Oil Field Grounding

Lightning damage costs the oil industry millions of dollars each year in lost production, replacement equipment and service. Simple compliance with the National Electric Code is not sufficient because oil field operations involve concentrated electrical loads widely separated from each other. To efficiently serve these loads three-phase power is typically distributed at 12,470 volts. Installing lightning arresters only at poles having or feeding equipment is simply inadequate. Ground resistance, ground lead inductance, lightning arrester connections, power system grounds, shield wires, slack spans, ground bonding and transformer connections should all be considered in a comprehensive lightning protection plan. The intent of this paper is to strive for some consensus in equipment connections and grounding techniques which will produce the best reliability in rod and sub pump operations.