A New Era: Large Subsea Multiphase Compressor - Driven by Subsea Adjustable Speed Drive

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heinz Lendenmann ◽  
John Olav Fløisand ◽  
Svein Vatland
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Electrical Equipment ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Adjustable Speed Drive ◽  
Road Map ◽  
String Test ◽  
Readiness Level ◽  
Adjustable Speed

Abstract The use of subsea processing equipment, which maintains, increases, and accelerates oil and gas production, is now more and more widespread in offshore subsea field developments. Furthermore, there is a strong drive for electrification of offshore fields, both subsea and topside, to lower emissions. To meet the technical challenges, a significant effort is put into research and technology development by academia and the industry. ABB, a specialist in electrical equipment and control systems, and OneSubsea, a specialist in subsea processing, have executed large development programs organized as Joint Industry Projects (JIPs) together with oil and gas operators. In this paper, we discuss how ABB and OneSubsea joined forces in testing and validating their respective subsea technologies as a full subsea system for subsea multiphase gas compression. This paper presents the world's first full-scale, combined subsea adjustable speed drive (ASD) and multiphase compressor (WGC6000) string test. In spring of 2020, both the ASD, and the WGC6000 reached Technology Readiness Level 4. The string test, with both units concurrently submerged, completed its witness test program in June 2020, with mapping of the WGC6000 speed and power envelope and a subsequent 24 h thermal stability run. The flawless test result confirms the strategic development road map for all the involved partners. The technologies presented in this paper are now fully qualified and available for commercial use enabling a paradigm shift in subsea oil and gas production.

Technology road map for the low-carbon production of hydrocarbons

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 583
Author(s):  
Clare Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Hydrocarbon Production ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Road Map ◽  
Net Zero

The Paris Agreement, signed in 2016, has the objective of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5°C to substantially reduce the effects of climate change. To achieve this objective, significant and unprecedented deep cuts in carbon emissions are required, as set out in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s special report on Global Warming of 1.5°C released in October 2018. To enable this ambitious target, global reductions in carbon emissions will need to be markedly reduced to an average of net zero by 2050 and, as such, will have profound effects on hydrocarbon (oil and gas) production in the coming decades. This paper presents a road map of opportunities for the reduction of carbon emissions from hydrocarbon production, specifically natural gas. It includes technologies for reducing carbon emissions from process streams and utility streams. A case study is used to illustrate the opportunities, along with a discussion on technology readiness for several options.

Advances in mobile technology for the oil and gas industry

2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 502
Author(s):  
Jeremy Shannon ◽  
Joris Steeman
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Technology ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Electrical Equipment ◽  
Regulatory Compliance ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Process Time ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Production Facilities

Australia's ageing production facilities (refining, LNG WA, oil and gas, and infrastructure) require turnarounds of an unprecedented scale. For oil and gas producers to focus on reducing costs while maintaining safe-production practices is a significant challenge. This is represented by the high cost of labour, materials and increasing regulatory compliance, including NOPSEMA and AS/NZS 60079.17 for EX Electrical Integrity in Hazardous Areas. Labour-intensive preparation work is led by Static (Pipe and Pressure vessel inspections) and ongoing EX maintenance inspections campaigns covering tens of thousands of EX FLOCs per year for each LNG train. Remediation work is supported by integrated Safe System of Work (iSSoW) for risk assessment and permit to work. Mobile applications in hazardous areas can reduce the effort required for many field-based processes, including EX inspections and iSSoW; however, they must also overcome the challenges of limited wireless communications in production facilities and the aged design of EX Zone 1 rated Mobile Devices. The application of Lean Six Sigma and process analysis to identify waste in the supporting processes (electrical equipment in hazardous areas [EEHA] and iSSoW) and the introduction of improved mobile system architecture provide new thinking for mobile technology in oil and gas production. This study identifies key areas of waste and analyses the results of extended mobility trials in onshore and offshore production environments in both new and aged facilities. This extended abstract reviews the results of a 2012 study that shows how appropriate mobile technology can reduce process time by more than 50%. This study's results also identify further areas for refinement and improvement.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document