention of Fire and Explosion and Emergency Response) Regulations
(1995) – often referred to simply as PFEER – for the duty holder to establish the ability of
any passive fire protection (PFP) measures (including items such as fire divisions, fire doors,
pipe, ducting and cable penetration sealing, etc.) to provide fire resistance and integrity from
foreseeable hazards that may affect the TR.
This is relevant to the TR integrity testing, as any measures employed to seal the TR to achieve
the required air leakage result must also be capable of providing effective sealing when
exposed to blast, impact and fire hazards if they are to be considered a permanent solution.
Evidence of this should be obtained by relevant testing and certification of the details of
construction and materials used. This should be appropriate to the hazards likely to occur and
for arrangements of PFP in construction consistent with their end use.
4.1.10 Planning, training and experience
To carry out pressurization tests on offshore TRs requires careful planning and suitably trained
and experienced personnel. All offshore personnel should be aware of the tests being carried
out and that the TR will have limited access and will not be fully operational during the tests;
appropriate provisions should be made for this by the duty holder.
Before carrying out the pressurization tests, a survey of the TR may need to be completed.
This will establish:
−− the boundaries of the TR;
−− the volume of the TR;
−− the extent to which the HVAC system is included in the TR boundary;
−− current state of door seals, damper operation, etc;
17
−− the door which can be used to install the fan/blower equipment; potential air leakage
routes;
−− equipment needed to carry out the pressurization test, and
−− any potential problems which may be encountered during the tests.
It may be necessary to carry out this survey in a separate visit to the offshore installation
preceding the pressurization tests visit.
Personnel carrying out the pressurization test should have carried out training on the blower
door and any other equipment to be used in the testing. They should be fully familiar with
this guidance, the reasons for carrying out the test and how the results are used. A team of
at least two people will be required to carry out the tests.
Although the duty holder should have made adequate provision for the tests, the nature
of offshore operations may require some flexibility and compromise during the testing
procedure. Similarly, compromises may have to be made if there are adverse weather
conditions during the test procedure. It is therefore important that the personnel carrying out
the tests have sufficient experience and knowledge of pressurization test principles to assess
the likely impact of any compromises on the test results and hence whether it is appropriate
to continue testing.
4.1.11 Modifications to existing TRs
If any modifications are carried out to the TR which might have a significant impact on
TR integrity, a re-test should be carried out. Such modifications may include: work to the
external fabric of the TR (including doors and windows); work to the HVAC system supplying
the TR (ducting, fans, dampers); work on seals, water traps and penetrations; installation or
removal of large items of equipment from the TR.
4.1.12 New TRs on existing installations and TRs on new installations
This guidance and the methods described are intended to be widely applicable to the majority
of TRs, both existing and new.
New TRs may benefit from having a testing system integrated in their design. This would most
likely be achieved through the design of the HVAC system and ensuring that the ducting
supplying the TR is fully isolatable from any other spaces.
New TRs should have a 'certification' test carried out as part of their commissioning; similarly
any installation having a TR which undergoes a period of refit, should have a 'certification'
test carried out as part of their recommissioning work.
4.1.13 Outdated concepts
The Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory Report LBNL-35173 The use of blower-door data
has been used in the past to assess air leakage properties of offshore TRs. The methodology
described was developed for use in the mainland US housing industry and largely concerned
with ensuring houses had sufficient air leakage to assure adequate indoor air quality. Within
the methodology are the assessment of 'seasonal air exchange' air change rate per hour
(ACH) as ACH ≈ ACH50 /20 and normalised leakage (NL) for comparing different buildings as
NL ≈ ACH50 /20 where ACH50 is the air leakage rate measured with a pressure differential of
∆P = 50 Pa. The methodology also describes a calculation for specific infiltration rates. The
18
methods described in the LBNL-35173 report are based on non-conservative assumptions

