The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has issued The Petroleum (Amendment) Rules, 2018 (“Amendment”) effective 10th August, 2018.
Key highlights of the Amendment:
- No electric apparatus shall be allowed in a zone “0” area (if inflammable gas or vapours are expected to be continuously present in the area) although the use of electrical apparatus in zone”0” must not be prohibited in the area of an intrinsically safe apparatus of a type approved in writing by the Chief Controller conforming to IS/IEC 60079-11 (standard which specifies the construction and testing of intrinsically safe apparatus intended for use in an explosive atmosphere and for associated apparatus) or other equivalent International Standards accepted, where use of such apparatus cannot be completely excluded.
- The proforma of Certificate of safety has been changed. The competent person carrying out the inspection under these rules shall issue a certificate in the new proforma through the online system of Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation.
- The applicant must submit the signed copy of the certificate so issued to the licensing authority before any petroleum is stored in an installation or a service station for the first time or whenever any addition to the enclosure walls and embankments are carried out or when any tank is repaired or installed or its position is shifted along with a fee of inspection which is specified in Part B of the First Schedule.
- The No Objection Certificate, (“NOC”) has been changed and a new proforma has been issued in these Amendments. The licensing authority shall accept the no objection certificate within a period of three years from the date of its issue for considering grant of licence.
- Form III or Form XI have been made the only certificates through which the Renewal of license can be done; Form XVII has been removed. No licence will be renewed if the application for renewal is received by the licensing authority after one year of the date of expiry. After one year of the expiry of the licence, all the documents required for new licence including no objection certificate from district authority must be submitted to the licensing authority.
- Every appeal against any order of the District Authority must be in writing and must be accompanied by a copy of the order appealed against, along with a fee of rupees one thousand paid in the manner specified in rule 13 (paid by a crossed bank draft of a nationalised or scheduled bank drawn in favour of the Chief Controller of Explosives, payable at Nagpur or through e-payment) and must be presented within sixty days of the order passed.
Source: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
