IEC 61892-7 Ed. 4.0 b:2019

Mobile and fixed offshore units - Electrical installations - Part 7: Hazardous areas

IEC 61892-7:2019 provides requirements for hazardous area classification and selection of electrical equipment and installation in hazardous areas in mobile and fixed offshore units, including pipeline, pumping or "pigging" stations, compressor stations and single buoy moorings, used in the offshore petroleum industry for drilling, production, accommodation, processing, storage and offloading purposes.

It applies to all installations, whether permanent, temporary, transportable or personal, to AC installations and DC installations without any voltage level limitation. Referenced equipment standards may give voltage level limitations.

This document is based on the requirements of International Standards developed by IEC TC 31 regarding area classification and requirements as to installations in hazardous areas and gives additional requirements for installations on mobile and fixed offshore units.

This document specifies requirements such as those concerning:

• area classification,
• electrical systems,
• selection of electrical equipment,
• cables and wiring systems,
• ventilation,
• ventilation requirement for battery compartments, and
• inspection, maintenance, repair and overhaul.

This document gives information on topics such as:

• gas detection systems, and
• electrical installations in extremely low ambient temperatures.

This document does not apply to:

• fixed equipment for medical purposes,
• electrical installations of tankers, and
• control of ignition sources other than those created by electrical equipment.

This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition published in 2014. This edition constitutes a technical revision.

This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:

• a) the document has been completely rewritten. References are, to the extent possible, made to IEC 60079-14 and to other relevant standards, as appropriate, from IEC TC 31; only requirements concerning offshore installations that deviate from the general requirements for installations in hazardous areas are given;
• b) requirements as to gas detection have been transferred to an informative annex;
• c) requirements concerning emergency shutdown (ignition source control) have been transferred to IEC 61892-1.