How does the HIPPS system work in the Oil and gas Industry?

Overview of High Integrity Pressure-Protection System 

• HIPPS is used to reduce the severity of a specific rescue situation.
• HIPPS is not aimed at replacing a relief valve entirely.
• HIPPS requires a minimum SIL-1 the actual Safety Integrity Level SIL is ascertained by Layers of Protection Analysis LOPA.
• When the size of the rescue device installation is massive or the area is not familiar to the building HIPPS comes into the picture.
• High Integrity Protection System HIPS is also known as High Integrity Pressure-Protection System HIPPS.
• HIPPS is a collection of distinct protection layers intended to reduce the impact of an overpressure situation.
• It is a combination of mechanical protection, such as relief devices, and an automated system, such as shutoff valves and associated instruments.
• A HIPPS is developed and constructed with IEC standards 61508 and 61511.
• Minimizing risk on production wells and flow lines is a challenging issue that a HIPPS can help with.
• An overpressure incident can cause damage to the environment, infrastructure, and personnel when operating in high-pressure environments and production fields.
• When discussing a solution to protect equipment, personnel, and the environment, these international standards refer to safety functions and safety instrumented systems.
• In general, An HIPPS is a type of security system that turns off or minimizes high pressure within specified time duration to integrate system redundancy within the pressure detector, logic analyzer, and final elements (shutdown valves) with or at least the same consistency as a safety relief valve.

Features of HIPPS

1. High-integrity, flexible mechanical and electronic design
2.  Pneumatic and hydraulic actuator conventional or compact options
3.  Self-contained hydraulic system
4.  Partial- or full-stroke automated or mechanical testing
5.  SIL 3 certified design
6.  System diagnostics
7. Status feedback
8.  Conformance to safety regulations and environmental policies

Documentation of High Integrity Pressure-Protection System

High Integrity Pressure-Protection System must be famed with a Piping & Instrumentation Diagram and Safety Instrumented System Loop Documentation Form.

For each High Integrity Pressure-Protection System to be installed a registration form is required to be submitted.

 Registration of High Integrity Pressure-Protection System

1. These HIPPS systems are registered in the pressure relief registry.
2. Determine and explain the LOPA scenario number.
3. Determine and clarify the purpose of SIF numbers.
4. Characterize the HIPPS-assisted rescue scenario.
5. Clarify the reason you’re employing HIPPS.
6. When relevant, refer to an affiliated conventional relief device.
7. Design lead, Production leader, and so on are instances of approved authorizations.

 Workflow schematic of HIPPS

Steps:

1. Ascertain whether HIPPS is a better choice.

• To use HIPPS, users must comply with particular requirements.
• The necessity of HIPPS is commonly detected by the relief design engineer.

2. LOPA for the Overpressure Situation

• All independent layers of protection (IPLs) deserve some credit.
• Ascertain the SIL required for SIS (Minimum SIL-1).

3. Layout and setup in full compliance with the SIS/LOPA WorkFlow     .

• The SIS/LOPA workflow prerequisites are all appropriate.
• HIPPS monitoring and accounting within SIS/LOPA.

4. The integrity management functions are discussed by all SISs, including HIPPS.

• Approval and Evaluate
• Final authorization and evaluation.
• Documentation has been collected and will be recorded in mechanical equipment integrity files.

Functional working of HIPPS

• The primary purpose of HIPPS is to identify high-pressure circumstances and close isolation valves to safeguard downstream architecture that is rated lower.
• The system is running separately from the facility’s process shutdown (PSD), emergency shutdown (ESD), or control systems.
• HIPPS are developed for the fail-close operation that depends upon an overpressure signal and can be provisioned to function on other activities, like a loss of motive power of an instrument signal.
• If instrument air loss occurs, hydraulic power, electric power, or instrument signals, it is typically fail-closed.
• Each HIPPS loop is self-contained. A HIPPS is developed with redundant safety functions to minimize the likelihood of failure on demand while also increasing availability.

Components of HIPPS

The HIPPS consists of

1. Two ESD Valves,
2. A 1 out of 2 Logic Solvers,
3. Three Pressure Transmitters with 2 out of 3 Voting Logic.

Components may also include

1. Transducers to determine high pressures or flow rates 1oo2, or 2oo3. 
2. Logic solver that analyzes the signal from the transducers (Input) to the final control element (output)
3. SIL 3 rated final control element that offers the process to a final stable zone, confining overpressure reference.

