Offshore staff
ABERDEEN, UK — The Net Zero Technology Centre, Sealand Projects, Neptune Energy and Spirit Energy (partners in the Cygnus gas project) have issued results from their Southern North Sea – Oil & Gas Asset Electrification Study.
This investigated the potential for electrifying an offshore platform with power from offshore wind, using the Cygnus platform in the UK southern North Sea as a case study.
There are various existing and planned offshore wind farms in the area that could provide new sources of power for platform electrification.
By 2030 installed wind power capacity within 50 km of Cygnus will be 6.8 GW, rising to 14.1 GW within 100 km of the complex.
The study examined four options for electrification:
- Local offtake with a power purchase agreement;
- Local offtake with an offshore transmission owner;
- Reallocation of turbines; and
- Dedicated offshore wind farms serving a platform.
The UK’s North Sea Transition Deal (NSTD) is targeting a 50% reduction in offshore production emissions by 2030, to be derived mainly from power generation offshore from open-cycle gas turbines.
Providing this power from offshore wind has the potential to deliver much of the emissions savings pursued by the NSTD.
Graeme Rogerson, senior project manager, Net Zero Technology Centre, said, “We have a number of barriers to overcome including regulatory challenges and establishing a way to make one of the four proposed options economically viable.
“However, the engagement levels from stakeholders have been hugely promising, and there is definite appetite to maximize the opportunity for electrification of oil and gas assets.”
09.01.2022