when the air leakage is to be controlled to a limiting value (such as in offshore TR integrity),
rather than needing to be above a limiting value (such as required for good ventilation in the
housing industry). The Lawrence Berkeley methods are therefore not recommended to assess
offshore TR integrity.
The current issue of HSE Offshore Information Sheet No 1/2006 (dated January 2007)
describes a method to determine the integrity of a TR in which the TR is pressurised and the
pressure decay measured and plotted graphically as a natural exponential decay curve. The
shape of this curve is described as being a visual indicator of the TR structural integrity.
In practice the pressure inside a TR with acceptable air leakage performance will reduce
from 50 Pa to atmospheric in a matter of seconds, making measurement of the decay curve
impracticable.
4.2 TEST CONDITIONS
TR integrity tests should be carried out with the TR in an 'as found' condition. There should
be no special corrective actions to improve the TR’s integrity before the test takes place.
The exception to this is that water traps, which are subject to at least weekly maintenance,
may be refilled if found empty before the test. Any such maintenance actions which are
undertaken before testing should be recorded and included in the final report.
To conduct the test a door of the TR will typically be removed and the fan/blower door sealed
in its place. The implication is that the pressurization is a test of the whole TR excluding the
door used for the test. The actual TR integrity during normal operation may be worse than
indicated in the pressurization tests if the door or its seals are deficient. An inspection of
the door and its seals should be carried out as part of the integrity test and any deficiencies
noted. If concerns still exist over the leakage properties of the door, a second door should be
selected and the pressurization tests repeated.
If the bias pressure is in excess of the allowable limit (see 4.3), and this is judged to be due to
excessive air leakage, rather than environmental conditions – i.e. if the wind speed is below
the limiting value (see 4.3) but bias pressures remain high – then remedial action is permitted.
In this instance, before the pressurization test continues, the principal leakage routes may be
identified, recorded and temporary sealing applied. It is essential that details of the temporary
sealing on leakage paths are recorded and included in the test report.
Where temporary sealing measures have been applied, the test should be considered 'failed'
until the temporary sealing has been made permanent and the TR re-tested.
4.3 ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
4.3.1 Stability of pressure readings
If there is significant gusting in the wind this is likely to cause pressure readings to fluctuate,
and these fluctuations may be in the range 10–100 seconds. All pressure readings should
therefore be made as time-averaged readings. At the beginning of any set of tests the
appropriate time-averaging period should be determined. This can be achieved by repeating
measurements over a range of different time-averages until a stable reading is achieved. For
19
example, repeated measurements using a 10-second time average may give different values
of pressure – this indicates that the time-average period is not long enough. Repeating the
test with a 30-second time average may be sufficient for the repeated measurements to give
the same pressure reading.
4.3.2 Bias pressure
The environmental conditions which exist when the pressurization testing takes place are
significant in the ability to carry out the test accurately:
−− Wind impinging on a potential leakage point (door, window, closed fire damper, etc.)
will exert a stagnation pressure and tend to exert a positive overpressure on the TR.
−− Wind passing across the face of a potential leakage point will have a Venturi effect;
the high dynamic pressure due to the wind’s velocity will generate a low static
pressure on the TR and tend to exert a negative overpressure.
−− Flow recirculation in the leeward side of the TR typically produces sub-atmospheric
pressure and will tend to exert a negative overpressure on the TR.
−− Turbulence in the wind due to the stability class and upstream platform structures will be
felt as 'gustiness' and may compromise the ability to take stable pressure measurements.
It is likely that all these effects are present to some degree and the overall effect on the TR
will be dependent on the strength and stability of the wind and its orientation relative to the
TR. The result is that when there is wind present, there is likely to be a bias pressure in the TR
– i.e. the TR will be at a pressure either above or below atmospheric. This must be measured
and taken into account as part of the pressurization test procedure (see section 5). However,
if both positive and negative pressurization tests are carried out, this should mitigate to some
extent the detrimental effect of testing the TR when a bias pressure exists.
Note that any measured bias pressure recorded at the start of the tests should be subtracted
from the differential pressure measurements made during the test. If there is a non-zero
bias pressure, this will be due to leakage at some other part of the TR than the blower door.
Therefore, the pressure due to that leakage (i.e. the bias pressure) should not be associated
with the air flow rate through the blower door.
4.3.3 Stack effect
If there is an appreciable temperature difference between the TR and the outside atmosphere
then there may be a 'stack effect'. Air temperature differences have associated differences
in air density; if the TR is sufficiently tall, the difference in air density will generate a pressure
differential between the TR and outside atmosphere sufficient to bias integrity tests. In the
UK offshore environment, the TR is likely to be at a higher temperature than outside which
would generate negative overpressure in the TR.
BS EN 13829:2001 places a limit of 500 m.K on the stack effect – i.e. if the product of the
building height and internal/external temperature difference is greater than this value, it is
likely that the accuracy of a pressurization test would be compromised. For a temperature
difference of ∆T = 25 K, the TR would have to be 20 m high before an appreciable stack
effect would be produced.
Although some offshore installations where rooms on a number of decks are included in the
TR may be this high, typically TRs are less tall and extreme temperature differences would be
necessary to create appreciable stack effects.
20
4.3.4 Limiting environmental conditions
As TRs must retain their integrity in all conditions, then it may be considered that data obtained
from tests carried out under any environmental conditions are valid. If regular integrity tests
are carried out then data recorded in any environmental conditions will add to the database
of knowledge of the TR’s integrity and performance.
Additionally, there is a relatively high frequency of strong winds offshore and there may be
limited availability of appropriate time slots in which to carry out TR integrity tests. This may
mean that it is necessary to continue a test when the environmental conditions fall outside
the desirable limits.
However, once the environmental conditions do exceed given limits it is likely that the
accuracy of measurements will be compromised. It is recommended that if the duty holder
carries out regular pressurization tests, these may be done in any conditions, providing the
safety of the platform and personnel is not unduly compromised. However, the 'certification
test' carried out by a third party to meet a duty holder’s internal performance standards
should only be carried out if the environmental conditions do not exceed the following limits:
−− Wind speed: should not exceed a mean speed of 20 knots (approximately 10 m/s)
measured over at least a 30-second interval.
−− Bias pressure: should not exceed +/− 5 Pa. If the bias pressure exceeds this value it is
an indication that there is substantial leakage and it may not be possible to pressurise
the TR to the high values > 50 Pa required for the complete test. If the bias pressure
does exceed +/− 5 Pa then leakage paths should be identified, recorded and sealed
before the pressurization test continues.
4.3.5 Standard conditions
The air leakage rate measured in ac/h is a volumetric flow rate; the associated mass flow rate
determined from this is dependent on the air density. This must be taken into account when
using the fan/blower door to measure air flow rate into the TR as a proxy for air leaking
out of the TR during a pressurization test, as the internal and external air temperatures and
hence density, are likely to be different. (The converse is also true in a negative pressurization
test.)
Similarly, for direct comparison of integrity test on different days (with different weather
conditions) or between different TRs, the air leakage rate should be converted to standard
conditions (20 °C and 1,013 x 105 Pa) as described in section 6.
21
5 TEST PROCEDURE
5.1 DETERMINE THE LIMITING AIR CHANGE RATE CRITERION
The duty holder should have established for themselves the appropriate pass/fail criterion (i.e.
the limiting ac/h). It is necessary to do this before the tests are carried out so that the pass/
fail criterion is not biased by a set of known results.
5.2 SURVEY
A survey of the TR should be carried out preceding the tests. It is likely to be of benefit to
conduct this on a separate visit in advance of the test period so that any issues identified
which may affect the smooth running of the tests can be addressed in advance.
Prior to the survey, access requirements for damper inspections should be determined.
The survey should include, but not be limited to the following actions:
−− Determine the volume of the TR – this should normally be provided by the duty
holder.
−− Determine the boundaries of the TR.
−− Inspect the module fabric, boundary doors, transits, cable, duct and piping
penetrations.
−− Determine/verify the extent of the HVAC system which is included in the TR.
−− Inspect and record the state of dampers included in the TR boundary.
−− Determine which door may be used to install the temporary test equipment and
ensure the offshore installation management team is aware that the TR will be out
of commission during the tests.
−− Identify any repairs which are required to the TR fabric, penetrations, dampers, etc.
which if not carried out, would make it not possible to carry out the integrity test.
Report these to the offshore installation management team and duty holder.
Photographs should be taken to record findings of the survey.
5.3 PRE-TEST ACTIONS
Before departing for the offshore installation:

