Transmission Line EMF Interference with Buried Pipeline.pdfVIP

Proceedings of the International Conference on Non-Ionizing Radiation at UNITEN (ICNIR 2003) Electromagnetic Fields and Our Health 20th –22nd October 2003 Transmission Line EMF Interference with Buried Pipeline: Essential Cautions M. H. Shwehdi and U. M. Johar Electrical Engineering Department at King Fahd University of Petroleum Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia ABSTRACT Transmission lines are considered one of the major sources of magnetic field. In recent years electromagnetic field (EMF) interference with buried pipelines has been of great interest in the literature. The EMF interference on pipelines located in utility corridors is a real and serious problem which can place both operator safety and pipeline integrity at risk. Installing pipelines in energy utility corridors containing high-voltage AC transmission lines subjects the pipelines to induced AC voltages. This can be caused by an imbalance in the transmission system, and by high voltages near transmission tower grounding systems resulting from lightning strikes and phase faults. When a long-term induced AC voltage exists on a pipeline, it can be dangerous and potentially life-threatening for operations personnel to touch the pipeline or appurtenances. In addition, pipe corrosion also can result from AC discharge. Due to the wide lands of Saudi Arabia and its long water and oil pipelines, a considerable length of these pipelines extends along the high voltage transmission lines right-of-way. A study was conducted in 1992 in the Eastern region to evaluate such AC voltages deposited on buried oil pipelines from the utility transmission lines. As well as in 1998 another investigation was conducted on a 380 KV transmission line and a parallel buried water pipeline in the W