Doc 87/20 (revision of Doc 87/07) - Conversion of Cryogenic Transport Tanks to Oxygen Service

Conversion of a cryogenic transport tank oxygen service presents risks if potential hydrocarbon contamination is not addressed and checked. This publication outlines the principles for preventing hydrocarbon contamination of cryogenic transport tanks and guidelines for developing a procedure to safely convert a cryogenic transport vessel to oxygen service.

This publication can be viewed or downloaded on the EIGA Website by clicking here

Doc 224/20 (revision of Doc 224/19) - Static Vacuum Insulated Cryogenic Vessels Operation and Inspection

Static vacuum insulated cryogenic vessels are used for the storage of cryogenic (refrigerated liquefied) industrial and medical gases and are part of the customer’s gas supply system.

The properties of cryogenic gases require precautions to be taken and safety rules to be followed. Ignoring the precautions and safety rules can lead to accidents.

Cryogenic vessels shall be submitted to periodic inspections and testing.

This publication is intended to be used as guidance for persons involved in the operation, maintenance and inspections of cryogenic liquid storage installations.

This publication replaces EIGA Documents, Doc 114, Operation of Static Cryogenic Vessels, Doc 115 Storage of Cryogenic Gases at Users’ Premises and Doc 119 Periodic Inspection of Static Cryogenic Vessels.

This publication describes the operation and required inspections of static vacuum insulated cryogenic vessels at user premises, designed for a maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) of more than 0.5 bar. This is in accordance with the definition of pressure equipment in the Pressure Equipment Directive. It may also be used as a guideline for vessels designed for a maximum allowable working pressure of less than 0.5 bar. It covers installations of vessels with an individual water capacity up to 125 000 litres.

Subjects covered in this publication include:

· general information on cryogenic equipment;

· layout and design features for installation;

· putting into service / commissioning (documents, installation, checking);

· maintenance and repair, taking out of service;

· inspections (daily, filling and periodic); and

· training of personnel.

The cryogenic vessels described in this publication are used for the storage of for liquid oxygen, nitrogen argon and helium. The principles are also applicable for other cryogenic gases including carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and flammable gases. Toxic gas service is excluded from this publication. This publication does not address the vessels used in the production of cryogenic gases or vessels used for transport, which are covered by the Transportable Pressure Equipment Directive (TPED) or transport of dangerous goods regulations.

This publication applies to new installations and may be used as guidance for existing installations.

This publication can be viewed or downloaded on the EIGA Website by clicking here

Info 27/20 (revision of Info 27/11) - Operation of Transportable Vacuum Insulated Containers for Industrial and Medical Gases

EIGA has received reports of serious incidents that have resulted in the rupture of transportable vacuum insulated containers at our filling stations and at user premises.

Analysis of these incidents indicates the root causes as failure to apply appropriate engineering standards, poor operating practice, lack of periodic maintenance and inspection of safety devices and other important operating controls.

This Safety Information is intended to raise awareness of these serious incidents and to provide the basic recommendations and rules to safely operate these containers at our filling stations and user premises.

The Safety Information should be read by managers and employees involved in the filling and maintenance of these containers, or in specifying the procedures for these activities.

This publication can be viewed or downloaded on the EIGA Website by clicking here

Industrial strategy to be released on 10 March

On 11 March, the European Commission is expected to publish the EU’s new Industrial Strategy and the Circular Economy Action Plan. The Industrial Strategy will be a central piece of the Commission’s work: it will set the new EU growth strategy to make the Green Deal a reality and ensure a more powerful European industry capable of competing at global level while respecting EU’s fundamental values.

Advanced version of European Climate Law

Set to be published on 4 March, and advanced version of the European Climate Law points to a significant expansion in the Commission’s ability to amend the EU’s greenhouse gas (GHG) targets. The Law, a key element of President von der Leyen’s Green Deal programme, sets a legally binding target for climate neutrality by 2050. The proposal would also allow the Commission to amend intermediate GHG reduction targets via the delegated act mechanism every five years.

ETS: Poland proposes scrapping free EU ETS allowances for aviation

The Polish proposal says that free allocations to the aviation sector, worth about €800m in 2019, weaken the ETS, whose purpose is to “reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a cost-effective manner”. The document adds that the situation “is currently not reasonably justified”, especially since aviation is “not directly exposed” to carbon leakage.

Link to ENDS Europe article

Climate policy: Low-cost, clean hydrogen from underground oil fires could kill off green H2 sector

A Canadian start-up plans to produce clean hydrogen from underground oil, gas and coal-bed fires using the ‘Hygienic Earth Energy’ concept. This hydrogen is up to ten times cheaper per kilogram than the least expensive, highly polluting methods available today.

Link to RECHARGE article

Climate policy: New batteries, heat pumps and green hydrogen to supercharge energy transition's 'second phase'

New research from DNV GL finds hydrogen key in the ‘second phase’ of energy transition technologies. DNV GL expects green hydrogen to be able to compete with blue hydrogen by 2030.

Link to RECHARGE article

Climate policy: Germany floats draft hydrogen strategy ahead of EU Presidency

At least 20% of German’s hydrogen will be green under a circulated draft of Germany’s hydrogen strategy. The plant also includes millions for research and it estimates a big part of the country’s hydrogen to be purchased from abroad.

Link to Euractiv article

Non-financial reporting: Commission launches consultation on review

The European Commission is consulting on the review of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive until 14 May 2020, indicating that is considering to expand the scope of the companies required to report and the information to be disclosed, introduce external assurance of non-financial information, and reinforce the double materiality perspective of the Directive.

Link to consultation

Sustainability taxonomy: publication of final text expected in Q3

The Sustainable Taxonomy Regulation is expected to be published in the Official Journal of the EU (OJEU) in Q3 rather than Q2, following the finalisation of the text through the lawyer-linguist process, as well as the formal approval by the European Parliament in a second reading procedure and by the Member states.

Link to provisional text agreed in inter-institutional negotiations (pre-lawyer/linguist review)

Info HF 13/20 (revision of Info HF 13/12) – Organisation – "Human Reliability"

There are many terms that are used to describe how people contribute to safety events, including human failure and human error.

In this publication the term ‘Human Reliability’ is used to describe an area of safety management that considers the human contribution to risk and the systems we need to reduce that risk.

Human reliability assessment (can also be known as Human Error Analysis) is used to gather and present information on these factors in a logical way.

Organisations use human reliability assessment to examine the extent to which they have these factors under good control. If the level of control (and therefore human reliability) can be improved, the assessment will point to how this may be achieved.

This human factors safety information sheet gives an overview of the various aspects to consider and provides assessment checklists.

The safety information sheet is intended for the use of all line managers within the industrial gases industry as well as safety managers and professionals.

This publication can be viewed or downloaded on the EIGA Website by clicking here