Described is a system for the emergency evacuation of persons from a structure, such as a building, ship, raised platform, stadium or the like, comprising supporting means, designed to be positioned at a window of said structure for the emergency evacuation from said structure; at least one load-bearing structure, coupled with said supporting means, comprising in turn a plurality of modules, each comprising two inflatable longitudinal tubular elements positioned parallel to each other, said modules being positioned in series with each other; a slide having a surface on which the persons evacuated from said structure can slide, said slide being interposed between said two inflatable longitudinal tubular elements of said modules; and a pneumatic inflation system for the selective inflation of said two inflatable longitudinal tubular elements of said modules.

An offshore oil and gas platform has equipment and piping associated with an oil and gas installation. A method for optimising fire protection for the platform includes arranging the platform to have an evacuation time of at most 15 minutes or less using one or more evacuation route(s) via a gangway or bridge allowing personnel to escape to a vessel or to another platform, determining a maximum evacuation time for the platform, assessing the risk to personnel using the evacuation route(s) in accordance with the determined maximum evacuation time in the event of a fire, and providing passive fire protection to equipment and/or piping on the platform in order to prevent escalation of the fire that would create a risk to personnel on the evacuation route(s) during the determined evacuation time.

The invention encompasses fire-escape models of off-shore rigs with emphasis on a Detachable Island Rig (DIR), the latter instantly unlocked upon a rig-fire from a permanent under-water basement, its water-sealed fire-escape entry serving as an exceptional model (Sumathi Paturu's in-situ model) for an in-site fire-escape of a jack-up rig. An off-site modular is an unlimited air-source for all fire-escape units. A guarded spray-room is a destination for spray-walks, or spray-tracks with track-drives, or else simpler spray-drivesall being safe evacuation accessories workable with minimal cost and space. Wheeled life-boats and lift-boats protected against collision injury, are let out boarded/un-boarded by a remote control. Vital needs like safe evacuation, fresh air, and first-aids are devised as affirmed provisions. Other gas-fire protective outdoor/indoor measures include: gas-chasing surface grid of fans and sprinklers about tall structures; similar grid arching over the rig; and gas-chasing pressured air-circuiting into the rig's interiors.

A method for handling of hydrocarbons on an offshore platform includes the absence of emergency depressurisation for a fire. The method includes arranging the platform such that there is no mechanism for emergency depressurisation of a hydrocarbon inventory of the platform in the event of a fire, restricting the size of the platform such that evacuation of personnel can be achieved prior to escalation of a fire due to the lack of emergency depressurization, and permitting a fire to escalate by combustion of the hydrocarbon inventory after evacuation of the personnel.

Described is a system for the emergency evacuation of persons from a structure, such as a building, ship, raised platform, stadium or the like, comprising supporting means, designed to be positioned at a window of said structure for the emergency evacuation from said structure; at least one load-bearing structure, coupled with said supporting means, comprising in turn a plurality of modules, each comprising two inflatable longitudinal tubular elements positioned parallel to each other, said modules being positioned in series with each other; a slide having a surface on which the persons evacuated from said structure can slide, said slide being interposed between said two inflatable longitudinal tubular elements of said modules; and a pneumatic inflation system for the selective inflation of said two inflatable longitudinal tubular elements of said modules.

A method for handling of hydrocarbons on an offshore platform 14, 16 includes the absence of emergency depressurisation for a fire. The method comprises: arranging the platform 14, 16 such that there is no mechanism for emergency depressurisation of a hydrocarbon inventory of the platform 14, 16 in the event of a fire; restricting the size of the platform 14, 16 such that evacuation of personnel can be achieved prior to escalation of a fire due to the lack of emergency depressurisation; and permitting a fire to escalate by combustion of the hydrocarbon inventory after evacuation of the personnel.

An offshore oil and gas platform 14, 16 has equipment and piping associated with an oil and gas installation. A method for optimising fire protection for the platform 14, 16 comprises: arranging the platform 14, 16 to have an evacuation time of at most 15 minutes or less using one or more evacuation route(s) via a gangway or bridge 136 allowing personnel to escape to a vessel or to another platform 14, 16; determining a maximum evacuation time for the platform 14, 16; assessing the risk to personnel using the evacuation route(s) in accordance with the determined maximum evacuation time in the event of a fire; and providing passive fire protection to equipment and/or piping on the platform 14, 16 in order to prevent escalation of the fire that would create a risk to personnel on the evacuation route(s) during the determined evacuation time.

The invention encompasses fire-escape models of off-shore rigs with emphasis on a Detachable Island Rig (DIR) instantly unlocked upon a rig-fire, from a permanent under-water basement, saving property and personnel. The devised water-seal of its basement's in-situ fire-escape entry, not destroyed upon a rig-fire, serves as an exceptional model (named Sumathi Paturu in-situ Model, after its inventor) for an in-site fire-escape with a similar water-seal for jack-up rigs without a basement. An off-site modular is an unlimited air-source for all fire-escape units. A spray-room with converging spray-walks, or spray-tracks with track-drives or a simpler means of spray-drives are safe evacuation accessories workable even with minimal expendable cost and space. In the foregoing, vital needs like safe evacuation, food, and fresh air are devised as affirmed provisions, whereas the wheeled life-boats and lift-boats are let out boarded or un-boarded, upon a click of a remote control, with no collision injury.

The invention describes a partially submerged Detachable Island Rig (DIR) locked on a permanent under-water basement, to be instantly detached upon a rig-fire. The electrical wiring and metal tubing (with intervening rubber tubing) are cut and sealed, before the DIR disengages also from adjacent stationary rig. For stationing back onto the base, submerged despite changing tides, the buoyant forces of DIR are countered by a system of double pulleys within the basement, when also the DIR is aligned to be locked to the permanent base. The DIR has provisions for immediate functions of a conduction platform, living quarters, a basement entry, steering station, and uniquely designed life-boats and lift-boats. The water-seal of the basement entry, not destroyed upon a rig-fire, serves as an ideal fire-escape model, a safe refuge within the rig. A Continuation-in-part application extensively details water-sealed fire-escape devices of off-shore rigs, including a conventional jack-up rig.

The invention describes a schematic of a Detachable Island Rig (DIR) locked on an immovable base (providing stable working platform), to be instantly detached in the event of a rig-fire, the DIR having additional conduction platform, costly equipment, living quarters, a steering station, and uniquely designed life-boats and lift-boats. The electrical wiring and metal tubing (with intervening rubber tubing) are cut after clamping, before the DIR's dis-engagement.

For stationing back onto the base structure devised for staying submerged in water, the DIR is pulled down by a system of double pulleys on the sides of the base structure, when also the DIR is in a position to be locked to the permanent base. The under-water basement houses electrical generators, a power-source not to be destroyed by fire, and accessed at a level far above the ocean waters, through the top of a staircase-room erected from the basement.