RISK ASSESSMENT AND SAFETY ANALYSIS FOR A JET FUEL TANK CORROSION RECERTIFICATION OPERATION

Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) or jet fuel is stored in stainless steel tanks or in epoxy coated tanks to prevent contamination through reaction with the tank sheets. Epoxy coated tanks overtime may develop cracks and coating defects which exposes the jet fuel to the steel surface. This is not optimal and it is an aberration to global best practices. Coating defects are corrected after surface preparation through blasting, and grit blasting is one of the common methods. Grit blasting is a hot work that may generate sparks which can be ignited by jet fuel fumes. In the oil and gas industry, personnel are moved via choppers to and from oil platforms and rigs, and this requires ready availability of jet fuel in storage tanks on oil platforms. Jet fuel tank repairs and recertification on offshore facilities where flammable crude oil and gas vapours may be present, coupled with jet fuel fumes is a high risk operation. This study presents a detailed job safety analysis and risk assessment that identifies potential hazards and the necessary safeguards and controls needed to safely manage tank recertification on offshore facilities toward preventing explosion and accidents.