−− Assemble and check all the equipment to be used including the blower door, any
additional measurement devices (temperature, pressure, wind speed) which may be
required.
−− Check that all measurement equipment has a valid calibration certificate; record the
calibration data where applicable. (For example, the blower door flow rate calibration
may be associated with a particular air temperature.)
22
−− Check that all personnel who will carry out the tests are familiar with this guidance and
competent to operate the blower door to be used and follow the test methodology.
−− Get the weather forecast and make a preliminary decision on whether it will be
feasible to carry out testing within the prescribed limits.
Pre-test actions once offshore:

−− Confirm the duration and details of the test with the appropriate platform personnel.
−− Confirm the weather forecast.
−− Ensure that the appropriate risk assessment has been carried out for the test and that
an appropriate Permit to Work has been issued. These should state that if there is any
change in the status of the platform which requires the TR to be available, the test
should be suspended immediately and the TR reinstated.
−− Confirm that the state of the TR has not changed appreciably since the survey or that
any corrective maintenance actions identified during the survey have been carried
out.
−− Supervise any specific regular maintenance activities which are required before the
test (e.g. filling of water traps).
−− Re-check the state of the TR HVAC system and dampers.
−− Ensure that the TR HVAC system has been shut down to a state where all the dampers
forming part of the TR boundary have been closed. Ensure that the TR HVAC system
remains turned off for the duration of the tests (unless it has been designed to
provide the pressurization in lieu of a fan/blower door).
−− Fit and test the fan/blower door in the location identified during the survey.
−− Ensure all the TRs internal doors are held open for the duration of the test.
−− Place appropriate warning signs and tape barriers on TR external doors that they are
not to be opened. This is especially important when high differential pressures are
being used in the test.
−− The integrity of non-TR volumes connected to the TR is not included in these tests.
There should be no special or additional sealing of doors, etc. between these areas
for the purpose of the test.
5.4 INITIAL TEST MEASUREMENTS
Measure and record:

−− the wind speed and direction;
−− the external and internal air temperature;
−− the external barometric pressure;
−− the relative humidity, and
−− the bias pressure at the fan/blower door.
The wind conditions may vary around the TR and if possible a record should be made of the
wind speed and direction at each of the external faces of the TR. There may be a significant
degree of buffeting close in to the TR; to make an overall judgement on wind speed/direction,
it is appropriate to take a measurement in 'free air' on the weather deck or a reading from
the offshore installation’s weather station.
23
If the average wind speed measured over 30 seconds is in excess of 20 knots (10 m/s) the
pressurization tests should be delayed.
If the bias pressure exceeds +/− 5 Pa, principal sources of air leakage should be investigated
and temporary sealing measures applied; leakage paths may be investigated using thermal
imaging or smoke or other appropriate means.
A record should be kept of all temporary sealing applied, including photographs; all
temporary sealing applied should be reported to the offshore installation management team.
If temporary sealing measures have been applied the test shall be reported as 'failed' no
matter what air leakage rates are measured.
5.5 PRESSURIZATION TESTS
Positive and negative pressurization tests should be carried out. The method described here
is the Multiple Point method (see 4.1.6.1) to determine the air leakage over a range of
differential pressures. A sample test record sheet which may be of use is included in Annex C.
−− Pressurize the TR to ∆P = + 30 Pa by running the fan/blower door. Wait a short period
to ensure that the pressure is constant. (The time will depend on the size of the TR
and number of rooms and internal doors, but is likely to be around 5–15 minutes).
Record the air flow rate.
−− Increase the speed of the fan to increase the pressurization on the TR by an incremental
amount. Ideally this will be an increase of + 5 Pa. Allow the pressure to stabilise and
record the air flow rate.
−− Continue to increase the speed of the fan and pressurization of the TR in + 5 Pa
intervals up to a limit of around 90 Pa. The aim is to gain around 10 data points
between the initial and final pressurization values. On particularly gusty days it may
not be practicable to measure the air flow rate every 5 Pa, and an increment of
up to 10 Pa may be required. The final (upper) pressure at which the flow rate
is recorded must be in excess of the pressure criterion used to assess TR integrity
(typically ∆P = 50 Pa).
−− Once the positive pressurization test is complete the negative pressurization test
should be carried out following the same procedure.
5.6 CHECK INITIAL MEASUREMENTS
At the end of each of the positive and negative pressurization tests the initial measurements
should be reconfirmed for:
−− wind speed and direction;
−− internal and external temperature;
−− the external barometric pressure;
−− the relative humidity, and
−− bias pressure.
If there is a substantial variation in any of these measurements compared with the

