Aramco

Design and Simulation of Solar Photovoltaic Powered Cathodic Protection Systems for Aramco Pipelines

Saleh Alkulaib, Abdullatif Al-Omair and Auwad AlHablani of Aramco at NAEM's OPEX25 and TECH25 Conference celebrating the Award.

Photo Credit: E+E Leader

This project exemplifies a forward-thinking approach to sustainability in the oil and gas sector. By integrating solar energy into cathodic protection systems, it not only addresses corrosion challenges but also reduces reliance on hydrocarbon-based electricity, lowering emissions and promoting cleaner energy solutions. The development of an interactive CP system design tool further enhances its impact, ensuring technical, economic, and environmental feasibility.”

E+E Leader Judge

Objectives

This project focuses on developing a sustainable cathodic protection (CP) system powered by solar energy to address corrosion in oil pipelines within Aramco’s network in Saudi Arabia. The system is designed and validated using mathematical and economic models to reduce emissions from hydrocarbon-based electricity. Furthermore, the project aims to create an interactive CP system design tool that adheres to Aramco standards while providing a comprehensive Life Cycle Cost Analysis to assess its economic, environmental, and circular economy benefits.

Project Methodology

Establish a Scientific Basis: Develop a foundation for cathodic protection (CP) technology to prevent corrosion in buried structures.
Feasibility of Solar PV Systems: Investigate the potential of using solar photovoltaic (PV) energy to power CP systems.
System Design with HOMER Software: Design and simulate a CP system while analyzing the economic feasibility of solar PV as a power source.
Simulation and Validation: Design and test solar-powered CP systems to ensure performance efficiency and reliability.

Corrosion Challenges in the Oil and Gas Industry

Aging infrastructure, such as underground pipelines, faces significant corrosion issues, which are a major concern in the oil and gas sector. Effective corrosion control can lead to substantial cost savings.

Project Phases

1- Phase One – Testing and Simulation: Design CP systems for buried structures through simulations, predicting parameters such as anode numbers, voltage, and current under varying conditions, and compare the outcomes with existing CP systems.

2- Phase Two – Solar PV System Design: Develop a solar PV power system for the CP system, including sizing components, energy storage, converters, and control mechanisms.

3- Phase Three – System Enhancement: Optimize current CP systems using mathematical and economic models. Validate the improvements using software tools and develop an interactive platform to evaluate technical and financial performance.

Impact

This project aims to analyze the solar-powered cathodic protection (CP) system through simulations across multiple scenarios using HOMER software. The analysis considers economic, technical, environmental, and social aspects. The primary goal is to design a sustainable CP system to protect oil pipelines from corrosion, using solar energy as the primary power source within Aramco’s pipeline network in Saudi Arabia. The system’s design and validation are conducted using mathematical and economic models, integrating circular economy strategies. By utilizing solar energy, the project contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing emissions and promoting cleaner energy solutions.

Innovation

The objective of this project is to analyze the solar-powered cathodic protection (CP) system through simulations across various scenarios using HOMER software. The analysis aims to determine the optimal number of batteries, solar panels, and other required equipment. It considers economic, technical, environmental, circular economy, health, and social aspects. Based on this study, it was observed that certain locations require more solar panels, while others benefit from lower energy costs in Saudi Arabia. The primary goal is to optimize solar system performance and efficiency across different locations.

Energy Source

Solar energy is utilized in areas where commercial power is unavailable, despite its higher costs and the need for backup batteries. Within Saudi Aramco, solar power is widely adopted for pipeline junctions in remote locations due to its ease of operation, low maintenance requirements, and suitability for cathodic protection systems with minimal power demands. As a renewable energy source, solar power serves as the primary energy solution for this project.

Due to Aramco’s commitment to help meet Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision of environmental sustainability and circular economy, the company is currently undergoing major policy changes and projects in order to minimize emissions of GHGs, while maximizing utilization of alternative renewable solutions (i.e. solar, wind).

Summary

Designing solar-powered cathodic protection systems for pipelines using HOMER and Excel yields significant, multi-faceted outcomes. Recommendations include ongoing research and development, with an emphasis on advancing solar PV technology to enhance efficiency and reduce costs.

Ongoing simulations and monitoring of deployed systems will refine design parameters and improve cathodic protection performance. Collaboration with renewable energy stakeholders can drive innovation and accelerate solar PV adoption for pipeline protection. The Project Review Excel sheet will serve as a best practice for Saudi Aramco’s Department to quickly calculate the number of panels, anodes, power supply, and other requirements. Additionally, recommended use HOMER software to assess off-grid decarbonization percentages across all hydrocarbon operations.

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