The purpose of this publication is to provide guidelines for the design, operation, and maintenance of a plant that has unmanned or remote operations.

Unmanned or remotely operated plant functionality can range from a plant with full remote functionality i.e., satellite plant controlled by a remote operating center (ROC) to a plant with autonomous operation.

The installations that are included in this publication are:

• cryogenic air separation plants;
• cryogenic nitrogen generators;
• noncryogenic plants (pressure swing absorption, vacuum pressure swing absorption, membrane, etc.) for oxygen and nitrogen;
• pipeline compression stations;
• compressed dry air facilities; and
• back-up systems and site storage, if existing and integrated with the production unit.

Specifically excluded are product supply tanks installed at a customer’s premises, home care units (for example, concentrators), and noncryogenic plants with a capacity of 5 ton (5 000 kg) per day or less. For noncryogenic plants from 5 ton to 20 ton (5 000 kg to 20 000 kg) per day, a risk assessment shall be carried out to identify which requirements of this publication apply.