measurements taken before the test, then the tests should be repeated.
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5.7 CHECK AIR LEAKAGE AT DEFINED DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE
Whilst the fan/blower door is still in place, an initial assessment should be made as to whether
the TR has passed the integrity test – i.e. whether the air leakage rate is below the required
limit at the appropriate differential pressure.
If the data handling described in section 6 has been implemented on a spreadsheet (or
other computer method) which is available during the tests, this can be used for the
assessment. Otherwise a simple, though less accurate check, is to check whether the air
flow measurements at the defined pressure differential – remembering to subtract the bias
pressure – are within the required leakage limit. This simple check is naturally less accurate,
particularly if the recorded air flow is not adjusted for the manufacturer’s calibration data,
air temperature differences and standard conditions. Hence, it should only be relied upon to
indicate whether the TR has passed/failed the integrity test if there is a suitably large margin
between the test reading and the prescribed limiting air leakage rate.
5.8 REMEDIAL ACTIONS AND RE-TEST
If the initial assessment of the air leakage shows that the TR has failed the integrity test, it
may be necessary to identify leakage points, apply temporary sealing measures and re-test.
Thermal imaging and smoke are both appropriate means to investigate leakage points. Any
temporary sealing applied should be recorded (preferably with photographs in addition to
a description). If the sealing is left in place at the end of the tests it must be reported to the
offshore installation management team as it is unlikely to provide proper fire protection
properties.
If re-testing is carried out after the application of temporary sealing measures, the wind
speed/direction, internal/external temperature and bias pressure should be noted again
before and after the test.
5.9 POST PRESSURIZATION TEST ACTIONS
The pressurization test measures the performance of the whole TR excluding the door where
the fan/blower door was fitted. Once the fan/blower door has been removed and the TR
door has been replaced an assessment should be made of its seals and air leakage properties.
Smoke and thermal imaging may be used to establish whether there are any additional air
leakage paths around the door. If leakage is found, this should be noted, and re-testing
should be considered with the fan/blower door located at a different external door to the TR.
If any test equipment and in particular any temporary seals are left in place after the tests
have been completed, these should be reported to the Offshore Installation Manager or
Offshore Safety Engineer.
5.10 DATA MANIPULATION AND REPORTING
To report the findings of the pressurization tests the following data manipulation steps should
be carried out:
25
1. Adjust the air flow readings to account for the conditions when the fan/blower door
was calibrated to provide air leakage measurements.
2. Modify the measured air leakage rates to account for the different air temperatures
internal and external to the TR.
3. Subtract the average bias pressure from the applied differential pressure during the
tests to determine the induced differential pressure ∆Pi.
4. Fit the characteristic curve to each of the positive and negative pressurization tests;
results sets.
5. Determine the characteristic air leakage rate.
The appropriate methods for these are described in section 6.
26
6 DATA ANALYSIS
6.1 DETERMINE THE INDUCED DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE
The average bias pressure recorded at the start and end of the test should be subtracted
from the differential pressures measured during the tests (∆Pm ). This determines the induced
differential pressure ∆Pi . The bias pressure used in this calculation is the average of the bias
pressures measured at the start and end of the test (∆Pb1, ∆Pb2).
∆Pb1 + ∆ Pb2 Equation 2

∆=
Pi ∆ Pm −
2
Care should be taken to ensure that the correct plus and minus signs are used; if positive and
negative values are placed into Equation 2 with their signs, the resulting induced pressure
should be correct.
For example, if bias pressures ∆Pb1, ∆Pb2 are recorded as −4 Pa and +2 Pa; then during the
negative pressurization test at ∆Pm = −35 Pa the induced pressure will be:
( −4 ) +(2)
∆Pi = − ( −35) − = − 34 Pa Equation 3
2
6.2 ADJUST AIR FLOW RATES FOR MANUFACTURER’S CALIBRATION
The fan/blower equipment manufacturer may have provided air temperature, pressure and
humidity conditions and other data which should be used to adjust flow rate readings (Qr) to
air flow measurements (Qm). The manufacturer may provide a function for this calculation:
Qm = f (Qr ) Equation 4
Alternatively similar adjustments as shown in Equation 5 and Equation 6 may be used to

adjust the flow rate readings for the calibration temperature.
6.3 ADJUST AIR FLOW RATES FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL TEMPERATURES
During the positive pressurization test, the air flow rate measured at the fan/blower door
will have the temperature of the air external to the TR, as the fan/blower door draws in
external air to positively pressurise the TR. However, the air leaking out of the TR will have
the internal air temperature of the TR. As air volume and subsequently volume flow rate
vary with temperature, it is necessary to adjust the measured air flow rate to the correct
temperature.
The converse argument is applicable to the negative pressurization test – i.e air flow measured
at the fan/blower door has the temperature internal to the TR, whereas the air leaking into
the TR has the temperature of the external environment.
27
Positive pressurization test

Adjust the measured airflow rate used to positively pressurise the TR to the air flow rate
leaking out of the TR:
(ρ(
ρe
QTR = Qm Equation 5
i
Negative pressurization test

