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Knowledge centre / Storage guidance

AANANT LOGISTIX · STORAGE PASSPORT

Find how your chemical
should be stored

Know your product.
Understand its storage classification.

A starting point for your product review, based on composition and flash point.

    Browse by flash-point band. Final petroleum classification also depends on composition.

    START YOUR REVIEW

    Which chemical
    are you storing?

    Search a product, then confirm its details from the manufacturer’s Safety Data Sheet.

    Educational guidance
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    Product details

    For mixtures, composition is checked from the SDS.

    Composition SDS section 3

    Examples include toluene, xylene, mineral oil and petroleum distillates. Check liquid, viscous and solid formulations.

    Physical properties SDS section 9

    Use the finished product’s flash point. Suggested values are typical and must be checked.

    Mixture flammability SDS sections 2 / 9

    Relevant when the product contains a liquid hydrocarbon along with other ingredients.

    Unsure about a detail? Select Not sure.

    Understand the classification process

    1. What PESO is and which laws apply

    PESO (Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry) licenses the storage of petroleum in India. Three laws decide whether a chemical needs PESO storage:

    • Petroleum Act, 1934 – defines “petroleum” and its Classes A, B and C, and requires a licence to store it.
    • Petroleum Rules, 2002 – the detailed storage, licensing and safety rules made under the Act (e.g. Rule 122).
    • Inflammable Substances Act, 1952 – brings 7 named non-hydrocarbon substances under the Petroleum Act.

    2. The key legal point – Section 2(a)

    Under s.2(a), “petroleum” means “any liquid hydro-carbon or mixture of hydro-carbon and any inflammable mixture (liquid, viscous or solid) containing any liquid hydro-carbon”. Only petroleum, plus the 7 substances in the 1952 Act, s.3 (acetone, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, wood naphtha, calcium carbide, calcium phosphide, nitro-cellulose cinematograph film), come under PESO control. Acetone, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol and wood naphtha are PESO, classed by flash point (Statement of Objects and Reasons + s.5 of the 1952 Act). For calcium phosphide and nitro-cellulose cine film, Petroleum Act provisions apply to the extent notified under s.4 — confirm the applicable notification. Carbide of calcium alone is permitted under the Calcium Carbide Rules 1987.

    The flash-point Classes A, B and C in s.2(b)–(d) are defined as “petroleum having a flash-point…”, so they apply only to petroleum. Petroleum with a flash point of 93 °C or above is outside Chapter I of the Act (s.11 exemption).

    Physical state matters. s.2(a) covers a liquid hydro-carbon. A solid hydrocarbon on its own (e.g. refined naphthalene, solid hydrocarbon resin, paraffin wax) is not petroleum. A mixture (liquid, viscous or solid) is petroleum only if it is an inflammable mixture containing a liquid hydrocarbon – a non-inflammable mixture is not petroleum.

    Classification is not licensing. The finder first states the classification (Class A/B/C, 1952 Act s.3 substance, s.11 exempt, or not petroleum). Whether a licence is needed then depends on quantity (Act s.7/s.8: Class A ≤30 L, Class B ≤2,500 L, Class C ≤45,000 L licence-free), packaging (bulk tanks → Form XV; non-bulk → Form XII/XIII/XVI by quantity, Petroleum Rules 2002 First Schedule) and activity (storage, transport – Rule 62, decanting).

    Common misconception: flash point alone does not decide PESO. A chemical with a flash point below 23 °C is not “Class A” unless it is first petroleum. IPA, MEK, MIBK, ethyl acetate and glycol ethers such as PM are flammable, but they are not hydrocarbons and not on the 1952 list – so they are not petroleum; they are stored under the Fire NOC (flammable section) and other applicable laws.

    3. What is a hydrocarbon?

    A hydrocarbon is a chemical made of only carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) atoms – nothing else. Check the formula on the SDS: only C and H = hydrocarbon. Any O, N, Cl, S or other element = not a hydrocarbon (but check whether the product also contains a hydrocarbon).

