Oil & Gas News

Mitigating Lightning Hazards in Offshore Operations

Lightning is the most dangerous and frequently encountered weather hazard across Australia. Tragically, people die, key assets are damaged, operations are disrupted, and businesses incur losses measured in millions of dollars every year.

 

Mitigating the hazards of lightning strikes is a major consideration for all offshore and oil and gas companies, due to the very nature of their operations.

Their personnel, offshore platforms, FPSO vessels, drill ships, supply vessels, fixed-wing and helicopter operations, cranes, shore-based infrastructure, pipelines and communications networks can all be exposed to risks.

Image courtesy: scarletpimpernel at Weather Underground WunderphotosLightening

The risks range from:

· a catastrophic disaster with loss of life and asset destruction in, for example, an ignition

· losses in productivity and revenues

· damage to assets and infrastructure and reconstruction costs

· outages in power supplies, communications and monitoring systems

· shutdowns, downtime and resumption when it’s proven safe to do so

· crew transport and travel disruptions.

Managing lightning risks is also increasingly part and parcel of zero-harm health and safety policies, particularly as legislative reforms in workplace law is enacted and become reflected in industry best practices.

MetraWeather and science partner, MetOcean Solutions, are Australasia’s foremost providers of oceanographic and meteorological guidance to the offshore industry. The predictions and operational weather interpretations draw on the experience of highly-qualified scientists and marine forecasters using state-of-the-art technologies and best quality data.

Both companies are exhibiting offshore solutions at APPEA 2015 on the New Zealand Pavilion, Stand 260.

MetraWeather recommendations to mitigate lightning hazards

· Implement a comprehensive, company-wide Lightning Management Plan to ensure all personnel know what to do and when.

· Instigate protocols focussed on operational efficiencies around lightning activity. Studies prove efficient operations are also inherently safer.

· Ensure real-time, accurate forecast guidance is available for situational awareness in the work environment and for responsive planning.

· Activate observational guidance for cloud-to-ground lightning strikes and storm tracks with proximity alerting to ensure operational and field crews are aware of the threat, timing, track and geography of lightning.

In September 2014, MetraWeather announced a new partnership agreement with lightning specialists, GPATS, which promises clients access to the most accurate and far-ranging detection services available across Australia. More than 50 ground-based sensors are networked to detect and accurately locate lightning-generating storm events.

Lightning Facts

Damage from lightning is estimated to cost $6–10 million every year in Australia. Lightning accounts for 5–10 deaths and well over 100 injuries annually in Australia (Source, Bureau of Meteorology).

Scientists predict global warming will increase the number of severe storms. This would mean up to three times the current number of lightning strikes may occur.

In 2012, South Australia was hit repeatedly by over 173,000 lightning strikes over twenty-four hours.

The CAA in the UK has received notification of six lightning strikes on offshore helicopters since 2010.

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