Adjust the measured airflow rate used to positively pressurize the TR to the air flow rate
leaking into the TR:
(ρ (
ρi
QTR = Qm Equation 6
e
where: ρe is the external air density; ρi is the internal air density
Air density is a function of temperature, pressure and humidity and can be calculated from
the expressions provided in Annex D, Air density calculation.
6.4 PLOT THE RESULTS FOR EACH TEST
For each test, plot the air flow rate leaking from/to the TR, QTR , versus the induced
pressure differential ∆Pi. This should be carried out separately for the positive and negative
pressurization tests. Use log scales on the axes and fit a power law trendline to each data set
as shown in Annex B.
Test method theory
The power law fitted to each data set should have the form:
QTR = CTR.(∆Pi)n Equation 7
where CTR is a coefficient which relates to the environmental conditions on the day of the test,
and n is an air flow exponent. The value of n must lie between 0,5 and 1,0 for the test to be
valid. If it is outside this range, the test should either be rejected or reported with the caveat
that the test measurements did not produce valid results.
6.5 CONVERT TO STANDARD CONDITIONS
To allow direct comparison between tests on different days, with different weather conditions,
or tests on different TRs, the test results should be converted to standard conditions. This is
achieved by adjusting the coefficient for the air leakage from/to the TR, CTR , to an equivalent
coefficient at standard temperature and pressure.
1−n
( (
ρtest
C STP = CTR . Equation 8
ρSTP
where the density ρtest takes the value ρe for the negative pressurization test and ρi for the
positive pressurization test.
28
6.6 CHARACTERISTIC AIR LEAKAGE RATE
The characteristic air leakage rate Q∆P , is determined for each pressurization test as follows:
Q∆P = CSTP .(∆Pref)n Equation 9
where CSTP and n are the coefficient and exponent from each individual test; ∆Pref is the
reference differential pressure. For example, if the limiting air leakage rate is specified for a
differential pressure of ∆Pref = 50 Pa, then Equation 9 may be stated as:
Q50 = CSTP .(50)n Equation 10
Note that if SI units have been used throughout, CSTP will have units m3/(s.Pan) and Q∆P will be
in m3/s. This is converted to air changes per hour, ACH∆P:
Q∆P
ACH∆P = .3600 Equation 11
V
where V is the reduced volume of the TR – i.e. the enclosed volume of the TR, Venc reduced
by the congestion factor Fcon:
V = Venc (1 − Fcon) Equation 12
6.7 DETERMINE PASS/FAIL
During the testing, at least one positive pressurization and one negative pressurization test
should have been carried out, and hence there will be two values of characteristic air leakage
rate, expressed as ACH∆P.
The average of the two values should be used to determine whether the TR has passed or
failed the integrity test.
29
7 REPORT
The test report should contain all relevant detail of the tests, derived data and conclusions.
The following items are the minimum requirement for the report:
−− Reference number
Unique report reference number; contact details of reporter.
−− Introduction
To include brief description of the platform and TR including its location relative to
process hazards. Statement of the reference pressure and limiting air leakage rate
supplied by the duty holder as the TR integrity performance criterion. Statement of
the TR boundaries and volume, and any other relevant data supplied by the duty
holder. Dates on which the tests were carried out and general description of the tests
conducted and weather conditions.
−− Pre-test sctions
Record of the TR survey (if this has taken place) which should include assessment
of seals and damper operation. Description of any temporary sealing measures put
in place for the test, including photographs before and after the temporary sealing
measures were put in place.
−− Test method and equipment
State the test method used and highlight any deviations from this guidance. State
the test equipment used and include copies of calibration certificates.
−− Test record
Include pre-test measurement data for: wind speed and direction; wind variation
around the external faces of the TR; internal and external temperature measurement;
the external barometric pressure; the relative humidity; bias pressure measurement.
For each pressurization test conducted, include the 'as-recorded' air flow rates from
the fan/blower door equipment, before any manipulation is applied to the data (for
calibration, temperatures, etc.).
−− Data manipulation
For each pressurization test conducted, complete the data manipulation to correct
the air leakage readings for manufacturer’s calibration, temperature and standard
conditions.
Include the plots of recorded air leakage (at standard conditions) versus induced
pressure differential for each pressurization test carried out.
Record the flow exponent (n) and coefficient at standard conditions (CSTP ) for each
pressurization test; determine the characteristic values and hence the air leakage rate
in units ac/h.
−− Conclusion and recommendations
State whether the TR has passed or failed the integrity test. Highlight any temporary
sealing measurements which were applied and upon which the result may be
dependent. Make comment on the state of seals of the door used to install the fan/
blower equipment. Make any recommendations necessary for maintenance on the
TR to improve air leakage. Make any recommendations for the next integrity test.
If the TR has failed the integrity test, this finding should be reported back to the offshore
installation management team at the earliest opportunity, which would usually be before the
test report is delivered.
30
ANNEX A
USE OF ENGLISH
The following words used in this report have fixed definitions within the EI’s report
Development and content of technical publications issued by the Energy Institute.
shall: only to be used in publications that require a high level of mandatory precision (e.g.
hydrocarbon management, product specifications, test methods), where there is to be no
deviation from the requirement. In such cases there should be a suitable paragraph in the
Foreword of the publication drawing attention to the use of the word, why it has been
included, and to highlight that readers of the publication can still choose to follow the
publication or not.
Note: The use of the word 'shall' is not included in codes of practice. It is used by Standards
Development Organizations (ISO, CEN, BSI) to indicate that a provision is mandatory. The
EI does not issue publications which are mandatory – although it is noted that they may
become so depending on how they are used/enforced by some purchasers (e.g. regulators).
should: used to convey a recommendation from the EI as good practice and is used as
the default term. To be used where it is desirable to distinguish an item that has safety/
environmental/health protection implications (e.g. there should be two means of equipment
shut down; a leak detection system should be used at environmentally sensitive sites; PPE
should be worn). The use of the word 'should' conveys an element of choice to the user of
the publication. Users of the publication can choose to follow the recommendation (which
will typically be good practice), exceed the recommendation (which may be best practice) or
ignore the recommendation altogether (which may mean that the user of the publication fails
to meet statutory requirements). In the latter case such deviations from the recommendation
may require justification with regulators.
may: used to highlight that a provision is optional. Also often used to make suggestions to
users of the publication (e.g. the use of double skin tanks may offer environmental protection
benefits).
31
ANNEX B
TEST METHOD THEORY
The pressurization test is carried out by initially pressurising to a low pressure limit (which is
high enough to overcome any pressure bias which may exist), say ∆P = +/− 20 Pa, and the air
leakage rate is recorded. The pressure is then increased in a series of increments up to a high
pressure limit, say +/− 90 Pa, with the pressurization paused and the air leakage recorded at
every increment. The aim is to gather at least three and preferably up to 10 data points across
this range, and the target increment should be 5 Pa.
The recorded air leakage rate versus applied differential pressure can be plotted on either
linear or log-log axes, as shown in Figure B.1. Note that these are speculated data for the
purpose of this example and an example TR volume 187,5 m3; it includes step-changes in
leakage rates during pressurization which may or may not be experienced in actual tests.
Figure B.1: Example of positive and negative pressurization tests
Power law profiles are fitted to the positive and negative pressurization data and appear as
straight lines on the log-log plot. The characteristics of the power law profiles are shown on
the plot where the constants 2,73 and 5,02 are the values of the constant C in Equation 1
for the positive and negative pressurization tests respectively; similarly, 0,75 and 0,51 are the
values of the air flow exponent, n.
Constant Exponent Linear regression

