PROCESS LEAK DETECTION,

RESPONSE & CONTINGENCY PLAN

1 GOALS OF THIS PLAN

2 IMPACT OF PROCESS LEAKS
3 EARLY DETECTION
4 LOCATING THE LEAK
5 ELIMINATION OF LEAKS
6 CONTINGENCY PLAN DURING
PROCESS LEAK

GOALS OF THIS PLAN

Detect early
Reduce negative impact on cooling system
Locate leak
Identify product
Specify countermeasures
Reduce leak frequency & severity
Recover from effects of leak

RESPONSIBILITY
SUPPLIER & USER DEPTT

NOTIFICATION
If a leak is suspected, the plant operators should
notify the unit in-charge and the Vasu personnel.
It should be impressed upon everyone that earlier
a leak is detected, the less damage it can do.
It is better to alert everyone if a leak is suspected
rather than wait for positive proof.
A false positive report is less damaging to the
refinery than a delayed report.

FUTURE
This procedure will be reviewed and revised as
experience indicates.
It is also planned , in future versions, to include
comprehensive series of diagrams showing:
Color coded heat exchangers that will identify
the category of product they cool.
Color code frequent leakers
Indicate sampling points.

REASONS OF PROCESS LEAKS

MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE
COOLERS/CONDENSERS
- Gasket failure of the HXs
- others
PUNCTURE OF THE
COOLERS/CONDENSERS
TUBES/TUBESHEET

IMPACT OF PROCESS LEAKS

1) DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS

Process leaks increase bacterial slime growth by two

mechanisms:

Increased available food

Decreased toxicant (Chlorine)

Slime caused two undesirable problems:

Reduced efficiency of cooling tower fill, especially film fill &

reduced cooling efficiency of affected coolers/condensers
Under deposit corrosion
One negative effect of process leaks is often not recognized : that is
sloughing of corrosion products that occur during leaks of heavy
distillates and residual products such as lube oil etc. These pieces of
iron oxide are loosened in the circulating lines and can plug tubes
and damage circulatory pumps.

IMPACT OF PROCESS LEAKS

continues
(2) SEVERITY

The severity of undesirable and damaging

effects of process leaks depends upon three
factors:
The Process stream
The concentration of the contaminant
The length of time the leak continues.

IMPACT OF PROCESS LEAKS

continues
(3) THE PROCESS STREAM
> Any hydrocarbon process stream that leaks into
cooling water that is lighter than light gas oil
will:
Consume chlorine
Increase chlorine demand
Increase formation of slime
If the stream is sour, chlorine consumption and
demand is even more pronounced and severe.

IMPACT OF PROCESS LEAKS

continues
(3) THE PROCESS STREAM-continues:

> The effect of heavy gas oil and residual fuel oils and bottoms on
the operation of cooling systems is different than for lighter streams.
Cl2 demand lesser than that for Lighter fractions unless theses
streams are Sour.

Bacteria do not utilize heavy hydrocarbons as efficiently as they do

middle and lighter fractions.

Very light, volatile hydrocarbons, C1 - C5 tend to be stripped from

the water in the cooling tower so their concentration buildup is
somewhat limited resulting in less severe effects than middle
fractions.

Of course, sour, light streams will consume chlorine at a higher rate

than sweet streams..

EARLY DETECTION
(1)

OPERATOR TRAINING:
-It is critically important that operators in each unit be trained when
and where and how to test for process leaks and whom and when to
notify.
* When
:
daily
* Where
:
each return header
* How
:
Smell- especially if the leak is sour
Visual:

Foam, Turbidity or milkiness of cooling water denotes heavy

hydrocarbons and /or amine.
Build up of slime on cooling tower fill
Change in appearance or smell of back wash water.

EARLY DETECTION-continues
(1)

OPERATOR TRAINING-continues:
Test Chlorine to detect reduction in normal concentration
ORP unit to test reduction in Oxidant level.
Test for H2S to detect a sour leak.
Test for ammonia to detect ammonia/amine leak.
* Whom to notify : This should include IOCL and Vasu
personnel. These persons should be notified as soon as a leak is
suspected.----- DONT WAIT until the leak is or is not verified.

Name
Department
Telephone no

* Who is responsible for training

- Vasu Chemicals will be responsible to train refinery personnel in
these leak detection methods during the initial phases.

