GE to Provide Gas Turbine for Evolution Well Services (Canada)

Evolution Well Services has selected GE’s trailer-mounted, TM2500+ aeroderivative gas turbine for a milestone on-site power project in Canada.

The project will demonstrate the mobile natural gas technology’s emissions-reduction and operational efficiency advantages over conventional diesel engines for hydraulic fracturing in unconventional gas fields.

Based in Calgary, Evolution Well Services is an oilfield technology company that provides mobile, modular, electric-powered high-pressure pumping systems for use in hydraulic fracturing. The company recently signed a three-year rental contract with GE to use the 25-megawatt (MW) TM2500+ unit to generate on-site power—first at a demonstration project near Calgary and then to support commercial operations in Alberta and British Columbia.

Known throughout the global power industry as the “power plant on wheels,” the TM2500+ provides fast, flexible distributed power by combining high efficiency and fuel flexibility, coupled with lower emissions in both the 50- and 60-hertz segments.

“We selected the TM2500+because it provides a mobile, natural gas-fueled power generation source for a new method of hydraulic fracturing that eliminates the use of diesel engines, resulting in lower emissions and lower operating costs, in terms of fuel savings and field personnel, as well as a reduced footprint at many of the well sites that we’ll be working,” said Eldon Schelske, president, Evolution Well Services.

“Evolution Well Services’ selection of our TM2500+ aeroderivative gas turbine reflects a growing trend within the global oil and gas industry to deploy more efficient and cleaner on-site power solutions that make unconventional oil and gas projects more economically and environmentally viable,” said Lance Hall, general manager, PowerXpand—aeroderivative gas turbines for GE Power & Water.

The unconventional gas industry is growing quickly and is expected to invest more than $40-$60 billion annually over the next six years in North America alone. By 2035, unconventional gas production is expected to account for 35 percent of the world’s increased supply of energy.

GE’s unconventional resources solutions—consisting of more than 40 technologies from across the GE portfolio—are addressing fundamental industry challenges, helping customers to improve operational performance, reduce their environmental footprint, increase resource recovery and drive demand for natural gas.

The TM2500+ is a key member of GE’s recently introduced PowerXpand™ Portfolio, which features several GE technologies designed for customers looking to address temporary power needs or searching for fast permanent power. The PowerXpand portfolio, which also includes the Jenbacher J320 containerized gas engine generator set and the 12V228 diesel engine generator set, delivers rapid power that is reliable, whenever and wherever it is needed.

The TM2500 aeroderivative gas turbine has evolved over time. In 2010, the package was enhanced to provide more power output, in a more compact footprint—two trailers instead of four—with improved interconnection designed for faster installation and setup. Today’s model, the TM2500+, is the portable version of the LM2500+ aeroderivative gas turbine, which has been the backbone of the global fleet since it was unveiled in 1969.

The TM2500+ offers multi-fuel flexibility operating on either natural gas or liquid distillate fuels and is easily converted from 50 hertz to 60 hertz. It can reach full power in less than 10 minutes and is capable of achieving nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions down to 25 ppm with water injection. Operating on natural gas at ISO baseload conditions, the TM2500+ has an efficiency of 37 percent at 60 hertz and 35 percent at 50 hertz with water injection for NOx control.

The enhanced TM2500+ recently received ecomagination™ qualification for its ability to help power cities and industries during environmental, economic and emergency power challenges. Ecomagination is GE’s business strategy to help customers meet their environmental and operational needs.

[mappress]
LNG World News Staff, February 08, 2013; Image: GE