Special requirements to protection against lightning, static electricity, and other phenomena capable of strongly heating the conductive elements or forming sparks are applied to the facilities storing oil and oil products. For many years, RD 153-39.4-078-01 Guidelines for Technical Operation of Reservoirs of Main Oil Pipelines and Oil Plants (hereinafter, RD) has been a main document governing the lightning protection and grounding design in such locations. In the subsequent years, the oil industry in Russia has significantly advanced, which required new standards for lightning protection and grounding. By Order of Rostekhnadzor No. 777 of December 26, 2012, the Guidelines for Oil Plant and Storage Safety has been made effective (hereinafter, the Guidelines). At some point, both documents were effective at the same time, but at the end of 2015, RD 153-39.4-078-01 ceased to be effective.
When upgrading oil and oil product storages and using standard designs developed before 2016, we should know how the standards provided in the Guidelines differ from the older standards.
Read our article Lightning Protection and Grounding of Oil Reservoirs. Review of Guidelines for Oil Plant and Warehouse Safety for more information.
Related Articles:
