Using a VSC Based HVDC Application to Energize Offshore Platforms from Onshore - A Life-cycle Economic Appraisal

Abstract

The consequential growth in offshore electrical power demand associated with increased oil and gas production, new offshore developments and advanced technologies for enhanced oil recovery is driving the decision to explore alternative means of power supply as opposed to solely considering localized gas turbine generators, the last being the conventional approach over the decades. As part of the overall strategic decision making process, which would include consideration of a numerous other technical issues, this paper presents a Reliability Constrained Integrated Energy Economics Model (RC-IEEM) as a tool to allow for the economic comparison between two strategic electrification options namely (i) continue with offshore localized power generation using large-scale gas turbines (GTs), or (ii) propose a new approach for power supply from onshore using a voltage source converter (VSC) based high voltage direct current (HVDC) technology. Results reported in this paper show usefulness of the proposed tool and the benefits of connecting to onshore using HVDC technology, offering lower life-cycle cost with higher reliability and lower environmental impacts. The assumptions and conclusions reached in this paper are generic and are not project specific but are typical for the offshore oil and gas industry.