FPP, TechnipFMC to explore powering oil & gas platforms with wind, wave, and hydrogen

Floating Power Plant (FPP) and TechnipFMC have been selected by a UK offshore operator to perform a concept select study for the electrification of North Sea oil and gas platform with wind, wave, and hydrogen-based renewable energy system.

The concept select study will focus on determining the optimum setup to use renewable energy from FPP’s hybrid floating wind and wave energy platform combined with TechnipFMC’s hydrogen-based energy storage system to minimize the intermittency normally associated with renewables, and maximize usable power.

The work will build on a previous feasibility study, which illustrated the potential of FPP’s system to provide reliable renewable energy to the platform, according to the partners.

FPP and TechnipFMC will seek to develop and assess a suitable renewable energy concept which is capable of significantly reducing the CO2 emissions associated with operations at the platform with minimum risk to operations.

The study will also explore the requirements to efficiently interface with the existing infrastructure, in terms of both hardware and controls.

Anders Køhler, CEO of FPP, said: “This concept select study provides significant progress in the development of a reliable renewable energy solution for the offshore oil and gas sector, allowing us not only to develop the technical solution towards a well-defined, real need, but also to develop the commercial solution to suit the needs of the market.”

While the combination of wind and wave will supply the renewable energy, another significant factor enabling the oil and gas platform to reduce emissions will be the hydrogen solution on board the floating wind platform.

When the power production exceeds the platform’s needs, the surplus power will be stored as hydrogen and saved for later usage in fuel cells, dramatically reducing the need for running fossil fuelled generators.

Luana Duffé, executive vice president for new energy ventures at TechnipFMC, said: “Our hydrogen solution is ideal to work alongside FPP’s wind and wave platform to reduce the potential greenhouse gas emissions produced on oil and gas platforms.

“Using our technology and iONE, our execution model utilized specifically for renewable energies, we can safely and efficiently produce, store, and re-electrify hydrogen. This allows us to then export incremental electricity to the platform when wind and wave power are lower than the demand.”

FPP and TechnipFMC will also work with other consultants looking at the required brownfield modifications to the existing infrastructure, to optimise the interface between the renewable energy system and the platform.

Finally, the project will not only focus on developing the technical concept but will also aim to provide an economic and CO2 abatement assessment and look at suitable commercial delivery models tailored towards the needs of the oil and gas market.

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