Simplified Approach for the Grounding Grid Design of Oil Onshore Site

In most cases, the soil resistivity in oil onshore sites is low due to its structure with facilities to extract and process petroleum and natural gas that lie in rock formations beneath the sea or to use water in extracting oil and gas according to the technologies used in that. In this article, a simplified approach for the grounding grid design of an oil onshore site is proposed. The onshore site is divided into seven zones, each has its own grounding grid. The paper used a simplified formula in combination with finite element method (FEM) simulations using COMSOL and CYMGrd software that provides a comprehensive technical approach in the design of an oil onshore grounding system. Empirical data from an actual onshore site enhances the applicability of the research. Standards such as IEEE 80, NEC 70, and IEC-60364 are well-integrated in the design methodology. Key improvements include reducing the maximum values of the step and touch potentials to be in the ranges of 100 and 590 volts, respectively, while the surface potential is reduced to 600 volts, which are considered safe values according to the IEC-60364 standard, and achieving the grid resistance of each zone to be less than 0.5 ohm. The resultant resistance when connecting the ground grids of the seven zones reached less than 0.01ohm through optimized electrode arrangements. A 3-D model is used to study the impact of lightning strikes on the tank farm area due to its importance. The proposed approach helps the engineering applications for a well-designed grounding grid in oil onshore sites, which is crucial for ensuring safety and reliable operation by mitigating electrical hazards and providing a path for fault currents.