Offshore staff
NOTODDEN, Norway – Equinor has chosen Optime Subsea’s hydraulic pump for its future all-electric fields initiative.
According to Optime, all-electric solutions support cost-effective and standardized subsea field developments.
Traditionally, hydraulic valves and equipment on the seafloor are controlled from topsides via hydraulic piping over long umbilicals. However, all-electric solutions could eliminate most of these hydraulic elements and the associated cost and risk, by actuating all the valves and controls electrically.
Surface controlled subsurface safety valves (SCSSV) remain controlled by hydraulics: Optime’s subsea hydraulic pump (sHPU) supplies local hydraulic power and control subsea, eliminating the need for hydraulics in the host umbilical.
Equinor sees the small, low-cost and sturdy device as potentially driving all its SCSSVs where electric controls is not the preferred option, Optime said.
According to Optime CEO Jan-Fredrik Carlsen: “We have worked with Equinor on identifying the most optimized technical and commercial solution for its all-electric subsea production systems for a while. By leveraging our experience in subsea hydraulic pump technologies, we now have a single unit pump, with redundant pistons and electronics that only requires almost the same amount of power as a light bulb.
“This sHPU will contribute to optimizing project implementation cost to assist future operators drive to more electric and potential unmanned subsea production fields.”
An all-electric, water depth-independent system also opens the way for digitalization to provide increased control and maintenance, and to source all the power from cleaner resources.
Last year Optime delivered the subsea electric power and distribution control module for ABB’s all-electric subsea power distribution system, supported by Equinor, Total, and Chevron.
07/17/2020
