overview

Key Learning Objectives

• Illuminate the mislabelled ‘Black Art’ of earthing
• Discover the science and craft required to make wise decisions regarding earthing system requirements
• Discuss matters relevant to safety and earthing systems in the oil and gas industry
• Appreciate the complex problems of inductive and conductive interrelationships between extensive metallic industrial assets, such as pipelines, storage facilities, substations and other power system assets
  Recognise the necessity for a coordinated approach to achieving EMC, including the design and management of earthing systems for power assets, lightning protection systems and cathodic protection systems
  Understand inspection and testing as imperative tools in earthing system management
• Investigate techniques for solving problems found in earthing system design
• Practical techniques for comparing the effectiveness of available risk mitigation techniques

About the Course

This course provides participants with a sound grounding in electrical science, and practical examples for understanding and problem solving with earthing systems in oil and gas.

The course begins with a review of the hazard utility to assets owned by an oil or gas industry business owner, the difference between voluntary and involuntary and the legal interpretation for earthing related risks. It then covers the relevant standards and their evolution towards risk management over the past decade and their likely future directions. The course then looks at the fundamentals of earthing and ‘shines a light’ on what is purported to be a ‘black art’.

How earthing impacts and integrates into the various levels of a power network is then reviewed, including generation, transmission and distribution assets, and impacts of the performance on third party assets such as railways, pipelines and telecommunications networks.

The course includes interactive practical sessions where we will ‘see’ how specific changes and errors affect outcomes which is invaluable in turning information into understanding.

Over the course participants will be invited to present real life issues and examples they have wrestled with, which will then be analysed using the understanding and skills developed during the program.

Who Will Benefit

Some understanding of electrical systems and power networks is required.

• Oil & Gas industry asset owners, maintainers, designers or engineers
• Those requiring a review or refresher in earthing systems
• Those interested in the impact of power system assets on their assets, particularly third owners of large metallic systems such as pipeline and telecommunications systems