Positive pressurization C1 = 2,73 n1 = 0,75 R2 = 0,99
Negative pressurization C2 = 5,02 n2 = 0,51 R2 = 0,98
32
There are physical limits which must be observed for the air flow exponent; this value must
lie in the range 0,5 ≤ n ≤ 1,0 for the characteristic determined from the data to be valid. It is
more appropriate to keep the value of the exponent in this range and accept a worse linear
regression to the data fit, than to use an exponent value outside the allowable range with an
apparently better fit to the data.
The characteristic air leakage rate at ∆P = 50 Pa can now be determined for each test, and
the overall characteristic used to assess the TR integrity is the average of the positive and
negative test results:
Positive pressurization 2,73 x (50)0,75 51,3 m3/hr

Negative pressurization 5,02 x (50)0,51 36,9 m3/hr
Characteristic leakage rate at ∆P = 50 Pa: 44,1 m3/hr or 0,235 ac/h
33
ANNEX C
SAMPLE TEST RECORD SHEET
The following sample test record sheet is provided; users may find it beneficial to convert this
to a spreadsheet or other computer method.
TR Integrity test record sheet

Unique test record number
Platform
TR Identifier
Date
Pre-test conditions
Time
Barometric pressure
Relative humidity
Bias pressure
Temperature (internal) Temperature (external)
Wind speed (general) Wind direction (general)
Wind speed (face 1) Wind direction (face 1)
Post-test conditions
Time
Barometric pressure
Relative humidity
Bias pressure
Wind speed (general) Wind direction (general)
Average conditions
Barometric pressure
Relative humidity
Bias pressure
34
TR Integrity test record sheet

Pressurization Positive/Negative
Is initial bias pressure within ∆P = +/− 5 Pa limit? Yes/No
Is final bias pressure within ∆P = +/− 5 Pa limit? Yes/No
Is initial wind speed within 20 knots limit? Yes/No
Is final wind speed within 20 knots limit? Yes/No
Test readings
Reading Applied differential pressure (Pa) Air flow measured at door (m3/s)
number
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
35
ANNEX D
AIR DENSITY CALCULATION
To calculate the density of humid air, the ideal gas law can be used, taking into account the
partial pressures of the air and water vapour.
pd p
ρhumid air = + v Equation 13
Rd T Rv T
ρhumid air [kg/m3] is the density of the air containing water vapour; p [Pa] is partial pressure;
R [J/kg.K] is the specific gas constant; and, T [K] is the temperature. The subscripts d and v
denote dry air and water vapour respectively.
The values specific gas constants for dry air and water vapour are:
−− Dry Air: Rd = 287,058 J/kg.K
−− Water Vapour: Rv = 461,495 J/kg.K
The partial pressures, pd and pv are determined from the measured atmospheric pressure
p [Pa] and relative humidity, Φ:
pd = p − pv Equation 14
pv = Φ psat Equation 15
There are a number of empirical formulae available to determine the saturation pressure of
water vapour in air which provide similar results. The differences between them are typically
less than the likely error in pressure measurement. One such formula is provided by Murray
(1966) On the computation of Saturation Vapor Pressure:
psat = 610, 78 · exp 17, 2694 ( 35, 86 ( (

( TT −−273 ,16 Equation 16
psat [Pa] is the saturation pressure of water vapour in air over water and T [K] is the temperature
The following values can be calculated from Equation 16:
T [°C] −5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
psat [Pa] 421 611 872 1 228 1 705 2 338 3 167 4 243 5 622 7 375
36
ANNEX E
REFERENCES
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) –

https://www.ashrae.org/
Research Project 438-RP Report Evaluating the techniques for the measurement of air leakage
of building components
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) – https://www.astm.org/

Designation E779-10 Standard test method for determining air leakage rate by fan
pressurization
Air Tightness Testing and Measurement Association (ATTMA) – https://www.attma.org/

