ABB and Statoil to develop deepwater subsea power and control technologies

ABB, a leading power and automation technology group, has entered a joint industry program (JIP) with the Norwegian oil and gas company, Statoil. The programme will develop solutions for transmission, distribution and power conversion systems, designed to power and control subsea pumps and gas compressors at depths of 3000 m and over vast distances. The agreement is an important step on the path to develop complete subsea oil and gas producing facilities.Transformers are one of the components that need to be equipped to withstand the pressure of standing on the seabed for several decades. This is from the testing in Finland of a transformer for the Norwegian Continental Shelf from an earlier project.

Statoil is leading the JIP on behalf of other participating oil companies, while ABB is responsible for developing the new technology. It follows an extensive subsea power study executed by Statoil and ABB during 2012. The total value of the agreement is US$ 100 million, which will be jointly funded by all participating companies.

Pivotal development for subsea pumping and gas compression projects

The five year programme is pivotal to the development of technologies required to power and control large-scale subsea pumping and gas compression projects planned for the Norwegian Continental Shelf, the Gulf of Mexico and other places around the world. Subsea pumping and gas compression contribute to improved utilisation of oil and gas resources through greater recovery rates, reduced production costs and the further development of deepwater production.The JIP will provide solutions for transmission of electrical power up to 100 MW over a distance of 600 km and to depths of up to 3000 m. This is important for the development of remote oil and gas fields located far from other infrastructure.

Powering subsea installations

ABB is manufacturing its own semiconductors, which is an important component of the electrical system needed to power subsea installation with reliable power.

“The expanding oil and gas frontiers continue to provide ABB with rewarding opportunities,” said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, Head of ABB’s Process Automation division. “ABB has been a leading innovator of power conversion solutions to subsea installations for over 15 years. We are delighted that Statoil, a pioneering company in subsea technology, has decided to partner with us once again.”

This subsea electric power distribution technology enables several electric loads, such as pumps and compressors, to be supplied through a single power cable. This will reduce investment costs significantly compared to existing solutions using one cable for each individual load. The new technology, for example, will make savings of more than US$ 500 million, if eight loads are linked through a single cable over a distance of 200 km from other infrastructure.

To ensure compact and reliable solutions, the equipment will be enclosed in liquid filled, pressure compensated tanks, with components tested extensively under the full pressure they will experience at the target water depth. The programme entails material and component qualification, detailed design and full-scale testing of a 36 kV distribution unit and two variable speed drives for pump and gas-compressor applications, respectively.

Adapted from press release by Hannah Priestley-Eaton

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/06092013/abb_and_statoil_to_develop_deepwater_subsea_power_and_control_technologies/