Effect of Oil Pipelines Existing in an HVTL Corridor on the Electric-Field Distribution

Abstract

High-voltage transmission lines (TLs) are used to transmit bulk electrical power over long distances. As the voltage of transmission increases, the generated electric field also increases. Very high levels of electric fields generated by high-voltage overhead transmission lines can possibly affect humans and animals by creating a potential electric shock hazard. Therefore, corridors or right-of-way (ROW) limits are left on both sides along the route of transmission lines. It is the purpose of this paper to study the effect of oil pipelines which may run in the corridor and parallel to the conductors of the TL on the electric-field distribution at and above the ground surface level. A single pipeline is located in the TL corridor, and the electric field on the ground surface is studied. The proximity of the oil pipeline from the line conductors on the field distribution is assessed to see if the amount of land that is required as a right of way can be reduced. Oil pipelines with different radii and a fixed location from the TL arrangement center are simulated and modeled to present their effects on the field distribution and, hence, on the ROW limits. The effect of two parallel oil pipelines, separated by a certain distance and running parallel to the TL conductors on the field distribution, is also examined. The charge simulation method is used to simulate and model both the conductors of the transmission lines and the oil pipelines. Graphs for the electric-field distribution profiles at the ground surface, at TL conductors' surfaces and at the surfaces of the oil pipelines are presented and evaluated for the different cases mentioned above.