Technical Standard 1: Measuring air permeability of building envelopes
BSI – http://shop.bsigroup.com
British Standard BS EN 13829:2000 Thermal performance of buildings – Determination of air
permeability of buildings – Fan pressurization method
Health and Safety Executive – http://www.hse.gov.uk/

Assessment principles for offshore safety cases (APOSC)
Offshore Information Sheet No 1/2006: Testing regime for offshore TR-HVAC fire dampers
and TR pressurization requirements
Prevention of Fire and Explosion, and Emergency Response on Offshore Installations. Offshore
Installations (PFEER) Regulations 1995. Approved Code of Practice and Guidance
Semi-Permanent Circular SPC/Tech/OSD/30, Indicative human vulnerability to the hazardous
agents present offshore for application in risk assessment of major accidents
The National Archives – http://www.legislation.gov.uk/

HM Government Statutory Instrument 2015 No. 398. The Offshore Installations (Offshore
Safety Directive) (Safety Case etc.) Regulations 2015
International organization for standardization (ISO) – https://www.iso.org/home.html

International Standard ISO 15138 Petroleum and natural gas industries – Offshore production
installations – Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, (second edition)
Other references
Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory Report No LBNL-35173 The Use of blower-door data
Murray, F.W. (1966) On the computation of saturation vapor pressure J. Appl. Meteor. 6 p.204,
via NASA (2012) The Planetary Atmospheres Data Node available online http://atmos.nmsu.
edu/education_and_outreach/encyclopedia/sat_vapor_pressure.htm [accessed 06/08/12]
37
ANNEX F
GLOSSARY
air changes per hour (ac/h) The flowrate of air measured relative to the TR
volume.
air change rate A description of the flowrate of air, usually in
ACH, which compares the flowrate with a given
volume – i.e. the TR.
air leakage rate The flowrate of air measured through the
blower door during a test.
air-tightness A description of how well-sealed the TR is, and
whether there may be any air leakage.
as found condition The normal operating condition of the TR,
which would be encountered in day-to-day
operations. This is state of the TR under its
normal maintenance schedule without any
special maintenance or corrective actions having
been taken prior to inspection.
bias pressure The pressure differential measured at the
blower door when no air is passing through the
blower door equipment. This is the pressure in
the TR due to existing leakage paths and the
current environmental conditions.
blower door (fan/blower door) The test equipment which is used to pressurise
the TR for the integrity test. It will have a fan
to force air into or draw air out of the TR and
pressure measuring device to determine the
differential pressure induced. The fan will
normally be a variable speed device to allow
pressurisation to different levels.
certification test A TR integrity test carried out at the frequency
recommended by HSE in OIS 1/2006 i.e. at
least every three years and preferably every two
years. A certification test may also be carried
out for new installations and if any significant
modifications which have the potential to affect
air leakage are made to the TR.
characteristic leakage rate The air leakage rate for a given pressure
differential determined from a plot of the
measured leakage rates over a range of
pressures.
congestion factor The volume of the TR occupied by solid objects
(including the volume occupied by the full POB
count) divided by the enclosed (internal) volume
of the TR.
38
continuously stirred A hypothetical model for any enclosed volume

(such as the TR) in which perfect mixing exists.
This specifies that any contaminant at the inlet
to the volume (i.e. entering the TR via a leakage
path) will be instantaneously and uniformly
distributed across the whole volume.
effective volume The volume of free space (not occupied by solid
objects) within the TR. This is calculated by the
enclosed volume multiplied by (1 – β) where β is
the congestion factor.
induced pressure differential The pressure differential between the interior of
the TR and the exterior (atmospheric) conditions
created by the fan/blower door.
laminar flow Any flow in which viscous forces dominate
momentum forces. The streamlines do not
intermingle and adjacent layers of fluid move
parallel with one another. This is often due to
low relative velocities or the influence of close
walls surrounding the flow.
LBL method The Lawrence Berkley Laboratories (US) have
published a number of documents on
air-tightness and testing, which individually and
collectively are sometimes referred to as the
LBL method. These are not recommended for
offshore installations as they were developed
for onshore housing that requires a degree of
air leakage to maintain air quality. Consequently
the assumptions in the LBL method are non-
conservative when applied to a TR in which
the air-tightness needs to be maintained below
certain limits for safety.
limiting air change rate, Should be established by the duty holder to
limiting ACH define pass/fail criterion for the TR integrity test.
The selection of the limiting air leakage rate
should be supported by suitable evidence, for
example a risk assessment and consequence
modelling which show that risks from smoke-
and gas-producing events are suitably low.
multiple point method An air leakage test in which the air leakage
rate is measured over a range of differential
pressures. The test data are used to plot a curve
for air leakage rate vs. induced differential
pressure and the characteristic leakage rate is
determined from the curve.
negative pressure This exists when the pressure inside the TR is
differential lower than the external ambient atmospheric
pressure.
39
normalised leakage A concept used in the LBL method for

