Energy resources management and efficiency of cathodic protection systems for oil and gas

Corrosion has long been a major problem in oil and gas industry with financial implications due to cessation of production, maintenance and safety issues. Cathodic protection (CP) is recognized as an effective protection technique used to control corrosion of buried structures such as oil and gas pipelines. Since most CP stations are located outside the city away from power distribution networks, power supply to CP stations is a key problem in oil industry. Considering the importance of photovoltaic systems to supply power to areas far from the network, this study investigates the continuous power supply based on two parameters: reliability and cost. In this paper, three CP sites for oil pipelines are evaluated in terms of electric power distribution and photovoltaic system type. The results demonstrate that for distances more than 2.5 km while considering a reliability constraint, photovoltaic systems are economically efficient by reducing initial investment, ongoing costs, and power consumption

Keywords:

oil industry , cathodic protection , photovoltaic systems , Homer