G/TBT/N/MEX/333  
1 December 2016  
(16-6603) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  Spanish  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.  
 
1. Notifying Member : MEXICO  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible : Agencia Nacional de Seguridad Industr ial y de Protección al Medio 
Ambiente del Sector Hidrocarburos  (National Agency for Industrial Safety and 
Environmental Protection in the Hydrocarbon Sector)  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:  
Comité Consultivo Nacional de Normalización de Seguridad Industrial y Operativa y 
Protección al Medio Ambiente del Sector Hidrocarbu ros (National Advisory Committee on 
Standardization for Industrial and Operational Safety and Environmental Protection in the 
Hydrocarbon Sector)  
Melchor Ocampo 469  
Col. Nueva Anzures  
Delegación Miguel Hidalgo  
Ciudad de México  
C.P. 11590, México  
Email: david.hernandez@asea.gob.mx   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ ], 2.10.1 [X], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading . ICS numbers may  be provided in addition, where applicable) : Onshore 
petroleum facilities  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document : Norma oficial 
mexicana de emergencia NOM -EM-003-ASEA -2016, Especificaciones y criterios técnicos de 
seguridad ind ustrial, seguridad operativa y protección al medio ambiente para el diseño, 
construcción, pre -arranque, operación y mantenimiento de las instalaciones terrestres de 
almacenamiento de petrolíferos, excepto para gas licuado de petróleo  (Emergency Mexican 
Official Standard NOM -EM-003-ASEA -2016: Industrial safety, operational safety and 
environmental protection specifications and technical criteria for the design, construction, 
pre-start up, operation and maintenance of onshore petroleum storage facilities, oth er 
than those used for liquefied petroleum gas) (78 pages, in Spanish)  
6. Description of content : The storage of petroleum products is considered one of the most 
important activities in the hydrocarbon sector chain, since it helps to maintain stable 
reserves and provides support for other related activities . This activity must therefore be 
conducted in accordance with procedures that prevent any risk to industrial safety, 
operational safety and environmental protection . There are currently 73 onshore petro leum 
storage and distribution terminals in the country (approximately 583 tanks), with an 
operational capacity of 14.6  million  barrels and a nominal storage capacity of 
17,341,500  barrels . According to the Ministry of Energy, however, the demand for 
petrol eum will rise to 1,913,000 barrels a day by 2027.  G/TBT/N/MEX/333  
- 2 - 
  According to studies carried out by the Ministry of Energy, the production of, and demand 
for, petroleum products is expected to increase in the next ten years, with an estimated 
average growth rate of 3.8 and 5.2 for gasoline and diesel, respectively . Moreover, as a 
result of the reforms made to the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States 
(published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación  (Official Journal) on 2 0 December 2 013), 
the demand for na tional and foreign private companies that produce, distribute and sell 
petroleum products is expected to increase, which in turn implies an immediate increase in 
the demand for more onshore petroleum storage facilities . This makes it necessary to 
issue, as  a matter of urgency, a regulatory provision that prevents the risks inherent to 
this activity, with a view to safeguarding industrial and operational safety and 
environmental protection.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems  where 
applicable : This Emergency Mexican Official Standard seeks to establish the industrial 
safety, operational safety and environmental protection specifications, technical criteria 
and requirements to be met in the design, construction, pre -start up, o peration and 
maintenance of onshore storage, reception and delivery facilities for petroleum products, 
additives and biofuels, other than liquefied petroleum gas.  It is applicable throughout 
national territory and is binding on all persons responsible for the design, construction, 
pre-start up, operation and maintenance of onshore facilities used for the storage, 
reception and delivery of petroleum products, additives and biofuels, other than liquefied 
petroleum gas.  
