Overview
ISO/TR 17177:2015 - "Petroleum and natural gas industries - Guidelines for the marine interfaces of hybrid LNG terminals" provides guidance for the ship-to-terminal and ship-to-ship marine interfaces of hybrid floating and fixed LNG terminals. It is a Technical Report intended to be read in conjunction with ISO 28460 and covers installations, equipment and operational guidance for facilities that do not match the “conventional LNG terminal” description. The report also addresses high pressure natural gas (HPNG) at the transfer interface but does not set process-plant requirements.
Key topics and technical focus
The report organizes practical guidance across the marine interface lifecycle and includes:
- Hazard identification for LNG and HPNG transfer, including leakage, fire and explosion potential
- Siting considerations: metocean, geological, environmental and socio-economic impacts
- Marine transfer systems: design and operational guidance for marine loading arms (MLAs), hose systems and HPNG-specific transfer equipment
- Marine operations: berthing, mooring, fendering, manifolds, electrical isolation and hose handling
- Communications: data and voice link requirements between ship and terminal
- Hazard management: leakage protection, firefighting, emergency response and exclusion zones
- Emergency systems: definitions and guidance for emergency shut-down (ESD), emergency release systems (ERS), emergency disconnect systems (EDS) and emergency release couplings
- Cargo transfer procedures: pre-transfer checks, transfer operations, normal disconnection and ESD/EDS operation
- Custody transfer measurement and training/competency requirements for personnel
- Informative annexes with typical ESD and configuration arrangements
Practical applications and users
ISO/TR 17177:2015 is practical guidance for organizations involved in planning, operating or regulating hybrid LNG terminals and ship-to-ship transfer operations. Typical users include:
- Terminal operators and owners (onshore, FSRU, FSU operators)
- Marine, mechanical and safety engineers designing transfer systems and MLAs
- Port authorities and marine pilots responsible for berthing and exclusion zones
- HSE, emergency response and firefighting teams planning contingency procedures
- Regulators and auditors assessing marine interface safety and compliance
- Contractors and consultants working on hybrid LNG facility layouts and operational procedures
Related standards
- ISO 28460 (Conventional LNG terminals - marine transfer)
- Other ISO/TC 67 standards covering materials, equipment and offshore structures for petroleum and natural gas industries
ISO/TR 17177:2015 is a practical, non-normative Technical Report focused on safe, efficient LNG transfer, HPNG handling and marine interface operations at hybrid terminals - a useful reference when designing procedures, emergency systems and marine transfer equipment.