Subsea Power Hub Tested in Aberdeen

Subsea energy storage and power generation specialists EC-OG said it has demonstrated the capabilities of its Subsea Power Hub (SPH) for powering subsea production equipment using battery power alone, during a recent workshop test program in Aberdeen.

During the trials, supported by the Oil & Gas Technology Center (OGTC) and a North Sea operator, the SPH was used to power a commercial Subsea Control Module (SCM) and local power distribution system. By operating the SCM using lithium ion battery technology, located within EC-OG’s proprietary Energy Storage and Intelligent Energy Management System, the test confirmed the SPH’s capabilities for operating North Sea wells without a power umbilical from a topside installation.

The SPH combines EC-OG’s core technologies of subsea energy storage and power generation to deliver energy for remote subsea architecture. The solution is engineered to provide significant CAPEX savings and revenue benefits to the operator, EC-OG said

The recent test at Cohort company SEA’s facility in Aberdeen was completed using a third generation Aker Solutions SCM and power was delivered via a subsea distribution unit and inductive couplers, representative of a high percentage of the subsea infrastructure typically found in North Sea brownfield developments.

The primary objective of the trial was to verify that the SPH could reliably supply the required power to the SCM and associated subsea infrastructure. Critical to operability, the trial demonstrated the full operating range of SCM functions through both SPH operating modes: battery power and battery charging.

In April 2018, a previous integration trial was conducted with SEA’s precommercial SCM which they modified to work on DC power. The most recent test was conducted on the North Sea operator’s SCM, using an AC power supply from the SPH.

“This is a big step forward for EC-OG, to be able to have our energy storage system successfully provide power to a commercial SCM. Demonstrating the capabilities of lithium-based batteries for powering subsea wells is a great achievement for us,” said Paul Slorach, Business Development Manager at EC-OG. “It would have been very difficult to achieve this milestone without the continued support from the North Sea operator and the Oil & Gas Technology Center.”

Christopher Pearson, Marginal Developments Solution Center Manager at the OGTC, said, “The industry is going through a transition to a lower carbon future and we must support the development of new energy integration technologies that meet the needs of this challenge.

“EC-OG’s SPH contributes to this industry change through its tidal turbine system, which can be used to unlock the huge potential in marginal developments by providing a primary energy source. We are delighted to be supporting EC-OG with their trial, which was a great success and look forward to working with them on the next stage of their project.”