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Case Study

Fire Protection Below Ground: ADNOC’s Underground Oil Storage Facility

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is one of the world's leading energy producers, with a production capacity of more than four million barrels of oil and around 11.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.

Project logo
Client
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC)
Project
ADNOC M Project
Location
United Arab Emirates
Application
Oil pump separation barriers
Fire Rating
H0 Hydrocarbon Fire — 120 minutes' integrity
Individual Barrier Size
10.5 m × 4.5 m
Environmental Corrosion Category
C5-M
Design Wind Speed
26 m/s
Overall Project Duration
2.5 months
Total Protected Area
Approximately 710 m²

Project Overview

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is one of the world's leading energy producers, with a production capacity of more than four million barrels of oil and around 11.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.

The ADNOC M Project was developed as the world's largest underground oil storage facility, using underground caverns to increase crude oil storage capacity and provide greater flexibility for exports through Fujairah's Arabian Sea terminal.

Within the Pump Shelter building, Invicta was appointed to design and install 15 H0 hydrocarbon fire-rated barriers between individual oil pumps. Each barrier measured approximately 10.5 m × 4.5 m and was designed to prevent a fire or blast at one pump from affecting adjacent equipment.

Project Challenge

The barriers needed to provide 120 minutes of integrity against the hydrocarbon fire curve, while still allowing clear access to the oil pumps for maintenance, repair and replacement. A permanently fixed barrier arrangement was therefore not suitable.

The barriers had to be fully removable using the building's overhead gantry crane. Once removed, the fixing system also needed to leave a flush floor finish, allowing equipment and personnel to move freely through the area during maintenance.

Technical Constraints

Each barrier measured 10.5 m × 4.5 m and had to withstand a specified wind speed of 26 m/s. The resulting overturning forces meant that a conventional flush-anchor arrangement was not suitable.

The site also presented demanding environmental conditions. Its proximity to the coast, the underground cavern environment and the aggressive industrial atmosphere required the steelwork to meet a C5-M corrosion category, with anti-corrosion protection applied to the steel components.

Installed Solution

Invicta designed a demountable Durasteel® fire-barrier system that could be removed using the existing overhead gantry crane. Each barrier was divided into four removable sections, allowing the complete assembly to be lifted out without dismantling it piece by piece.

Steel mounting plates with tapped holes were permanently embedded within the concrete foundation. The removable barrier sections were secured using M20 × 250 mm anchor rods, which could also be removed when the barriers were taken out, leaving the required flush floor finish for maintenance access.

The steel components were protected with anti-corrosion coating to meet the C5-M environmental requirement, while the overall arrangement was engineered for the specified fire and wind-loading conditions.

Project Outcome

The completed installation delivered:

  • 15 H0 hydrocarbon fire-rated barriers
  • 120 minutes of fire integrity
  • Approximately 710 m² of protected area
  • 10.5 m × 4.5 m individual barriers
  • Fully demountable sections for pump maintenance
  • Removal using the existing overhead gantry crane
  • Flush floor finish after barrier removal
  • C5-M corrosion protection
  • Design for a specified wind speed of 26 m/s
  • Installation completed in 2 months
  • Overall project completed within 2.5 months by a 9-person team

The completed system provides fire separation between the oil pumps while allowing the barriers to be removed when maintenance access is required, combining hydrocarbon fire protection with the flexibility needed to maintain critical oil-handling equipment.

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