Hazard Study: what Algerian regulations require of classified establishments
Hazard Study (EDD) in Algeria: authorization regime, executive decree No. 06-198, APR/HAZOP methods, effect zones and internal emergency plan. The guide for classified installations.
Hydrocarbon storage, petrochemical unit, hazardous product depot: if your installation falls under the authorization regime provided for classified establishments, Algerian regulations require you to produce a Hazard Study (EDD) before commissioning — and to revise it with each substantial modification to the site or process.
The regulatory framework: two regimes, two levels of requirement
Law No. 03-10 of 19 July 2003 on environmental protection establishes, in its articles 19, 23 and 24, the principle of classifying establishments according to their level of risk. Executive decree No. 06-198 of 31 May 2006 puts this principle into practice: it defines two regimes — authorization and declaration — and specifies, in its articles dedicated to the Hazard Study, the obligations incumbent on establishments subject to authorization.
Membership of one regime or the other depends on the nature and volume of the activity, as established by the nomenclature of classified installations annexed to executive decree No. 07-144 of 19 May 2007 — the same text that sets, for each type of installation, the posting radius and the documents required in the operating authorization application file. In practice: an establishment under the declaration regime follows a simplified procedure; an establishment under the authorization regime must produce a complete file including the Hazard Study.
In practice, this authorization regime most often applies to hydrocarbon storage and processing installations, units in the heavy petrochemical sector, and chemical or flammable product depots above certain capacity thresholds.
Why an EDD, distinct from the EIA
The Environmental Impact Assessment evaluates the effects of a project on its environment under normal operating conditions. The Hazard Study, on the other hand, focuses on major accident scenarios: explosion, fire, toxic release. Its objective is to identify the hazard potentials of the installation, quantify their consequences, and demonstrate that residual risks are under control. The two studies therefore address different questions, and the same project classified under the authorization regime may be required to produce both.
The expected methodology
An admissible EDD file follows four structuring steps:
- Description of the installation and its environment — characterization of products, processes, and surrounding vulnerability: neighboring populations, sensitive environments, potential domino effects with adjacent installations.
- Hazard identification — systematic analysis using recognized methods such as APR (Preliminary Risk Analysis) and HAZOP (Hazard and Operability Study), enriched by accident history feedback from the sector.
- Risk analysis and modeling — quantification of the major scenarios selected: thermal, overpressure, and toxic effects, with calculation of effect zones and mapping of isolation distances.
- Risk control — definition of prevention and protection barriers, development of the internal emergency plan (POI) and intervention provisions.
What the administration expects from the report
The final report must integrate the mapping of effect zones and the risk control plan, in a format compliant with the Algerian regulatory framework, ready for submission to the competent authorities — Wilaya Department of the Environment and, depending on the case, the Directorate of Industry and Mines. Imprecise mapping or unjustified modeling assumptions are the two most frequent causes of rejection or requests for supplementary information.
An exercise not to be outsourced lightly
A poorly calibrated EDD — underestimation of effect zones, incomplete scenarios — exposes the operator to a regulatory risk (refusal of authorization, formal notice) but above all to a real operational risk in the event of an incident. Conversely, an oversized study unnecessarily ties up budget in protective measures disproportionate to the actual risk.
The challenge is therefore to entrust the study to a team that masters both risk analysis methods (APR, HAZOP) and the specific Algerian regulatory context for establishments classified under the authorization regime.
BTH Expert carries out Hazard Studies for classified industrial installations in Algeria — hydrocarbon storage, petrochemical units, hazardous product depots — from the initial diagnosis through to the submission of the report and internal emergency plan. Contact our team to assess the applicable regime for your installation.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) evaluates the effects of a project on its environment under normal operating conditions — soil, water, air, human environment. The Hazard Study (EDD) focuses on major accident scenarios — explosion, fire, toxic release — and the risk control measures that follow. The two studies respond to different logics and are sometimes required together for the same project classified under the authorization regime.
Establishments falling under the authorization regime as defined by executive decree No. 06-198, whose classification within the nomenclature of classified installations (executive decree No. 07-144) is determined by the nature and volume of activities carried out. Hydrocarbon storage facilities, petrochemical units and hazardous product depots most commonly fall within this scope.
The most commonly used methods are the APR (Preliminary Risk Analysis), which systematically covers feared scenarios, and the HAZOP (Hazard and Operability Study), which examines process by process the possible deviations from normal operation. The choice of method depends on the complexity of the installation.
Yes. Any substantial modification to the installation — process change, increase in storage capacity, addition of a new unit — requires an update of the study and, depending on the case, a new review by the competent authorities.