KCA Deutag has been awarded a contract to carry out a major project to electrify Equinor’s jackup rig, Askepott, in Norway.
The electrification project, which will be delivered by KCA Deutag’s Kenera business unit, will make the Askepott rig the first in Equinor’s portfolio to be powered from onshore when it is completed in Q4 2024.
Askepott will receive power from high voltage cabling via the Martin Linge A platform, which is already supplied with power from the shore through the world’s longest alternating current cable and is located 42 kilometres west of the Oseberg Field in the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). The electrification of the Askepott rig in the field will enable energy efficient drilling operations and provide significant decreases in Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. Based on historic records and predicted calculations, it is anticipated the project will result in a reduction of twenty thousand tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year when compared to running with traditional diesel generators.
As a key part of the project, Kenera will convert the existing mud treatment room on Askepott to an electrical power room and install transformers, Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) and high-voltage switch boards certified to DNV classification requirements.
Kenera will provide a turnkey solution from initial procurement, detailed engineering, installation, and commissioning before handing the project over to Equinor and KCA Deutag’s team in Norway for the day-to-day operations onboard Askepott.
This project is the next step in previous Kenera campaigns to reduce CO2 emissions which have included the energy optimisation of both of Equinor’s Cat J rigs, the Askepott and Askeladden. These projects deployed CO2 and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) reduction technologies as part of Equinor’s long-term low emissions strategy for 2050 and resulted in the elimination of more than 85 per cent of NOx emissions.
Gordon Ronaldson, Senior Vice President, Kenera, commented: “This project to electrify Askepott will demonstrate the opportunities for rig electrification of assets across Equinor’s portfolio and indeed the wider sector as the industry looks to reduce total energy consumption and create more sustainable drilling operations. The award is also an important milestone for Kenera, as we continue to focus upon decarbonisation technologies and the energy transition. It will demonstrate and build industry confidence in our capability to electrify offshore and mobile assets.”
Source: KCA Deutag
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