Petrochemical transportation, refinery, and storage facilities are some of the largest and most sophisticated structures to protect from lightning. Presently, you need to do more than directing lightning strikes to earth. Human, material, and technical resources are at risk every time a storm approaches.
- Protect sensitive control equipment
- Avoid flashover/sparking to nearby components
- Keep lightning channel away from flammable and explosive materials
Out with the old, in with the new
Old-fashioned lightning rod systems may not offer adequate protection to microprocessor controlled equipment. ALLTEC’s TerraStat® product line provides advanced technology through the use of charge dissipation technology.
Charge dissipation uses point discharge theory to facilitate the reduction of static electrical charge buildup.
Thus, ground charges that develop streamers no longer have sufficient electrical energy supporting them to initiate the strike process.
By mitigating the formation of an upward streamer there is a greatly reduced risk of a lightning strike to the protected area.
TerraStat® Charge Dissipation Terminals are successfully protecting Oil and Gas facilities worldwide. Significant projects using TerraStat® charge dissipation terminals include:
Marathon Oil- Fairfield, TX; Indian Basin, NM; & Haynesville, LA
Petronas – Miri & Bintulu, Illinois
AGIP/KCO – Kazakhstan
Tennessee Gas Pipe Line – Tennessee
Unocal – Gulf of Mexico
Pemex – Mexico
Petroleo de Venezuela – Venezuela
National Gas Company – Trinidad & Tobago
Union Gas – Canada
PetroEcuador – Qito, Ecuador
Find out more about our charge dissipation terminals.
It is a powerful indication of quality and effectiveness that thousands of TerraStat® terminals have been installed without a single customer complaint or return. Laboratory tests and customer responses concur; TerraStat® CDTs outperform other lightning technologies.
Today the plant experienced a terrific lightning storm that lasted about 2 hours. I witnessed many, probably 25 to 30, lightning strikes close to the plant in that time. The operative word being “close” as in not striking the plant!