FROM THE B. S . I

'County Councils are very much concerned with this in their emergency planning procedures and measures to deal with oil pollution' said Mr Norman Best, Chairman of the Association's Consumer Services Committee. 'Although they will have some of the information in their capacity as local highway authorities, where these pipes cross county roads, a large number of these pipelines have been installed for many years and there needs to be a comprehensive, readily available list for each county.'

information and without the extra safeguards we're calling for, counties are in a very vulnerable position'. The ACC will be placing all these points before the Departments of Environment and Energy. (Press Release from the ACC) NEW SECRETARY SOUGHT FOR ASSOCIATION John Frid, Honorary·Secretary of our association for the past 9 years, has announced his decision not to stand for re-election to the office at the Mt Best (who is also a member of Hampshire next A.G.M. in April 1979. County Council), added 'We are also seeking Through his wealth of knowledge on assurances that existing controls covering all aspects of petroleum, and his the construction, operation and maintenance great loyalty and enthusiasm for the of these pipelines are working properly. Not A,.P.E.A. from its inception many years only oil is involved - high pressure gas ago as the M.P.A.A.G., John has made pipes and others run for long distances, the office of national secretary sometimes extending from one side of the particularly his own. He will be a country to the other. Without this hard act to follow!

NEW PUBLICATIONS FROM THE

VISCOSITY INDEX OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS

BS 4459 Method for calculating viscosity index of petroleum products and lubricants from kinematic viscosity specifies two procedures for calculating the viscosities index of petroleum products and related materials from their kinematic viscosities at 400C and 1000C. This standard, now revised, was first published in 1969 based on kinematic viscosity at 37.SoC and 9S.90C. Agreement was reached in the ISO technical committee on petroleum products for the use of -400C, 400C and 1000C as reference temperatures for viscosity determination, and ISO 2909 was prepared to provide for the calculation of viscosity index (VI) from viscosities determined at 400C and 1000C. The new edition of BS 4459 is technicall equivalent to ISO 2909. Y DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF FIXED OFFSHORE STRUCTURES

Oil discoveries in the North Sea have encouraged rapid developments in design and construction of fixed offshore structures in the UK. The need for guidance in this field has led the British Standards t· Institu n to consider preparing a standard, and DD 55 Fixed offshore structures, which has now been published, goes a long way towards providing the wide range of practical information required by those involved . in designing, constructing and . t . these structures, until it is possible for a comprehensive Code of Practice to be t realised. Offered as a Draft for Developmen (DD) rather than a British Standard COded t· ns of Practice, the document . r·ecommen . a based on the advice of practising Th 1 1 e ea eu the values determined . has been developed th t so a for VI calculated from vis ·t. 4 0 COS1 1es at 0 C and 1000C are virtuall and on the work of special studies of as meteorology and t ho have made exper s w h . t d subjects suc e . 1 oceano ogy, . 1 the same as those obtained from the loading materials behaviour and analyt1ca 37.80c and 98.90C) in the Comments and criticisms from

fIrst ed1tIon.

the industries concerned will enable BSI The new edition of BS 4459 ' be obtained from BSI Sales price £3 20 . , may Department, 101 to re-issue due course. it as a British Standard in Pentonville Road, London Ni 9ND.