Industry ‘first’ minimises energy waste
An innovative hybrid power technology – already in use – is designed to significantly lower Greenhouse Gas emissions during rig operations, decrease fuel consumption by up to 14% and lower regular maintenance cost, all while improving availability of the vessels station keeping systems.
The Challenge
Capturing energy generated during drilling activities – energy that would otherwise go to waste – and putting it to an alternative use.
The industry is committed to embracing solutions that enhance reliability while simultaneously reducing fuel consumption, operating costs and environmental footprint.
The Response
Transocean successfully deployed the world’s first hybrid energy storage system aboard a floating drilling unit in October 2019.
Already used on the Transocean Spitsbergen at the Snorre field in Norway, the system was developed in partnership with Aspin Kemp and Associates to capture energy generated by everyday rig operations.
Rather than going to waste, this energy is stored in batteries and used to power the dynamically-positioned rig’s thrusters. It, therefore, helps not only to reduce the unit’s environmental footprint but also to support safe and reliable station-keeping capabilities.
The project has partly been funded through fuel-saving incentives in Transocean’s contract with operator Equinor and by the Norwegian NOx Fund.
The Result
This technological advance targets a 14% reduction in fuel consumption during normal operations, leading to significantly lower emissions of NOx and CO2.
The power upgrade also underlines a shared commitment by Transocean and Equinor to work together to implement sustainable technology.
‘…helps not only to reduce the unit’s environmental footprint but also to support safe and reliable station-keeping capabilities’
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