Case Studies

Wheatstone LNG: Lightning Protection

Overview

Safearth Consulting provided a lightning protection design for four critical components for the Wheatstone LNG Project, Australia’s first natural gas hub. Safearth delivered a lightning protection design which provided compliance to AS1768 via risk assessment and consultation with the client. This in turn produced a design which addressed the requirements of the risk assessment whilst also retaining ease of installation, maintenance and monitoring.

The Challenge

The risk assessment process required by AS1768, which was performed in consultation with the client, resulted in a significant amount of lightning protection for the LNG Condensate tanks which form a critical component of the proposed LNG hub. As a result, an extensive lightning design was required whilst still having to address the practicalities of installation, ongoing maintenance and monitoring whilst also dealing with the various environmental factors such as tidal flow and cyclonic winds.

How was the problem solved?

The lightning interception was manipulated so that compliance to the appropriate protection level was achieved whilst still remaining suitable for the wind loadings that were required by the geographical location of the Wheatstone project. The presence of tidal flow where the lightning dissipation earthing would be installed required an innovative solution to be developed in preference to the standard electrode installation process. For such a large and critical installation, it is necessary to ensure that overtime the lightning protection system retains its integrity and performance. Safearth was able to provide an innovative solution for the installation of the electrodes to allow for ease and simplicity of ongoing maintenance and monitoring of the lightning dissipation earthing over the lifetime of the project.

The Benefits of Working With Safearth

Safearth Consulting was able to deliver a practical and cost effective design given the design parameters which were determined from the risk assessment in close consultation with the client. As with many large projects, design changes occurred throughout the process and Safearth were able to quickly respond to these changes and provide alternative designs which addressed these changes. Similarly, during the construction process further obstacles were encountered onsite for which Safearth was able to provide timely solutions to these issues. Throughout the construction process Safearth has been able to provide effective construction support to aid in the ease of procurement and construction.