comparison of different buildings’ air leakage
properties.
offshore installation The personnel on an offshore installation
management team responsible for its supervision, operation, safety
and maintenance.
pressure decay The reduction of a pressure differential with
time.
pressurization test The part of a TR integrity test during which a
fan/blower door is used to induce a pressure
differential between the TR and the external
ambient atmosphere.
positive pressure differential This exists when the pressure inside the TR is
higher than the external ambient atmospheric
pressure.
single point method An air leakage test in which the TR is
pressurised to a single predefined value of
pressure differential. Usually a number of repeat
tests are run pressurising to this same value
and to the positive and negative factors of the
pressure differential (e.g. both ∆P = +50 pa and
∆P = −50 Pa). This method is inherently less
accurate than a multiple point method.
stack effect Where a TR has considerable height (i.e. over
a number of decks of an installation) and the
internal temperature is different from the
external ambient conditions, then the difference
in air density between the inside and outside
of the TR may be sufficient to generate an
appreciable pressure differential.
standard conditions, standard Different organisations use different values of
temperature and pressure pressure and temperature to define standard
conditions. It must be ensured that any
comparisons made between TR tests use the
same values for standard conditions. ISO 13443:
Natural gas – Standard reference conditions
uses values for temperature 15 °C and pressure
1,013 x 105 Pa to define standard conditions.
temporary refuge, TR The TR should provide sufficient protection to
enable the full POB to muster safely, permit
the emergency to be assessed, monitored and
controlled or limited if possible and to allow the
appropriate parts of the Emergency Response
Plan to be executed. The TR must have a
separately sealable boundary and this boundary
must be clearly defined by walls, doors and
dampers.
40
turbulent flow Any flow in which the momentum forces

dominate the viscous forces and cause there to
be intermixing between mean flow streamlines.
Turbulent flow is characterised by many eddies
of varying sizes. The largest eddies contain the
greater proportion of the flow energy and break
down into smaller eddies; the smaller eddies are
ultimately dissipated by viscous action.
Venturi effect In a fluid, the energy due to its motion causes
a corresponding drop in static pressure. The
reduced static pressure in the flow will draw in
fluid from higher pressure regions.
41
ANNEX G
ABBREVIATIONS
AC/DC alternating current/direct current

ac/h, ACH air changes per hour
ACH50 air changes per hour due to a pressure differential of 50 Pa
ASHRAE American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers
ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials
ATTMA Air Tightness Testing and Measurement Association
BINDT British Institute of Non-destructive Testing
BS EN British Standard European Normalized
CCR central control room
Comité Européen de Normalisation/European Committee for
CEN
Standardization
CO carbon monoxide
EI Energy Institute
HSE Health and Safety Executive
HVAC heating, ventilation and air conditioning
ISO International Organization for Standardization
MMI MMI Engineering Ltd
NL normalised leakage
OIS offshore information sheet
OSD offshore safety division
PFEER Prevention of Fire and Explosion and Emergency Response
POB persons on board
ppm parts per million
SI Le Système International d’unités
SPC semi-permanent circular
TR temporary refuge
42
This publication has been produced as a result of
work carried out within the Technical Team of the
Energy Institute (EI), funded by the EI’s Technical
Partners and other stakeholders. The EI’s Technical
Work Programme provides industry with cost
effective, value adding knowledge on key current
and future issues affecting those operating in the
Energy Institute energy industry.
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ISBN 978 0 85293 969 7

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Guidance on integrity testing for offshore

installation temporary refuges

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Apache North Sea Repsol Sinopec

Copyright © 2017 by the Energy Institute, London.

ISBN 978 0 85293 969 7

Published by the Energy Institute

Annex A Use of English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Annex B Test method theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Annex C Sample test record sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Annex D Air density calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Fatima Al-Aidaroos BG Group

A TR provides an important component of safety on an offshore platform and the Cullen

This guidance is intended to provide a standard methodology to the offshore industry to

4.1 DISCUSSION ON TEST PROCEDURES

4.1.1 Existing standards

4.1.2 Pressurization tests

4.1.3 Air change rates and TR volume

Air Leakage = 0,3 ac/h

4.1.4 Applied pressure and air leakage rate

4.1.5 Failure criterion

The consensus of a number of standards (including BS EN 13829:2001) and the UK HSE is

4.1.6 Range of pressures used to determine air leakage

4.1.6.1 Multiple Point method

4.1.6.2 Single Point method

4.1.6.3 Preferred method

4.1.7 Frequency of tests

4.1.8 Consistency between tests

4.1.9 Passive fire protection implications for applied sealing measures

4.1.10 Planning, training and experience

4.1.11 Modifications to existing TRs

4.1.12 New TRs on existing installations and TRs on new installations

4.1.13 Outdated concepts

methods described in the LBNL-35173 report are based on non-conservative assumptions

4.2 TEST CONDITIONS

4.3 ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

4.3.1 Stability of pressure readings

4.3.2 Bias pressure

4.3.3 Stack effect

4.3.4 Limiting environmental conditions

4.3.5 Standard conditions

5.1 DETERMINE THE LIMITING AIR CHANGE RATE CRITERION

Photographs should be taken to record findings of the survey.

5.3 PRE-TEST ACTIONS

Before departing for the offshore installation:

Pre-test actions once offshore:

5.4 INITIAL TEST MEASUREMENTS

Measure and record:

5.5 PRESSURIZATION TESTS

5.6 CHECK INITIAL MEASUREMENTS

If there is a substantial variation in any of these measurements compared with the

5.7 CHECK AIR LEAKAGE AT DEFINED DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE

5.8 REMEDIAL ACTIONS AND RE-TEST

5.9 POST PRESSURIZATION TEST ACTIONS

5.10 DATA MANIPULATION AND REPORTING

The appropriate methods for these are described in section 6.

6.1 DETERMINE THE INDUCED DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE

∆Pb1 + ∆ Pb2  Equation 2

6.2 ADJUST AIR FLOW RATES FOR MANUFACTURER’S CALIBRATION

Alternatively similar adjustments as shown in Equation 5 and Equation 6 may be used to

Positive pressurization test

Negative pressurization test

∆Pb1 + ∆ Pb2 Equation 2

QTR = CTR.(∆Pi)n Equation 7

Q∆P = CSTP .(∆Pref)n Equation 9