    Hydrocarbons (petroleum)

    Hexane, heptane, toluene, xylene, benzene, cyclohexane, styrene, MTO, kerosene, diesel, petrol, naphtha, solvent C9, mineral oil

    Not hydrocarbons

    IPA, MEK, MIBK, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, glycol ethers (PM, PnP, butyl cellosolve), acetic acid, formic acid, MEA, glycols, methylene chloride, THF, DMF

    Acetone, methanol, ethanol and wood naphtha are not hydrocarbons either, but they are declared dangerously inflammable by the 1952 Act s.3; its Statement of Objects and Reasons records that all Petroleum Act provisions were already applied to them by notifications under Petroleum Act s.30, kept in force by s.5 – so they are PESO, classed by flash point (normally Class A).

    4. The 3-step decision test

    5. What each verdict means

    VerdictClassificationNext review step
    PESO – Class APetroleum, flash point below 23 °C – s.2(b)Licence above 30 L (s.8): non-bulk ≤300 L Form XII, >300 L Form XVI; tanks Form XV
    PESO – Class BPetroleum, flash point 23 °C to below 65 °C – s.2(c)Licence above 2,500 L or any receptacle >1,000 L (s.7(i)): non-bulk ≤25,000 L Form XIII, more Form XVI; tanks Form XV
    PESO – Class CPetroleum, flash point 65 °C to below 93 °C – s.2(d)Licence above 45,000 L (s.7(ii)); below that Rules 136–140 apply; non-bulk Form XVI; tanks Form XV
    NOT PETROLEUM – NON-PESONot petroleum (s.2(a)) and not on 1952 list – incl. solid hydrocarbons and non-inflammable mixturesNo Petroleum Act licence. Not allowed in a PESO shed without written permission (Rule 122). Fire NOC/MPCB/MSIHC apply.
    s.11 EXEMPTOutside Petroleum Act Chapter I — s.11 exemption (petroleum with FP ≥93°C)No Petroleum Act licence. Facility still needs Fire NOC/MPCB etc.
    NEED SDS CHECKCannot tell yet whether it is or contains a hydrocarbonRead SDS section 3, then re-check
    NEED FLASH POINTIt is petroleum, but the class needs the flash pointRead SDS section 9, then re-check
    PESO — 1952 Act s.3Acetone, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, wood naphtha – class by flash point (normally A). Basis: 1952 Act s.3 + Statement of Objects and Reasons (all Petroleum Act provisions already applied by notifications under Petroleum Act s.30) + s.5 (those notifications continue in force)Confirm applicable statutory requirements and facility approvals before storage.
    1952 Act s.3 substanceCalcium phosphide, nitro-cellulose cine filmPetroleum Act provisions apply to the extent notified under s.4 — confirm applicable notification
    Calcium Carbide RulesCarbide of calcium (1952 Act s.3)Licence under the Calcium Carbide Rules 1987
    REVIEW NEEDEDGenuine contradiction only: a pure single hydrocarbon with SDS “no hydrocarbon”; “not inflammable” with flash point below 93 °C; Gas with “contains liquid hydrocarbon”No automatic verdict – correct the inputs from the SDS

    6. How to use the finder – read the SDS

    • SDS section 3 (Composition / information on ingredients): look for hydrocarbon, mineral oil, petroleum distillate, naphtha, aromatic/aliphatic solvent, white spirit, toluene, xylene or hexane. If these are the only ingredients → answer “Liquid hydrocarbons only”; if a liquid hydrocarbon is listed with other ingredients → “Contains liquid hydrocarbon (with other ingredients)”; if none is listed → “No liquid hydrocarbon”.
    • SDS section 9 (Physical and chemical properties): take the flash point (closed cup) in °C.
    • Type the chemical name – the built-in list fills typical values, which you should replace with your SDS values.
    • The built-in list shows PESO chemicals only (petroleum under s.2(a) with flash point below 93 °C, and the Inflammable Substances Act 1952 list). A chemical that is not in the list is not automatically non-PESO – enter its formula, SDS answer and flash point and the finder applies the Act test.
    Browse the chemical reference list

    PESO chemicals only. Flash points are typical – confirm from your SDS. Click a row to load it into the checker.

    ChemicalFormulaFlash pt °CVerdict
    Official sources & references

    Official government websites only. All open in a new tab.

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