The Regulatory Gap and Its Impact on Engineering Safety of Fuel Stations in Syria
Eng. Majd Haj Rashid
This research addresses the gap in the unification and integration of the legislative and technical reference framework that characterized the fuel station sector in Syria prior to the issuance of the Executive Regulations for Fuel Station Requirements by the Ministry of Energy for 2026. Previous fragmented resolutions (such as Decree No. 39 of 2016 and Decree No. 211 of 2008) operated without forming an integrated national technical system covering all stages of a station's lifecycle, from design to maintenance and compliance monitoring. The study analyzes the implications of this gap on public safety and environmental protection by reviewing recurring risk patterns in field practice, ranging from fires, explosions, and fuel leaks to groundwater contamination and infiltration into adjacent residential basements. Drawing upon cumulative field expertise exceeding twenty years in fuel station equipment, the research provides a comprehensive analytical assessment of the complete station equipment chain—starting from storage tanks, manholes, and ventilation systems; passing through containment sumps, piping networks, valves, and submersible turbine pumps; up to dispenser components (pumping unit, volumetric meter and OIML standards, hose and breakaway valve, automatic nozzle)—in addition to vapor recovery systems, electrical classification, and fire suppression systems. Furthermore, the paper presents a theoretical framework for fire and explosion elements (the fire triangle and tetrahedron, Lower/Upper Explosive Limits [LEL/UEL], and electrostatic generation mechanisms) with direct application to the operational environment of fuel stations. It also reviews the Italian regulatory experience regarding underground storage tanks, comparing it with the three-year compliance grace period granted by the Syrian regulations for existing stations. The research concludes with a set of recommendations—including the application of compliant lining for single-wall operational tanks and the establishment of a national accreditation laboratory for compliance certificates—alongside emphasizing the necessity of qualifying engineering personnel as a fundamental prerequisite for the effective and safe implementation of the executive regulations.