HIPPS systems must meet customer essentials with the following components

1. Complete system design in accordance with HIPPS standards 
2. API-6A fail-safe gate valves 
3. API-6A linear hydraulic spring-return actuators
4. API-6D quarter-turn ball valves 
5. API 6D quarter-turn or spring-return actuators 
6. Skids designed for HIPPS
7. Controls or HPU designs like mechanical or electrical controllers including logic solvers
8. Solenoid Valves
9. Pressure Transmitters
10. Pressure Sensors.

• In correlation to PSD and ESD systems, HIPPS is an autonomously instrumented system with higher integrity.
• Applicable for onshore and offshore installations that require pressure safeguarding of downstream systems with high integrity level.
• A HIPPS is used to maintain a system from proceeding above its rated pressure level. The HIPPS is Safety integrity level III certificated that consists of field-proven valves and actuators such as API-6A slab-style gate valves.
• A HIPPS is a fence that separates the high- and low-pressure segments of an installation or manufacturing facility.
• The HIPPS blends ingredients into a self-contained system which is suitable for any oil and gas application.
• Mechanical and electronic standalone packages are available for the systems in a variety of configurations.

What are the types of HIPPS System?

The Hydraulic HIPPS

• The hydraulic HIPPS is a self-contained, independent protection system with 1 out of 2 (1oo2) or 2 out of 3 (2oo3) voting pressure transducer inputs.
• a  logic solver hydraulic type, and 2 spring return safety valves hydraulically actuated type.
• Generally, this unit is self-powered, but additional real-time controls can be provided by a hydraulic power unit (HPU).
• This increases system pressure and opens the safety shutdown valves.
• This hydraulic system persists in open conditions until unexpected situations are reached.
• The system automatically turns off two actuated final element valves when an unexpected condition is detected, to protect downstream production or facilities.

Electronic HIPPS

• The electronic HIPPS is a self, independent system having 1 out      of 2, or 2 out of 3 pressure transmitter inputs, along with electronic logic solver, and two safety valves actuated by hydraulic fluid of spring-return type that functions as required.
• The Electronic HIPPS is an auto-powering function with a manual hand pump or HPU, or it can be adjusted to use facility power sources.
• This increases system pressure and opens the safety shutdown valves.
• Until an abnormal condition is detected, the system remains operational.
• If such an event occurs, the system closes the two actuated final element valves, thereby protecting downstream production or facilities.

Applications of HIPPS

1.  Wellhead flow line
2. Pipeline and compressor stations
3.  Flaring systems
4. Separation and processing facilities
5.  Gas plants
6.  Gas storage
7.  Floating production storage
8. offloading (FPSO) vessels
9.  Offshore platforms
10.  Onshore operations

Benefits of HIPPS 

1. Protects downstream equipment
2. Reduces flare system requirements
3.  Reduces downstream system’s weight
4.  Maximizes system availability
5.  Reduces risk of vessel overpressure or high-pressure pipelines.
6.  Improves economic viability of a development
7.  Reduces risk to a facility, plant, or flow-line
8.  Reduces a total load of relief in a relief or flare system

What is the full form of HIPPS?

High Integrity Pressure Protection System (HIPPS)

What is the function of HIPPS?

1. To protect lower-rated downstream infrastructure the HIPPS senses
2. High-pressure conditions
3. Close isolation valves
4. HIPPS system operates autonomously and is independent of the facilities for process shutdown (PSD),
5. emergency shutdown (ESD

What is HIPPS in oil and gas?

• HIPS (High Integrity Protection System) in other words is recognized as High Integrity Pressure-Protection System (HIPPS).
• HIPPS is a collection of autonomous protection layers developed to reduce the impact of an overpressure situation.

What is the requirement of HIPPS?

• The HIPPS configuration needs to be as protected as or more convenient as the pressure relief device it removes.
• The configuration of any HIPPS must be statistically ascertained to guarantee it meets the criteria for provision for documentation of “as safe or safer” and adherence with the objective SIL.

What is HIPPS SIL rating?

• HIPPS is considered as a Safety Instrumented System (SIS) with a Safety Integrity Level III.
• HIPPS complies with a reasonable level of Safety Integrity Level-III rating, with an average probability of failure on demand varying from about =10^-4 to 10^-3.

Can HIPPS replace PSV?

Under certain overpressure situations, HIPPS may be employed in place of a pressure safety valve (PSV) to safeguard storage tanks and pipelines from overpressure. This can, regrettably, serve as a substitute for a PSV if its availability value is equal to or greater than that of the PSV.