Floating renewable energy: the obvious answer to offshore oil and gas assets electrification

The OGA’s UKCS Energy Integration Report estimates that electrification could reduce UKCS oil and gas emissions by 2-3MtCO2 per year by 2030, roughly the equivalent of reducing 20% of today’s production emissions.

Why change the way oil and gas assets are powered

Electrification of offshore oil and gas assets meets several needs:

– Increased energy consumption on platforms: technology advances such as intelligent control platforms, data management systems and high-speed pumping and compression, have raised the demand for power on board oil and gas production assets.

– Focus on decarbonisation: governments and operators have included net-zero goals and lower environmental impact in their ESG plans.

– Need for cost reductions: with the price of oil showing more volatility in the past few years, cost savings are a key rationale behind new capital expenditure. Electrification helps to extend the life of oil and gas assets and achieve cost efficiencies.

– Compliance: Powering offshore platforms with renewable energy also helps with compliance and permitting with air quality regulators.

Floating can go the distance

Most offshore oil and gas assets currently produce their electricity by using diesel- or gas-powered onsite generators. Electrifying platforms from shore is already a significant improvement in achieving the above-mentioned objectives. However, running a cable from shore is not always feasible or cost-effective, especially if the platform is far from shore and in deeper waters. Using floating renewable energy as a direct source of power – rather than connecting the asset to shore – would save significant capital expenditures in the electrification process, as well as fuel operational expenses.

The 11 turbines of Hywind Tampen for example are meant to do just that and provide around 35%, and potentially more, of the power needed for the five platforms at the Gullfaks and Snorre fields, offshore Norway.