Amending regulations on safety of the onshore petroleum projects

On ensuring safety of gas projects, the Decree regulates safe distances for the treatment, processing plants, storage and products; import and export ports; distribution, valve, launching and receiving stations of LNG.

The organizations and individuals determine the safe distance for cold storage of LNG according to the results of quantitative risk assessment.

In the case of pipeline having  a section on the ground, the organizations and individuals apply the safe distance corresponding to the pipeline section on the ground.

The Decree regulates the safe distance from technology equipment with a risk of fire and explosion in the harbor, wharf for petroleum import, export and petroleum products to the protected subjects. The safe distance from the outer edge of the harbor, wharf for petroleum import, export and petroleum products to the outer edge of the other ports and wharves is applied in accordance with the legal regulations of specialized maritime.

Decree 25/2019 / ND-CP also revised measures to protect oil and gas facilities, activities not performed within the safe distance of oil and gas projects.

Within the safe distance of oil and gas projects, the activities that are likely to cause direct or indirect damage to the operation and safety of oil and gas projects shall not be performed, including:

1/ Activities that are capable of causing fire, subsidence, displacement, digging operations, affecting the pipeline..

2 / Planting trees.

3 / Discharging corrosive substances.

4 / Organizing crowded meetings, sightseeing and tourism activities without permission of the competent authorities.

5 / Anchoring water transport means, maritime and fishing products, sand exploitation, dredging or other activities in the water which may interfere with the operation and safety of oil and gas projects, and facilities coming in and out of petroleum projects (except for activities of controlling the water flow and traffic activities, transport on the river).

6 / In the case, if pipes, or pipelines are passing across the river, at any time, the nearest point of the anchoring systems of the facilities must be at least 40 m to both upstream and downstream for pipelines, and it is not to allow the operation of waterway, marine, fishing, sand mining, dredging, or other underwater activities that may damage the pipeline (except the activities for controlling water flow and transport on the river).

This Decree takes effect from April 22, 2019.

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