Safety and environmental protection are our top priorities.
Regardless of their industry or the nature of their work, companies also have a responsibility towards their immediate neighbourhood. They are committed to protecting people and the environment from harm.
For this reason, we would like to inform you about safety measures and how to behave in the event of incidents. Incidents. Incidents are defined as industrial accidents in which certain substances are released that could pose a serious threat to people, the environment and property. Not every disruption in an operational area is necessarily an incident. Definition in the Incident Ordinance:
An accident is an event such as an emission, fire or explosion of a significant magnitude resulting from a disruption of normal operations in an area of an establishment covered by this regulation or in an installation covered by this regulation, which immediately or later causes a serious danger or damage to property within or outside the establishment or installation and involves one or more dangerous substances as defined in the Hazardous Incident Regulation.
We kindly ask you not to block the emergency telephone numbers of the fire brigade and police that you are familiar with by making enquiries. Please only use the telephone in extreme emergencies and then use the known emergency numbers.
Emergency services/fire brigadePolice: ✆ 110
Rettungsdienst/Feuerwehr: ✆ 112
If you have any questions or notice anything unusual, please contact our Control Room around the clock: ✆ (0031) 46 426 8140 or our emergency service: ✆ (02365) 49-7669 or ✆ (02365) 49-01.
If you notice anything unusual while travelling on the route, you can also use the signposts (yellow-orange) for guidance, which also contain the contact details of the control centre/emergency service. Or you can contact us directly: info@argkg.de or (0208) 899 569-0.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
If you cannot find the answer to your question, please contact us. We will be happy to provide you with further information.
What is ethylene?
Ethylene is a colourless gas with a slightly sweet smell that is lighter than air under normal conditions. It is not toxic or hazardous to water. Ethylene is transported as a fluid in the raw material pipeline, i.e. in a state between gas and liquid.
Is ethylene toxic?
Ethylene is not toxic or hazardous to water. It is a colourless gas with a slightly sweet odour and, under normal conditions, is lighter than air. Ethylene is highly flammable and burns in air with a slightly sooty, bright flame. In high concentrations, ethylene acts as an anaesthetic.
What does ethylene smell like?
It is a gas with a slightly sweet smell.
Are ethylene pipelines always laid above ground?
No, not always. Lockable pipe sections laid above ground must be protected by suitable safety valves or equivalent safety devices against impermissible pressure increases due to thermal expansion. Safety valves must be component-tested and suitable for the specific application; their discharge lines must allow for safe discharge. There are also underground pipe systems. After the construction of a pipeline system, the area used was recultivated and can, for example, be used again for agricultural purposes, as the pipeline is located at least 1.20 metres below the surface.
Who is responsible for checking whether a pipeline could be damaged during a construction project?
In order to ensure the safety of our long-distance pipelines, ARG requires detailed written information about your project from you as the construction company, planning office, private builder or resident in good time before work begins. We will use the documents you provide to check whether the construction project could cause any disruption to our pipeline system and will inform you of the results of our assessment. If your project affects our long-distance pipelines, we will then coordinate any requirements and safety measures with you.
For information about long-distance pipelines, we recommend the online portal BIL. BIL is a nationwide information system for pipeline research and allows you to obtain comprehensive information about our long-distance pipeline system in a very simple manner. Further information can be found at www.bil-leitungsauskunft.de.
This service is free of charge for you!
Alternatively, you can send us your enquiry in writing by email or post. To enable us to process your enquiry quickly and reliably, please include the following information and documents:
- Building and project description, planned construction period, client (if applicable)
- Maps/plans, location of planned construction work
- Telephone number and address for any queries
EvonikOperations GmbH
Pipeline information
Paul-Baumann-Straße 1
45772 Marl
fernleitungsauskunft@evonik.com
ARG mbH & Co. KG
Essener Straße 66
46047 Oberhausen
info@argkg.de
What is ethylene used for?
Ethylene is the basis for the production of a wide range of plastics such as polyethylene, polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride. Ethylene is used to produce plastic bags, beverage bottles, packaging materials, all types of films, vehicle fittings, floor coverings, insulation materials, detergents and cleaning agents, among other things. The main customers are the plastics industry, the automotive industry and the chemical industry.
What is the throughput in a pipeline?
Who is responsible for the safety of a pipeline?
The ARG control centre ensures safety around the clock, 365 days a year. Shut-off stations make it possible to automatically interrupt the flow of ethylene in the unlikely event of a leak. The approximately 90 stations, which are installed at intervals of approximately 12 to 18 kilometres along the route, supply the relevant data and can shut off the section in a matter of seconds, thus significantly limiting the escape of ethylene.
In addition, regular route inspections and helicopter flights are carried out to monitor the pipeline route.
Where can I turn if I notice damage?
There is a signpost nearby with contact details.
Alternatively, you can contact the ARG Control Room at PPS:
Petrochemical Pipeline Service B.V.
Control Room
Telephone 0031/46 426 8140
and/or
Evonik Operations GmbH
Technology & Infrastructure
Betriebszentrale für Pipeline
Telephone 02365/49 7669
How can you tell which direction the ethylene is flowing in?
Changing operating conditions make it difficult to determine a specific flow direction. Given the large number of ethylene producers and consumers connected to the system, it is not possible to identify a continuous, steady flow direction. Depending on the requirements of the connected parties, the product may flow via the Ruhr area towards the Ruhr area, but also from the Ruhr area towards Antwerp, among other destinations.
What does it mean when whistling noises can be heard?
Then please contact our technical service providers immediately.
Why is ethylene harmless to water, fauna and flora?
Ethylene also occurs naturally as a plant hormone. It plays a role in the ripening process of fruit and influences the shedding of leaves from trees. Apples, pears and citrus fruits in particular, but also ripe tomatoes and peppers, emit ethylene. In private households, this can be observed when bananas are stored in a fruit basket together with apples: within a very short time, the bananas develop brown spots or become mushy.