The Marine Oil Terminal Engineering and Maintenance Standards (MOTEMS)

WELCOME TO MOTEMS

The Marine Oil Terminal Engineering and Maintenance Standards (MOTEMS) were approved by the California Building Standards Commission (BSC) on January 19, 2005, and codified as the 2001 Title 24, California Code of Regulations, Part 2, California Building Code, Chapter 31F - Marine Oil Terminals. These standards apply to all existing and new marine oil terminals in California, and include criteria for inspection, structural analysis and design, mooring and berthing, geotechnical considerations, fire, piping, mechanical and electrical systems. Chapter 31F was published by the BSC on August 10, 2005, and became effective on February 6, 2006. The California Building Standards Commission has subsequently updated the 2001 California Building Code to the 2007 version, but Chapter 31F did not change.

Specific questions regarding the substantive or technical aspects of the MOTEMS should be addressed to: Dr. Avinash Nafday, P.E., Engineering Branch at (562) 499-6312.

For the complete Current MOTEMS text, click below:
2007 Title 24, CCR, Part 2, California Building Code, Chapter 31F - Marine Oil Terminals PDF Word

For the complete Updated MOTEMS text (Effective January 1, 2011), click below:

2010 Title 24, CCR, Part 2, California Building Code, Chapter 31F -
Marine Oil Terminals


RECOMMENDED UPDATE TO MOTEMS TABLES ES-1 & ES-2
In order to explain CAR and RAP ratings, Table ES-1 have been expanded into 3 tables, with a separation between operational, seismic and inspection evaluations.  Table ES-2 has been expanded to further explain and monitor remedial action priorities.

To view the tables, click below:

Table1 (includes ES-1A, ES-1B, ES-1C) PDF EXCEL
Table 2 (includes ES-2) PDF EXCEL

To view the Modified Express Terms click below:

 

 
Modified Express Terms
     
STUDIES RELIED UPON    
Tsunami Hazard Assessment for the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles by Moffatt & Nichol
Port-Wide Ground Motion Study Port of Long Beach by Earth Mechanics, Inc.
Numerical Modeling of Tsunami Effects at Marine Oil Terminals in San Francisco Bay, by Jose Borrero, Lori Dengler, Burak Uslu and Costas Synolakis
Mooring Loads Due to Parallel Passing Ships, by David Kriebel, P.E., PHD, Engineering Programs, US Naval Academy
Port of Long Beach Wharf Design Criteria

Port-Wide Ground Motion and Palos Verdes Fault Study Port of Los Angeles, CA, by Earth Mechanics, Inc.

California Relay Services:
From TTY Phone 1-800-735-2929
From Voice Phone 1-800-735-2922