EARLY DETECTION-continues
(2) EARLY DETECTION IS IMPORTANT because
process leak can have very severe negative effects on
CW treatment program.
i)
Loss of FRC to flourish the microbial growth in the
system.
ii) Slime formation- in CW lines, HXs & CT Fills- leads to
- under deposit corrosion by SRB and fouling in the
system Bacterial slime in circulating lines and heat
exchangers.
- reduction in cooling efficiency of Coolers/condenser
resulting in inferior quality of Products

EARLY DETECTION-continues
(2) EARLY DETECTION IS IMPORTANT- because process leak can
have very severe negative effects on CW treatment programcontinues
-

One problem resulting from lube oils, and other heavy hydrocarbon leaks
is the sloughing of pieces and chunks of corrosion products in circulating
line----these lodge in heat exchanger water boxes causing decreased water
flow through blocked tubes
These oil also foul cooling tower fill, especially film type fills, reducing
the CT EFFECTIVENESS.

Ammonia and amine leaks elevate the pH which has three

undesirable effects

Consume chlorine
Reduce the effectiveness of chlorine
Increase the scaling tendency of the cooling tower.

MIC during hydrocarbon ingress

MECHANISM OF CORROSION
The bacteria cause Cathodic Depolarisation by removing Hydrogen from
Cathodic sites.
SRBG posses enzymes that are capable of converting Hydrogen and
reducing Sulphate

INTERACTION OF AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC BACTERIA IN

PRESENCE OF OIL ( HYDROCARBONS)
OIL (Hydrocarbons)
(+O2)

Aerobic Bacteria
LACTIC ACID ( Carbon Source)

(-O2) Fe3

SO42 + SRBS
SO32 + Anaerobes

Pseudomonas
Fe+2 + S2

Anodic Depolarisation

Ferric Ions are

reduced to Ferrous

Cathodic Depolarisation
FeS
( Corrosion Product)

SRB Depolarizes Cathode by removal

of the Hydrogen Adsorbed on the Metal
surface for metabolic purpose
Formation of Phosphides are also noticed
in Corrosion Products

A thick black material containing large amounts large amounts of sulphides are formed.

MICROBIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY
1.

ANAROBIC SOLUTION OF IRON: ANODIC DEPOLARISATION

8HOH = 8H+ +8 OH 4Fe + 8H+
4 Fe ++ +8OH

2.

CATHODIC DEPOLARISATION
SRB
Ca SO4 + 8H
Ca S + 4H2O

3.

CORROSION PRODUCTS
Fe++ + CaS + 2(OH-) + H2CO3
FeS + CaCO3 + 2H2O
3Fe ++ + 6 OH
3 Fe ( OH)2

SUMMARY
4Fe +CaSO4 +2H2O + H2CO3

3Fe(OH)2

+ FeS + CaCO3

REFINERY APPLICATIONS SRBC

(SULPHATE REDUCING BACTERIA)

IDENTIFYING
Found in Anaerobic conditions (highly localised areas), under deposits/
Tubercles
No Biofilm
Planktonic counts in bulk water much lower are the only indication of
viable sessile bacteria. Unreliable as an indicator of active corrosion
Intense localized attack discrete Hemispherical depressions- Interiors of
pit are smooth
MS, SS, Al, even, Ti are attacked Cu Alloy- process not well defined
Pits tend to cluster together, overladen to form dimpled surfaces

SRB attack
Corrosion Product
Metal Sulphides
Rapid, Spontaneous Decomposition of S-R occurs after samples are
removed,
H 2S
Therefore only freshly corroded surfaces + HCL H2S rotten Egg
Smell or spot test with Na- Azide

SRB Attack on SS

Show well Defined PITS

Relatively very little Deposits/ Corrosion Products
Freshly corroded surface
Fes (Block) in PITS
Rust stains may surround pits or form streaks running in the direction of
flow from the attack site.

LOCATING THE LEAK

THERE ARE TWO APPROACHES

- Go first to the exchangers that have historically been leakers.
- Work your way back from the main return header to the branch
lines and then to the individual heat exchangers.
TWO TRICKY SITUATIONS:
- Chlorine residuals and ORP readings are not significantly
affected by leaks of lube oil and other heavy hydrocarbons. This
should be tested in the laboratory.
- If the leak is large and the hydrocarbon and/or amine is heavier
than C5, the leaking material wont air strip out in the system. In this
situation , it is virtually impossible to detect a difference of product
contamination levels in exchanger in and out water.
-Here , a leak is detected by observing foam, turbidity and oil build
up on the fill and in the basin and deposits on the fill.

