3439 Guidelines for the integrity management of flare tips and ancillaries

Overview:

This document has been developed to provide guidance for operators and suppliers for the establishment and maintenance of an integrity management system (IMS) for flare tips and associated ancillaries for offshore and upstream plants. This includes recommendations on controls and procedures necessary to ensure continued integrity of equipment from manufacture through to replacement/decommissioning.

This publication will be of use to managers, discipline engineers, operators, technicians and inspectors and all parties concerned with the safety and environmental aspects associated with operating and integrity management of both offshore and onshore
upstream oil and gas facilities.

This document covers the flare tip and associated flare ancillaries i.e. pilot burners and flare tip mounted ignition and flame detection equipment. The boundary limit between flare tip and piping is defined as the flanged connection at the end of the flare riser.

Whilst reference is made to the various ignition technologies used for lighting the pilot burners and associated flare tips as well as their relative merits within Annex F, this document does not provide specific guidance on their operation and maintenance. Guidance in this regard should be sought from the installation and operating manuals provided by the equipment vendors.