抄録
Singapore's industrial development began in the '60s with the building of several Industrial Estates. Many considered it foolhardy to pin Singapore's future on transforming swamps into an industrial estate. But it succeeded. Now, three decades later, Singapore is writing a new chapter in the industrial development with the creation of offshore Chemical Hub made up of several smaller islands. The Chemical Hub is fast developing into a self-sufficient petrochemical complex with superb infrastructure and all the key support facilities. It was targeted that by 2010, the complex will be able to accommodate 5 crackers and 150 companies with a total estimated fixed asset investment of S$40 billion. The companies on it are and will be linked to one another via a network of pipelines, which will transverse a dedicated piece of land known as a "pipeline service corridor". These pipelines serve as a vital artery, supplying feedstock and products from one plant to another. Companies will benefit from over-the-fence selling of products through this linked petroleum and petrochemical cluster concept. This linked cluster concept is vital for the success of Singapore as a chemicals hub. However, in order for these pipelines to operate safely, it is necessary for consistent and appropriate standards to be set. Thus, a working group, which made up of experts from the petrochemical companies, Singapore's government agencies and statutory boards, developed a code of practice based on best industry practices and the appropriate existing internationally accepted codes and standards.