LOCATING THE LEAKcontinues

This is one of the few situations where sample

must be taken and analyzed by the laboratory,
usually viscosity and a distillation curve will
identify the product, which in turn, will identify
the leaking heat exchanger.
These situation most often arise from an upset
that results in severe overheating of a product
that can cause a no of tubes to pop all at once.

CONFIRMATION OF LEAKS

CONFIRMATION OF LEAK
- By ORP reading or/and
- By turbidity level or/and
- By testing of oil level in CW samples by
LABORATORY or and/ by identifying the
product by viscosity & distillation curve
.

ELIMINATION OF LEAKS
By ISOLATION OF THE LEAKING HXS
PLUG THE LEAKING TUBE OR REPLACE
THE TUBE BUNDLES. (If more than 10% tubes
are found leaking or already plugged then TUBE
BUNDLES to be replaced for optimum
performance of the HXs).

NOTE: AS EARLIER THE LEAK IS ISOLATED, LESSER WILL BE PROBLEMS IN

CW SYSTEM

CONTINGENCY PLAN DURING

PROCESS LEAK
1)
-

DURING LEAKS OF VOLATILE AND LIGHT HYDROCARBONS:

Slug dose Oil dispersant (20-50ppm) depend upon the level of ingress
Increase the dosages of Cl2 & ClO2 Cl2 dosages should not be increased
beyond the double of normal dose. ClO2 dosages may be increased for 4-12
hrs to achieve the FRC in the CW. If FRC is not achieved then dose the
Non-oxidising biocides also.
Reduce the COC to 1.2-1.5 by increasing the blow down rate
Increase the back washing frequency of the side stream filter
Back wash the HXs (having low flow)
If iron level increase beyond the normal range then increase the dosing rate
of Corrosion inhibitor and Polymeric dispersant.
Azole (C.I for yellow metals) dosing should be also increased
TBC & SRB to be analyzed as per requirement during the ingress period to
know the microbial load and take the corrective actions
ORP also indicate the contaminant level in the system

CONTINGENCY PLAN DURING

PROCESS LEAK-Contd.
ii) DURING LEAKS OF HEAVY HYDROCARBON AND RESIDUAL FUEL OIL
Remove heavy foam from the CT sump by over flow/ or manual skimming
Apply ejector system to remove the oil sludge from the CT sumps or other areas
Reduce the COC to 1.2-1.5 by increasing the blow down rate/Over flow
Slug dose Oil dispersant (50-200 ppm) depend upon the level of oil
Increase the back washing frequency of the side stream filter
Back wash the HXs (having low flow)
Increase the dosages of Cl2 & ClO2 Cl2 dosages should not be increased beyond the
double of normal dose other wise it may lead to increased corrosion in the system.
ClO2 dosages may be increased for 4-12 hrs to achieve the FRC in the CW
Non-oxidising biocides can be dosed depend upon the situation.
TBC & SRB to be analyzed as per requirement during the ingress period to know the
microbial load and take the corrective actions
ORP also indicate the contaminant levels present in the system

CONTINGENCY PLAN DURING

PROCESS LEAK-Contd.
iii) DURING INGRESS OF AMMONIA/AMINES/H2S:
Increase the dosing of Cl2/ClO2 to achieve the FRC in the CW system.
If required, dose the Non-Oxidising Biocide also.
If iron level increase beyond the normal range then increase the dosing rate
of Corrosion inhibitor and Polymeric dispersant.
Azole (C.I for yellow metals) dosing should be also increased. Feeding extra
azole to the cooling water is of some benefit in lowering copper corrosion
rates. However, it is unlikely that the copper corrosion rate will fall to
normal levels. While sulphide continuous to get into the cooling water. A
significant role that the
azole does play is to react with any soluble copper ions to form an insoluble
complex. By tying up the copper corrosion the rate of plating onto mild steel
minimized.
TBC & SRB to be analyzed as per requirement during the ingress period to
know the microbial load and take the corrective actions