8. Relevant documents:  
 Mexican Official  Standard NOM -093-SCFI-1994: Válvulas de relevo de presión 
(Seguridad, Seguridad -Alivio y Alivio) operadas por resorte y piloto ; fabricadas de 
acero y bronce  (Spring -operated pressure release valves (safety, safety -relief and 
relief) made of steel and bras s) 
 SEMARNAT -07-013, Rev.04, Chapter VI of the Accident Prevention Programme  
 AAR Railway for Engineering Manual  
 API 2610 - Design, Construction, Operation, Maintenance, and Inspection of 
Terminal & Tank Facilities  
 API 421 - Design and Operation of Oil -Water  Separators  
 API RP 520 - Sizing, Selection, and Installation of Pressure -Relieving Devices in 
Refineries  
 API 521 - Pressure -Relieving and Depressuring Systems  
 API 594 - Dual Plate Check Valves  
 API 599 - Metal Plug Valves -Flanged, Threaded, and Welding Ends  
 API 600 - Cast Steel Valves  
 API 602 - Gate, Globe, and Check Valves for Sizes DN 100 (NPS 4) and Smaller for 
the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries  
 API 609 - Butterfly Valves : Double -Flanged, Lug -and Wafer -Type 
 API 623 - Steel Globe Valves -Flanged and B utt-Welding Ends, Bolted Bonnets  
 API 650 - Welded Steel Tanks for Oil Storage  
 API 653 - Tank Inspection, Repair and Reconstruction  
 API RP 1004 - Bottom Loading and Vapor Recovery for MC -306 Tank Motor Vehicles  
 API 2000 - Venting Atmospheric and Low -pressur e Storage Tanks  
 ASME B31.3 - Design of Chemical and Petroleum Plants and Refineries Processing 
Chemicals and Hydrocarbons, Water and Steam  
 ASME B31.4 - Pipeline Transportation Systems for Liquid Hydrocarbons and Other 
Liquids  
 ANSI B31.3 - Process Piping Gu ide 
 ANSI B31.4 - Pipeline Transportation Systems for Liquids and Slurries  
 IEEE 515 - Standard for the Testing, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of 
Electrical Resistance Trace Heating for Industrial Applications  G/TBT/N/MEX/333  
- 3 - 
   ISGOTT 5th edition, ICOS/OCIMF/IPAH - International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers 
and Terminals  
 ISO 10434 - Bolted Bonnet Steel Gate Valves for the Petroleum, Petrochemical and 
Allied Industries  
 ISO 14313 - Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries - Pipeline Transportation Systems 
- Pipeline Valves  
 NFPA - Fire Protection Handbook  
 NFPA 11 - Standard for Low -, Medium -, and High -Expansion Foam  
 NFPA 14 - Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems  
 NFPA 15 - Standard for Water Spray Fixed Systems for Fire Protection  
 NFPA 16 - Standard for t he Installation of Foam -Water Sprinkler and Foam -Water 
Spray Systems  
 NFPA 20 - Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection  
 NFPA 22 - Standard for Water Tanks for Private Fire Protection  
 NFPA 24 - Standard for the Installation of P rivate Fire Service Mains and Their 
Appurtenances  
 NFPA 25 - Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water -Based 
Fire Protection Systems  
 NFPA 30 - Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code  
 UL 515 - Standard for Electrical Resistance Trace Heat ing for Commercial 
Applications  
 USCG 33 CFR 154 - Facilities Transferring Oil or Hazardous Material in Bulk  
 USCG 46 CFR 39 - Vapor Control Systems  
9. Proposed date of adoption : Not applicable.  
Proposed date of entry into force : This Emergency Mexican Offi cial Standard will enter 
into force the day after its publication in the Diario Oficial de la Federación  (Official 
Journal) and remain in effect for a period of six months.  
10. Final date for comments : - 
11. Texts available from : National enquiry point [ X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
Secretaría de Economía  
Subsecretaría de Competitividad y Normatividad  
Dirección General de Normas  
Tel.: (+52) 55 5729 9100, Ext. 43217  
Fax: (+52) 55 5520  9715 
Website: http://www.economia -noms.gob.mx/?P=144  
Email: normasomc@economia.gob.mx  and/or sofia.pac heco@economia.gob.mx  
Text available online at: 
http://dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5462374&fecha=24/11/2016  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2016/TBT/MEX/16_4923_00_s.pdf