Analysis of approaches to the organisation of lightning protection and grounding systems according to PJS']JSC "Transneft" standards and foreign standards

Based on experience in the development of regulatory documents of tanks and tank farms, other facilities protection from the dangerous lightning effects, as well as the practical results of lightning protection and grounding system survey, a comparison was made between the requirements of Russian standards (including PJSC Transneft industry standards) and main US and EU standards on the design and operation of lightning protection and grounding systems for tank farms. It has been established that all standards treat the purpose of lightning protection and grounding systems in the same way, prescribe visual inspections of above-ground part of grounding devices, measurements of contact resistance and resistance of grounding devices, and contain mandatory requirements for ensuring personnel safety. At the same time, fundamental differences between Russian and foreign standards were revealed, including the scope of inspection of the underground part of grounding devices, in the use of isolated lightning protection systems for tanks, as well as the applied protection levels, methods for calculating protection zones, and the surveys frequency. It is concluded that design requirements for lightning protection and grounding systems at PJSC "Transneft" facilities are stricter, and scope of survey work is wider than established by foreign standards. At the same time, the relevance of this approach and its advantages are substantiated.