Editorial comment
There are significant pressures on the oil and gas industry to improve efficiency in the face of geo-economic disruptions and persistent inflation, and offshore platforms offer an under addressed opportunity to optimise energy use in response.
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One promising solution to do this lies in Hydraulic Power Recovery Turbines (HPRTs) – a technology already proven downstream, now offering untapped potential for upstream operations to reduce energy costs without increasing carbon emissions.
Offshore operations rely heavily on fuel to power gas turbines or diesel generators – major cost drivers. Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) installations require a reliable source of energy to ensure continuous operation. Traditionally, crude oil is extracted from the seabed, the produced water is separated and treated, with a portion consumed while the excess water is returned to the sea or, in technical terms, ‘overboarded’. Instead, by passing the overboarded water through a vertical HPRT – requiring no more space than the existing overboard pipe – a mid-to-large capacity FPSO could recover approximately 5% of its 20 - 25 MW power consumption. As a result, fewer gas and diesel deliveries are needed for power generation, which translates into lower energy costs and reduced operational risk.
In extreme offshore conditions, energy recovery can be more than a cost-saving measure – it can be a lifeline. For example, during India’s monsoon season from June to September, certain regions receive as much as 90% of their total annual rainfall.1 That prolonged cloud cover shuts off the potential for power from solar panels on unmanned oil platforms in the region. Those heavy rains are often combined with high winds, causing choppy seas and making it difficult to deliver the diesel needed to power the generators relied on by platforms. These adverse weather conditions can combine to leave the unmanned oil platforms at risk of unreliable energy sources over a prolonged period.
By channelling a small portion of water used for injection in a closed loop through an HPRT, operators will be able to power up the electricity needed for their equipment in unmanned platforms. This innovative application opens possibilities for more reliable operations in some of the most extreme conditions, such as the monsoon season in India. Even where offshore platforms operate in less challenging conditions, an HPRT can provide a layer of security when choppy seas and overcast weather combine to frustrate the ability to generate power from other sources.
In a challenging economic environment, upstream operators must explore energy recovery solutions. HPRTs enable companies to maintain production levels while reducing energy costs. The combined result is a stronger bottom line – a diamond in the deep for oil companies.
