Case Study: Lightning Protection for Floating Roof Tank Farms in Abu Dhabi

The case study discusses the importance of lightning protection for tank storage firms, particularly those with floating roof tanks that store millions of dollars’ worth of product. A single lightning-induced spark can cause significant damage and downtime, impacting the facility’s ability to deliver products and generate revenue.

Takreer, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), conducted a thorough lightning protection analysis and began upgrading its protection systems for floating roof tanks. They identified that many tanks had faulty lightning protection systems, such as metal shunt and wire systems, which deteriorate over time. To address this, Takreer collaborated with Lightning Eliminators & Consultants, Inc. (LEC) and Consilium Middle East (FZC) to implement LEC’s Retractable Grounding Assembly (RGA™) lightning protection solution.

Consilium and LEC installed 450 RGA assemblies on 84 tanks at Takreer’s Ruwais refinery and are working on a new contract to install RGAs on additional tanks in Abu Dhabi. The RGA is preferred because it requires less maintenance and is more reliable than traditional grounding systems. Takreer has also started including RGAs in specifications for new tank construction.

This case study highlights the challenges of protecting floating roof tanks from lightning, as traditional grounding solutions often fail due to maintenance issues. The RGA provides a permanent, reliable, low-impedance bond that prevents fires triggered by lightning currents.

Since 1971, Lightning Eliminators & Consultants (LEC) has been equipping customers to Keep You Running Through the Storm. Today, LEC’s solutions are in place around the globe to protect the critical operations and structures of some of the world’s most recognized companies, including Federal Express, UPS, CSX Railroad, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Telluride Ski Resort, and thousands more.