Managing Total Solution For

Lightning Protection - PETRONAS

Gas Berhad Experience
by
Razif Mat Saat
Zulkifli Ayub

Asian Pipeline Conference

27-28th September 2005
Contents:

9Introduction
9Lightning Statistics
9Sample of Damage
9Engineering Design
9Root Cause Identification and
Mitigation
9Surge Impedance Measurement
9Conclusion
 Introduction

‰ Petronas Gas Berhad (PGB) has approx. 2600km-

long onshore pipelines.
‰ 107 (and counting) SCADA-linked stations
controlled by Petronas Gas Control Centre.
‰ SCADA reliability is affected mostly by lightning-
related problems.
‰ Total Mitigation programme on lightning effects
began since 2002. Currently in phase 4.
Lightning Statistics
Year Total Negative Percentage of
flashes flashes positive flashes
1995 1,024,022 987,980 3.52

1996 1,315,526 1,255,944 4.53

1997 1,312,946 1,266,995 3.50

1998 723,671 698,887 3.42

1999 759,556 739,006 2.71

2000 630,589 617,436 2.09

Total 5,766,310 5,566,248 3.47

 Damage Sample

Burnt differential-mode SPD, installed for instrument signal protection

Damage Sample (cont’d)

Burnt MOV at 24 Vdc rectifier unit

Damage Sample (cont’d)

Spark marks at cable tray

 Engineering Design
9 BS6651:- One must consider protection
for electronics/software.

9 Differentiate the needs between direct

strike protection and surge protection
system.

9 Air finials for direct strike protection are

for structure physical protection only.
Engineering Design

Source: BS6651:1999
 Engineering Design (cont’d)
9 Protection Scheme Identification.

9 Surge Protection Device (SPD)

selection for suitability.

9 SPD installation shall be done properly.

9 Attention to grounding system.

 Engineering Design (cont’d)
Compound Lights

Telekom TNB incoming

Leased line supply

Electronic Flow
Measurement
DB

Transmitters

PLC 24VDC Cathodic

Protection
Gas
Chromatograph
 Engineering Design (cont’d)
Compound Lights

Telekom TNB incoming

Leased line supply

Electronic Flow
Measurement
DB

Transmitters

PLC 24VDC Cathodic

Protection
Gas
Chromatograph
Engineering Design (cont’d)

DB

PLC 24VDC

Multiple exits for grounding system

Engineering Design (cont’d)

DB

9Only single exit for PLC 24VDC

grounding system
 Engineering Design (cont’d)
TNB incoming power
protection:

•Triggered Spark Gap

Technology

•High energy rating

•Fast response time

•Low Let-through Voltage

 Root Cause Identification
and Mitigation
9 Existing SPDs have low surge energy rating.

9 Improper internal wiring. Protected (clean)

wires should be segregated from unprotected
(dirty) wires.

9 Multiple exit points for grounding system.

9 Ground cable length and route not optimised

for lightning condition.
Root Cause Identification…
Field instrument signals (clean)

Field instrument signals (dirty)

 Root Cause Identification…

24VDC rectifier input (clean)

Field instrument signals (dirty)
 … and Mitigation

New SPD installed with better wiring arrangement

Root Cause Identification…
TNB incoming (dirty)

Magnetic Flux
induces current
into clean line

SPD output (clean)

… and Mitigation
Better wiring arrangement that
minimizes mutual induction to
protected cables
 Root Cause Identification
and Mitigation

Before: Clamp-type joint After: Exothermic welded

between copper tape and rod copper tape and rod
Root Cause Identification
and Mitigation

Cables and gantry were disconnected from

station building
Surge Impedance
Measurement
Source: www.lightningmaster.com
 Surge Impedance
Measurement(cont’d)

Impedance
Tester

Test Point Voltage Probe Impulse Probe

 Surge Impedance
Measurement(cont’d)
Advantage of Surge Impedance Test:

•Allows thorough commissioning for

grounding system. Depicts grounding
system’s performance during lightning
condition.

•One can trace which way lightning

energy travels within the system. This
allows quick indication on the
effectiveness of grounding system.
 Conclusion

‰Good engineering design

‰Proper selection of Surge Protection Devices (SPD)
‰Good SPD installation
‰Monitoring and maintenance programme
 Thank You
Write to:

Manager,
Technical Services Dept.,
Petronas Gas Bhd, Transmission Operation Div.,
KM 10 Segamat-Kuantan Highway,
85000 Segamat, Johor,
Malaysia.
Phone: 07-9353000